Freedom Offered

 

Acts 16:16-34 is the First Reading for the 7th Sunday of Easter in the Year of Luke.  It is a story about freedom aptly positioned near the celebration of Memorial Day in the U.S.  A number of people are freed: a slave girl, the apostles, and, through faith and baptism, the jailer.  It will be the preacher's task to preach this freedom to all who listen.

(The following questions are fashioned to help the exegete understand the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  These questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of exegetical questions.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word announces freedom throughout the story.  In verse 18, the spirit of divination is ordered to come out of the girl, and does.  In verse 26 we have God, through natural causes, freeing the apostles from their chains, and in verse 31 Paul announces to the jailer what he must do to be freed from sin and judgment.  These are all Gospel functions.  The Word also lifts up the attitudes and practices of the owners of the slave girl.  Their vile comments before the magistrates and the punishments that follow for the apostles are all evidence of the world's need for a Savior.  This is the Word functioning as Law.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is always advisable to identify with those to whom the Word is addressed, so in this case we identify primarily with those who are freed.  We can choose if that is the slave girl, the apostles, or the jailer, or perhaps all three.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to obedience is the Word functioning to invite us to live in response to God's work.  There is nothing explicit here, but we might note the example of the jailer who, after hearing God's word, binds up the wounds of the apostles and sets before them food and hospitality.  Faith produces gratitude and generosity.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Using the terms in the text we can imagine several couplets:  bound/freed; slaves/free; condemned/forgiven.

5.  Exegetical work:  In one of the ironies of this text on freedom, the apostles are named by the slave girl as "slaves of the Most High God who proclaim to you a way of salvation."  As it turns out being slaves of the Most High is another definition of being free.  We see this in the reaction the apostles have to the earthquake which breaks their chains.  Even though they have been unjustly accused, spoken of in vile terms, beaten brutally, and cast into a jail cell, it is they who are singing hymns and making prayers to God in the night.  It is they who, though free to do so, refuse to slay their jailer in his sleep, or even run away when the opportunity presents itself.  The ones who purport to be free - the slave owners, the magistrates, and the jailer - are the ones in bondage to greed, power, and fear, in that order.  As William Willimon states so well in his commentary, "At Philippi it was demonstrated that there is freedom and then there is freedom."  (Interpretation series, Acts, p. 141).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  In his recent analysis, Jonas Ellison, allegorizes the jailer as one who is in bondage to the Law.  His predicament is the futility of salvation through the Law.  What Christ offers, according Ellison's analysis, is "unfettered freedom."  Go to crossings.org/text-study for the entire analysis.

Blessings on your proclamation!

An Unlikely Convert?

 

Now in the 6th Sunday of Easter, we continue in the Book of Acts, chapter 16:9-15, to hear about God's amazing work in the first days of the Church. This text, the First Reading appointed for this Sunday in the Year of Luke, is another story of one household that, like Cornelius' household (Ch. 10) will affect the way the Church goes forward.  Is this a working out of Galatians 3:28?  (No longer Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male and female).  It will be the preacher's task to speak to what God is up to here.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other sets of questions that have other concerns.  These questions have been developed to unearth the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word is speaking first through the vision that comes to the evangelists, and then it comes to Lydia, about whom the writer says "the Lord opened her heart."  This is all a gospel function as God is at work calling and redeeming.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no word of Law here, no place where the Word functions to expose our need for Christ.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We most often will identify with those to whom the Word comes.  In this case, then, those would be the evangelists and Lydia.  We could choose to identify with those called by God to answer  the call "Help us!" or we could choose to identify with Lydia, whose heart was opened by the Spirit to hear the good news.

4.  What, if any call to obedience is there in this text?  There is not an explicit call to obedience here, but a very good example is put before us.  As soon as Lydia and her household are baptized her hospitality knows no bounds.  This is an example of living in response to God's grace, which is what a call to obedience calls us to.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet  is suggested by this text? Since there is no word of Law here, we will need to manufacture a few couplets.  Some suggestions:  closed heart/opened heart; judged unfaithful/judged faithful.

