PENTECOST 6A
June 22, 2008
SCRIPTURES
Genesis 21:8-21: Isaac ("he/she laughs") is weaned; Sarah contends for his inheritance against Hagar's son, Ishmael ("God hears"); Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away; God provides for all of them.
SCRIPTURE SETTING : Matthew is writing for Christian community of Antioch. The Jerusalem mother-church of the apostle James (in which the dominant attitude was sympathetic
towards Hebrew tradition) had disappeared by the year 85 when Matthew wrote his gospel account. By that time Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed by the Romans in
the year 70. Bill Fletcher
In the first century, there was not a sense of "the individual," but the individual was always part of a group. So, even if an individual welcomed another individual, they symbolized
one group welcoming another group.
SCRIPTURE (Matthew scripture)
- If you use Matthew 10:37-42 Notice that the first half of these sayings of Jesus are about the behavior of his disciples; the second half are about the behavior of others
towards the disciples.
-It is a call to radical obedience. It is a call to be obedient even when the world turns against you, even when the world rejects your message. Rev. Robina Marie Winbush
-A summary of this text would be: Jesus says to his disciples, "Expect the same kind of treatment people give to me -- but, don't be afraid because God is watching over you. If you follow me, you can expect conflict and sometimes even death -- yet, with me you will have life that death can not touch."
-APOSTLES You and me.
-PROPHETS-We know from 1 Corinthians 12:28, 29 and 14:29 that there were "prophets" in the early church. It was a special gift given to some people. Mt 7:22 may indicate that there
were such prophets as well as false-prophets in Matthew's community. Stoffregen Righteous person, Fletcher
-The Prophet is God's mouthpiece. He sees the signs of the times, he is able to see God's will in the present moment. He is a karios person, not a chronos.
-LITTLE ONES-It is likely that "little ones" didn't refer to children, but to new converts -- "little ones" in the faith -- new disciples Stoffregen
“These little ones” have often been mistakenly thought of as children, but the phrase really refers to the newest disciples and even teachers, like the followers of Jesus who
would be going out in mission.
-- Theme of openness and inclusion.
-He thus establishes a four-way partnership between God, Jesus, disciple, and host. God initiated the partnership by sending Jesus. Jesus then sends the disciples.
The disciples take the third step by going. Those who welcome the disciples take the final step by providing support Sermon Writer
-What does this passage, and the larger discourse that includes it, teach us about being the church “on the road,” and not just settled and comfortable in one place? Samuel
-The word reward is used
three times. We are not told the nature of the reward; maybe the
new fellowship that emerges is the reward. Maybe hospitality to
God's messengers
carries its own reward In any case the notion or reward suggests
that the act of welcoming does not go unnoticed by God.
Brueggemann
-This passage also ties in hospitality with the Christian mission — and
this is a lesson most needed today. Our world has
become dehumanized, and we have become isolated and
alienated from one another. It is up to the Christian to break down
these barriers and to make room for one another in our hearts and
homes. Thomas Welbers
-The first disciples were ambassadors for Christ. The first disciples were representatives of Christ. Whoever welcomed this representative welcomed Christ himself. We understand this when we think of ambassadors for a nation. Whoever welcomes the ambassador is welcoming the president of the nation the ambassador represents. The disciples were ambassadors for Christ and whoever welcomed
them into their homes were welcoming Jesus Christ himself and also the Lord God who sent Jesus to this earth. Marquart
-It is appropriate to translate the meaning of the word “reward” as “blessing.” As was said above, “As people welcomed the early prophets, righteous leaders and disciples into their homes, they would be blessed by God for doing so. ibid
-If I were to invite a Latino, or Asian, or Black or homosexual person to church, there is a sense that the entire congregation is then welcoming that minority into its fellowship. We don't just represent ourselves, but the group(s) that give us (part of) our identities. Stoffregen
-God's grace is large enough for all of us.
- If only God's grace weren't so scary, if only it didn't come with so much risk! Extending the circle to another involves the risk of rejection,
the risk of laughter...of tears...of love. Wilimon
-This scripture's focus is on those who will (or won't) welcome the disciples and what God will do to them.
-Marty Haugen has a wonderful hymn, "All are welcome,"
-Webster's notes that "welcome" is rooted in German that means "a desirable guest."
-God doesn't "reward" us. What God gives us (existence!, love, forgiveness, God's very self...) is a gift, pure and simple. What fools we must look like, running around trying to earn what has already been given to us for free!
-Sermon outline: There is bad news all around. There was bad news in Jesus' time. There is Good News notwithstanding. Lindy
-Our sanctification does not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God's sake which we commonly do for our own. Brother Lawrence
SERMON: CHRISTIANITY HAS NOT BEEN TRIED AND FOUND WANTING BUT FOUND DIFFICULT AND NOT TRIED G.K.Chesterton Using this quote and others I would preach on the fact that the thing we need most in order to start doing what Jesus asks us to do is courage.
-encourage (Latin) put heart in. Discourage take heart out ; Courage from French word for "heart" Coeur
- Takes courage to be part of a world in which one must return to dust." Tillich
- Too pot bound...lacking courage to be replanted...to take the shock of new soil to take root
-Gilbert K. Chesterton walk the talk
-You never know how much courage you have until you discover how much courage you need. Gomes
-For most of us courage is required of us not to do the impossible but to do the possible which we fear. Gomes
- One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind,
true, merciful, generous, or honest. Maya Angelou
- The best way out is through. Robert Frost
-Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. Winston Churchill
- Courage does not chose you, you must chose it.
