For a complete listing of the Lectionary scripture readings
for these Sundays, go to
http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/
This time of year is all about anxious parents taking their
5-year-old to the first day of Kindergarten. It’s about the insecure
adolescent making the change to high school. It’s about tearful parents
who just left their daughter alone at the university eight hours from home,
knowing that home will never be the same. It’s about the suddenly unemployed
person who is struggling with classes designed to help him retool for a new
career. It’s about school.
It’s about the fact that what separates us from all other
species is our ability to teach and to learn. It’s about education. It’s
about the fact that Jesus is the Rabbi, the teacher. And we are the disciples,
the learners. The Great Commission charges the church with the task of educating
all those evangelized and baptized until they learn to “obey” everything
that Jesus taught. It’s about the fact that God’s Spirit gifts some
people to be teachers, a role that must be honored in society and in the church.
The Kingdom says all of this is important. The calendar says
that it is timely. Common sense tells us that this is the stuff our ordinary
life. If grace is not at work here bringing understanding, wisdom, and growth,
then we are in deep trouble.
The suggested text for this day reminds us that one of the effects of teaching is being built up in “the knowledge of the Son of God” so that we will come to maturity, unity, stability, and spiritual discernment. This Sunday is a perfect time to offer a blessing to those heading off to school. It’s also a time to honor those whose career is teaching, including those who teach at church and at home. It’s a time to challenge us all to be learners and to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”(2 Peter 3:18)
Click here for the
full manuscript sermon.
(USA—Labor Day Weekend)
The ordinary lives of ordinary people in ordinary time are very
much about work. Scripture makes it clear that God takes our work seriously,
expects us to provide for our own needs if at all possible, uses people from
all kinds of occupations, and that God also works. (Genesis 2:2)
Since my brother Merritt has been doing a doctoral program on
the inter-relationships of faith and work, I asked him to set a background
for the message for this week based on those studies. The paragraphs that
follow are from him.
“Being faithful as God’s person at work means that
as followers of Jesus we continue to unpack what God initiated in creation.
That is, much of the world remains to be discovered. We still are working
out the details of much of what God packed into our world, which is in one
sense a great big workshop, laboratory, office, or classroom. To the extent
that we partner with God, we are fulfilling the cultural mandate to manage
and multiply (using business terms). The Genesis narrative strongly implies
that we are to 1) steward the resources of creation and, 2) multiply them
(Genesis 1:28). To know that one partners with God in fulfilling his creative
purposes is what gives the believer purpose and meaning. Non-believers may
engage in the same work, but for them it is all a “chasing of the wind”
(as in Ecclesiastes).
“The follower of Jesus takes his or her toolkit into that
workshop. The toolkit contains not only innate talents and abilities, but
also special enabling of the Spirit (spiritual gifts). Our goal is to learn
to unite our natural talents and abilities (our skill set) with our Spirit
gifts in one integrated toolkit so that what we do on Sunday connects seamlessly
with what we do on Monday. The Hebrews used the same word for work and worship,
(avodah, according to David Miller of the Avodah Institute). So for the follower
of Christ, our work, done to the glory of God, is worship, and our worship
is our work. The key concept is an increasing “seamlessness” from
the pulpit to the pew to the pavement.
“When we say that faith matters at work (Faith Matters
@ Work), we do not mean that one must buttonhole the office staff with an
aggressive Four Spiritual Laws presentation, although one must be sensitive
at work to opportunities for sharing a reason for the hope that lies within.
Nor does it mean that we make our office cubicle into a shrine, although we
don’t need to keep our workspace spiritually neutral. We mean that we
do things on the job that we know Jesus would do if he were working there
instead of us. It also means that when I’m tempted to take ethical shortcuts,
the WWJD mantra isn’t all that bad. To live for Christ on the job means
that I will be on time, that I will not back-stab, that I will show respect
to my superiors, that I show kindness to the scorned, that I seek to advance
others, that I work with diligence, that I do not steal the office paper clips,
that I find every opportunity to work for justice, that I seek for ways to
transform working conditions, and that I see myself as partnering with God
in unpacking one little piece of his infinitely majestic, wonderful, mystery-filled
creation. God doesn’t do it without me; and I can’t do it without
God.” (Rev. Merritt J. Nielson)
With those paragraphs as a background, it is clear that a sound
theology of work includes at least the following concepts.