6.  Exegetical work:  Narrative exegetes are always keen to notice when the action deliberately slows down in the telling of a story, and we are invited to pay attention to a particular situation or person.  This is what we have here.  The story is tripping along with the report of smooth sailing from Troas to Samothrace, and then from there to Neapolis and Philippi.  Suddenly in verse 16, the action stops and the camera focuses on "a certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God...from city of Thyatira, a seller of purple cloth."  In this single sentence we learn the name of a woman who is not native to Philippi and apparently has moved to Philippi to sell her purple cloth.  She is a businesswoman.  Then the story goes on to say that God has been at work to open her up to hear the Gospel, which she does, and is subsequently baptized with all her household.  William Willimon, in his commentary, points out that Lydia's conversion is interesting for a number of reasons.  First, the writer is keen to attribute her conversion to "the work of God."  Second, she is a woman, and third, she is a rich woman.  (Interpretation series, Acts, p. 136-137).  One can't help but wonder if this story isn't a living out of Paul's ancient creed in Galatians 3:28:  "There is no longer Jew nor Greek, there is no longer slave nor free, there is no longer male and female."  Lydia's conversion breaks several of the power boundaries.  She is not a Jew, she is not a man, and she is not poor.  She is a rich Gentile woman.  Surprising?  No more than some of the other converts in the Book of Acts.  (e.g. the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius the Roman centurion).  

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Henry Mitchell always urged the preacher to celebrate with gusto at some point in the sermon.  In light of God's work in Macedonia, and specifically in Lydia and her household, why not celebrate God's grace which comes to the most unlikely souls.

Blessings on your proclamation!

When God's Work is a Problem for Us

 

Acts 11:1-18 is the First Reading appointed for the Fifth Sunday of Easter in the Year of Luke.  It is the apostle Peter's retelling of his encounter with Cornelius, the Roman centurion, who was visited by an angel who instructed him to send for Peter and hear a word from him.  It is striking how the narrative makes clear that the events described herein are God's work, not the work of either Peter or Cornelius.  It will be the task of the preacher to announce this powerful work to God's people.

(The following questions have been developed to lift up the function of the Word in the text, a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  The way the Word functions informs us as to how the sermon will function, thus its essential role.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word is functioning primarily as Gospel, showing God's determination to bring the good news to all people.  In Peter's retelling, it is the Spirit, the Lord, and God who are the subject of the verbs.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Law is little present here, calling us to repentance.  The only hint of Law is in the opening verses when the circumcision party calls into question Peter's willingness to enter into the house of and eat with Gentiles.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  The Word is being spoken to the circumcision party, those who are resistant to this new state of affairs, so it will be important for us to identify with them and ask ourselves, "When have I resisted God's embrace of others?"

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  This text could primarily be heard as an implicit  call to obedience, the call being, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane."  In other words, our response to God's generous grace to us, is a generous grace towards those who differ from us.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Using some of the terms in the text, we might construct a number of couplets.  A few ideas:  unclean/clean; rejected/embraced; judged lacking/accepted completely.

6.  Exegetical work:  Kittel has an important insight into the word translated "accepted" in verse 1.  The word is dexomai.  "The use of dexomai in this connexion - it is an equivalent of faith - shows us that in the total NT view man's existence over against God is limited to the reception of His gift.  It has no immanent possibilities.  In hearing this message, however, man is liberated for decision in relation to it... The divine claim of the Gospel sets man in the freedom of decision. This is the theological significance of the term dexomai." (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. II, p. 54).  What this points out is that even what is initially reported in verse one, that "the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God," is God's work.  Their faith, their acceptance, their welcome of God's word to them, was the Word doing it's work in them. That means that what has scandalized the circumcision party is God's work.  Isn't that often the case?  Our resistance to reach out to others or to allow them a place and a role in the Church is often justified using the Bible, when God is the one going ahead of us doing this outreach!  We can see this played out again and again in the disputes over the roles of all sorts of folks in our churches.

