Sermon and Worship Resources

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Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... veneration of the Madonna and Son. But the idea of the “matryoshka” goes beyond art. The “matryoshka principle” can be used also to describe the ancient manner of writing parables and stories. This principle was also the key to ancient, effective oral storytelling.Social anthropologist Mary Douglas, whose research into human culture and symbolism has earned her renown and prestige, wrote in her book, Thinking in Circles, about the design of ancient composition, including the Holy Scriptures.[3 ...

2. Clean and Unclean Animals

Leviticus 11:1-47

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... unclean are somehow symbolic of righteousness and unrighteousness, or of life and death; but the full import of the symbolic system is not clear. As we have seen in the Introduction, anthropological study of this issue, by scholars such as Mary Douglas and Michael Carroll, has caused the most discussion recently and holds the most promise. Although probably none of these systems explains all the information, this anthropological approach does seem to be the most helpful as modern readers seek to understand ...

3. Clean and Unclean Foods

Deuteronomy 14:1-21

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... , this theory does not explain many of the distinctions (e.g., why deer are clean but rabbits unclean) and is not even hinted at in the text itself. The more recent and more convincing explanation has come from the work of anthropologist Mary Douglas (see esp. Purity). She takes note of the three primary classifications (land, water, air) and the references to forms of movement in each element. There is a preference for what is regarded as “normal” in broad terms. The Israelite priestly understanding of ...

4. The Red Heifer

Numbers 19:1-22

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... Text 1. God is associated with life, not death. One lesson that the purity system conveys symbolically is that Yahweh is the God of life (order) and is separated from that which has to do with death (disorder). Mary Douglas has shown the connection between cleanness/holiness and concepts such as “wholeness,” “physical perfection,” and “completeness.”11Physical imperfections (Lev. 21:17–21; 22:20–24), representing a movement from “life” toward “death,” move a person ritually away from ...

5. The Sin Offering

Leviticus 4:1--5:13

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... to sacrifice these parts of the animal on the altar makes clear that God also does not benefit from the sin. 4:13 The whole Israelite community is ‘adat yisra’el, while community is qahal. NRSV uses “whole congregation” and “assembly.” 4:20 Mary Douglas has suggested that the sacrifice has protective as well as purificatory functions; a broken relationship is made good (cited in Budd, Leviticus, p. 88). 5:2–7 The use of the term ‘ashem in these verses is ambiguous. In vv. 2–5, the verb ...

6. Discharges Causing Uncleanness

Leviticus 15:1-33

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... ’s commitment to purity is a witness to their identity as people of Yahweh. Or the understanding of purity in these chapters could in some way be symbolic of righteousness and faith. We have found more helpful the anthropological approach pioneered by Mary Douglas (Purity and Danger). The boundaries of clean and unclean protect normality or wholeness for the people, and in that sense protect the holy and enable God to remain with the faith community of ancient Israelites and to bless them with fullness of ...

7. Rules for Priests

Leviticus 21:1--22:16

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... able to serve. The basic requirement of not allowing a blemished member of the priestly family to offer sacrifice and thus essentially to function as a priest is repeated in verse 21. Again, boundaries are very important for the Priestly tradition. Mary Douglas (“The Abominations of Leviticus,” pp. 110–12) has shown that holiness and wholeness are equivalent. Physical integrity is thus seen as a symbol of holiness, and the mixing of holiness and defect is dangerous. The member of the priestly family ...

8. The Census

Numbers 1:1-54

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... my reward), Pedahzur (the rock has redeemed), Abidan (the father has judged), Ahiezer (the brother is a help), Ammishaddai (Shaddai is my kin), Eliasaph (God has added), Deuel (God is a friend). See Davies, Numbers, p. 9; Budd, Numbers, pp. 4–6. Mary Douglas has argued that such tribal lists emphasize including all Israelites, in contrast to the postexilic tendencies toward exclusivism in writings such as Ezra-Nehemiah (In the Wilderness, pp. 35–41). 1:20–46 The huge census number has been a matter of ...

