21. Messages for Special Days
Messages for Special Days
Shortly before Thanksgiving, I asked a pastor friend what he planned to preach during Advent; and his reply was, “I haven’t decided yet.” My heart went out to his congregation.
It isn’t enough for preachers to keep their eyes on the clock as they preach; they must also keep their eyes on the calendar as they plan and prepare to preach. We know that these special days are coming—they come every year—and we ought to be ready for them. This includes the calendar not only for the Christian church as a whole but also for the local church that you pastor.[1] I don’t think that pastors and churches necessarily fall from grace if they commemorate special days as long as they focus on Jesus Christ and seek to honor Him. These celebrations are not essential to our salvation; and, if others prefer not to celebrate, so be it. There is room for loving disagreement even among the most devoted believers (Gal. 4:10; Rom. 14:1ff). I think it does a church good to review “salvation history” each year and to rejoice at what the Lord has done for His people.
I always planned an Advent series to celebrate our Lord’s birth, and we recognized Epiphany as well. There was usually a Lenten series and, of course, I preached messages to commemorate Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I also felt that Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and Reformation Sunday were important to the church. When you add to this list the important national holidays and special local church events, you soon end up with a full calendar. But if you plan ahead, you can usually work some of these special days into the regular course of your preaching; and you won’t have to keep interrupting your expository series.[2]
Advent Preaching[3]
The first rule for Advent preaching is to resist every temptation to say something new and clever about Christmas. Instead, try to say the old truths in a fresh way and wrap each series in an exciting new package. In one of the churches I pastored, the staff decided to use some of the newer Christmas music in the worship services during Advent (“newer” meaning something written in the last half of the twentieth century), and the reaction of the congregation was shocking. We even received nasty notes from visitors! It was obvious that the people wanted to sing the familiar Christmas songs, although they were grudgingly willing to accept “newer music” from the choir.
One of my favorite Christmas series was called “Some Christmas Questions,” and I tried to answer four of them: (1) “Why Bethlehem?” (2) “Why Shepherds?” (3) “Why a Manger?” (4) “Why a Savior?” It aroused interest and gained a respectful hearing.
The four songs of Christmas make an excellent series: the songs of Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45), Mary (Luke 1:46-56), Zechariah (Luke 1:67-80), and the angels (Luke 2:13-14). For an after-Christmas message, you could add the song of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35). I once gave a series based entirely on Mary’s song, and I called it “Mary’s Christmas.”[4]
Since Christmas has to do with the birth of a baby, we ought to consider some of the “birth announcements” that were involved. God gave the first announcement to our first parents in Genesis 3:15; Isaiah gave one to the Jewish nation in Isaiah 7:14; Gabriel gave one to Mary (Luke 1:26-38); and the angels gave one to the shepherds (Luke 2:1-20). This series gives you opportunity to deal with some of the broader aspects of biblical teaching about the coming of the Savior.
“Christmas is for children!” is the usual adult disclaimer of those in the family who really enjoy Christmas but don’t want to admit it (or go shopping). Indeed, Christmas is for children; so let’s preach about the two wonderful babies, John the Baptist and Jesus. (John rejoiced about Christmas even before he was born!) But Christmas is also for young people, the greatest example of which is Mary, the mother of our Lord. It’s likely that she was a teenager when she gave birth to Jesus. Christmas is for busy adults, like shepherds and magi; and Christmas is also for older people like Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna. If Christmas does nothing else, it helps to close the so-called generation gap!
When Prince William of England was only sixteen months old, he accidentally pushed the “panic button” at Balmoral Castle and sounded an alarm at the Aberdeen police headquarters. Of course, all of this gave the security agents a royal scare until they discovered what had happened. When I read that item in the newspaper, I thought of Christmas. We usually associate the birth of Christ with the angel’s “fear not,” and rightly so; but in sending His Son, God was also “pushing the panic button” and giving the world some warnings. Here is one poet’s view:
I saw a stable low and very bare,
A little child in a manger.
The oxen knew Him, had Him in their care,
To men He was a stranger.
The safety of the world was lying there,
And the world’s danger.[5]
Christ’s birth was a warning to Satan that the ancient prophecy was fulfilled (Gen. 3:15). The Parable of the Strong Man is a vivid description of what happened because Jesus was born (Luke 11:14-28). Satan, beware! But Christ’s coming to earth was also a warning to proud, ruthless people that things were going to change. King Herod comes to mind (Matt. 2), and also Mary’s words about those who are proud in her song of praise.
