Okay, in this post I'm going to summarize what I found in my commentary — Joseph Fitzmyer's commentary on Luke for the Anchor Bible series.
Fitzmyer seems to share some of my confusion about this text and what he describes as its "flamboyant and grotesque details." However, he lifts up an idea from Bultmann: "The story has made use of the literary motif of the 'duped devil'. The demons sought to control Jesus by pronouncing his name; when asked for their own name, the demons reply not with their name, but with their number. . . When commanded by Jesus to come out of the man, they request to be sent into the pigs instead, rather than into the abyss. The exorcist consents, sends them, indeed, into the pigs, only to make the latter stampede to their and the demons' destruction. Thus Jesus duped the demons and 'saved' the man."
On this reading, the most important thing is Jesus' power over the demons in their struggle. The demons try to exercise control over Jesus by using his name (names carry great power), and suggest a military struggle with the term "Legion." However, Jesus has the final say in the conflict, and the demons are defeated while the man is saved.
Fitzmyer concludes, "The story depicts Jesus using his power to heal an unfortunate demented human being, an outcast of society, thus restoring him to soundness of mind and wholeness of life. This salvific concern is manifested, moreover, even toward one who is presumably a pagan." He also lifts up the importance of word in this narrative: the demons try to gain power over Jesus through his name, Jesus defeats them through word, and the man who was saved spreads the word of Jesus' actions. "He who cured by his word thus becomes the one proclaimed."
This sounds like a good direction to take in my sermon. I don't want to get lost in the details of the pigs, the demons, and the swineherders. This story speaks about Jesus' saving power and about the power of the word being proclaimed by many people in many places.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
June 20 Sermon - Part One
Hello again! I'm starting work on my sermon for this Sunday. The text is Luke 8:26-39. Here it is:
I have to admit, this doesn't look like the easiest text to preach on. This text is complicated and obscure, at least to my experience. What can I say about demons and pigs that's relevant today? ...I guess we'll find out.
I did have some initial thoughts when I looked at the reading. First, this story emphasizes that Jesus has gone "opposite Galilee," into Gentile territory (hence the pigs). So here Jesus is saving a Gentile man who has been possessed by many demons. Jesus' ministry extends far and wide, and he cares about this Gentile man, too.
What I find striking is the dialogue between Jesus and the demons. They beg him not to send them back into the abyss — and Jesus allows them to enter the herd of pigs instead. Is Jesus also showing compassion for even the demons? Then again, what happens after the pigs drown? Maybe Jesus wasn't doing the demons any favors. Perhaps this note from the NET sums it up best: "The demons are destructive: They were destroying the man. They destroyed the pigs. They destroy whatever they touch. The point was to take demonic influence seriously, as well as Jesus’ power over it as a picture of the larger battle for human souls."
Then the swineherders, probably none too pleased about losing their livelihood, run back into town and spread the word. (I wonder if this would be the 1st century version of "The Boy who Cried Wolf"?) I would expect people to be angry — after all, they lost all those pigs — but their reaction is fear. In fact, they're so afraid, they ask Jesus to leave. Sometimes, the radical power of the divine is just too much to handle. For these people, life may be simpler if the power of God doesn't come too close.
Only the man who was healed wants to remain with Jesus, but Jesus sends him out — an apostle or evangelist among his own people. It's interesting that Jesus tells the man to share "how much God has done" for him, but the man proclaims "how much Jesus had done" instead. The action of God and the action of Jesus are so closely tied together here; God's action and Jesus' action seem to be interchangeable.
Well, those are my initial thoughts. Tomorrow, I'll check out the commentaries and figure out the focus of my sermon.
Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
I have to admit, this doesn't look like the easiest text to preach on. This text is complicated and obscure, at least to my experience. What can I say about demons and pigs that's relevant today? ...I guess we'll find out.
I did have some initial thoughts when I looked at the reading. First, this story emphasizes that Jesus has gone "opposite Galilee," into Gentile territory (hence the pigs). So here Jesus is saving a Gentile man who has been possessed by many demons. Jesus' ministry extends far and wide, and he cares about this Gentile man, too.
