Revised Common:Deuteronomy 30:15-20 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Matthew 5:21-37
Roman Catholic:Sirach 15:15-20
1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 2:17-37
Episcopal:Sirach 15:11-20
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:21-24, 27-
30, 33-37
Lutheran:Deuteronomy 30:15-20 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 Matthew 5:20-37
Seasonal Theme: The Holy Spirit is prominently featured in the Epiphany Season pericopes. The Spirit does not act in isolation but works to create and sustain the spiritual community. Each week we will examine a different aspect of the Spirit's presence in Christian community.
Theme For The Day: Get right with your neighbor before worshipping God
Suggested Text For Preaching: Matthew 5:23-26
Suggested Sermon Title: God's Forgiving Spirit
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (C, L) The setting of this lesson is the land of Moab. Moses addresses the Israelites as they are about to cross over the Jordan and enter the land of promise. He confronts them with a crucial choice which they must make that day. The choice is life, which flows from obedience to the Lord, or death which follows disobedience. They were entering a land where the people served other gods. Before they are tempted by these gods, they must choose the Lord of their life. To choose Yahweh now would obviate the danger of choosing false gods later on. It's a life or death situation.
Lesson 1: Sirach 15:15-20 (RC); Sirach 15:11-20 (E) About deciding whether or not to do the will of God.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (C, E) Paul has apparently been criticized for preaching in a simplistic fashion by these Corinthians who prided themselves on their wisdom. Paul responds that he had to preach that way because they were still spiritual babes, immature in their attitudes and actions. This is seen in their conflict over status with its concomitant party spirit. Paul maintains that he and other apostles are only servants of God. God alone is worthy of our adulation and praise.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (RC); 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 (L) Paul shows that the gospel is indeed wisdom, but not of the world. Only through the Spirit of God can one discern this wisdom and interpret its truths.
Gospel: Matthew 5:21-37 (C); Matthew 5:17-37 (RC); Matthew 5:20-37 (L); Matthew 5:21-24, 27-30, 33-37 (E)
Verse 17 contains the unitive thread for this entire passage, in fact, for the entire Sermon On The Mount: "Think not that I have come to abolish the law ... I have come to fulfill it." The word "fulfill" can be interpreted as: to complete or to accomplish. The word can also be interpreted: to infuse with new and deeper meaning. The latter exegesis is preferred. The rest of the passage gives examples of how Jesus fills the law and the prophets with new meaning in such areas as sexuality, murder, and vows. Jesus asserts his authority in a remarkable way and, at the same time, challenges the authority of the religious establishment. "You have heard ... but I say unto you."
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 119:1-8 (C, L); Psalm 119:1-16 (E) -- "Happy are those ... who walk in the law of the Lord" (v. 1).
Prayer Of The Day Living God, we bless you for faithfully fulfilling all righteousness in Jesus Christ, your Son, that we might be your dear children. So fill us with your Spirit that we might be agents of reconciliation and forgiveness and thereby accomplish your gracious will. In Jesus' name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 An easy choice? The Deuteronomist has Moses presenting to the people a clear choice. On the one hand, life and blessing and, on the other, death and curses. Why would anyone think long about this one? No one intentionally chooses death, do they? Not usually. What happens is that people choose that which appears to be life enhancing but is really a death trap. Drugs seem to be a real life enhancer. They make you feel good but once you are hooked, it's hard to choose life again. To bow down to the god of mammon seems like an attractive thing to do, but once prostrate you may never be able to stand tall again. That's why Moses urged the people to choose now, this very day, to serve God, before they are lured into the service of the gods of death.
We live in a society much like the Canaanite civilization that the Israelites entered once they crossed the river. They worshipped the fertility gods and goddesses, and many people in our society try to find ultimate fulfillment and pleasure in sexual license. It is a wonderful idea to ask your people to choose ahead of time, before they cross the river, God's way, the pathway of life. Half the battle is knowing what you are going to say and do when the crisis arises. The way of death is not something we choose up front, but by default. We get sucked into the way of death when we fail to acknowledge and serve the Lord of life.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Carnal Christians (v. 1). The apostle charges that the Corinthians were "of the flesh." In other words, they were carnal Christians. Their carnality manifested itself in a spirit of rivalry, jealousy and party spirit. If they had been mature and spiritual Christians, a spirit of harmony would have prevailed. Debating honest differences can be healthy but factions destroy the ties that bind us.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 Baby talk. Have you noticed how people talk to infants? Highly educated people find themselves conversing in monosyllables through a voice three octaves above their normal range. It looks ridiculous but it connects with babies. The Corinthians were complaining that Paul was talking down to them. Paul retorts that he does so because that is the level that they are on. He has to communicate through baby talk (feed them milk) because they were not ready for weightier matters (meat). Their behavior revealed their level of immaturity. Unfortunately, most churches have a majority of members who are at the baby talk, baby food level of maturity, with development arrested. We have two choices -- continue to use baby talk or provide opportunities that challenge them to grow in Christ.
