The purpose of Luke s Gospel AFFIRMING THE LIFE, MESSAGE AND DEMONSTRATION OF JESUS MESSAGE. Affirming The Transparent Message

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1 THE LECTIONARY STUDY for March 28, 2010, Luke 23: 1-49, Passion Sunday, Year C. Some Gut Trip Analysis is provided as a sermon starter. The Color is PURPLE for the Sundays in Lent. This material includes reflections for both Luke 22: 14 56, and Luke 23: Palm/Passion Sunday: Is it Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday? I suppose it is both. The Sermon for this Sunday reflects Passion Sunday more than it does Palm Sunday because it reflects on the necessity of the Deed of Christ to die on our behalf as a demonstration of how we can die to the barriers preventing us from living the victorious life. My treatment is more a theological statement than an analysis of the scripture story. Starting in Epiphany the gospels of Luke and John are the testimonies that will judge our lives for the entire year, until November 25th. Enjoy! THE GOSPEL OF LUKE. The Gospel of Luke has as its purpose to prove that the man Jesus and the message of Jesus are of one piece, you hear the message and you see the meaning of the life and death of the man Jesus. You look at Jesus and you hear the meaning of the message of Jesus. About today s scripture. This is a big hunk of scripture to take on. In fact, this is a combination of the two recommended lections for Palm/Passion Sunday. The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is mentioned by all four Gospels, and is featured in Luke 19: 28ff. The lections for Year C are decidedly on the Passion rather than on Palm Sunday. This is a lot of scripture to capture any particular flow that can be turned into a sermon. As a consequence I chose to provide a contextual interpretation of the necessity for the death of Jesus as the Christ rather than any particular interpretation of a passage. This may be the desired interpretation of this lection anyway. A justification for this treatment of Luke is Luke himself, is Jesus and Jesus message one and the same? To support Luke s argument, the Last Supper sets the stage that grounds the Christian Story in both death and resurrection and the necessity of baptism; the event of our own death and resurrection. It then moves to the Mount of Olives, the arrest, Peter s betrayal, mocking, crucifixion, and death; it s not a pretty story. The question to be answered is, Is this trip necessary? The answer developed in today s sermon is a resounding Yes! In this story Jesus dies to the political/religious institutional barriers preventing him from fulfilling his intended creation. His death and resurrection is a demonstration that we too can die to the barriers preventing us from fulfilling our intended purpose of living the humane and gracious life while working for justice and mercy. What are our barriers? Humanity has just one big, massive, barrier! We ve lived on VACATION so long that we think we live AT HOME: Vacation is characterized by problems, pains, victimization, slavery and the prison experienced in the wilderness; Home is characterized as living At-One with our neighbors, the environment, At Peace within ourselves and in Harmony with God s purpose for us. In this way we fulfill the Divine Commandment of loving God, neighbor and self;

2 The Good News? Does this change our problems, pains and victimization? Not at all, but it changes us! This is what the GOOD NEWS is all about. Our transformation takes us HOME; Vacation is living independently FROM God while living At Home is living dependently ON God. The NEW INFORMATION: Concerning Jesus command to sell your cloak and buy a sword. Is this contradictory to how we view Jesus? Read Isaiah 53: to hear what Jesus is referencing. This is very important! Who would believe what we have heard? To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth; There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom men hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all. Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers; he was silent and opened not his mouth. Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away, and who would have thought any more of his destiny? When he was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of his people, A grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. (But the LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.) If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him. Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, Because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; And he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses. (Editor: Emphasis all mine!) (New American Bible) It is for this purpose that the disciples are assigned to buy swords so that they (and we) can cut away the barriers preventing people from COMING HOME! Note, however, that one sword is enough! Peace, sisters and brothers. Pastor Bill The purpose of Luke s Gospel AFFIRMING THE LIFE, MESSAGE AND DEMONSTRATION OF JESUS MESSAGE Affirming The Transparent Message The Fulfillment of The Message The Transparent Events in the Death of Jesus as The Christ Luke 21: 1 24: 53 Preparing the Deed Luke 23: 1 25 The Deed Luke 23: 26 48

3 GUT TRIP ANALSYIS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU MEMORIZE THE FOLLOWING: For in my inner being I delight in God s law Romans 7: The Key to this sermon is to ground the following before you begin writing. This means to define the word, describe your experience of it, and then illustrate it. Getting this grounded in your own experience and illustrated will change your sermons from ho-hum to a real message of victory and hope. Along the way, I ve shared a thought or two to inspire your efforts. Old Code Words/Phrases Definition Experience Illust./Film Clip Luke 22: 14, When the hour came (they) reclined at the table Luke 22: 15, To eat this Passover with you before I suffer Luke 22: 16, Not eat it (the Passover) until it finds fulfillment in the KINGDOM OF GOD Luke 22: 17 18, CUP Divide it among you... not drink until the Kingdom comes Luke 22: 19, BREAD- Broken Luke 22: 20, The CUP is the NEW COVENANT Luke 22: 21 23, Betrayal and questions Luke 22, 24 25, Who is the greatest? Associate Passover with death, resurrection and baptism. Finds fulfillment at HOME as the KINGDOM OF GOD We come to the table expended and poured out (ON VACATION) to be refreshed (AT HOME) We come to the table broken (while ON VACATION) to be nourished (AT HOME) The New Covenant represents living AT HOME A question only asked while we live ON VACATION Passover is leaving VACTION and independence from God to return HOME to dependence on God