1. It means we respect all kinds of work that are not dishonoring
to God.
2. It means we respect the work that others do.
3. It means we are willing to work, and not just for money.
4. It means all work should be done to the glory of God.
If Paul’s comments in Ephesians 6 were valid in a world
of slaves and masters, certainly they are equally true in the relationships
between employees and employers. In this passage Paul outlines the responsibilities
of employees:
obedience, respect & fear, sincerity
hard work (even when unsupervised)
enthusiasm, wholeheartedness
And all the employers would say “AMEN!” But this is
where Paul turns the whole world upside down.
“Employers, treat your employees the same way!” Then he adds:
No threats
Doing what is right and fair (Colossians 4:1)
Being equally accountable before God
This entire section begins with Ephesians 5:21 that calls us
to “mutual submission.” In such a world, there would be a radical
change in the corruption and antagonism that plague much of the relationships
of the ordinary work-a-day world of our society. And that would surely please
God!
This is a week to honor all who work with might or mind, in the home or the workplace, for a salary or not. It is a week for challenging us all to join our work and worship—to do all our work to the glory of God and by the values of His Kingdom.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon.
In sermons I heard doing the PALCON II circuit in the summer
of 1981, Dr. Dennis Kinlaw made the point that creation wasn’t finished
until the “marriage” of Adam and Eve. Human history began with a
wedding and it will end with the marriage supper of the Lamb. “Small
wonder,” he said, “that Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding.”
That same summer, Dr. Wingrove Taylor, speaking from the parable
of the sheep and the goats and “inasmuch as you have done it to the least
of these,” stated that how we treat those at home is the measure of how
we treat God.
Let’s face it. The family is one of the most important
things we’ve got. If things are bad at work but fine at home, we can
handle it. But if things are fine at work, and fine financially but bad at
home, then life is miserable. Those we love and rely on the most deserve at
least as good as we give to colleagues at work and strangers on the street.
In a society like ours, the only place most people will learn what a Christian
marriage, family, and home look like will be by looking at ours. It is important,
then, that grace and love be found at home.
Our text begins with the idea of mutual submission and examines
the relationships in our homes. The online notes for this sermon make the
following observations.
1. When God created the world, God established the family.
2. When God gave the law, God protected the family.
3. When God wanted to reveal Himself, He often used the images of the family.
4. When God wanted to invade our world, God entered a family.
God must think that families are pretty important. So must we.
Therefore, the message concludes with four difficult questions.
1. Could God use my family as an example of his relationship
with humanity?
2. Could God use our marriage as an example of Christ’s love and care
for the church?
3. Could God use my fatherhood as an example of himself?
4. If God were looking for a family to which he could entrust his only Son,
could he choose our family and do it with confidence?
These questions are in many ways unfair. But somewhere, God
found families to exemplify these principles. Somewhere God found Mary and
Joseph. In reality, God is still looking for those examples in you and in
me!
At times, we are under pressure not to talk about mothers, fathers, family life, etc. because there are fears that those from troubled families will take offence or feel marginalized. However, it would be tragic if the church failed to hold up models of what a home can be when Christ and Scripture are at the center of its life and relationships.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon.
There is great debate among us about how to deal with the interplay
between Church and State—how to distinguish between appropriate patriotism
and destructive nationalism. Some want nothing from civil life to find a place
within the church. Others equate nation with God’s kingdom and wrap the
gospel in their national flag. In my twenty years of ministry outside of my
home country, I have learned that no country has a monopoly on God, and no
nation is exempt from God’s judgment. History teaches us the danger that
lurks at the door when the Church seeks to wield political power and when
the State seeks to function with the authority of God. As usual, God’s
way is somewhere between those dangerous extremes.
There are a few lessons the Bible teaches us about such matters.
1. The Church must always be God’s prophetic voice—the
conscience of the nation.
2. Whatever the form of government, it is the obligation
of Christians to pray for civic leaders.
