Sermon: 5 Epiphany (7 Feb 2010)
(Isaiah 6:1-13/Psalm 138/1 Corinthians 15:1-11/Luke 5:1-11)
Of First Importance
The Lord has shown forth his glory:
Come, let us adore him.
I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1 Cor 15:3-8, NRSV).
These words are the heart of the gospel Paul preached; these words are of first importance: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again – death, burial, and resurrection, the drama of atonement. These words are the heart of the Creed we profess:
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures (Nicene Creed/Symbol of Faith).
These words are the heart of our worship, in one form or another found in all our Eucharist Prayers:
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
These words are the heart of our most joyous proclamation: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed.
Paul says that he received these words from others – likely Peter and James, and certainly Jesus himself – and then passed them on intact to the Corinthians. The language used is that of tradition; Paul received the great tradition of the church – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus – and now he hands that sacred tradition off, as a treasure to be cherished and guarded, to the next generation of the faithful. In like manner we have received the tradition and in like manner we will pass it on.
Paul is clear that it doesn’t belong to him and that it didn’t originate with him. Nor do the Corinthians need to take his word alone for these truths. There were witnesses of the events – many still living as Paul writes– who would attest to the truth of his words. And there was scripture. Everything that happened in this drama of atonement – death, burial, and resurrection – happened according to scripture. It’s all right there – look it up. It’s there in the Psalms; Psalm 22 comes to mind: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? It’s there in the Prophets, as in the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53: All we like sheep have gone astray…and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. It’s there in Jonah who spends three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish before his rather messy resurrection. It’s there in the Torah when our father Abraham offers up his son – the son of the covenant whom he loves – binding him and placing him on the altar, praying for a resurrection and receiving it when an angel stays his hand. It’s there in the experience of Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph who found himself dead in pharaoh’s prison, only to be raised up to again and seated at the right hand of the great king. Yes, Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and was buried, and was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. Because the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are of first importance, the scriptures are full to overflowing with atonement stories writ large and small in the lives of God’s people, stories like this one.
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle … 2Saul and the Israelites gathered and encamped in the valley of Elah, and formed ranks against the Philistines. 3The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six* cubits and a span … 58He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’ 10And the Philistine said, ‘Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together.’ 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
The story now turns its attention to David, a young shepherd – too young to go to war – who just happens to be in Israel’s camp bringing provision to his brothers when Goliath starts his standard taunt. And David heard him.
Through some twists and turns and sibling rivalry David was finally brought to King Saul, who sat cowering in his tent. 2432David said to Saul, ‘Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ 33Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’ 34But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.’ 37David said, ‘The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the Lord be with you!’
At Saul’s insistence, David tried on the king’s armor but found it too constricting. Instead he took his shepherd’s staff, his sling, and five smooth stones – that’s all – and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43The Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.’ 45But David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.’
48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. 51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it.
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52The troops of Israel and Judah rose up with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. 53The Israelites came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.[1]
This is a story of Jesus in the life of David: death, burial, and resurrection in accordance with the scriptures. All Israel is bound over captive to the fear of death in the person of Goliath, a giant who defies the living God. None in Israel’s army dares face him until David, an obscure peasant from Bethlehem of all places – a good shepherd but apparently little more – comes forward and volunteers for battle. David becomes Israel’s champion, the one man on whom rests the hopes, the future, the lives of all the people. He becomes Israel incarnate and enters the valley of the shadow of death, to face death alone on behalf of all Israel. Surely, there is here, in this story of David, a foreshadowing of Jesus. All mankind is bound over captive to death through sin. None can face and conquer these foes. But Jesus, the logos/Word of God takes our humanity upon himself, emptying himself to become an obscure peasant from Bethlehem of all places – a good carpenter but apparently little more. He comes forward and enters the battle, becoming our Champion, the Champion of all men, taking upon himself the sin and fear, the hope and future, the very lives of all. He steps into the valley of the shadow of death, to face death alone on behalf of all men.