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Mark Marius does an excellent job of showing how our insistence on "law-abiding believers" only insures our own condemnation.  Thankfully, Christ has other ideas and sends the Holy Spirit to call us to God.  See this entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Obeying God or What?

During the Easter season the lectionary appoints texts from the Book of Acts rather than from the Old Testament.  The First Reading for the Second Sunday of Easter in the Year of Luke is Acts 5:27-32, the story of the apostles' inquisition before the Sanhedrin.  It is a story filled with drama.  It will be the preacher's task to bring this drama to the listener.

(The following questions have been developed to lift up the function of the Word in the text.  These questions are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions with other concerns.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon).

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This text is almost completely accusatory and therefore the Word functions as Law.  The apostles' succinct statement says it all, "We must obey God rather than human authority." This is not only a statement of their loyalty to God, but for the members of the Sanhedrin, it is a revealing of their disobedience.  Not surprisingly, their reaction (in verse 33, not in our text) is that "they were enraged and wanted to kill [the apostles]."

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Gospel is only barely present in this text, where the apostles announce that God appointed Jesus in order "that [God] might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins."  It is clear, however, that the members of the council do not hear this as Gospel.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is tempting to want to identify with the apostles here, but we are always well-advised to identify with those to whom the Word is spoken. In this text the Word comes to the members of the council.  We do well to ask ourselves when we have behaved as they are.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  Since this text is mostly accusatory and not instructive, a call to obedience isn't present here.  If there is a call, it is the call to faith.

5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  We will need to manufacture some couplets in this story, using the details we are given.  Some ideas:  opposing God/blessed by God; accusing/forgiving.

6.  Exegetical work:  William Willimon, in his commentary, summarizes the irony in this story:  "These religious leaders whose lives are supposed to epitomize complete obedience to the will of God have exchanged that sacred duty for the role of official power brokers and Roman quislings, whose job it is to keep their people from causing too much trouble for the Roman occupation forces.  Peter's speech has touched a nerve in their compromised hearts, for 'When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them' (5:33)." (Interpretation Series, Acts, p. 57).  Matthew Skinner makes the case that this scene sets up the whole conflict scenario which will play out in the Book of Acts:  "...Acts uses this occasion to characterize the council, the same body to deliver Jesus to Pontius Pilate in Luke 22:66, as opponents of both the apostles and God.  Acts never reconsiders this; the rest of the story carries the indictment forward."  (Acts; Catching Up with the Spirit, p. 84).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Matthew DeLoera does an excellent job of bringing this text into the present day through his recent analysis entitled "Obeying God, or Obeying Ourselves?"  He addresses our delusions about our own motives and clearly shows how the Law is brought to bear in this text.  Go to crossings.org/text-study to read the entire analysis.

8:  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  The advice of Charles Rice was always to help listeners recognize their shared story in a text.  This text would be ripe for attempting to do just that.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Empty Graves

First Corinthians 15:19-26, the Second Reading for the Festival of the Resurrection of our Lord in the Year of Luke, is a piece of St. Paul's great treatise on resurrection.  He "places all his [Easter]eggs in one basket," if you will, saying that "if for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."  In a phrase, all depends on resurrection. It will be the preacher's challenge to proclaim this provocative good news.

(The following questions have been developed to highlight the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  The way the Word functions is what authorizes the way a sermon may function.   For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The apostle's insistence that all depends on the reality of the resurrection, which indeed will happen, makes this primarily a Gospel text. This text is about what Christ will do:  destroy every ruler, authority, and power, and finally Death itself.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Law is only barely visible in this text.  The verses which remind us of our hopeless state without resurrection, and the presence of death, remind us of our need for a risen Savior, but they do not explicitly call us to repentance.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We might very well identify with those whom Paul calls out earlier in the chapter, i.e. those who say there is no resurrection of the dead. (vs. 12)  Undoubtedly this great mystery causes more than a few doubts to arise in our hearts and so we might be well served to admit to those.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word functioning to invite us to live in a certain way in response to the Gospel is not present here.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  We might take some terms right out of these verses to construct several couplets that could serve us well:  pitied/hopeful; died/raised; dead/alive, hoping in this world only/hoping in Christ.

