Sermon Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Sermon
Location St. Luke Lutheran – Date Feb 1
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany – Year B
Primary Text: Mark 1:22, 27, 1 Cor 8.9: Mark 1: 21-28, 1 Cor 8: 1-13
Authority and Liberty
Ole was the only Lutheran in his little town of all Catholics. That was okay, but the neighbors had a problem with his barbecuing venison every Friday. Since they couldn't eat meat on Friday, the tempting aroma was getting the best of them. So the neighbors got together and went over and persuaded Ole to join their church. The big day came and the priest had Ole kneel. He put his hand on Ole's head and said, "Ole, you were born a Lutheran, you were raised a Lutheran, and now," he said as he sprinkled some incense over Ole's head, "now you are a Catholic!"
Ole was happy and the neighbors were happy. But the following Friday evening at suppertime, there was again that aroma coming from Ole's yard. The neighbors went to talk to him and as they approached the fence, they heard Ole saying: "You were born a whitetail deer, you were raised a whitetail, and now," he said with a sprinkle of seasoning, "now you are a walleye!"
How many of you when hearing the selection from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians had a little shock thinking, Paul says in the last verse that he will never eat meat, I hope I don’t have to give up my burger during tonight’s Football Game. This is a common understanding of this verse and chapter. And while Paul does say that he will never eat meat he is referring here to sacrificial meat.
At that time, it was common for pagan Temples, those dedicated to greek or roman gods, to give sacrifices of meat and then afterwards in the dining halls of the temple eat the meat that is left over. In Corinth the question then arose, is it ok to eat the meat from the temple sacrifice. Paul here gets a litte cryptic like Paul can do. He quotes two lines known throughout Judaism and now throughout the budding Christianity.
The first is “No Idol in the world really exists.” The second, there is no God, but one.” The first is a rewording of a statement from Deuteronomy, “So acknowledge today and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” The second is a rewording of one of the most important prayers of Israel, called the shema, “Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.”
By using these two statements Paul is telling the people of Corinth that the meat that is sacrificed has not been in fact sacrificed, because the “Idol” that it was sacrificed to does not exist. And so it is in fact ok for Christians and Jews to eat the meat offered there.
However, we heard before this Paul’s line about Knowledge. Paul is stating that there are those who do not understand or do not know that “idols do not really exist” and that “there is no God, but one.” And so these people, who will be now referred to as weak, do not want to eat of the meat offered in the temples, because of their conscious. Their conscious is injured when they see others eating the meat.
For two reasons, they see it as against what is taught, but larger and more importantly, they could begin to see eating meat in the Temple as necessary. It is because of this that Paul tells those of Corinth to refrain from eating meat. If they choose to eat the meat they are not sinning, but by eating the meat they may hurt the consciences of the weak and thereby sin.
How do we relate this to us though, we do not have any temples sacrificing meat that may cause conflict of conscious in people. What we need to remember is that while Paul is referring to eating meat in this passage, we need to keep the same in mind on any behavior. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have already been saved, and there is nothing that we need to do to receive that grace. Does this then mean that we should be going out and doing whatever we want? Of course not, and I don’t think that anyone of us would.
In the book “The Ragamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning, there is a section, which goes. “Quite simply, our deep gratitude to Jesus Christ is manifested neither in being chaste, honest, sober, and respectable, nor in churchgoing, Bible-toting, and Psalm-singing, but in our deep and delicate respect for one another.” Pastor Don and I are reading this book together and this section came during this last week.
In our discussion, we both agreed that Manning has a point, but that it needs to be rephrased. Our gratitude is in fact manifested in being chaste, honest, sober, and respectable, in our churchgoing, Bible-toting, and Psalm-singing. If we go through with all of that, but then we leave it behind on Sunday morning and go about as if we were not followers of Christ. If we then do not go and offer our deep and delicate respect for one another, if we go out and do all the things that we think we are free to do, then what knowledge have we received from churchgoing, Bible-toting, and Psalm-singing.
How are we not like those who understand that it is ok to eat the meat, and then freely eat the meat in front of the others? Wherever we are we need to remember St. Francis’ words, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” When we are sent out from this building we remember that we are the church, and that our actions in our daily lives spreads the Gospel. In our teaching, caring, and helping for those in need we show what it is to be Christian.
Here we see Luther’s statement from his treatise “The Freedom of a Christian.” Luther’s quote is “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” We are free through the work of Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection, and we then freely serve the other, just as Jesus served us.
The key to all of these problems is balance, we need to know that all of these things we do are not in fact necessary, but we do them, we respect each other and go to church, we sing psalms and lead honest lives, to show those who have yet to heard the good news of Jesus Christ. But most of all, we do them in gratitude for the one who gave us that freedom and liberty.
Let us pray,
God of acceptance and love, hold us and keep us secure in all of our days, we ask you to be with us and guide us in our service to others. We ask you to remind us that our work is not so that we are accepted by you but in thanksgiving to our already being accepted. Call us to work for those who suffer and who are not heard in this world. Be with those who do not know of your loving care and help us show them of your love through our actions.