4 Luke 22: 26 27, To be great is to be like the youngest to rule is to be like the one who serves Luke 22: 28 30, I confer on you a kingdom Luke 22: 31 34, Simon saved from Satan Luke 22: 35 38, Get a sword Luke 22: 39, Mt. of Olives Luke 22: 43 44, An angel appears Luke 22: 45, Exhausted disciples Luke 22: 47 53, Arrest of Jesus Luke 22: 54 62, Peter disowns Jesus Luke 22: 63 65, Guards mock Jesus Luke 22: 66 23: 25, Pilate and Herod Vs. 70, Are you the Son of God? You are right... Vs. 71, Confirmation of those who heard it Luke 23: 1 2, Back to Pilate Luke 23: 3 Confirmation and self revelation A situation only experienced while living AT HOME! Hallelujah, we get a HOME! Satan is the Big Lie that, while victimized, we are victims. Satan is the Illusioner. See comments above. Prayer time? Spiritual servant? Spirit struggle. Not to defend but to cut away the barriers of VACATION in order to live AT HOME I have one while developing every SermonStarter

5 Luke 23: 4 25, Commitment of the crowd Those ON VACATION? Luke 23: 26 43, Crucifixion Vs. 26, Simon the Cyrene Luke 23: 27 30, Women mourn and wail Luke 23: 31 32, Green Tree The first recruit to pick up his cross and follow Jesus! Jesus message: Wail for yourselves as representatives of the nation of Jerusalem. The Green Tree is the symbol of living AT HOME among a nation living ON VACATION The Dry Tree Luke 23: 33A, The Skull (Treat as geographical theology) The Dry Tree is the symbol of living ON VACATION in the absence of Jesus as the representative of living AT HOME A geographical face on the hill of executions Luke 23: 33B, Those who crucified him and the criminals Luke 23: 34A, Jesus said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do Weatherhead, The Will of God, see The Circumstantial Will of God. Luke 23: 34B, They cast lots to divide his garments (This could be treated metaphorically)

6 Luke 23: 35A, People Watching Luke 23: 35B, Rulers scoffing Luke 23: 35C, He saved others, let him save himself if he is King of the Jews Luke 23: 36, Soldiers mocked Luke 23: 37, gave him vinegar saying, If you are a King of the Jews, then save yourself. Luke 23: 38, The inscription over him, This is the King of the Jews Luke 23: 39, One criminal railed Luke 23: 41A, the other criminal rebuked him (the first), Don t you FEAR God? Fear, in this instance, means to be IN AWE of God? Vs. 41B, and we are indeed justified receiving the reward of our deeds. This man has done no wrong Luke 23: 42, He said, Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom I live in Christ s kingdom whenever I live the humane and gracious life Luke 23: 43, Jesus said, Today, you will be with me in Paradise Paradise also can be transliterated as The Garden of the Awakened The Sermon Title: Vs. 22: 29, I confer on you my kingdom

7 The Theological Focus: Christology as awakenment THE ONE THING to get said: Jesus is our demonstration on how to get HOME THE EXISTENTIAL AIM: Show me the way to go home... THE CAPITAL VERSE to be used responsively: Vs. 22: 16,... fulfillment in the kingdom of God. The ITCH: Was all this necessary? The Souvenir: Ask your locksmith or key maker for old or mis-cut door keys to give to each attendee at worship. Context them as the key that takes them HOME! Alternatives are baptismal symbols and/or Palm Branches AN OUTLINE BASED ON THE SCRIPTURE ** The Lowery Loop Pre-ITCH: (Establishing the Ambiguity) Use a story/illustration on how people on vacation attempt to get away from it all. Compare what they leave at HOME to what they experience on VACATION. The ITCH: (Driving home the Ambiguity) Is Holy Week necessary in order to get to Heaven? 1. Illuminate how the answer begins in the Adam and Eve story How is The Garden an experience of living AT HOME? Illustrate the conditions for At-One-Ment while living in the Garden What are some of the old Gospel images used to illustrate the Garden? How do these stories tell of our DEPENDENCE on God to care for us? 2. Illuminate how Adam and Eve seek the greener grass on the other side ON VACATION Reflect on how humanity has lived so long ON VACATION that we mistake it for living AT HOME 3. Now God has a problem How to get us back living AT HOME Note the elements of our 4,000 year story of God working to get us HOME 4. God finally comes to us as an EXAMPLE of dependent living Observe, we don t physically die to go to DEPENDENT LIVING Observe, we die to the barriers of INDEPENDENT LIVING Share the result of such a death The UGH: (Deepening the Ambiguity) This experience is named an AWAKENING 1. Provide an illustration to ground this change (Note: I m using an illustration of a 47- year old drunk, just beginning a 90-day jail sentence, who during his last re-hab program finally woke up. He described this experience as the difference between living ON VACATION to living AT HOME. The empty place inside me is where God lives! God is AT HOME within me!) The AHA: (The Gospel s unusual solution) This is the message of Jesus

8 1. Vs. 22: 31, Jesus draws the difference between a Jerusalem that is GREEN and one that is DRY 2. Describe how a GREEN JERUSALEM relates to God. Illustrate 3. Describe how a DRY JERUSALEM relates to God Illustrate The GOOD NEWS: (Be sure it s Good News) Is all this necessary? 1. Are the events of Holy Week really necessary? Share how these events awaken us to living AT HOME? WHEE!: (Nailing down the point) Are you ready to go home? 1. Share a story/illustration about someone awakening. Share how they have gone from living ON VACATION to living AT HOME (An interesting conclusion of my jail story is that the prisoner plans to use his 90-day jail sentence as a time of cleansing. We talked about it as a time of, going through the Red Sea. I warned him that on the other side is The Wilderness. His conclusion is that his dependence on God will continue to define him rather than the wilderness that previously defined him; this prisoner found HOME!) Send Out: You are sent out to GO HOME! This sermonic progression is described in more detail in the following resource: Lowry, Eugene L., The Homilectical Plot: The Sermon as Narrative Art Form, Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.