6.  Exegetical work:  Kittel's discussion of the term katargeo, translated as "destroyed" in verses 24 and 26 is helpful.  "In the religious sense, which is almost exclusive to Paul, it means 1. 'to make completely inoperative' or 'to put out of use.'  As applied to God and Christ (a.), it signifies a religious benefit or liberation; as applied to men (b.) it denotes offence against a religious order or ordinance." (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. 1, p. 453).  Sixth century philosopher, Oecumenius says it this way:  "The principalities and powers will be abolished and will be left powerless."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VII, p. 161). All of these voices capture the good news that is being proclaimed here:  the powers of the world, and finally death itself are rendered impotent, inoperative, and of no threat because of the resurrection of Christ.  This is the good news.

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Steven Kuhl, in his 2014 analysis, does a nice job of lifting up the difference between hoping in this life only, and hoping in the life which Christ offers.  This analysis gets at the heart of our need for a Savior: we naturally hope only in this life where we live under the illusion that some control is in our hands.  What hope in Christ does is free us from the need for this illusion. See the complete analysis, archived under its reference at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Weighing out Righteousness

 

Philippians 3:4b-14, the Second Reading appointed for the 5th Sunday in Lent in the Year of Luke, is a subtle text that calls us to examine closely the source of our confidence.  Is our confidence in God's grace or in our own spiritual pedigree?  That is the question that the preacher will present to the listeners this week.

(The following questions are part of a method developed to explore the function of the Word in a text.  These questions are best used alongside other exegetical questions which have other concerns.  This method and a brief discussion of Law and Gospel preaching are available in my book, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipftandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functioning as Law is always the Word lifting up our need for Christ.  In a subtle way, that's what this text does.  Over and over, St. Paul is reminding us of our need for "a righteousness from God based on faith," not one that comes through the Law.  It is clear that Paul, himself, struggled to let go of the righteousness of the Law with all of its attraction, and he calls us to let go of that ourselves.

2.  How is the Word  not functioning in the text?  The Word functioning as Gospel is well hidden in this text.  For the most part it is absent, but then Paul, in discussing what motivates him as he runs the Christian race, gives us a glimpse of the Gospel:  "because Christ Jesus has made me his own."  This brief statement is Gospel.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are certainly those to whom Paul is writing, for all of us, by human nature, place our confidence in the flesh, in what we can accomplish on our own.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The "pressing on to the goal of the heavenly prize" that Paul speaks of at the end of the passage is certainly the Word functioning as a Call to Obedience.  Christ Jesus has made us his own, and now, in response to that grace, we press on to do all we can to live a life pleasing to God.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The terminology that Paul uses here could certainly be used to create some couplets.  Some ideas:  self-righteousness/Christ's righteousness; confidence in the flesh/confidence in Christ; loss/gain.

6.  Exegetical work:  Several early scholars identify a key feature of Paul's argument: he doesn't say that his former life in Judaism was rubbish, but that he now counts it as rubbish compared with knowing Christ.  John Chrysostom writes: "He does not say, 'the law is privation' but I count it loss."  "So whatever gain I had in the law, I count as loss on account of Christ."  Theodoret also says, "It is not that I flee them as base things but I prefer what is superior." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VIII, p. 270).  The Reformers, not surprisingly, center in on where Paul's confidence lies.  Henry Airy writes, "Let this then, teach us not to have confidence in any outward thing whatsoever without Christ." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XI, p. 75).  John Calvin, also follows this line: "Paul, therefore, divested himself not of works, but of that mistaken confidence in works with which he had been puffed up." (Ibid., p. 77).  Fred Craddock, in his contemporary commentary, is careful to point out that Paul is not bad mouthing Judaism here.  Indeed, he is clear that he counts his Jewish identity as a "gain".  Craddock says, "What Paul is saying is that Christ surpasses everything of worth to me." "He counts gain as loss." (Interpretation series, Philippians, p. 58).  