3. Christians are to function under the authority of the
State in obedience and submission, except when doing so would be in direct
conflict with God’s law.
4. Jesus and Paul demonstrated a model of transforming
society from within rather than by armed struggle. In fact, political power
is what Jesus refused to accept, even though the crowds wanted him to employ
it.
5. There is plenty of room for Kingdom people to hold positions
of civic authority. In fact, they are needed to take the values of the Kingdom
into the world of politics.
6. Good citizenship also teaches us how to live in community
by being loving neighbors who are defined as whoever is in need and whoever
is at hand. (Luke 10:25-37)
This Sunday provides an opportunity to clarify misconceptions, to pray for the leaders of the nation, region and city, to affirm those in the congregation who impact the community, to invite local officials to the service and assure them of support and prayer, and to call us all to recommit ourselves to godly citizenship.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon.
The issue of faith at church suggests two approaches. The first
addresses the question of how well we are doing as a congregation in being
the community of faith God expects us to be. The second examines how I am
doing individually in finding my own place of service in the body of Christ.
The sermon this week could address one or the other, or both of these questions,
depending on the needs of the congregation.
We have been in the book of Ephesians this autumn, and that
epistle addresses both of these issues in chapter four.
First, Paul states that the Body of Christ is composed of persons
living up to their calling. It is a community characterized by humility, gentleness,
patience, forbearance, and love (v. 2). It is a community exhibiting unity
and peace (v. 3). It is a community sharing a common creed (vv. 4-6).
This first point can be augmented or replaced by an examination
of the characteristics of the early church as described in Acts chapter 2.
It contains descriptions of the core activities that help define the Christian
Community even today:
Preaching (Acts 2:14)
Evangelism (Acts 2:38-39)
Baptism (Acts 2:41)
Teaching (Acts 2:42)
Fellowship (Acts 2:42)
Breaking Bread* (Acts 2:42)
Wondrous Signs (Acts 2:43)
Compassion & Generosity (Acts 2:44-45)
Church attendance (Acts 2:46)
Breaking bread in homes* (Acts 2:46)
Praising God (Acts 2:47)
Good reputation (Acts 2:47)
Outreach (Acts 2:47)
These characteristics provide a way for the congregation to
evaluate its own being and doing.
Secondly, in Ephesians Paul examines the issue of finding our own place in
the body. There are a variety of roles and the purpose of these servants is
to prepare the people for service.
There is a third issue that is implied by this discussion in Ephesians. The characteristics of the community are only evident if these characteristics are apparent in the lives of the individual members of the body. Thus, 4:1-4 can be interpreted individually as well as corporately. The section from 4:17-5:20 provides additional standards for “measuring” the Christlikeness and lifestyle of individual Christians. (See 4:13)
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon.
It was no accident that Jesus opened the scroll of Isaiah to
the 61st chapter on that Sabbath in Nazareth. He knew the passage and was
intentionally applying it to himself, even though he knew that it would bring
criticism.
It was no accident that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey
on Palm Sunday. He also knew the prophecy of Zechariah, and he knew that the
10th of the month was the day for choosing the Passover lamb. He was applying
these things to himself and the new covenant.
It was no accident that Jesus chose the Passover Seder as his
final meal with his disciples and for the establishment of a new covenant.
He was applying it to himself.
I will leave it to a Messianic Jew to discuss all the parallelism
between the Seder and the Gospel. I would, however, suggest a few items for
consideration on this Sunday when Christians of all nations sit together at
what one person has called “the longest table in the world.”
The Passover celebrated deliverance from slavery and bondage.
The Bread was without leaven (sin). It was broken. It nourished them for the
journey. The cup Jesus drank in the Garden was a bitter one that He would
not have chosen. The sacrifice of the Passover Lamb (without defect) was to
grant life in the face of death. “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes
away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). It marked the beginning of the
“Journey” to the “Land of Promise.” It marked the beginning
of a new year and a new life. They ate in haste; dressed for travel, ready
to follow God at a moment’s notice.