Let’s interrupt the story here – David’s story and Jesus’ story – to consider an alternate ending. Just suppose that, as David approaches the giant, Goliath takes aims and lets fly his spear; it finds it mark and David is killed instantly. How would the rest of the story play out? The Philistine champion is victorious, Israel’s army is routed, and all Israel remains in captivity and bondage to the enemies of God and God’s people. It is just not enough for David to take upon himself the mantle of his people, to become Israel incarnate. It is just not enough for him to die. For the story to reach the only climax that matters, David must rise again. He must defeat Goliath and walk out of the valley of the shadow of death victorious, holding the severed head of his people’s great enemy. Only then are they free from death and from the terror of death. No alternate ending will do for David’s story or for Jesus’ story or for our story. Resurrection matters. It truly is of first importance. So Paul writes, in accordance with the scripture.
Even now, it’s not quite time to leave the story; there is one more important feature to come. Seeing David their champion emerge victorious from the battle, the troops of Israel and Judah rise up with a shout and pursue the Philistines, striking them down and plundering their camp. Their champion has set them free and has empowered them to live victoriously, fearlessly; he has transformed them into people like himself. And this, too, is at the heart of the story. David took upon himself the burdens of his people, took them into the valley of the shadow of death, defeated death and emerged victorious, so that he could share his victory with his people and so that they might be free from the power and the fear of death. This is why the story is so important to us and why it resonates so deeply with us.
This is the story of Jesus in the life of David: death, burial, and resurrection in accordance with the scriptures. Jesus took upon himself our humanity and ultimately our sin and died for us in accordance with the scripture. He was buried. He rose again on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures, to free us from the power of sin and death, to transform us into his likeness, and to empower us to live victoriously, fearlessly. The resurrection of Jesus is our resurrection – and so it is of first importance: if we rise up with the shout of victory in the name of our Champion Lord; if we pursue the already-defeated enemies of sin and fear and death, and plunder their camp of those still held captive; if we live in accordance with the scripture.
And so, St. Paul reminds us of what he received and passed on, these truths of first importance: Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, so that we might hold fast to these truths and live victorious, resurrection lives. Amen.
(Isaiah 6:1-13/Psalm 138/1 Corinthians 15:1-11/Luke 5:1-11)
Of First Importance
The Lord has shown forth his glory:
Come, let us adore him.
I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1 Cor 15:3-8, NRSV).
These words are the heart of the gospel Paul preached; these words are of first importance: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again – death, burial, and resurrection, the drama of atonement. These words are the heart of the Creed we profess:
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures (Nicene Creed/Symbol of Faith).
These words are the heart of our worship, in one form or another found in all our Eucharist Prayers:
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
These words are the heart of our most joyous proclamation: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed.
Paul says that he received these words from others – likely Peter and James, and certainly Jesus himself – and then passed them on intact to the Corinthians. The language used is that of tradition; Paul received the great tradition of the church – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus – and now he hands that sacred tradition off, as a treasure to be cherished and guarded, to the next generation of the faithful. In like manner we have received the tradition and in like manner we will pass it on.
Paul is clear that it doesn’t belong to him and that it didn’t originate with him. Nor do the Corinthians need to take his word alone for these truths. There were witnesses of the events – many still living as Paul writes– who would attest to the truth of his words. And there was scripture. Everything that happened in this drama of atonement – death, burial, and resurrection – happened according to scripture. It’s all right there – look it up. It’s there in the Psalms; Psalm 22 comes to mind: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? It’s there in the Prophets, as in the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53: All we like sheep have gone astray…and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. It’s there in Jonah who spends three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish before his rather messy resurrection. It’s there in the Torah when our father Abraham offers up his son – the son of the covenant whom he loves – binding him and placing him on the altar, praying for a resurrection and receiving it when an angel stays his hand. It’s there in the experience of Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph who found himself dead in pharaoh’s prison, only to be raised up to again and seated at the right hand of the great king. Yes, Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and was buried, and was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. Because the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are of first importance, the scriptures are full to overflowing with atonement stories writ large and small in the lives of God’s people, stories like this one.