The birth of Jesus gave a warning to the proud leaders of Israel that God was reaching out to a whole world. Israel had been called to be the “servant of Jehovah” to witness to the Gentiles, but they had failed in their mission. Now God’s Suffering Servant would come to die for the sins of the whole world, and the kingdom would be taken from Israel. “The Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14).
There’s also a warning to people today who haven’t bowed the knee to Jesus Christ. There’s danger ahead! Our Lord’s words in John 15:18-25 are pertinent, and note especially His statement “If I had not come . . .” (v. 22). People who give a passing glance at Jesus Christ during Christmas, but who will not trust Him, don’t hear the alarm ringing.
I probably wouldn’t do it, but I’d be tempted to call a message series on these themes, “Danger! Christmas Is Coming!”
Lenten Preaching
The seven weeks preceding Good Friday and Easter Sunday have traditionally been set aside for believers to prepare themselves for “the fellowship of His sufferings” and the glory of His resurrection. Whether we devote all the Sundays to Lenten preaching is not important, but it is important that we use the opportunity to get our people ready for standing at the cross and visiting the empty tomb. Sunday worship attendance usually increases at this time of the year, affording us a splendid opportunity for evangelism.
Since biographical preaching can be very effective, why not consider preaching about some of the people involved in the passion narrative? The choices are many: Pilate, Herod, Annas and Caiaphas, Mary of Bethany, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, Simon of Cyrene and Judas.[6] You might also consider some of the personalities that we don’t usually associate with the cross, but that have every right to be considered: Abraham and Isaac; Moses (the Passover lamb; the uplifted serpent); Ruth and Boaz (the kinsman redeemer); David (Christ’s sufferings recorded in the psalms); Isaiah (the evangelical prophet); and the Apostle Paul.
In fact, you might want to bring together Old Testament and New Testament people and have them “meet at Calvary.” Abraham could meet Mary, because both of them sacrificed a son. Moses could meet Nicodemus, whom Jesus told about the uplifted serpent (John 3:14); or Moses could meet John the Baptist and discuss the Passover lamb. Isaiah could meet Paul, who quoted frequently from Isaiah’s prophecy and so magnified God’s Suffering Servant. Annas and Caiaphas could meet Aaron the high priest and learn the real meaning of the Jewish sacrificial system. And don’t forget Moses and Elijah talking about the cross with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.
But how shall we imaginatively “package” such a series? We could borrow an idea from Clovis Chappell and call the series “The Cross Before Calvary.”[7] Another possible title for the series is, “They Were There When They Crucified Our Lord—But Nobody Saw Them.” Or, “Unseen People at the Cross.”
The cross was not only a place for reconciliation, but it was also a place of substitution. Simon of Cyrene took the place of Simon Peter who boasted he would go with Jesus even to death. Jesus took the place of Barabbas, and He also took the place of every lost sinner. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took the place of the disciples who should have buried their Lord. (Of course, Isa. 53:9 had something to say about that.) The Apostle John took the place of Jesus when he “adopted” Mary as his own mother.
More than any of the Gospel writers, the Apostle John emphasizes the pictures of the death of Christ: the sacrificial lamb (1:29); the destroyed temple (2:13-25); the uplifted serpent (3:14); the willing shepherd (10:11-18); the fruitful seed (12:20-25). Note too that John records three instances when Jesus used the phrase “lifted up” (3:14; 8:28; 12:32).[8] We could do a series on the cross from John’s Gospel alone.
My esteemed instructor in homiletics, Dr. Charles W. Koller, preached a powerful message on “The Living Plus Sign” that focused on the reconciling work of Christ on the cross.[9] Paul deals with the theology of this especially in Romans 4, 2 Corinthians 5, and Ephesians 2. On the cross, God reconciled love and justice, Jew and Gentile, and sinners and God. Today, the cross is still the means of reconciliation; and the word of the cross is the message of reconciliation that the church must herald abroad (2 Cor. 5:11-21).
What did the various actors in the Good Friday drama think about the cross? The Jewish religious leaders saw it as the solution to their problem of how to get rid of Jesus. Mary of Bethany saw His crucifixion as the fulfillment of God’s will, and she prepared Jesus for His burial. Peter, you will remember, opposed the cross (Matt. 16:21-28) and in the garden used his sword to defend Jesus. Carrying the cross for Jesus was the depth of humiliation for Simon of Cyrene, yet the experience transformed his life (Mark 15:21). To Pilate, the cross was the only way to make the Jewish people happy, even though this weak politician tried to deliver Jesus from their hands. To Jesus, the cross was the Father’s will; and He accepted it, endured it, and ultimately triumphed through it.