9. The Purity of the Camp

Numbers 5:1-4

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... of purity (Numbers, pp. 30–34; see also the Introduction to the commentary on Leviticus). He points to an anthropological perspective, that in many cultures lines between clean and unclean are important in the religion that shapes the culture. Mary Douglas indicates that such a perspective is foreign to our pluralistic culture, but she also points to a remarkable feature: impurity in Numbers is never used to separate classes, races, or nationalities; that is, anyone can become unclean (In the Wilderness ...

10. Moab Seduces Israel

Numbers 25:1-18

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... common rendering, tent, seems preferable here, indicating ordinary private quarters. 25:11 The covenant relationship between God and Israel is based on loyalty, and so God is zealous to maintain that loyalty. This zeal is sometimes pictured as God’s jealousy. 25:14 Mary Douglas ties the reference to Simeon, along with references to Reuben and Levi in ch. 16, to the last words of Jacob in Gen. 49:1–7, which suggest that Reuben, Simeon, and Levi will face trouble (In the Wilderness, pp. 193–95). Those ...

11. Restitution for Wrongs

Numbers 5:5-10

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

12. The Test for an Unfaithful Wife

Numbers 5:11-31

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

13. It's Not Fair!

1 Peter 2:13-25

Sermon

King Duncan

... Paris with former Broadway star Mary Martin, who was wearing a new designer outfit. A bird came down, went swoosh, and made a mess on Mary’s expensive outfit. Helen expected Mary to blow her top. Instead Mary simply said, “For some people, ... say is that I hope when you and I are treated unfairly by life we can have both the wisdom and the faith in God that Douglas has. Just because you are seeking to do the right thing doesn’t mean that life will treat you fairly. Indeed, you could be treated unfairly ...

14. Presented to the Lord

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... imagine a more hurtful thing to say to a child. Sometimes, because we think of Jesus as the Son of God, we may not give Mary and Joseph enough credit as his earthly parents. They were not wealthy people, as today’s story from the Gospels makes clear. But they gave ... and loved by God. 1. “The Contender” by Derek Burnett, Reader’s Digest, January 2005, pp. 119-125. 2. Kirk Douglas, My Stroke of Luck (New York: HarperCollins, 2002), p. 124. 3. Marc Gafni, The Mystery of Love (New York: Atria Books ...

15. A Celebration of Hope

Isaiah 2:1-5

Sermon

King Duncan

... appeared over the stable.” This was Jana’s cue. She got up from her chair, picked up a large tin-foil star, walked behind Mary and Joseph and held the star up high for everyone to see. When the teacher told about the shepherds coming to see the baby, the ... slowly rose, in the front seat, an old black woman. Her name was “Sojourner Truth.” Every eye was on her. Frederick Douglas paused for a moment. Sojourner Truth reached towards him with a long bony finger, and cried out, “Frederick, is God dead ...

16. If the Stones Cried Out

Luke 19:28-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... . He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. It’s like a story that is told about Sir Douglas Bader, a noted British aviator in World War II. Warring countries usually communicate with each other with bombs, bullets, and propaganda. ... about a Sunday school class for three-year-olds. Their lesson for the day was the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of Mary and Martha. Afterwards, the teacher asked, “What would you do if Jesus were coming to your house today?” One little girl quickly replied ...

17. The Most Generous Gift

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

King Duncan

... was a story in an issue of Reader’s Digest not too long ago. It is a brief, true story from a lady named Ann Douglas Vaughan who lives in Newport News, Virginia. Ms. Vaughn writes that when she was ten, she found a wallet. There wasn’t any money in it ... who are hurting, those at the bottom of society. It is no accident that lowly shepherds are the first to get the message after Mary. It is no accident that the babe was born in a stable, with a cattle trough for a bed. Some of the finest Christmas ...

18. A Most Unlikely Evangelist

John 4:1-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... to apologize to Mr. Douglas, but not for his own behavior. Amazingly he apologized for his wife's conduct. He hoped Mr. Douglas would not think too badly of his wife for what she had done. What was his wife's "disgraceful" conduct? She had spoken to Douglas. (4) No wonder ... as "special lady"! Here is what is really shocking: Jesus used the same word for this woman that He used for His mother, Mary, at the wedding in Cana and on the cross. Imagine that. He called a woman who was regarded in her own village as ...

