Proper 6C - (June 13, 2010)

[Jon Twitchell]

First reading and Psalm

1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a
Psalm 5:1-8

Alternate First reading and Psalm

2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15
Psalm 32

Second reading

Galatians 2:15-21

Gospel

Luke 7:36-8:3

[Jon Twitchell]

Just for the sake of starting some discussion, I'm expanding the New Testament lesson this week to include the hypocrisy of Peter, and the confrontation between Paul and Peter. I'll be using this to enter into some teaching on hypocrisy vs. integrity, and the idea that hypocrisy springs out of caring (too much) what people think, and integrity springs out of a deeply rooted conviction that we are dearly loved children of God.

I realize that I'm not necessarily dealing with some of Paul's primary argument about salvation, grace, and the law... but I'll be getting into that more in the upcoming weeks.

My outline (that I've not yet developed into a manuscript) looks something like this:

Intro: Hypocrisy in the Church

Narrative Introduction to the text

Read the Scripture Text

Reasons for Hypocrisy:


Lack of integrity - being the same person regardless of who (if anyone) is watching

If our Christianity is something we put on and take off, we'll be caught in our sin… and not just damage our reputation, but the reputation of the father.
Proverbs 10:8 - "The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out."
Integrity is more than honesty--it's about living an fully integrated life.





Political expediency (afraid of the Judaizers)

Failing to do the right thing… but influenced by others. (asking others before asking God)
Concerned about what others say
Being a people pleaser (cf ch. 1)





Christianity plus -- personal piety

We buy the lie that we can earn ourselves a ticket to heaven.
Or that life is graded on a curve… and we're simply trying to do better than the next guy...
Nothing we can do can make God love us less… nothing we can do can make God love us more...




Solution to Hypocrisy


Justification by faith alone

Relying on God and His grace
"It is not by works…" - Eph. 2:8-9





Not going back to who/what you were

Why would you rebuild what you had destroyed?
Setting aside the grace of God means that Christ died for nothing





Being Crucified with Christ

Dying to the law--being raised again in Christ
Pentecost - the Spirit of Christ living IN us
Living so in tune with Christ that people look at us and see Him…. As holiness people, we are called to be portraits of Christ--so when people meet Him, they will recognize Him because they have already seen us.
By being crucified with Christ, we also are raised again to new life.





Understanding that we are the children of God… dearly loved… adopted into the family.


(Forgive the numbering of the outline... somehow it didn't import right... but the structure is basically correct.)