And so we gather today around the table. We come as families who are seeking to live in love at home. We come as a congregation, bound to one another, united in Christ Jesus, the Church universal in all places through all time. We come needing forgiveness for failing to appropriate God’s grace for our ordinary days. We come needing God’s power to live as witnesses where we work and study. We come needing to learn more about becoming like Jesus. We come needing grace to make a difference in our communities. And so we partake of the bread and the cup. We offer Christ our gratitude and celebrate deliverance from our slavery to sin and self. We consecrate to Christ our selves, our lives, and the moments of our days. We receive the nourishment needed for the journey of the week to come. We renew our covenant with Christ and take the next steps of our journey with him. We remember and reflect. We repent and renew. We rejoice!
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon
PART 2— The Contents of Grace
Over the past six weeks, we have examined the contexts in which
ordinary time is lived. What does grace look like in these contexts? How does
it function? We now turn to some of the characteristics of grace it is lived
out within those contexts. Once again we will discover that it requires a
manner of living that is in sharp contrast to the lifestyles and values that
are common in our society..
(This is Thanksgiving Sunday in Canada. Pastors there may wish
to exchange this message with the one for week 13.)
Chuck Swindoll wrote a book some years ago entitled, Strengthening
Your Grip. Today we look at the other side of that idea—Loosening Our
Grip.
There is much we must let go of if we are going to follow and
serve Christ. The online data for this Sunday has a large number of points
or segments for this topic—things, the reins of my life, relationships,
worries & fears, status, life, doubts, hurt & anger, and my rights.
You can choose those that you believe are most relevant for your context,
or develop your own. It also includes a number of illustrations about holding
things loosely. Also, check out the song by Michael Card, “The Things
We Leave Behind.”
There is the Samaritan woman who left her water pot when she
returned to the village to tell her friends about Jesus. The leper left his
rags. The prodigal left behind his empty dreams and shameful situation. We
need to let go of our past, and our guilt, and our possessions, and our selfishness,
and our habits, and so much more. Matthew left his occupation behind. So did
the Galilean apostles. Thomas finally let go of his doubts. Peter let go of
his ethnic prejudices. There are many wrong things we must simply be rid of.
But we must also let go of good things. For example, as parents, we must learn
to let go of our children.
However, it is against our nature to let go. We have a natural
tendency to possess, to want our own way, to rule our own lives, and to hang
on to our security. Our possessions end up possessing us. The things we hold
on to so tightly hold us in an even tighter grip.
It takes God’s grace to enable us to let go of the things
we cherish most and allow God to be “Lord of all the kingdoms of our
hearts.” That is especially true when we realize that letting go is not
the same as giving up. That would be to go to another extreme.
Letting go of my adult children does not mean I love them any
less or that I give up my concern for them. Letting go of money does not mean
becoming irresponsible. We can let go of our striving for success without
giving up our commitment to do our best. We must let go of our self-centeredness
without giving up our self-worth. We must let go our attempts to earn our
salvation without giving up our obedience to the expectations of Christ Jesus.
Materialism is not a matter of the quantity of our possessions
but of how badly we need them. Some of the most materialistic people I have
met had very little “stuff” but lived with great bitterness, greed,
and passion to acquire at whatever cost. Some of the people I have met who
had the most wealth were the most generous. It’s not what we have, but
what has us.
In many of these areas there is a very delicate balance—Wesley’s via media. It takes God’s grace to help us achieve that balance and totally to let go of some things, while holding loosely to the things God allows us to retain.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon
Every bookstore seems to have a large section of self-help books
all telling us how to be great, become a success, be assertive, or grow rich.
Infomercials push the same themes at us, for the low price of $19.95! In Matthew’s
Gospel, Jesus gives us his definition of how to be great. It is quite different
from the self-help books and the late night TV bargain courses. It is different
from what TV evangelists sell from gold-plated chairs as the gospel of health,
wealth, and prosperity.
Jesus says that the way to be great is to be obedient (Matthew
5:19, 28:20). Those who are great by the world’s standards often act
as if they are above the law. They think that they can do about as they please.
We believe that when you grow up and get a house of your own, you don’t
have to obey any more. Some preach a gospel of moral license, even though
Paul warned against it. Jesus says, “Not in my kingdom.” It is always
about obedience. We are saved by grace to enable us to live obediently from
grateful hearts.
