SCROLL DOWN FOR JUNE 10 AND JUNE 17
Welcome to Hunger Sermon Starters!
The lessons for each Sunday in the church year proclaim God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Also derived from a Sunday’s texts are lessons for the Christ-inspired and Christ-like of God’s people. The comments here will help you find hunger-related threads—sermon starters—among the themes of this day’s texts. (We’re assuming you have already done your exegetical work on the texts). God bless your proclamation (and teaching) of what is most certainly true!
June 10, 2012 (Second Sunday after Pentecost)
Genesis 3:8-15
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
Mark 3:20-35
This week’s texts have a strong focus on the spiritual life of Christians. The reading from 2 Corinthians in particular downplays the value of our physical existence. As has been discussed in many previous sermon starters, this dualism is not always helpful when thinking about the very real physical needs of people. Jim McDonald, former Vice President for Policy and Programs at Bread for the World provides helpful suggestions for bringing justice issues into dialogue with this week’s lectionary. His reflections can be found in Larry Hollar’s series of sermon prep tools, Hunger for the Word, Year B (the whole series, which I highly recommend, can be purchased from Bread for the World here: http://bit.ly/Km67JF). I offer here a couple of highlights:
“The readings for this week are about matters of the heart—the unseen way in which God is reshaping our lives and our world. They challenge our twenty-first-century American propensity to want immediate, tangible, demonstrable results for our efforts. We believe that if we can’t see it happening, it’s not happening… God does not call us to be effective; God calls us to be faithful. The rest is in God’s hands.”
And on the Gospel, “The unforgivable sin is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Why? The first three chapters of Mark’s Gospel make it clear: Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, is doing battle with the unholy, unclean spirits of our world… Jesus has come as the healer of body and soul and to make room for the life-giving Holy Spirit… The work of the Holy Spirit—the ministry of Jesus—is creating a whole new human family.”
David Creech
Program Director, Hunger Education, ELCA World Hunger
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Welcome to Hunger Sermon Starters!
The lessons for each Sunday in the church year proclaim God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Also derived from a Sunday’s texts are lessons for the Christ-inspired and Christ-like of God’s people. The comments here will help you find hunger-related threads—sermon starters—among the themes of this day’s texts. (We’re assuming you have already done your exegetical work on the texts). God bless your proclamation (and teaching) of what is most certainly true!
June 17, 2012 (Third Sunday after Pentecost)
Ezekiel 17:22-24
Scholarly consensus seems to be that Ezekiel lived during Israel’s exile in Babylon, in the early decades of the sixth century BCE. This was a time of great despair and hopelessness for the children of Israel. The prophet responded to the end of life as Israel knew it and a completely unknown future. Ezekiel makes a powerful claim. He reminds Israel that everything that happens, happens under the rule of God. The experience of exile is not all there is because God continues to be active in the world.
Some ideas to keep in mind:
- Consider the connection between verse 24 and the reality and hopelessness of hunger: “I bring low the high tree, and I make high the low tree; I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.” What does verse 24 say to those who hunger? What does this verse say to those who are not hungry?
- How do we participate in what God is doing and “will accomplish”?
- Hopelessness and despair are great obstacles in combating hunger and poverty. What does hope for the future mean for a community struck by poverty? What form does hope take for a family living out of its car? How can hope be realized?
- An interesting question to ponder is this: What do starving people need more—a meal or a sermon about hope? Why?
Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15 (12)
2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17
Mark 4:26-34
Jesus was both direct and imaginative in his speech. Jesus did not hesitate to give pointed directions, such as in his clear command to “Go and do likewise,” to be like the Good Samaritan. Jesus also did not shy away from creative, imaginative speech when necessary. The Mark 4:26-34 lection is a case in point. Jesus did not give a lecture about the nature of the Dominion of God. Rather Jesus presents us with an image of the Dominion of God. We can then interact with the image, consider it from every angle, and hopefully craft a faithful response.
Some ideas to keep in mind:
- The Dominion of God (or Reign of God, or Kingdom of God, or Way of God) is not a plot of geography. Rather, it is a vision of what things are like when they are as God intends. A very logical question to ask is how hunger and poverty relate to God’s intentions. What are God’s people to do when they are confronted with realities contrary to God’s way?
- The parable suggests that like a small mustard seed, the Dominion of God grows into significance from seemingly small beginnings. A sermon-worthy topic would be to explore how small things are able to make great impact in addressing hunger and poverty. For example, consider the far-reaching implications of one well. Safe drinking water reduces the risk of water-born illness, a great contributor to hunger. A well provides irrigation for crops that can diversify a family’s diet. A nearby well can erase the need for people, often children, walking long distances to secure water, and have time to go to school. Literacy brings with it the potential to escape hunger and poverty. Out of a small well comes great possibility.
- Contained within the philosophy of micro-credit is the notion that great opportunity arises for individuals, families, and communities when they have access to small loans. Micro-credit has an amazing track record of contributing to economic and financial stability. For a succinct discussion of micro-credit see the “Background for Leaders” in Session 4 in Taking Root (ELCA World Hunger’s curriculum).
- Pay particular attention to the connection between the Ezekiel 17 text and the Gospel text. It may well be that Jesus helps us to see that greatness is not always defined in predictable ways. A mustard bush is great, but not in the way that tall trees are great. Perhaps we need to define greatness according to God’s way and not according to the world’s way. Often today we find attribute greatness to those with economic power and many possessions. Those with little economic power and opportunity are disregarded. Today’s parable asks us to rethink our ideas of greatness and importance. When we do, we just might hear the relief of those left in hunger and poverty…those typically considered unimportant.
Stacy Johnson
Author of ELCA World Hunger’s curriculum, Taking Root: Hunger Causes, Hunger Hopes