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  There are a number of fine analyses of this text available on the Crossings text study website, but Marcus Felde, it seems to me, in his 2014 analysis, makes a very clear case for how this text unveils where our confidence lies.  Using the terminology of Wall Street, he shows how "The Law Tanks, but Faith Floats."  See this, and other analyses by going to crossings.org/text-study and searching under the reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

What the World Needs Now

 Second  Corinthians 5:16-21 is a passage packed with wonderful Pauline theology.  It not only lays out the work of Christ, but Paul's understanding of his ministry as well.  This is the 2nd reading appointed for the 4th Week in Lent in the Year of Luke.  Like the gospel reading, the Prodigal Son, this passage highlights reconciliation as what is at the heart of God.  It will be the preacher's great joy to proclaim this reconciliation to the hearers.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used along with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes. These questions have been formed to help unearth the way the Word functions in the text, a crucial concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions in every way it can in this rich text.  Interestingly, the opening "therefore" in verse 16 clues us in to an opening Call to Obedience, which is always the Word functioning to invite us to live in a new way in response to the Gospel.  The motivating Gospel is in verses 14-15, and the invitation in vs. 16 invites us to no longer regard our fellow human beings "from a human point of view," (i.e. through bias and prejudice).  In verses 17-19 the Word functions as pure Gospel, proclaiming that "all this is from God."  God's reconciliating work is the crux of the Gospel.  These verses also remind us of another Call to Obedience - that we take up the mantel of an ambassador for Christ - and continue this work of reconciliation.  Finally, at the end of verse 20, as we are exhorted to "be reconciled to God," we are reminded of our need for grace, which is the Word functioning as Law.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  As I said above, the Word is functioning in every way it can here, but I hope it is clear that there is little Law.  Yes, the preacher could acknowledge the "old creation" which has passed away, or our need for reconciliation, but an emphasis on the Law would not be in line with the intent of this text.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are clearly the audience for these words.  We stand in need of God's reconciling work, we are recipients of God's grace, and we are the ones called to this ministry of reconciliation.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Using the terminology present, we can create several appropriate couplets.  A few suggestions: old creation/new creation; having enmity with God/reconciled with God; wholly sinful/wholly righteous.

5.  Exegetical work:  In Kittel's discussion of katallasso (reconciliation), he notes that "in the NT it is only Paul who uses the word of the relation between God and man, and [to reconcile] is used only of God, [to be reconciled] only of man.  God reconciles us or the world to Himself... He is not reconciled."  Kittel makes it clear that "the supremacy of God over man is maintained in every respect." (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. I, p. 255)  He goes on to say that katallassein denotes a transformation or renewal of the state between God and man, and therewith of man's own state.  In 2 C.5:18 it is introduced as the basis of the most comprehensive renewal possible for man..." (Ibid.)  St. Chrysostom concurs in his ancient commentary:  "We have been born again by the Spirit and have learned a different kind of behavior, which is that of heaven." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VII, p. 248).  "We ought to live for Christ... because we have been made into something different.  We now have a new life." (Ibid., p. 249).  "Let us forget the whole past and, like citizens in a new world, let us reform our lives, and let us consider in our every word and deed the dignity of him who dwells within us." (Ibid., p. 250).  Ernest Best, in his contemporary commentary, takes on the skeptics who scoff at our newness in Christ:  "Paul has something here then for those who say pessimistically, 'You cannot change human nature.'  He would have agreed but would have gone on at once to say, 'But God can in Christ.'" (Interpretation series, Second Corinthians, p.55).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  In a brand new analysis, Peter Kevel does a nice job in laying out the problems of a world that is unreconciled to God, as well as showing very clearly God's initiative in this reconciling work.  See the entire analysis by going to crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!