What I find striking is the dialogue between Jesus and the demons. They beg him not to send them back into the abyss — and Jesus allows them to enter the herd of pigs instead. Is Jesus also showing compassion for even the demons? Then again, what happens after the pigs drown? Maybe Jesus wasn't doing the demons any favors. Perhaps this note from the NET sums it up best: "The demons are destructive: They were destroying the man. They destroyed the pigs. They destroy whatever they touch. The point was to take demonic influence seriously, as well as Jesus’ power over it as a picture of the larger battle for human souls."
Then the swineherders, probably none too pleased about losing their livelihood, run back into town and spread the word. (I wonder if this would be the 1st century version of "The Boy who Cried Wolf"?) I would expect people to be angry — after all, they lost all those pigs — but their reaction is fear. In fact, they're so afraid, they ask Jesus to leave. Sometimes, the radical power of the divine is just too much to handle. For these people, life may be simpler if the power of God doesn't come too close.
Only the man who was healed wants to remain with Jesus, but Jesus sends him out — an apostle or evangelist among his own people. It's interesting that Jesus tells the man to share "how much God has done" for him, but the man proclaims "how much Jesus had done" instead. The action of God and the action of Jesus are so closely tied together here; God's action and Jesus' action seem to be interchangeable.
Well, those are my initial thoughts. Tomorrow, I'll check out the commentaries and figure out the focus of my sermon.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
June 13 Sermon Draft
Okay, everyone, here is my rough draft. The site where I'll be preaching is actually a campground. It seems they like to have a short Sunday worship service (service of the Word; no communion), and seminarians often take on this task. As a result, the service and sermon are both short. I'm also assuming that the level of biblical literacy may be pretty varied across the small gathering, so I don't want to leave anyone behind by being too technical.
My only concern is the way I end the sermon with a question. Perhaps it's too abrupt. I'm not sure.
Let me know what you think. Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
These days, I think we all know about debt. We might have credit card debt, mortgage debt, debt from other loans. Our government is in debt! It seems that, wherever we turn, we can't escape these debts. With the economic crisis we've faced for the past few years, more and more people have been overwhelmed by debts they can't repay.
We know something about debt. So we're actually in a good position to understand the parable Jesus tells in the reading we just heard. Jesus tells a story about two people who were in debt — one owed 50 denarii, a silver coin, and the other owed ten times as much. Although one owed far more than the other, neither of them were able to pay off their debts. You see, in Jesus' time, many people lived just at the subsistence level. They only earned enough to get them from day to day; there was no way to earn any extra money to pay back a debt. The only option for these people was to sell themselves into servitude, to try to work off the money they owed.
Although we live two thousand years later, we can understand the situation of these debtors. You might be facing debts yourself — or maybe you know a friend or a family member who is. I have friends who are finishing school with a huge student loans. As much as they want to, they simply aren't making enough money to pay those loans back. It seems like a hopeless situation.
Let's look again at Jesus' parable. We have these two debtors with no hope of repaying their debts. It seems like there is no possible solution to this situation. Then something remarkable happens: the money lender, the one to whom these debtors owe their money, cancels their debts! To have those debts canceled is a miracle, a new lease on life for the debtors. Can you imagine? Imagine if Bank of America called you up and said, "That mortgage of yours? Don't worry about it. The house is yours." Or if they called up my friends with the student loans and said, "We'll just call it even." It would be a life-changing moment.
Jesus tells this story of the creditor who forgives debts, and then he asks a question. "Which of them will love him more?" In our reading, the Pharisee concludes that the one who was forgiven more, will love more. But whether the debtors owed 50 coins or 500, both of them were freed from a debt they could never repay on their own. I would say, both of those debtors loved that moneylender.
Jesus then turns to the elephant in the room — or rather, the woman who's been washing his feet with her tears the entire time he's been telling this parable. What would cause her, an outcast and a sinner, to venture into this fancy dinner party and show such care for Jesus? Why would she wash and dry Jesus' feet, anoint them with expensive ointment? Jesus tells us the answer to these questions: the woman loves because she has been forgiven. Just like the debtors love the creditor who cancels their debts, this woman loves God who forgives her sins.
