What Is Our Standard of Living?

Transcription

1 SESSION ONE Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, Preaching Supports What Is Our Standard of Living? Year B Lectionary 23 / 14 Pentecost Theme Statement An overarching glimpse of the entire worship series. Focus Statement Proverbs calls us to live according to the God Standard as opposed to the Gold Standard. We are named and claimed by God. Key Verse A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker of them all. Proverbs 22:1-2 Tip Many of the creative worship suggestions in these preaching and liturgy supports require some preparation, so please look through them well in advance. There are more than twenty definitions of the word standard in the dictionary. In the first set of texts explored in God s Standard or Gold Standard: Studies in Proverbs, the word standard is compared to a unit of measure. It can be a measure of wealth or a measure of integrity, but the real question is: Which measure is our truest treasure? In our consideration of the second passage from Proverbs, standard is understood as a familiar song, or a song known by heart. In this passage we hear the voice of Woman Wisdom calling us out of our foolishness. In the third and final passage of this series on Proverbs, standard should be thought of as a flag, an emblem, or even an attractive quilt that combines and displays God s standards. So, how do we display the God Standard in our lives? These sessions urge us to be as good as God. This means much more than abiding by a set of proverbial morals. This means abiding by faith in the God who not only expects wisdom and goodness, but provides it in Christ our Savior. Proverbs gives us many words of investment advice for the Gold Standard, but God s counsel in Proverbs is more than advice on where or how to invest one s money and time (even though that is very important for good stewardship of our resources). Proverbs is more about how to invest one s whole self in ways that lead toward a blessed future. We make the most out of life by making good on God s significant investment in us. This holistic idea of partnership with God is the golden thread that ties this Book of Faith unit together. We are called to live according to the God Standard. 1. What Is Our Standard of Living? Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, (Year B Lectionary 23 / 14 Pentecost) 2. Are We Singing the Standards of Wisdom? Proverbs 1:20-33 (Year B Lectionary 24 / 15 Pentecost) 3. Are We Raising God s Standard? Proverbs 31:10-31 (Year B Lectionary 25 / 16 Pentecost) Text Study An expository summary of the reading related to the Together in Faith Adult Bible Study. By contemporary standards, Proverbs can be considered a handbook for upright living. But Proverbs is in fact more poetry than prose, relying on pithy parallelism rather than rhyming in conveying its lyrical wisdom. The three pairs of mishle, or sayings, that make up today s reading from Proverbs 22 each reveal the essence of divine wisdom. Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 1

2 In verse 1 we read that, contrary to tabloid journalism, having a good name (renown) and divine favor (being beloved) matters more to God than any amount of material wealth. All are created equal in God s eyes, and God s equitable evaluation of creation extends to the well-being of all. Verses 8-9 contrasts the sowers of injustice and wrath with the favorable and reputable actions of the kind and generous the former actions unwisely giving rise to calamity while the latter paving the way for blessing. Goodness, which has its beginning in the gift of God s good creation, has a way of coming back around to us. In contrast, evil is most clearly evident, according to verse 22, in the practice of abusing the impoverished. God s unconventional wisdom does not treat the poor as an easy mark, but rather comes to their defense at the city gates the place where the court of law was seated in Bible times. God s intercession is ever on behalf of the poor and the poor in spirit who rely upon God s grace, and thus become agents of that grace to others. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the ultimate example of this God Standard (2 Corinthians 8:9). Sermon Outlines The first outline is designed for use if the scheduling of this series corresponds with the Church Year calendar. The second outline is provided for general use at any time of the year. Outline 1: (Lectionary-based Sermon) Gospel Connection: In Mark 7:24-37 we learn that even though the Syrophoencian woman begged for crumbs at the feet of Jesus, the riches of God s grace in Christ would extend to her much more than mere leftovers. Likewise, the man who was deaf and mute would literally taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). In both instances we see Jesus fulfilling the wisdom of Proverbs 22. The natural consequence of his expressions of justice and generosity for all realizes the promise of Proverbs 22:1-2: They were astounded beyond measure, saying, He has done everything well (Mark 7:37). Title: Standard of Living/Standard of Giving Introduction: Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It s Labor Day weekend. Do you find it ironic that most of us don t work on the official day for labor? Yet there are many who do work on these three-day weekends. Consider municipal workers, police, fire emergency personnel, and health care workers, to name a few. And how about folks who work in the hospitality and travel industry so we might have the opportunity for one more time of recreation before the busy fall/back-to-school season is upon us? Come to think of it, there are a lot of hard workers that work on Labor Day, despite the fact that this holiday should be a by-product of our standard of living, giving everyone the opportunity to take time off to rest and enjoy God s creation. 1. There is currently a lot of focus on the economy and our individual and corporate standard of living. There have been budget cuts at church, at school, and in many workplaces. So this weekend is a marvelous opportunity to take time to celebrate that a good name is better than riches and favor is more than silver or gold. a. Proverbs calls us to live according to the God Standard as opposed to the Gold Standard. We are named and claimed by God. As Martin Luther was fond of asking, What does this mean? b. It means several things for us as we gather here this morning with a gospel lesson from Mark 7. There are two vignettes in the gospel that bear our wise consideration. 2. The first vignette in the gospel reading involves a Gentile mother and her daughter, who is possessed by a demon. a. The mother approaches Jesus and asks for help. b. Jesus response to the mother is surprising. It doesn t sound very much like the way we like to picture Jesus interacting with people. Listen to these words once again: He said to her, Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children s food and throw it to the dogs. But she Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 2