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle … 2Saul and the Israelites gathered and encamped in the valley of Elah, and formed ranks against the Philistines. 3The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six* cubits and a span … 58He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’ 10And the Philistine said, ‘Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together.’ 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
The story now turns its attention to David, a young shepherd – too young to go to war – who just happens to be in Israel’s camp bringing provision to his brothers when Goliath starts his standard taunt. And David heard him.
Through some twists and turns and sibling rivalry David was finally brought to King Saul, who sat cowering in his tent. 2432David said to Saul, ‘Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ 33Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’ 34But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.’ 37David said, ‘The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the Lord be with you!’
At Saul’s insistence, David tried on the king’s armor but found it too constricting. Instead he took his shepherd’s staff, his sling, and five smooth stones – that’s all – and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43The Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.’ 45But David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.’
48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. 51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it.
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52The troops of Israel and Judah rose up with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. 53The Israelites came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.[1]
This is a story of Jesus in the life of David: death, burial, and resurrection in accordance with the scriptures. All Israel is bound over captive to the fear of death in the person of Goliath, a giant who defies the living God. None in Israel’s army dares face him until David, an obscure peasant from Bethlehem of all places – a good shepherd but apparently little more – comes forward and volunteers for battle. David becomes Israel’s champion, the one man on whom rests the hopes, the future, the lives of all the people. He becomes Israel incarnate and enters the valley of the shadow of death, to face death alone on behalf of all Israel. Surely, there is here, in this story of David, a foreshadowing of Jesus. All mankind is bound over captive to death through sin. None can face and conquer these foes. But Jesus, the logos/Word of God takes our humanity upon himself, emptying himself to become an obscure peasant from Bethlehem of all places – a good carpenter but apparently little more. He comes forward and enters the battle, becoming our Champion, the Champion of all men, taking upon himself the sin and fear, the hope and future, the very lives of all. He steps into the valley of the shadow of death, to face death alone on behalf of all men.
Let’s interrupt the story here – David’s story and Jesus’ story – to consider an alternate ending. Just suppose that, as David approaches the giant, Goliath takes aims and lets fly his spear; it finds it mark and David is killed instantly. How would the rest of the story play out? The Philistine champion is victorious, Israel’s army is routed, and all Israel remains in captivity and bondage to the enemies of God and God’s people. It is just not enough for David to take upon himself the mantle of his people, to become Israel incarnate. It is just not enough for him to die. For the story to reach the only climax that matters, David must rise again. He must defeat Goliath and walk out of the valley of the shadow of death victorious, holding the severed head of his people’s great enemy. Only then are they free from death and from the terror of death. No alternate ending will do for David’s story or for Jesus’ story or for our story. Resurrection matters. It truly is of first importance. So Paul writes, in accordance with the scripture.
Even now, it’s not quite time to leave the story; there is one more important feature to come. Seeing David their champion emerge victorious from the battle, the troops of Israel and Judah rise up with a shout and pursue the Philistines, striking them down and plundering their camp. Their champion has set them free and has empowered them to live victoriously, fearlessly; he has transformed them into people like himself. And this, too, is at the heart of the story. David took upon himself the burdens of his people, took them into the valley of the shadow of death, defeated death and emerged victorious, so that he could share his victory with his people and so that they might be free from the power and the fear of death. This is why the story is so important to us and why it resonates so deeply with us.
This is the story of Jesus in the life of David: death, burial, and resurrection in accordance with the scriptures. Jesus took upon himself our humanity and ultimately our sin and died for us in accordance with the scripture. He was buried. He rose again on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures, to free us from the power of sin and death, to transform us into his likeness, and to empower us to live victoriously, fearlessly. The resurrection of Jesus is our resurrection – and so it is of first importance: if we rise up with the shout of victory in the name of our Champion Lord; if we pursue the already-defeated enemies of sin and fear and death, and plunder their camp of those still held captive; if we live in accordance with the scripture.
And so, St. Paul reminds us of what he received and passed on, these truths of first importance: Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, so that we might hold fast to these truths and live victorious, resurrection lives. Amen.
[1] Sections in italics are from 1 Samuel 17, NRSV.
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