May 30 through July 11
Spirit-filled living provides numerous blessings and benefits
to us as individuals and also to the church. It produces a qualitative influence
in the church and in the world. Spirit-filled living brings stimulation and
guidance in maintaining a growing and surrendered life. Spirit-filled living
assists us in recovery from times of failure and our past wounds.
These sermons are presented by Norman Moore. Rev. Moore is a tenured evangelist in the Church of the Nazarene.
July 18 through August 22
Ron Blake presents these sermons. Dr. Blake is senior pastor of Detroit First Church of the Nazarene and past Director of Clergy Services for the Church of the Nazarene.
August 29 through November 21
For a complete listing of the Lectionary scripture readings
for these Sundays, go to http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/
These messages are presented by John Nielson. Dr. Nielson is Academic Dean and Lecturer at European Nazarene College in Büsingen, Germany.
Complete manuscripts of these sermons are available for download
at www.preachersmagazine.org
Introduction to the Series
The ecclesiastical year began last November with Advent—anticipating
and then celebrating the Incarnation. We have been through Epiphany and the
story of the life of Jesus, culminating in his death and resurrection. During
the fifty days that followed, we marked Jesus’ appearances to the disciples,
the ascension, and the outpouring of the Spirit. After all of those major
celebrations, we entered ordinary time—the routine of weeks we mostly
just count—the in between time awaiting Advent again.
Ordinary time is where we basically do our living. It is there
that the power of the Gospel must be fleshed out. As the story of Daniel illustrates,
it is faithfulness in the daily, normal routine that prepares us for the few
memorable days of our lives. Out of over 33,000 days of his life, we remember
less than a dozen.
God’s grace must be applied and lived out in these middle
times—these ordinary days. The following sermon suggestions draw our
attention to the “Contexts and Contents” of the Grace-filled arenas
of our lives. If the Gospel of God and the Death of Christ and the Fullness
of the Holy Spirit are going to matter at all, then they must invade our daily
living, our values, and our relationships. If they do not make our daily lives
different from those around us, then the Grace of God is, for us, in vain.
In the on-line version of this section of the Preacher’s Magazine, you will find more complete outlines or abbreviated manuscripts for these sermons along with additional suggestions and resources. There is also a very brief outline of an alternate preaching schedule for this period if you are uncomfortable with this one. Here then is a set of sermons.
Extra-ordinary Grace for Ordinary Times
There is a sub-theme woven into these messages. It is the upside-down
world of Jesus Christ. Jesus calls us to a radically different lifestyle and
philosophy from that which is common in contemporary life. We must not “allow
the world around us to squeeze us into its mold (Phillips, Romans 12:2) but
we must allow Christ, through the Spirit, to transform us from within. And
yet, even we who are Christians often end up living our lives in the day-to-day
process of things, pretty much like our neighbors. And pretty much like that
world dictates. And pretty much by that world’s standards. However, if
we let Christ turn us upside down, then everyone will think that we look kind
of funny going through life on our heads. Maybe. Yet perhaps looking the world
in the ankles means that we can finally look Christ in the eye. Then we will
find out that Christ and those who have listened to him are the only ones
who really live life right side up. It’s the world that is upside down.
Mutual submission, honoring authority rather than despising
it, living in obedience, employers who act like they think employees should,
God’s kind of greatness, letting go of things instead of acquiring them,
honoring the ancient past, learning from others, giving up our rights, forgiving,
living in unity, building bridges not walls—these are not the ways most
people live on ordinary days. But they are what God calls us to. Watch for
these themes in the sermon concepts that follow.
Please remember that these are sermon starters. Do with these
ideas whatever you wish. Change the “cute” titles. Turn the concepts
into points or “movements”. Transform the format into a narrative.
But ask the Spirit to help your congregation to confront the issue of applying
the God-relationship to all the other relationships and responsibilities of
life.
PART 1— The Contexts of Grace
Most of our ordinary time is spent at home, at work, and in school. We live out that time in community, in a specific community, a community in which we must learn to function with other people and with civic authorities. It is our time at church that must provide the values, encouragement, strength, inspiration, and wisdom for living with extraordinary grace in these very ordinary situations. We end the first half of this series around the table of the Lord which retells the story of God’s grace (in time past), is a means by which that grace is mediated to us in this time, and that looks to times future when that grace shall usher us into God’s eternal presence.