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-37 Fulfilling the law. The entire Sermon On The Mount is a fleshing out of the new righteousness ushered in by Jesus. The radical nature of Jesus' righteousness is obvious as he sets his teachings in juxtaposition to the tradition of the elders. "You have heard it said in ancient times ... but I say to you." Yet Jesus insists that his righteousness is not an abrogation of the traditional concept of righteousness as embodied in the law, but a fulfillment of it (vv. 17-19). But what does the Lord mean by fulfilling the law? God's law contains two elements. There is the outward form and the internal spirit of the law. A very immature form of goodness is to obey the rules either to gain favor or avoid punishment. A deeper level of goodness is to obey the law because a person has internalized the command. A further progression in the ethical life is to go beyond the precept because the person has identified the intent of the law and incarnated these values into her life. For instance, such a person not only refrains from killing but sees greater value in every human being as a child of God and will do all that she can to help rather than hurt. Such a state of being could be called living in love. As Paul said, "Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). The Lord condemns those who have kept the outward form of the law without the spirit of the law. Form without spirit is lifeless. That's why Jesus warns: "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (v. 20).
Conflict management is a term we hear a good deal about these days. The art of conflict management assumes that conflict is a given in this world and that it isn't necessary evil. What is good or bad about conflict is the way we handle it. Unfortunately, most people don't manage their conflicts; on the contrary, their conflicts manage them. They attempt to take what appears to be the easy way out and avoid dealing with the troubling issue. Such conflict seldom goes away and usually worsens unattended. The proper way to handle conflict is to bring it out in the open so that one party to the strife can begin to see the perspective of the other party in the strife. When the facts are in the open, a solution is possible.
Jesus has very important advice concerning conflict management. He says, "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister ..." (v. 24). The offering of the gift at the altar is an attempt of reconciliation with God (conflict management) but Jesus insists that we return to the primary arena of that conflict, our relationships with our neighbors, and seek reconciliation there before we offer our gift at the place of worship.
Righteous To The Core. People sometimes say: "He's rotten to the core." That pessimistic assessment is not accurate if it means that humans are bereft of all goodness and are completely corrupt. It is accurate if it means that sin emanates from the center of our being. In the same way, righteousness can not be wholly judged outwardly; true righteousness emanates from the core of our being. Jesus taught that we must be transformed from within. Thus, to abstain from killing does not absolve one from murder. Murder springs from malignant attitudes that must be replaced with the Beatitudes. "You have heard that it was said ... but I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment, whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire" (vv. 21-22). Jesus applies the same principle to sexual behavior (vv. 27-30). We must let Christ make us righteous to the core of our being; it is there that attitudes are formed which are, in turn, transformed into words and deeds. The goodness of the scribes and Pharisees was inadequate, according to our Lord, because it did not issue from a spiritually transformed heart (v. 20).
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Sermon Title: Death Trap Sermon Angle: Every winter one reads in the newspaper about some apartment or tenement which has burned down, due to unsafe wiring and faulty furnaces, resulting in loss of life and limb. A place to live has proven to be a death trap. Japanese workers strive so hard making a living that they work themselves to death. A way of making a living has proven to be a death trap. Had these unfortunate folk known, they might have chosen a life preserving place to live or a life enhancing manner of making a living. What is touted as a way of life may actually be the pathway to death. As the people of Israel were entering the Promised Land, they were challenged with a choice: "life and good" or "death and evil." Moses urges the people to choose life. The new gods and ways of living would appeal as life expanding but they were truly a death trap. Actually, any forms of existence that does not involve choosing to serve the Lord and obey his commands is a death trap.
Outline: 1. Life presents us with two kinds of choices -- those that lead to life or death
2. The problem -- it is often difficult to discern which is which (Give examples of ways of living that are actually ways of death -- individualism, consumerism, etc.)
3. Life (God) has chosen us and so let us choose life
The story of Alice In Wonderland illustrates the difficulty of choosing when one doesn't know where she wants to go.
Alice was treading the path through the forest in Wonderland when it divided in two different directions. As she stood there wondering what to do, the Cheshire Cat suddenly appeared in the crotch of a tree. Alice asked him which path she would choose. "Where do you want to go?" asked the cat. "I don't know," said Alice. "Then," said the cat, "it really doesn't matter, does it?"
