[Propertalk] Fwd: Sermon Resources for September 23 - Part 1

[Joe Parrish]

Sermons for Proper 20


Mark 9:30-37 - "The Measure of Greatness"
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a: - "The Problem with ‘Hail Mary’ Moments" by Leonard Sweet
 
Mark 9, the sermon title “The Measure of Greatness"  
 
Some years ago St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City was seeking a new president. Over one hundred candidates applied for the position. The search committee narrowed the list to five eminently qualified persons. Then somebody came up with a brilliant idea: let's send a person to the institutions where each of the five finalists is currently employed, and let's interview the janitor at each place, asking him what he thinks of the man seeking to be our president. This was done and a janitor gave such a glowing appraisal of William MacElvaney that he was selected President of St. Paul's School of Theology.
 
Somebody on that search committee understood, in a flash of genius, that those who live close to Christ become so secure in his love that they no longer relate to other people according to rank or power or money or prestige. They treat janitors and governors with equal dignity. They regard everybody as a VIP. Children seem to do this intuitively; adult Christians have to relearn it.
 
It is a telling little piece of scripture in verse 32: "But they did not understand." That's a picture that can be hung in the halls of the museum of mankind. When confronted by true greatness, we simply do not see it…
 
The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining http://www.sermons.com/signup 
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The full text of the following sermon is available at www.Sermons.com. Sign up today at: http://www.sermons.com/signup Or call: 1-800-777-7731.
 
Members: See James 3 for the sermon titled “The Problem with ‘Hail Mary’ Moments” by Leonard Sweet   
 
The end of September means . . .  . . . we are hip deep in football season. So despite the crisp fall weather, and the fashion show of turning leaves, it is not time for weekend afternoon hikes. It is time for the weekend afternoon call of “Hike, Hike!” 
 
That means every week for the next couple of months, along with tailgate food festivals and ritual chest painting, yet another “religious” ritual will be enacted by somebody, somewhere: the heaving of a “Hail Mary” pass. 
 
A “Hail Mary is of course a desperate, last second decision to jettison the ball down the field, as far away from the opponents scoring territory as possible, while praying that somebody from your team might be down there to catch it. Maybe even they will score a touchdown and save your team from defeat. There are always a few spectacular “Hail Mary” passes every season. But there are a lot more of those frantic flings that nose-dive into nowhere or — even worse — get intercepted and run back, giving the opposing team an even greater advantage. “Hail Mary’s” are unplanned, last-ditch, furtive efforts to “save the day.” They are exciting, but rarely work… 
 
The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining http://www.sermons.com/signup 
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Clothed with Humility
 
The word "humility" means literally a low estimate of self. But this does not imply self-deprecation. When you hear someone deprecating himself, usually you can put it down as a sort of counterfeit humility. Someone has said, "The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your full height before some higher nature that will show you how small your greatness is." "Walk humbly with thy God." Here is where we learn true humility. Walking with God, seeing ourselves by the side of His greatness, we see how little we are. And seeing how little we are is the first step toward becoming what we can and ought to be.

We never become truly great, we never do our best work until we are "clothed with humility"; until, like our Lord and Savior, we are willing to live to serve others. 

John R. Gunn, Facing Life


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The Ambitious Disciples
 
Jesus and his disciples were coming to the town of Capernaum. As they entered the house where they would be staying, he asked his disciples, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet, says the writer of Mark’s Gospel, because on the way they had argued about who was number one among them. 
 
So, the disciples were human just like you and I are human. Who doesn’t want to stand out? Some of the greatest people who have ever lived were also among the most ambitious.
 
It is said that Michelangelo prayed: “Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” 
 
Abraham Lincoln often said to himself as a boy studying by the pine log fire at night: “I will study and get ready and perhaps my chance will come.” And, indeed, it did come. 
 
Having an African-American president reminds us of other people of color who have succeeded against even greater odds. They, too, were driven to succeed.
 
Who can help but be impressed by the accomplishments, for example, of George Washington Carver? Carver was born to an African slave mother. He never knew his father. But he wanted to make a difference in the world, and he did! Carver became one the greatest scientists in American history.
 
The disciples were human beings. They wanted their names to be in lights just as you and I want to stand out from our peers. There is nothing wrong with that as long it does not cause us to mistreat others or betray our values. My guess is Jesus wanted them to be ambitious because ambitious people get things done. He just wanted them to be ambitious in the right way. 
 
King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com
 
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