Here are the slides for the sermon.
Here is the audio of the sermon.
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Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
What Christ Has Done For Us
As I was getting ready for and praying over this Easter Sunday, my mind kept coming to a tract I was introduced to in the 1970s written by a man named Bill Bright for the Campus Crusade for Christ titled The Four Spiritual Laws. In reflecting on the lectionary texts I kept seeing how the points Bright made in that tract appropriately fit in with the theme of this year’s Easter service of the Resurrection of the Lord.
The sermon is titled, What Christ Has Done For Us, and I am making it available for you in the following formats...
Read more...Monday, September 10, 2007
Onesimus and Philemon
Jeremiah 18:1-6,11; Philemon 1-25; Luke 14:25-33
In our Gospel lesson Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship. His parables should remind us that being a Christian is not about joining a club or organization, but it is about taking on a life-changing commitment.
We should give that some thought. Too often, the way people join the church is the equivalent of waking from a drunken stupor in a Las Vegas hotel room realizing you married the stranger in bed next to you.
Jesus said “if you cannot renounce everything you have - all of your possessions - even your family, if need be” then you cannot be his disciples.
We see this concept being put to the test in our epistle lesson today. You heard the entire book of Philemon read earlier. Short, but what a powerful letter.
Paul knew Philemon to be a generoous person. His generosity (sharing) and hospitality grew out of his humility. [We saw last week the relationship of Hospitality to Generosity to Humility] Philemon was a person who lived this out.
So what is Humility? Christ, himself, is the example of humility. Humility isn’t believing you are worthless or “worth less” than others. Humility is recognizing that you have tremendous worth and you are willing to put it to use in helping and serving others. This is the insight Paul draws on when writing to Philemon.
You see Philemon had this slave named Onesimus, which means Useful, but he proved to be very unuseful! The relationship between Philemon and Onesimus is much like that misshapen lump of clay Jeremiah describes. It needs to be remolded into something beautiful and useful. Paul puts himself right between Philemon and Onesimus without taking sides. They are both his Christian brothers. He even considers himself their “Father” in the faith. Paul chooses to assume the best of both Philemon and Onesimus. Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon. Paul asks Philemon to accept him as a brother and not a slave.
This is what is meant by discipleship. It is to be a disciple of Jesus — to live the way he wants us to live. And that kind of life is costly.
Consider this as the Cost of Discipleship: Of the 11 people named in this epistle (other than Jesus Christ), we know that 10 of them were martyred for their faith. The 11th one? Demas. He abandoned Paul and the others because of his love of the world. He decided that the cost of discipleship was just too high.
Paul knows well the cost of discipleship. It is New Testament scholar and Church of England Bishop NT Wright who gives us the image of Paul standing in the gap. By standing between Philemon and Onesimus without taking sides he is able to embrace them both. Even more, he takes the cost of reconciliation upon himself. He tells Philemon, “anything that is owed you I will repay myself.”
This is the pattern that Paul has learned from Christ. You see, ultimately, this story is not about Paul or Philemon or Onesimus — it is about Christ. Christ who stands between God and the World embracing both. Christ, who stood before Pilate and instead of defending himself chose to accept the debt and penalty for sin upon himself. Christ, who takes upon himself all the cost of reconciliation: the pain, shame, and guilt.
Philemon and Onesimus learn about this cost as well. It must be difficult for Onesimus to go back which only a piece of paper in his hand. It must be difficult for Philemon to accept him. But, this is the cost of discipleship. This is the reconciliation that the world is in such need of. The gap between God and the World is so wide and Jesus calls us into a life of discipleship. When he says “take up your cross and follow me” he is saying it won’t be easy, but to come and join him in that gap.
But before you do that. Before you accept his call. Before you become a disciple... you better sit down and consider the cost.
Read more...Monday, May 14, 2007
The Mark of Christ (Sermon)
The Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C)
May 13, 2007 (Mothers' Day)
Texts...
Acts 16:9-15
Psalm 67
Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5
John 14:23-29
Revelation 22:4 "They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads." World English Bible (WEB).
In our society there are many people who are concerned with the mark of the beast, but the real question should be if you bear the mark of Christ. Today we take a look at what it means to be marked by Christ.
Read more...Sunday, April 29, 2007
Christ's Shepherding Ministry (Sermon)
The Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year C)
Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30
Our image of the Good Shepherd is usually not influenced by modern practices of shepherds since we are just not exposed to them (at least here in the US). We tend to have a romanticized view of shepherds based on the Sunday School images we have learned and applied to King David and Jesus. But, that image is probably not so far from the practice of shepherds in biblical days.
It is Jesus who is the Good Shepherd. He is the incarnate God who will “ seek the lost, ...bring back the strayed, ...bind up the injured, ...[and] strengthen the weak” (Ezekiel 34:16). By claiming the title, Jesus is making a political statement as well as a theological and religious one. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has laid down his own life for the sheep. He gathers us. He protects us. We belong to him and recognize his voice as he calls us by name (John 10:3-4).
Remember that Jesus makes this statement during the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22, better known to us as Hanukkah) a celebration that recalls the liberation of Israel from the Syrians in the Maccabean revolt. It is a feast day of religious and political significance. His statement (“I am the Good Shepherd.”) would not only be threatening to the religious and political leaders of his own day, but should also serve as a warning to the flock today to be wary of “hired hands” as well as “thieves and robbers” who only look out for their own needs and come to “kill and destroy” (see John 10:8,10,12). Combine this with people clamoring to know if Jesus is the Messiah (10:24), that is the anointed one who would come and liberate the people of God.
The first lesson is about Peter being called to the bedside of Dorcas/Tabitha, a disciple who had just died in Joppa (modern-day Jaffa). Dorcas is a disciple who has poured herself into the work of the Gospel by doing “good works and acts of charity” (Acts 9:36, NRSV). Specifically, she was known for the clothing she made for the poor. Peter prays for Dorcas and she is brought to life.
The final verse of this reading mentions that Peter stayed in the home of Simon the Tanner, which is quite remarkable of itself. Tanners and Fullers often worked with public urinals to collect what they needed for their work. What are the implications of this invitation of Simon the Tanner to Simon Peter for us as disciples? And of Peter's acceptance of the act of hospitality that the tanner offers?
Read more...Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Revealed Christ (the sermon)
April 22, 2007
The Third Sunday of Easter, Year C
Acts 9:1-20
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
John 21:1-19
Paul writes, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God ... provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:16-17, ESV) This idea of sharing in the sufferings of Christ is also found in our Gospel lesson this week. After Peter affirms his love for Jesus three times, Jesus tells him that “when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (John 21:18, NRSV) He then ends with the command, “Follow me!” This command to Peter is reminiscent of Jesus’ challenge to “take up your cross and follow me.”
Listen to the sermon
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