Jesus says that the way to be great is to love (Matthew 22:34,
Luke 6:35). Many in our day have been hurt enough that they have decided not
to risk loving anymore. Others have grown up without any of their love languages
being spoken to them and without learning how to “speak” love to
others. Love is seen as “wimpish” rather than strong. Expressing
affection is seen as a sign of weakness and emotional sappiness. Jesus says,
“Not in my kingdom.” It is always about love for God and love for
each other.
Jesus says that the way to be great is to be a giver (Matthew
14:13, 19:16). The world measures success by how much you can acquire. Most
of us spend a lot of time worrying about what we will eat and drink and wear.
Jesus says, “Not in my kingdom.” It is always about giving. The
rich young ruler wanted the best and left without it because he couldn’t
let go of things.
Jesus says that the way to be great is to be a servant (Matthew
20:27, 23:11). In almost every society servants (Jesus used the word slave)
are the lowest on the social ladder. Jesus said the leaders usually lord it
over others. People from some nations say, “We are free. We have never
been conquered by anyone. We will not be servants.” People from nations
that have been conquered and exploited say, “We are tired of being subjugated.
We will not be servants ever again.” No one wants to be a servant. Instead,
we measure greatness by how many servants you have or how many people report
to you on the job. Jesus says, “Not in my Kingdom.” It is always
about being servants, not just doing acts of service. It is about having the
spirit of servanthood.
Jesus says that the way to be great is to be like a child (Matthew 18:1-3). Children are teachable. At a very young age they are asking “How” and want to learn by helping do things and by imitating what parents do. Children are tender. They show compassion for others. Children are trusting. They haven’t yet learned to by suspicious. Society seems to believe that to be successful you must always have the answers, be thick-skinned, and be cynical. Jesus says, “Not in my Kingdom.” It is always about childlikeness.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon
When we read the stories of the disciples, none of us want to
identify with Judas. After all, he was a traitor. Many of us would like to
identify with John. He was beloved by Christ and always close to Him. In reality,
we are all probably a lot more like Peter. He was close to Jesus, but frequently
disappointed him. Peter spoke out boldly about Christ, but then denied him
out of fear. He spoke words of wisdom and insight and then within minutes,
his mouth got him in trouble. There is much we can learn from him about potholes
and pitfalls that can cause us problems along the “narrow way.”
The nine listed below are more than you would want in one sermon. You may
think of others. But perhaps this will get you started.
Peter got into trouble when—
He got his eyes on the problem instead of Christ (Matthew 14:28).
He tried to teach the Master (Mark 8:29).
He said, “No” to Jesus (John 13:8).
He was self-confident (John 13:37-38).
He tried to do it his own way in his own strength (John 18:10).
He warmed himself at the fire of the enemy (John 18:19).
His love was incomplete (John 21:15).
He worried about other people (John 21:21).
He was inconsistent in his witness (Galatians 2:11).
Peter’s life shows us the dangers in this kind of behavior.
We still get into the same kinds of trouble in the same old ways. Too often
we act as Peter did. It is instructive that Peter’s moments of greatness
were often very close to his moments of weakness and failure. It will often
be that way for us. Often for him, the weakness was the flip side of one of
his strengths. It will often be that way for us.
But Peter’s life also shows us that God’s grace can
forgive and transform, even change us into someone useful in the Kingdom.
Much of what we see in Peter before Pentecost is what the grace-enabled life
is not supposed to look like. But Peter as we see him in Acts is an example
of the kind of lives God wants us to live in the ordinary days of life.
Here is a service in which you can offer your people an opportunity to come in for a check-up, a chance to make mid-course corrections, a time to let grace transform everyday living in the area of their own specific shortcomings or failures, and a time to receive new strength for the journey.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon
In a world where a praise chorus from 2000 is considered old,
it is hard for people to believe that we should celebrate events from hundreds
of years ago—much less learn from them. In a world where youth and beauty
are enshrined as gods, it is hard for some people to believe that older people
have much to contribute to their lives, let alone people who are no longer
alive.
It is small wonder, then, that many of us pass right over both
of the important themes of today: Reformation Sunday and All Saints Day. Both
of them look to the people and events of the past, people on whose shoulders
we stand, and whose sacrifices have provided the things we take for granted.
