For the 19th Sunday after Pentecost on September 21, 2008, the three assigned readings are Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30 and Matthew 20:1-16. Chosen to preach about at Concordia Lutheran Church in Springfield, IL is Isaiah 55:8, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.”
You own a publishing company and hire 5 women to work from 8 to 5. Then you hire 5 men to work from 1 to 5. When they get paid, they find that they all have received the same amount. Not only would the women be angry; they might even file a grievance with the appropriate governmental authorities for unfair hiring practices.
While you may not hear of such blatant unfairness in today’s business world, the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 20 would have the same effect on those hearing it. For a landowner pays the same amount to those who work 1 hour as he does to those who work the full day.
The Gospel is a great example of the Old Testament’s reading that the thoughts of God and His ways are not like those of sinful human beings. The sermon provides a real opportunity to preach the radical nature of the Christian faith. In my opinion, some Lutheran sermons,while not containing any false doctrine, provide little or no unique insight into the mind of God that is totally contrary to our minds.
A pastor could recite all three ecumenical creeds in a sermon but it would not be a sermon. Why? Because the purpose of a sermon is not only to teach pure doctrine but also to apply the message from the Bible for the day in a way that is startling and radical. Tbis should not be difficult to do in light of the fact that the vast majority of the Bible is paradoxical in nature. The use of paradox is a way in which the hearer is struck with insights from the Bible that have not been considered before.
While the primary goal of every sermon is making use of the proper distinctions between Law and Gospel, I also include the purpose of saying something about the passage that is insightful and new to the hearer. Martin Luther was a natural at demonstrating the paradoxical nature of the Bible, particularly through his little-known Heidelburg Theses.
For example, the first is that though the Law is a salutary gift from God, it can not only not save anyone but can result in damnation. The apparent contradiction becomes a paradox when one understands that the Law is salutary only when used according to God’s three purposes (curb, mirror and rule) but it is damning when misused as a means of saving oneself, which is the message of every religion in the world except for Christianity!
A practice I would encourage pastors to follow is to take a recent sermon and underlines those statements within it that the most of the congregation have never heard. If there are no underlinings, then I would encourage more study of the text until you discover within it something of which you were unaware. When that becomes a focus of the sermon, people are fed not only with comfort from the Gospel but with insight from the Holy Spirit.
These three readings are filled with paradox besides the parable which constrasts how God acts in the Church with how He acts in the temporal realm. Paul paradoxically believes that while it is far better to be with Christ after one dies, he is pleased to remain here on earth for the sake of others. He also points to a strange promise that as a Christian, you will suffer for the faith.
Christianity is not a user-friendly religion as is every other man-made dreamt up religion. For the people of God to see the radical differences is not only to increase their understanding of the holy Trinity but also to prepare them to witness to others. I leave you with a few radical truths of Scripture: “There is nothing you do, say or speak on earth that makes any difference as to whether you go to heaven or to hell.” Or this one: “There is nothing you can do to to make God love you more; there is nothing you do to make God love you less.” And finally, “There is nothing you can do to increase your salvation for if you believe in Jesus Christ, right now you are fully saved!”
Name:Tom Baker
A couple reflections on the blog, plus Monday’s show. First, I was reflecting on our communion practice. When we distribute communion, each person receives one wafer, and one small cup of wine. We don’t give a fistful of wafers and a large mug to our longer-term members, and only a crumb to our neophytes. Contrast this to what was going on in Corinth when they gathered for the “Lord’s Supper,” where the “in-crowd” would imbibe so much, that they would become drunk, while others would be left with nothing.
My second comment is about the visceral reaction we seem always to have to this story. This parable and that of the “Two Lost Sons and their Generous Father,” both hit us where it hurts so that we cry out, “IT’S NOT FAIR!” In this week’s parable, why do we always end up there? Why do we not instead marvel at the generosity of the landowner? My suspicion is that each of us in our religiosity as long-term church folk feel a kinship to the all-day workers. Perhaps if we could move beyond that, and feel how amazing God’s grace truly is, we wouldn’t need to grumble and have an “evil eye,” but instead end by saying, “My God, How Great Thou Art!”
“It’s not fair!” is not only the normal response of the Theologian of Self-Glory but was also the response of the self-righteous Pharisees in Jesus’ day. They could not understand forgiving sinners and tax collectors let alone accept that they needed such forgiveness. Indeed, God’s ways are not our ways.
Pastor Tom,
again, your words haunt me and at the same time are salutary!
You concluded with this:
[[I leave you with a few radical truths of Scripture: "There is nothing you do, say or speak on earth that makes any difference as to whether you go to heaven or to hell." Or this one: "There is nothing you can do to to make God love you more; there is nothing you do to make God love you less." And finally, "There is nothing you can do to increase your salvation for if you believe in Jesus Christ, right now you are fully saved!"]]
With my mind I agree and exactly as I am thinking about what you wrote, my flesh is accusing me!
One of the elders here has a saying that goes something like this:
“I love the Law”! “I am guilty”!!
Peace!
michael
eureka, ca.