God has told us that if we would reach the promised land, we must choose the narrow path, the path of obedience that leads to life eternal.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Sermon Title: Beyond Tribalism Sermon Angle: Tribalism is the tragic result of humankind's fall from grace. One tribe or clan sees itself not only as unique but superior to other tribes or clans. Paul was battling religious tribalism. Today we witness the tragic results of cultural tribalism in places such as Africa, Yugoslavia, Russia and many other places. Multiculturalism seems to be the buzzword of political correctness. Tolerance and respect for differences certainly is good but one wonders if some of these efforts don't, in fact, foster tribalism. Should the major emphasis be on our differences or on that which we share in common? The same logic applies to the church. Our unity in Christ transcends our human differences.
Outline: 1. In Corinth, religious tribalism was weakening the fabric of the church
2. In modern times, the church has become even more fragmented
3. We have also witnessed a tragic increase of cultural tribalism
4. Over-emphasis on our differences is a sign of spiritual immaturity
5. True unity flows from our relationship with the Lord (v. 9)
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 Sermon Title: Channeling Sermon Angle: Those who participate in the new age movement employ pyramids, chimes, and channeling as means of obtaining wisdom and direction. Channeling seeks supernatural knowledge through contact with the spirits of those who have died. Paul tells us that the only way to make contact with God and secure direction is through the agency of God's Spirit.
Outline: 1. We come into this world without wisdom and understanding
2. Parents, teachers, books, and so forth are channels of human wisdom
3. The Holy Spirit is the only channel for receiving the wisdom and knowledge of God, which we receive through the community of faith
4. Our mission? To be channels for the Holy Spirit to flow out to others
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-37 Sermon Title: A Spirit Of Harmony Sermon Angle: Jesus proclaimed: "I came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it." How is the law fulfilled? When God and humankind live together in a state of peace and harmony. The Jews were reminded of the purpose of God's law every time they greeted one another with shalom. The problem was that the law tended to externalize God's intent into a series of prescribed behavior patterns. Jesus gets to the crux of the matter. What God really wants is a change of heart, a transformation of attitudes. Without this spiritual regeneration, the law could never be fulfilled even though behavior might be proper. Jesus was realistic enough to know that harmony would be broken by human sin. In that case, reconciliation was the order of the day. Through the power of Christ, we can make peace with our enemies and restore the harmony between heaven and earth.
Outline: 1. Ours is a God of peace and harmony 2. Adultery, divorce, stealing, and murder are actions that destroy the harmony
3. Jesus points to attitudes that destroy harmony
-- underlying adultery is the attitude of lust
-- underlying stealing is the attitude of covetousness
-- underlying murder is an attitude of arrogance and scorn
4. Christ came to reconcile us to God and to give us the Spirit of reconciliation
Even non-Christians can sometimes teach us a lesson about reconciliation. In the movie Gandhi, a Hindu leader appears at Gandhi's bedside to plead with him to end his fast. The emancipator of India has pledged to keep on fasting until the fighting between the Hindus and the Moslems came to an end. The Hindu leader was angered by Gandhi's resolve to continue his fast and vowed to continue the fight against the Muslims. To justify his behavior he related how his enemy took his young son and bashed his head against a wall. To seek revenge he captured a Moslem child and did the same thing to him. Then he paused and added sorrowfully, "I have been living in hell."
Gandhi reflected for a few moments and then responded, "I think that I know a way out of hell. Go and find a boy similar to the son the Moslems killed, take him into the home as your son, and raise him as a Moslem."
Our Lord taught that if we would worship the Lord, we must first make peace with our enemies. Reconciliation involves three things: contrition, confession, and satisfaction (to attempt to right the situation). Most of us stop after the first or, possibly, the second part of the act of reconciliation. In order for spiritual harmony to be completely restored, the peace making process must be completed.
Norman Cousins estimates that in the 5,600 hundred or so years of recorded history, there have only been 292 years of world peace. He estimates that 3.5 billion people have been slain through warfare in that span of time, approximately 80 percent of the current world population.
In 1913, a young Austrian by the name of Adolf Hitler made Munich, Germany, his home. The Nazi movement was launched from this great city. The Germans in general and the inhabitants of Munich in particular have been remiss in confronting this dark period of their past. However, attitudes seem to be changing. A recent exhibition has opened at the Stadtmuseum in Munich titled "Munich: Capital of the Movement." The display chronicles the city's contribution through art and artifact. The focus of this exhibition is different than others that deal with this dark era in that it points to the reaction of the common people to the rise of Nazism. The curator of the museum, Brigitte Schultz, points out that much attention has been paid to both the perpetrators and the victims, but little has been done to show how the common people participated in the system in so many small but important ways.
If such an exhibit contributes to a regional and national sense of contrition and confession, reconciliation with the past and peace in the future are more likely.