Take the Bible for example. Well over 100 years before Luther’s
Reformation, John Wycliffe (England; 1328-1384) preached in English rather
than Latin, emphasizing the Bible as the authority of the church and that
salvation did not lie in the hands of the clerics. A century later, William
Tyndale (England; 1494-1536) set about to complete a new translation of the
New Testament into English, even though he had to do so in the face of strong
persecution. His work was eventually the basis of the King James Version.
The influence of Martin Luther (Germany; 1483-1546) is more widely known.
These courageous men, and the Scriptures they preserved and delivered into
our hands, must never be taken for granted!
Think of the other events of Luther’s Reformation. Not
only did he reaffirm the primacy of the Scriptures, he is known as the father
of congregational singing—in harmony even! He re-opened the door for
all of us to come into God’s presence without the benefit of a human
mediator. He underscored salvation by grace through faith and freed us from
penance and self-righteous effort.
Consider Arminius who recaptured the truth that the Atonement
of Christ is available for all persons on earth—not just the elect.
And remember John and Charles Wesley who renewed our understanding
that Jesus died not just to forgive us, but also to make us holy through His
own blood. Then they showed ordinary people how to live that holy life not
just in the Kingdom that is to come, but right here in ordinary time.
Reformation Sunday is a wonderful time to celebrate the saints of Scripture, the heroes of the church in centuries past, and those stalwarts of the faith who have bequeathed to us a heritage that we often fail to fully appreciate.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon
I like the story of Isaac. God said, “Don’t go to
Egypt. Stay here.” Isaac said, “Okay.” And he stayed. And God
blessed him. Then the local king became afraid of him and filled in all his
wells. He told him, “Go away!” Isaac said, “Okay.” And
He went away. He dug a well and his enemies took it. He dug a second well
and his enemies took it. Then he dug a third well and his enemies were afraid
of him and came to visit him, and Isaac threw them a party. What a wimp! What
a glorious wimp! He was a man strong enough to obey without argument when
it made no sense, a man strong enough to forgive rather than take revenge.
He was a man powerful enough that his enemies were afraid of him but who never
used that power to his own advantage. How . . . Christlike!
I like the story of Joseph. His brothers hated him and he was
sold into slavery. His employer lied about him and he was imprisoned on false
charges. His friend, the cupbearer, forgot him. But he never showed resentment
or bitterness in any of those situations, not even when he had the opportunity
to get even. He forgave them—with tears—and threw them a party.
How . . . Christlike! In a “me first” world we need a lot more people
like Isaac and his grandson Joseph.
The people who crucified Jesus didn’t deserve to be forgiven,
but Jesus forgave them anyway. I still have that picture in my mind of Pope
John Paul II in a prison cell, cheek to cheek with the man who tried to kill
him, offering forgiveness and prayer. How . . . Christlike!
Our forgiveness may not right the wrong or free the prisoner
or change the heart of the one who did evil to us. But giving that forgiveness
will change us. If we hang on to the bitterness, the poison will shrivel our
hearts to Grinch-size. Jesus said that if we don’t forgive each other,
the Heavenly Father would not forgive us.
It takes grace to forgive—a whole lot of grace. God has an abundant supply. Our churches are not only filled with people who need to be forgiven, but with people who need to forgive. May God grant us an abundance of the grace to forgive!
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon
It is obvious today, that we live in a fractured, broken, divided
world. Wherever we turn, people are fighting because they belong to different
tribes, different religions, and different agendas. God expects something
more.
Wherever we turn, be find broken homes, broken relationships, and broken hearts.
Christ died to give us something better.
Even within God’s Kingdom, we are often painfully aware
of our differences and of divergent viewpoints. God’s Spirit wants to
create something grander.
In the midst of such diversity and division, the psalmist has
a relevant word for us. It was a word to be sung—in community. It was
to be sung as the community journeyed to the temple in Jerusalem, a Song of
Ascent. And as they ascended the hill of the Lord they sang, “How good
and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” (Psalm 133).
