[Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Aug. 23 (Proper 16B) John 6:56-69

[Joe Parrish]

The following are SermonWriter materials for Aug. 23 (Proper 16B). They 
focus on John 6:56-69, where Jesus asks the apostles, "Do you also wish to 
go away?"

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<>
Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:  The Christian ministry is the worst of all trades, 
but the best of all professions (Sir Isaac Newton)


TITLE:  A Story of Two Dolls


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  Jesus calls us to be faithful even when people take 
offense at our faith.

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I came across two stories that I would like to share with you.  They are 
both stories about dolls -- the kind of dolls that people give to children. 
They are interesting stories, but they also serve as windows into our Gospel 
lesson today.

The first story has to do with a Toys for Tots program sponsored by the U.S. 
Marines.  You might be surprised to learn that the U.S. Marines would 
sponsor a Toys for Tots program, but they do.  Soldiers and Marines have a 
heart for children.  In countries around the world, they have given food to 
children -- given chewing gum to children -- sponsored orphanages -- and 
even adopted orphans.

So I was not surprised to see a couple of U.S. Marines in dress uniform 
standing near the entrance of a store collecting donations for Toys for 
Tots.

But I was surprised to learn that Toys for Tots had turned down a gift of 
4,000 Jesus dolls.  The dolls were new.  They would recite some of Jesus' 
sayings, like "Love your neighbor as yourself."

A spokesman for Toys for Tots explained that, as a government entity, the 
Marines "can't take a chance on sending a Talking Jesus doll to a Jewish 
family or a Muslim family."  He also said, "Kids, want a gift for the 
holiday season that is fun."

But later, probably in response to negative publicity, they reversed their 
decision.  A Toys for Tots spokesperson said, "We believe that with some 
effort we will be able to find homes for them all" -- and they did.


The second story has to do with another Jesus doll -- a plush doll --  
huggable and washable.  It was a talking doll too.  It said things like, 
"Your life matters so much to me."  That's a nice thing to say, of course, 
but it didn't come from Jesus.  I think it came from Mr. Rogers.


I mention these two dolls because they illustrate two things about the Jesus 
whom we find in our Gospel lesson today.

- First, in our Gospel lesson, people took offense at Jesus.  The Toys for 
Tots story illustrates that Jesus still gives offense today, just as he did 
two thousand years ago.

- Second, the plush doll that said, "Your life matters to me" illustrates 
the kind of Jesus that people prefer -- a cuddly Jesus who affirms instead 
of offends -- a Jesus quite unlike the one whom we find portrayed in the 
Gospels.


<>
FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:

http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT04john.htm

Scroll down to John 6.  There is one sermon on this text posted there.


TRUE STORY:

See the stories of the two dolls in the sermon above.  Also the story of the 
white Southerner in Robert Coles' book.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

In the best sense of the word, Jesus was a radical....
His religion has so long been identified with conservatism...
that it is almost startling sometimes to remember
that all the conservatives of his own times were against him;
that it was the young, free, restless, sanguine,
progressive part of the people
who flocked to him.

Phillips Brooks

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

The essential teachings of Jesus...were literally revolutionary,
and will always remain so if they are taken seriously.

Herbert J. Muller

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Christ is God
or He is the world's greatest liar and impostor.

Dorothy Day

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

A man who was merely a man
and said the sort of things Jesus said
wouldn't be a great moral teacher.
He'd either be a lunatic --
on the level with a man who says he's a poached egg --
or else he'd be the Devil of Hell.
You must make your choice.
Either this man was, and is, the Son of God,
or else a madman or something worse.

C.S. Lewis

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

"Gentle Jesus, meek and mild" is a sniveling modern invention,
with no warrant in the Gospels.

George Bernard Shaw

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

<>

HYMN STORY:  A Mighty Fortress is Our God

Martin Luther was familiar with conflict.  An Augustinian monk, his 
understanding of the Christian faith was radically reshaped by his reading 
about faith and grace in the book of Romans -- setting the stage for his 
opposition when the Pope authorized the sale of indulgences to fund the 
building of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.  Luther's ninety-five theses and 
his arrest and trial at Worms followed.

We think that this hymn was written at Coberg, Germany and was inspired by 
the Diet of Spires (1529), which sought to suppress the Lutheran movement. 
The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, supported that effort, but was opposed by 
a number of German princes who supported Luther.  This hymn became Luther's 
battle-cry in that conflict.  Its theme comes from Psalm 46, which says:

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult" (Psalm 46:1-3)

Luther wrote thirty-seven hymns altogether, and his followers wrote tens of 
thousands.  This hymn is by far the most familiar.  It is found in many 
hymnals, including three Catholic hymnals.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 
(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A 
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible 
Encyclopedia, Volume Four: Q-Z - Revised, the article, "Stumbling Block," by 
G.L. Archer (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden 
City: Doubleday, 1966)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, 
James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the 
NRSV--Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John 
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., 
Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press 
International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 
8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical 
Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 
John (Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According 
to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The 
Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The 
Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 
1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 
1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A 
Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans Publishing 
Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: 
Abingdon, 1999)

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