Love is not something that can stay quiet, locked up privately in our hearts. Love bursts free, reaching outward in action. That's what the woman demonstrates: love is more than just a feeling. Love is action. Her sins have been forgiven — and what does she do? She doesn't sit at home with a warm, fuzzy feeling. She seeks out Jesus and demonstrates her love in the only way she can, by cleaning and anointing his feet.
I think you all already know the twist ending to this story. But I'll tell it to you anyway: YOU are the debtors. YOU are the woman. Your sins and mine have been forgiven by our just and loving God, the same God who came to Earth as Jesus Christ. We have been forgiven!
Now... how will we demonstrate our love in action? How will we respond to this gift of forgiveness? I invite you to reflect on this question in the week ahead. How will you show your love?
My only concern is the way I end the sermon with a question. Perhaps it's too abrupt. I'm not sure.
Let me know what you think. Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
These days, I think we all know about debt. We might have credit card debt, mortgage debt, debt from other loans. Our government is in debt! It seems that, wherever we turn, we can't escape these debts. With the economic crisis we've faced for the past few years, more and more people have been overwhelmed by debts they can't repay.
We know something about debt. So we're actually in a good position to understand the parable Jesus tells in the reading we just heard. Jesus tells a story about two people who were in debt — one owed 50 denarii, a silver coin, and the other owed ten times as much. Although one owed far more than the other, neither of them were able to pay off their debts. You see, in Jesus' time, many people lived just at the subsistence level. They only earned enough to get them from day to day; there was no way to earn any extra money to pay back a debt. The only option for these people was to sell themselves into servitude, to try to work off the money they owed.
Although we live two thousand years later, we can understand the situation of these debtors. You might be facing debts yourself — or maybe you know a friend or a family member who is. I have friends who are finishing school with a huge student loans. As much as they want to, they simply aren't making enough money to pay those loans back. It seems like a hopeless situation.
Let's look again at Jesus' parable. We have these two debtors with no hope of repaying their debts. It seems like there is no possible solution to this situation. Then something remarkable happens: the money lender, the one to whom these debtors owe their money, cancels their debts! To have those debts canceled is a miracle, a new lease on life for the debtors. Can you imagine? Imagine if Bank of America called you up and said, "That mortgage of yours? Don't worry about it. The house is yours." Or if they called up my friends with the student loans and said, "We'll just call it even." It would be a life-changing moment.
Jesus tells this story of the creditor who forgives debts, and then he asks a question. "Which of them will love him more?" In our reading, the Pharisee concludes that the one who was forgiven more, will love more. But whether the debtors owed 50 coins or 500, both of them were freed from a debt they could never repay on their own. I would say, both of those debtors loved that moneylender.
Jesus then turns to the elephant in the room — or rather, the woman who's been washing his feet with her tears the entire time he's been telling this parable. What would cause her, an outcast and a sinner, to venture into this fancy dinner party and show such care for Jesus? Why would she wash and dry Jesus' feet, anoint them with expensive ointment? Jesus tells us the answer to these questions: the woman loves because she has been forgiven. Just like the debtors love the creditor who cancels their debts, this woman loves God who forgives her sins.
Love is not something that can stay quiet, locked up privately in our hearts. Love bursts free, reaching outward in action. That's what the woman demonstrates: love is more than just a feeling. Love is action. Her sins have been forgiven — and what does she do? She doesn't sit at home with a warm, fuzzy feeling. She seeks out Jesus and demonstrates her love in the only way she can, by cleaning and anointing his feet.
I think you all already know the twist ending to this story. But I'll tell it to you anyway: YOU are the debtors. YOU are the woman. Your sins and mine have been forgiven by our just and loving God, the same God who came to Earth as Jesus Christ. We have been forgiven!
Now... how will we demonstrate our love in action? How will we respond to this gift of forgiveness? I invite you to reflect on this question in the week ahead. How will you show your love?
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