3 answered him, Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children s crumbs (Mark 7:27-28). Her response clearly cuts through everything and Jesus is moved by her words. c. Likewise, Bono sings: You speak of signs and wonders I need something other I would believe if I was able But I m waiting on the crumbs from your table. (from Crumbs from Your Table, by U2, 2004, Universal-Island Records Ltd.) 3. Today you are invited to join your sisters and brothers at the table of the Lord. Jesus, the Bread of life, invites you to come, to bring your sadness, your pain, your joy, and your hope. We taste and see that the Lord is good. We have an amazing standard of living because we have an amazing God who has a standard of giving giving us forgiveness of sins. a. A man who is deaf and has an impediment in his speech is brought to Jesus. b. The healing goes like this: He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly (Mark 7:34-35). c. Dorland s Medical Dictionary (Elsevier, 2007) defines healing as the restoration of integrity to injured tissue. We all have injured tissue. Jesus comes to us and says, Be opened. And we are able to hear and speak and live with the wisdom and compassion we ve heard about in the three couplets from Proverbs 22. Conclusion: Frederick Buechner is often given credit for writing Vocation is where your greatest joy meets the world s deepest need. We are called to a standard of living and giving that transforms us in meaningful ways. We stop worrying about what our net worth is and start realizing that God values us because we are beloved daughters and sons. Having this faith, this new reality, we can move forward with service and praise. As Peter Mayer sings: Draw us together, Oh Lord, our new song. To serve each other, Oh Lord, our new song. In your care forever, Oh Lord, our new song. More than silver or gold. More than silver or gold. ( Peter Mayer 2009, little flock music, BMI) Outline 2: (Thematic Sermon) Title: More Than Silver or Gold ( Peter Mayer 2009, little flock music, BMI) Adapted from the song of the same title by Together in Faith co-author and singer-songwriter, Peter Mayer ( 1. The First Movement: We Walk as One a. Read: Proverbs 22:1 b. Reflect: We walk as one Oh Lord, our maker Both rich and poor Oh Lord, our maker Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 3

4 c. Respond: i. According to the Gold Standard, the world is divided into haves and have-nots. Since both rich and poor are made by God, we are inextricably linked together. We are called to do justice by living according to the God Standard. This involves aknowledging one s own poverty of spirit and the riches of God s promise. ii. Verse 1 celebrates our unity. It is reminiscent of Ephesians 4:4-7: There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ s gift. iii. Who is your neighbor? What makes us one? Are we really one in our church, in our neighborhood? iv. Favor is better than silver or gold. What is favor? It is how God looks at us. Much of our time is spent talking or arguing about how we see God. But, in reality, the real question is how God sees us. Isaiah 43:1: But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2. The Second Movement: Oh Lord, Our Maker a. Read: Proverbs 22:2 b. Reflect: Through sun and shadow Oh Lord, our maker More than silver or gold c. Respond: i. Proverbs intends to create an investment strategy for being successful in the business of life. And while the creation of wealth and the preservation of wealth is very popular in some venues of so-called Christianity (such as the prosperity gospel), Proverbs reminds us that God s favor and a good name are more important than monetary riches. ii. In Proverbs 22:2 we are transported back to the first book of the Bible, Genesis, when God had Adam name all the creatures of the world. iii. What does this say for diversity and its celebration? The passage does not deny our differences, but it puts them in a new context: we are one in God. That oneness only becomes unity when we accept the call of responsibility toward each other. iv. How are we claimed by God? How are we reminded of this? Are we being claimed by more than things, and do we really live that out? How does the present economic crisis play into the value of God s claim on us? 3. The Third Movement: We Lend, We Borrow a. Read: Proverbs 22:8-9 b. Reflect: We lend, we borrow Lord, lift us higher Through joy and sorrow Lord, lift us higher Today tomorrow Lord, lift us higher You name us and claim us More than silver or gold Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 4