-You cannot chose courage once and for all. You must chose it over and over and over again.
-The greatest risk is riskless living Covey
-fear is shadow of courage
-Courage is contagious Billy Graham
-Give me the courage to show the dove in a world so full of serpents." H.Nouwen
-It's not courage if you don't have a choice
-One man with courage is a majority." Andrew Jackson
-Serenity prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Reinhold Niebuhr
QUOTES
-The problems with others is that they are just that...others.
-Someone once said that if everyone likes what you're doing, then you must be doing something wrong.
-Unity does not mean uniformity
-Other might not like us, might hurt us, might exclude us, and worst of all, others might change us.
-As Jeremiah says, "it is like fire shut up in my bones". (Prophecy)
ILLUSTRATIONS
1. There is an Anthony de Mello story that (condensed) goes like this:
An abbey, formerly known for its vitality and spirituality, had fallen on hard times. Where once there had been many visitors and joyful singing, there was now empty places in worship and lifeless singing. The abbot went to visit a holy man who lived on a nearby mountain. Upon arrival, the abbot poured out his heart and told the holy man everything he thought he should know about the abbey. Finally, the abbot asked, "Are we guilty of some sin?" "Yes," replied the holy man. "Christ is living in your community, and you have failed to recognize him because he has come in disguise." All the way back to the abbey, the abbot wondered which member of the community could be Christ. Each person he considered had
faults, but then perhaps that was part of the disguise. Back at the abbey, the abbot shared what he had learned, and the community decided that the only thing to do was to treat
each person as if they were Christ. Soon, the community again was alive and vital, for they did indeed recognize that Christ dwelt among them.
2. In some parishes, the ministry to the poor and needy, through soup kitchens and clothing closets, is called the Ministry of Hospitality.
3. In the early church many people denied Christ because they were afraid of the Romans. But there were some who did not fear those who could burn the body but who could not touch the soul. One of these was Polycarp, an elderly bishop who lived in the 2nd century A.D. During one of the persecutions he was arrested and they threatened him with death
unless he cursed Christ. Polycarp replied, "86 years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me."
4.The Grimkie sister were daughters of slave owners. They lived in a household where they were waited upon by black people who had been bought in the slave yards of Charleston. They were rocked by them, fed by them, waited on by them. Then something happened. First they offended all of their friends by becoming Quakers. Then they went against everything that they were taught was not simply necessary but right when they began to fight for the abolition of slavery. They moved to Philadelphia where they became very active in the abolitionist movement and their slave owning family was ready to disown them. These two women were popular among the abolitionists. These two very articulate young southern women were to stand and make speeches as repentant slave holders; to write pamphlets about the evils of slavery. Until they realized that it was not just black people who needed human
rights. They began to speak about the rights of women and suddenly even their abolitionist friends became very suspicious.
5. Pastor Martin Niemoeller, imprisoned at Dachau for seven years, wrote: "In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists. I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, but I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. They came for the Catholics; I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time, there was no one left to speak for me."
6. During an unusually harsh winter many Parisian beggars froze to death. Pierre resigned his post in the French parliament after seeing so many beggars in the streets and became a Catholic friar. He organized the beggars themselves. Taught them to do menial tasks better. Instead of sporadically collecting bottles and rags, they divided into teams to scour the city. They built a warehouse from discarded bricks. Finally Pierre inspired each beggar by giving him responsibility to help another beggar poorer than himself. The project caught fire and in a few years an organization called Emmaus was founded to expand Pierre's work in other countries. Phillip Yancey.
HUMOR
-I once had the ushers pass out nice "fist sized rocks" to everyone in the church. After they held them through 15 minutes of sermon on judgment, I finally said, "I suppose you are wondering why you are all holding rocks!" I then read the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery. I reminded them of the one without sin casting the first stone
-a person telling his priest that he thought the church was cold and unfriendly. So the priest, in the next service, told the people that starting next week they would take a moment to greet the person behind them. When there was a break, a man turned and reached out his hand in friendship to a woman behind him. She was shocked. She quickly told him that sort of thing didn't begin till next week.
-Change is inevitable except for vending machines
-Those who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed.
-When you put your head in the sand, you know what's up.
-He's a born again atheist
CHILDREN
1. paper circles. Rip three strips of newspaper 2" wide the length of the paper.
strip one, attach at ends with no twists. cut in half length wise (makes 2 separate circles). So often we solve our problems by going into separate circles
Strip two, attach at ends with two twists. cut in half length wise (makes two circles linked.) like Jr. high dance boys and girls try but still separated
Strip 3,, attach at ends with one twist. cut length wise (makes one big circle) God's world, everyone united
2.A spider web is a wonderful symbol of unity. The whole web (community) trembles when one area is touched.
3"Welcome!"
Sermons4Kids
PRAYER PHRASES
- ...as you first found us, help us to find others. As you first welcomed us, help us to welcome other and so find our salvation, in community , by your grace. Wilimon
-Gracious God, it's not easy doing what you've asked us to do, but because you go with us, we dare to submit ourselves to your work in our lives. We thank you for your Holy
Spirit which allows us to have courage to stand firm, to die to ourselves, to rise to you, and to do the work you have called us to. In the name of Jesus, the living and resurrected
Lord, we pray. Amen. Rev. Robina Marie Winbush
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