There was a time in Israel when brothers made their homes in
the house of their parents. Often we think in terms of sibling rivalry and
realize that such a house could quickly become divided. But how beautiful
it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity. David gives us two
interesting metaphors for this “dwelling in harmony.”
“It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down
on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of
his robes.”
One of the meanings of oil in Scripture is anointing or consecration
to God’s work. One commentary observes that the rest of the priests were
sprinkled with oil, but in the case of Aaron, the High Priest, the oil was
poured over his head until it ran down onto his beard and down onto the collar
of his robes—an abundant anointing and blessing with a fragrant aroma
that was pleasing to others. God still looks for opportunities to lavishly
pour out His Spirit in anointing and in power upon His servants.
But David also has another metaphor in mind. When brothers and
sisters dwell together in harmony, “it is as if the dew of Hermon were
falling on Mount Zion.”
Mt. Zion was on the edge of the wilderness. It had a poor water supply, unproductive soil, and an uncomfortable climate. Mt Hermon was different. The heaviest dew in Palestine formed nightly on its slopes, making it an area that was lush and fertile, and the source of the Jordan River. The dews of Mt. Hermon did not fall on Jerusalem. But what if they did? What if they brought that refreshment? How delightful that would be! Flowers would flourish. Food would grow. Grass would replace sand. Refreshment would replace thirst and dryness.
It is precisely where diversity comes together in harmony and
where people climb together toward the house of God, that God pours out the
oil of the Spirit. “The LORD bestows his blessing, even life for evermore.”
It is in this unity that the anointing comes and the ministry happens and the dew falls and the earth is refreshed and the land is fruitful. Such unity is not the norm in our troubled world. It is the fruit of God’s extraordinary grace in yielded lives.
Click here for the full
manuscript sermon
(Thanksgiving Sunday—USA)
This is the final Sunday of the liturgical or ecclesiastical
year. It celebrates the ultimate triumph of Christ, the King of Kings and
Lord of Lords. We began the year by anticipating His coming in Advent. We
celebrated His birth at Christmas. We followed His life, teachings, and miracles
during late winter and early spring. We welcomed Him on Palm Sunday, mourned
His death on Good Friday, and whooped with joy on Easter. We observed His
appearances to His disciples and His commissioning of them until the day of
His ascension followed by the pouring out of His Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
We looked at the transformation He makes in us, and the difference He makes
in our lives as it is lived out in ordinary days.
All of that comes to a grand finale on this Sunday. It is a
time to experience all the exuberance of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.
Christ has triumphed over sin and hell; over pain and death. He sits enthroned
at the right hand of the Father and makes intercession for us. He will come
again and bring all of history to its fulfillment and usher in His Kingdom
in its fullness.
In the United States, this is also Thanksgiving Sunday. One
of my favorite passages for this season is found in Deuteronomy 8. (See also
6:10-12) Moses reminds the people that they must remember all the benefits
of God’s covenant and all the blessings from His hand. They are to praise
the Lord, give the glory to Him and not take it for themselves.
Over the past liturgical year we have seen much for which to
be grateful: grace extended to us through the incarnation, crucifixion and
exaltation of Christ; grace that forgives, redeems and purifies. Over these
13 weeks, we have found additional reasons for Thanksgiving. There is the
grace that transforms life as we live it at home, at work, at school, at church,
in the community, and around the table. It is a life far more blessed than
that exhibited in the world around us. We have seen the changes grace makes
in our own character—helping us let go of possessions, to live as sacrifices,
to avoid common pitfalls, to value the past rather than reject it, to forgive
anyway, to live in unity despite diversity, to anticipate a Kingdom yet to
come that is more than we can imagine.
When we weave these themes together, we understand that we are
responsible to review the blessings of the New Covenant and walk in the ways
of God with a grateful heart. We are to look forward to the Promised Land
that awaits us where Christ Himself will be our King.
My passport reminds that I am not a citizen of Germany/Switzerland
where I am now living. I am a resident alien. When I return home next week,
my passport means they will have to let me in. I get in the line marked “Citizens”
and I love it when they say, “Welcome Home!”
We are all resident aliens with citizenship in another country. We owe allegiance to another King. Our Passport will gain our entrance and we will be welcomed home.