5 c. Respond: i. Verses 8-9 are about commerce, the transactions of life. What was the plight of the poor in those times? What was the privilege of the rich? ii. You see a street corner beggar, and do you contribute or not? Are we being called into that dangerous territory? Why is it dangerous? iii. In what ways are we all debtors? Cross-reference the Lord s Prayer and the parables of the talents. iv. Covenant as contract: What in our Lutheran theology is God s promise to his children? The refrain of the theme song reminds us again and again, it is not so much what we do, but rather what has been done for us. v. Are you a lender? Are you a borrower? How does sustainable stewardship work out in an ecofriendly, global context? vi. This song is a prayer that the Lord lift us higher. It speaks for the need to be brought up out of depths (Psalm 130), but it also calls us to live according to a higher standard, a God Standard as in Isaiah 55 ( My ways are not your ways ). 4. The Fourth Movement: To Serve Each Other a. Read: Proverbs 22:22-23 b. Reflect: Draw us together Oh Lord, our new song To serve each other Oh Lord, our new song In your care forever Oh Lord, our new song More than silver or gold More than silver or gold c. Respond: i. Who gets robbed in a burglary? Abusing the poor because they are poor is robbing ourselves of the privilege of sharing the gifts we ve been given. ii. Heaven is under our feet (from a book of the same name by Don Henley and Dave Marsh, Berkley Trade, 1992). How does the God Standard speak to our lives from beginning to middle to end? iii. The God Standard is a new song. God makes a song of all our bits and pieces the idea of Ubuntu: A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed (Desmond Tutu, 1999). Conclusion: It is easy to draw lines, build walls, or make divisions according to economic situations, professions, or living situations. More Than Silver or Gold is a prayer that the unity expressed in Proverbs 22:1 might be realized by coming together. The Gold Standard is about making one s life a game of king or queen of the mountain. The God Standard is about following a God who gave the beloved One to die on a little hill mountain outside a city wall ( last shall be first, first shall be last ). The God Standard is the new song for our world. The godly life is not achieved by our endless efforts but ultimately by our faith in the One who names us and claims us. This means the Christian s standard of living begins with our oneness in God. It has legs in living out God s Standard of grace and unity each day, treating all creation with justice. Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 5

6 Children s Lesson The first option is designed for use if the scheduling of this series corresponds with the Church Year calendar. The second option is provided for general use at any time of the year. Option 1: (Lectionary-based Lesson) Note: Prior to the lesson, purchase a bag of cookies with a very appealing label, such as the Pepperidge Farm varieties. Remove the cookies and crush them to crumbs. Return the crumbs to the bag. Say: Would anyone like some cookies today? (Make a big deal about how good they look.) Okay, reach out your hands, and I ll give you some cookies. (Put a couple of tiny crumbs into each eager palm.) How s that? Is that good enough? (Discuss the difference between crumbs and cookies, referencing the faith of the Syrophoencian woman in the gospel lesson.) The woman in today s gospel had the faith to accept even crumbs from Jesus, but she knew that his love would give much more than that. Jesus healed her daughter. But Jesus also gave us a lesson to not be crummy with our love! Option 2: (Thematic Lesson) Show a clip from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Classic Media, 2007) that features Burl Ives commenting on the gold-digging ways of Yukon Cornelius and the song Silver and Gold. Discuss what the song is all about. How did Yukon Cornelius change in this Christmas special? Ideas and Images for Preaching What follows are a variety of creative ways to enhance the communication of the message. While some links to ideas and images are provided, permission and payment may be required for congregational use. Active Participation Ways to create an active learning environment. Option #1: Martin Luther wrote the following paradoxical statements in Freedom of a Christian: A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone. To further discussion about the distinctions between God s Standard and the Gold Standard, invite worshipers to discuss for a few moments the ways people treat one another. Do people take advantage of other people just because they are able to do so? Luther reminds us that, because of the freedom we have in Christ, it is possible to be a servant to all. (Note: The use of the second Worship Space option in the Liturgical Supports would further enhance this experience.) Option #2: Have worshipers take a moment to reflect on the importance of names. What names do you like to be called? What names offend you? What names echo the Gold Standard or the God Standard? Discuss ways in which the names by which people are called can end up being forms of abuse or inhospitality. Clips TV, movies, and miscellaneous video. Option #1: Nelson Mandela on Ubuntu : Option #2: U2 s Crumbs from Your Table : Drama Scripts, improvisational igniters, or links to dramatic resources. Option #1: Have some roleplay the part of U2 s Bono, who has become an influential, twenty-first-century truth teller on behalf of the underprivileged and those infected with HIV. For a script, use excerpts from his speech from the 2006 Washington Prayer Breakfast, specifically this quote: A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. In countless ways, large and small, I was always seeking the Lord s blessing. I was saying, you know, I have a new song, look after it... I have a family, please look after them... I have this crazy idea... And this wise man said: Stop. He said: Stop asking God to bless what you re doing. Get involved in what God is doing because it s already blessed. ( washington/ bono-transcript_x.htm) Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 6