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Amen
Location St. Luke Lutheran – Date Feb 1
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany – Year B
Primary Text: Mark 1:22, 27, 1 Cor 8.9: Mark 1: 21-28, 1 Cor 8: 1-13
Authority and Liberty
Ole was the only Lutheran in his little town of all Catholics. That was okay, but the neighbors had a problem with his barbecuing venison every Friday. Since they couldn't eat meat on Friday, the tempting aroma was getting the best of them. So the neighbors got together and went over and persuaded Ole to join their church. The big day came and the priest had Ole kneel. He put his hand on Ole's head and said, "Ole, you were born a Lutheran, you were raised a Lutheran, and now," he said as he sprinkled some incense over Ole's head, "now you are a Catholic!"
Ole was happy and the neighbors were happy. But the following Friday evening at suppertime, there was again that aroma coming from Ole's yard. The neighbors went to talk to him and as they approached the fence, they heard Ole saying: "You were born a whitetail deer, you were raised a whitetail, and now," he said with a sprinkle of seasoning, "now you are a walleye!"
How many of you when hearing the selection from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians had a little shock thinking, Paul says in the last verse that he will never eat meat, I hope I don’t have to give up my burger during tonight’s Football Game. This is a common understanding of this verse and chapter. And while Paul does say that he will never eat meat he is referring here to sacrificial meat.
At that time, it was common for pagan Temples, those dedicated to greek or roman gods, to give sacrifices of meat and then afterwards in the dining halls of the temple eat the meat that is left over. In Corinth the question then arose, is it ok to eat the meat from the temple sacrifice. Paul here gets a litte cryptic like Paul can do. He quotes two lines known throughout Judaism and now throughout the budding Christianity.
The first is “No Idol in the world really exists.” The second, there is no God, but one.” The first is a rewording of a statement from Deuteronomy, “So acknowledge today and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” The second is a rewording of one of the most important prayers of Israel, called the shema, “Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.”
By using these two statements Paul is telling the people of Corinth that the meat that is sacrificed has not been in fact sacrificed, because the “Idol” that it was sacrificed to does not exist. And so it is in fact ok for Christians and Jews to eat the meat offered there.
However, we heard before this Paul’s line about Knowledge. Paul is stating that there are those who do not understand or do not know that “idols do not really exist” and that “there is no God, but one.” And so these people, who will be now referred to as weak, do not want to eat of the meat offered in the temples, because of their conscious. Their conscious is injured when they see others eating the meat.
For two reasons, they see it as against what is taught, but larger and more importantly, they could begin to see eating meat in the Temple as necessary. It is because of this that Paul tells those of Corinth to refrain from eating meat. If they choose to eat the meat they are not sinning, but by eating the meat they may hurt the consciences of the weak and thereby sin.
How do we relate this to us though, we do not have any temples sacrificing meat that may cause conflict of conscious in people. What we need to remember is that while Paul is referring to eating meat in this passage, we need to keep the same in mind on any behavior. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have already been saved, and there is nothing that we need to do to receive that grace. Does this then mean that we should be going out and doing whatever we want? Of course not, and I don’t think that anyone of us would.
In the book “The Ragamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning, there is a section, which goes. “Quite simply, our deep gratitude to Jesus Christ is manifested neither in being chaste, honest, sober, and respectable, nor in churchgoing, Bible-toting, and Psalm-singing, but in our deep and delicate respect for one another.” Pastor Don and I are reading this book together and this section came during this last week.
In our discussion, we both agreed that Manning has a point, but that it needs to be rephrased. Our gratitude is in fact manifested in being chaste, honest, sober, and respectable, in our churchgoing, Bible-toting, and Psalm-singing. If we go through with all of that, but then we leave it behind on Sunday morning and go about as if we were not followers of Christ. If we then do not go and offer our deep and delicate respect for one another, if we go out and do all the things that we think we are free to do, then what knowledge have we received from churchgoing, Bible-toting, and Psalm-singing.
How are we not like those who understand that it is ok to eat the meat, and then freely eat the meat in front of the others? Wherever we are we need to remember St. Francis’ words, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” When we are sent out from this building we remember that we are the church, and that our actions in our daily lives spreads the Gospel. In our teaching, caring, and helping for those in need we show what it is to be Christian.
Here we see Luther’s statement from his treatise “The Freedom of a Christian.” Luther’s quote is “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” We are free through the work of Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection, and we then freely serve the other, just as Jesus served us.
The key to all of these problems is balance, we need to know that all of these things we do are not in fact necessary, but we do them, we respect each other and go to church, we sing psalms and lead honest lives, to show those who have yet to heard the good news of Jesus Christ. But most of all, we do them in gratitude for the one who gave us that freedom and liberty.
Let us pray,
God of acceptance and love, hold us and keep us secure in all of our days, we ask you to be with us and guide us in our service to others. We ask you to remind us that our work is not so that we are accepted by you but in thanksgiving to our already being accepted. Call us to work for those who suffer and who are not heard in this world. Be with those who do not know of your loving care and help us show them of your love through our actions.
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Amen
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