19. God Believes In Us, Too

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Dr. Chane M. Hutton

... alone at school every day for five and a half years. His experience in school had been so different. Eight years after Jim's conversation with Marie he was speaking at a Campus Life camp in Southern California. After his first talk one of the key girl leaders walked up to him ... commitment to God. Not because he believed in God but because he suddenly realized that God believed in him. In Lloyd Douglas' novel INVITATION TO LIVE we encounter a woman named Sally who has failed as an actress. She has thrown away ...

20. A Tribute to a Woman's Love

Matthew 22:34-46

Sermon

King Duncan

... year in half.’” (2) That’s how powerful love is. Love is essential to our physical and emotional well-being. Douglas Davidson, editor of The Other Side, in an article titled “Welcome Home,” cites a study that examined the effects of ... on the world stage, but each of us can reach out and make a difference in the life of someone who is struggling. A woman called Mary did that in Alaska and, to this day, her name is all over maps of that state. An Olympic athlete did that and earned his country’ ...

21. The Friends of Jesus

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Brett Blair

... to be fishers of men. Zaccheus would have gone on with his miserable life, counting his money but living in loneliness unless Jesus had said to him: Zaccheus, I’m coming to your home tonight. Mary would have gone on with her life, peddling her virtue had Jesus not called her to a higher virtue. Chief Justice Willaim O. Douglas in his autobiography tells of his father’s funeral. He was only a small child when he stood at that lonely grave. His throat choked up and he began to cry. Then he listened to ...

22. Preparing For A Royal Visit

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... her version: Jesus was born just in time for Christmas up at the North Pole surrounded by eight tiny reindeer and the Virgin Mary. Then Santa Claus showed up with lots of toys and stuff and some swaddling clothes. The three Wise men and elves all sang ... a field goal. Dallas won the playoff game because this young man fresh out of the Navy was ready. Are you ready? General Douglas MacArthur, from his own experience once said, "Preparedness is the key to success and victory." Henry Ford put it this way: "Before ...

23. Staying Alive All Your Ministry Life: Will You Finish Well?

Exodus 32:1-33:6

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... finish well. I want to elaborate on four of them. First, they practiced discipline, at the heart of which was prayer. Sister Marie Bonaventura was living a relaxed life as a nun in Rome. After much encouragement, she was finally persuaded to attend a conference ... of Christ, arr. and ed. Douglas V. Steere, Great Devotional Classics, Nashville, TN, The Upper Room. 1950, pg. 8) In his introduction to a short collection of passages from The Imitation of Christ, Douglas Steere says: The Imitation not only ...

24. Saving Private Ryan

Acts 1:8

Sermon

James Merritt

... one soldier and get him back home to his family. But you may not know that there was a real-life "Private Ryan." Mary and Steven Campagnone had four sons. Albert, twenty-one, died in Germany around Christmas 1944. Carmen, eighteen, was blown apart by a minefield ... So we are to be His witnesses anywhere and we are to be His witnesses everywhere. Billy Graham tells the story of General Douglas MacArthur, who was talking to the Emperor of Japan right after their surrender at the end of World War II. The Emperor ...

25. "Catch-able" But Not "Fetch-able"

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

King Duncan

... he have to ask?" Mary asks. "God always asks," says Gabriel. "He knows I read the Scriptures and will do what he asks," Mary replies. "Blessed are you among women," said Gabriel, and the angel was gone. Yes, God did have to ask, thought Mary, as she returned to her ... Brown. "Hancock Moonshiner . . ." The Knoxville News-Sentinel (July 22, 1990), Section B, pp. 1, 6. 2. As told by Douglas V. Steere in Together in Solitude (New York: Crossroad, 1982). 3. (Minneapolis: Winston Press, 1985), pp. 1-2. 4. Philip ...

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