7 Option #2: A humorous look at bee-ing poor in spirit : Option #3: For more ideas, see Teaching the Old Testament Book of Proverbs via a Play by Robin Branch, Christian Higher Education (Jan-Mar 2005, Vol. 4 Issue 1, pp , sbbrgb@puknet.puk.ac.za) Illustrations Stories and anecdotes that enhance understanding. Option #1: Imagine Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, as a walk by a wall covered in graffiti graffiti that acts as directional signs for our daily living. Perhaps this graffiti is the words of the prophets written on the subway walls as Simon and Garfunkel sang in The Sounds of Silence. These seemingly random texts are meant to move us. At first hearing or reading, they don t seem related or connected to each other. But when the reader moves to the second set of readings (Proverbs 1), there is an increase of focus on Who names us and claims us. Option #2: In Proverbs 22:8-9 we are reminded that sowing seeds of injustice results in a harvest of calamity. There is a reverse beatitude or benediction spoken here: The generous will be blessed due to their sharing with the poor. We are not to take advantage of the poor because they have the advantage of having God as their advocate. Option #3: Remember the story of the little red hen? How does this story compare to Proverbs 2:22-23? How do we see (or not see) those around us, especially those who are in need? For a multimedia version of this classic story, check out Projection NOTE: The PowerPoint presentation provided for use in the Book of Faith Adult Bible Studies can be easily adapted for worship settings. Props and Objects Ideas for designing a more multi-sensory sermon. Option #1: A bag of money on one side of a balance scale with the word NAME on the other side. Option #2: Proverbs 22 seed varieties display supersized packets labeled FAVOR, INJUSTICE, AN- GER, GENEROSITY, ROBBERY, and ADVOCACY. What are you planting? Quotes Theme supporting, thought provoking, words from notable sources. Option #1: Putnam and Feldstein write that Social capital refers to social networks, norms of reciprocity, mutual assistance, and trustworthiness. The central insight of this approach is that social networks have real value both for the people in those networks hence networking as a career strategy, for example as well as for bystanders... Both bonding and bridging social networks have their uses. Bonding social capital is a kind of sociological Super Glue, whereas Bridging social capital provides a sociological WD-40. Bonding is like taking chicken noodle soup or, in most cases for Lutherans, tuna noodle casserole and Jell-O to the potluck. Bridging is about being the voice of reason and reconciliation at an argumentative meeting. (Better Together: Restoring the American Community by Robert Putnam and Lewis M. Feldstein, Simon & Schuster, 2004, p. 2). Option #2: Charles Wheelan writes in Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science: Human beings are complex creatures who are going to do whatever it takes to make themselves as well off as possible. Sometimes it is easy to predict how that will unfold; sometimes it is enormously complex. Economists often speak of perverse incentives, which are the inadvertent incentives that can be created when we set out to do something completely different. In policy circles, this is sometimes called the law of unintended consequences (Naked Economics, W.W. Norton & Co., 2003, p. 29). Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 7

8 Option #3: Consider what John Steinbeck has to say about status in Tortilla Flats and The Company of Friends. Images Links to photos or art that enhance multimedia presentations. Option #1: How to Rob Everyone for Dummies (from com/2009/04/how_to_rob_everyone_for_dummies_cover_jpeg1.jpg) Option #2: Names of God (from OF_GOD_01.jpg) Option #3: Not in my Backyard (from YXsQht413v4/s400/waste%20dump%20on%20poor%20countries%20by%20developed%20 industrialized%20nations%20-%20sridhar.jpg) Option #4: Balance Scale: Links Are you a helpful link? Consider making any creative worship ideas that your congregation develops available for more churches to use via the social networking features of Option #1: There are several Web sites, such as for pastors to use as resources for sermons or to do more historical research on this text. Try an online search to find something of particular interest. Option#2: Visit Web sites such as and sermonspice.com to view more images, videos, and PowerPoint presentations for use during your worship services. Option #3: For Dorland s Medical Dictionary online, go to sites such as cns/cns_hl_dorlands_split.jsp?pg=/ppdocs/us/common/dorlands/dorland/misc/dmd-a-b-000.htm. Preaching Supports: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, p. 8