Readings
for Proper 24B:
Isaiah
53:4-12; Ps. 91; Hebrews 4:12-16; Mark 10:35-45
October 22, 2006
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
During the Liturgy of the Word, after hearing the many readings from the Holy Scriptures, a Sermon is given. A sermon is a religious discourse, usually delivered by a clergyperson, as part of the worship service. Its function is to pass along the teachings of the Church so that we learn how to become better Christians. It also serves as a channel of God’s grace, offering us an opportunity to open our hearts up to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
I always say that sermons should comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Sermons usually have a particular flavor. They can be instructive, inspiring, challenging, boring, based on the biblical text, based on a particular theme, exhortive, prophetic, or all of the above. I tend to be a teacher, so there is always a strong teaching element in my sermons. I try to make my sermons relevant to the people of Silicon Valley struggling to be whole.
In the Episcopal Church, the lectionary (i.e. the Biblical Readings assigned each Sunday) usually inform the subject of the sermon. For instance, today we had four readings from the Bible. These readings included: Isaiah, Hebrews, and the gospel of Mark, and psalm 91. Sometimes, the readings have a common theme. Today, the readings from Isaiah and Mark talk about servanthood, sacrifice, and redemptive suffering. Hebrews focused on the superiority of the priesthood of Christ. In psalm 91, the psalmist has full confidence that God is his refuge and protector.
I could use any of these themes for the focus of my sermon. Perhaps what stands out most for me today, is the gospel: “Whoever wishes to become great among you, must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.” [Mark 10] In God’s kingdom, one counts rank in a very different way from the world. In God’s kingdom, greatness is about becoming a servant of others.
But since today’s theme is the “Instructed Eucharist,” I am going to talk about worship. Why do we worship and what benefits are there to worshipping God with all our mind, body, and soul? To worship means to count something or someone as having worth. People worship their children, fancy cars, big houses, famous movie stars, etc. Some people worship themselves. Christians are called to worship the Creator of heaven and earth, the great mystery, the giver of life, the God in whom we live and move and have our being.
By worshipping the God who has been revealed to us in the words, works, and person of Jesus, we can become the people of God; a people set aside to be icons of hope, messengers of good news, servants and healers. As a different people set aside, we offer our lives in the service of justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being. We offer our lives to spread the good news in Christ.
Now this is not an easy task, especially when all we hear around us to seek first the kingdom of material things and to focus first and foremost on ourselves. So we come together each Sunday to hear a different message, to step back from focusing on ourselves, and to praise God by lifting up our hearts, hoping and praying that the Holy Spirit will heal us, give us grace, offer us insight, and transform us into the people that God created us to be.
This is a process that takes a lifetime. One or two hours, once a month, is probably not enough for transformation to happen. That is why it is important to worship God every day and in particular, to come together as a community of faith each week, to hear the Word of God, sing the songs, listen to the sermon, pray the prayers, be moved to repentance, confess our sins, receive absolution, give each other the sign of peace, and then gather around the table to receive the spiritual food of the body and blood of Christ. And while a worship service might not give the same adrenaline rush as seeing a good football game, it has far more power to transform the human heart. What is more important to you? When I was young, I heard all sorts of commercials trying to sell products for consumption. One of the ways these commercials would try to influence the consumer is through a catchy song. It has been over forty years and I can still sing the Pepsodent toothpaste commercial: “I wonder where the yellow went when I brush my teach with Pepsodent.” Imagine, hearing this song year after year! Now, it remains part of my being.
I long for us and for our children to hear other songs that will influence us in ways that can change the world rather than buy toothpaste. Songs like: “The Lord hears the cry of the poor, blessed be the Lord.” “Hand touching hand, God is here. Heart touching heart, God is here. Life touching life, touched by grace, held together by love.” “The disciples knew the Lord Jesus, in the breaking of the bread.” “All the ends of the earth, all you creatures of the sea, lift up your eyes to the wonders of the Lord.” “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness.” These songs when sung week after week, month after month, year after year, become part of who we are. The songs, the prayers, the readings, all mold us into the people God wills for us to be.
So come and worship each Sunday. Be part of the people of God who have committed themselves to a new vision of humanity. Set aside time to worship God who is the rock of our salvation and the hope of a new creation.
| Updated 10/27/06 |
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