What was on the cross of Jesus? Well, to begin with, a sacrifice was there—the Lamb of God giving His life for the sins of the world. But Pilate’s declaration was there (Matt. 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19-22) and so was the “written code . . . that was against us” (Col. 2:14). And, amazingly, every believer was there; when Jesus died, we died with Him (Rom. 6).
Let’s remind God’s people of the profound theological aspects of the death of Christ. Because of the work of Christ on the cross, the world and the flesh are robbed of their power (Gal. 5:24; 6:12-18); and Satan has been defeated (John 12:31; Col. 2:15). These three enemies once controlled us (Eph. 2:1-3), but now they are disarmed.
It has been traditional in some churches during the Lenten season to focus on the seven statements of Christ from the cross or on the seven penitential psalms (Pss. 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). Either of these themes would be suitable if your church schedules a special weeknight service during Lent.
National Holidays
So many special days are marked on the calendar that the preacher sometimes wonders what to do with them: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day,[10] Children’s Day, Labor Day Sunday, Thanksgiving Sunday, Brotherhood Sunday, Independence Day, Human Rights Day, Armed Forces Day, Veteran’s Day, President’s Day, and on it goes. If you belong to a denomination that plans ahead, you may be expected to honor (each on its special day): home missions, foreign missions, retired missionaries, retired pastors, hospitals, children’s homes, literature, and a host of ministries and projects that are worthy of attention and support.
What is the burdened expositor to do? I’ve already suggested that you can plan ahead and work the special emphasis into the regular course of your preaching. I did that once on Mother’s Day, and a visiting mother accosted me after the service, telling me she’d never again set foot in our church. “Imagine not preaching a special message for mothers on Mother’s Day!” Not everybody approves of this approach. If I had to do it over, I’d take time earlier in the service and honor the mothers present in a special way; and that way they’d get a double dose of recognition.
But there’s another and more imaginative way to solve the problem. Stay with your text, but look at it through the eyes of several mothers. These can be biblical mothers, mothers from history, or mothers you have actually known.[11] The same approach can be used for your Father’s Day message. Granted, not every text can be preached this way, but give it a try. Prepare the basic outhne as though you were planning for a regular Sunday, and then “imagineer” the outhne into a message that conveys the special emphasis.
One of the problems with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Children’s Day messages is that we’re tempted to get sentimental and ignore the spiritual. The sermon then consists primarily of platitudes and poems, all loosely tied together with selected Scripture texts. Older preachers sometimes use the occasion for lamenting the good old days when mothers worked at home, fathers laid down the law, and children were seen and not heard. Younger preachers might be tempted to give thanks for the freedom that has come to the home, along with the new awareness of society to the hidden dangers that can lurk there.
Historians tell us that the good old days weren’t really that good, and honest statisticians tell us that the horrors of the modern home aren’t that frightening. Yes, there are abused wives and battered children; but there are also many happy families that enjoy each other and bring joy to others. Keep in mind that there are also single parents who carry many burdens, married couples who can’t have children, and divorced people who sometimes feel lonely and unwanted in the average church. What shall we say to them? As always, the best approach is to emphasize the great truths of the Christian faith, truths that all our people should hear no matter what the day or what their marital status. And we must package these truths so that nobody feels left out of the picture.
In Scripture, children are pictured in several ways: as God’s gracious gift (Gen. 33:4-5); as a heritage and as arrows (Ps. 127:3-5); as clusters of grapes and olive plants (Ps. 128:3); and as plants and cornerstones (Ps. 144:12). Alas, in some parts of society today, children are considered liabilities, not a heritage; and we dispose of them before they have a chance to pay us any dividends! But were it not for each new generation, how would we protect and transmit moral, spiritual, and cultural values? Children aren’t the future of the church; they’re the future in the church right now. Paul had this in mind when he wrote 2 Timothy 2:2.
The social world of women and children was different in Bible days, but the enduring spiritual values that make any home worthwhile are the same today as in Abraham’s day: truth, love, discipline, worship, loyalty, sacrifice.[12] We don’t have the fruits today because we lack the roots. We need to see our children as beautiful plants that need cultivation, treasures that must be protected, arrows that must be made straight and strong, cornerstones that will be ready for the building of homes yet to come. The imagery is certainly compelling!
Thanksgiving Sunday
Most pastors have little trouble preparing messages for Thanksgiving Sunday because there are scores of texts in Scripture that deal with praise and thanksgiving. However, sameness leads to tameness; and we ought to occasionally catch our people by surprise.
We usually remind the flock to be grateful for the blessings God has given, but have you ever considered the obligation of being thankful for things that God hasn’t done? For example, have you ever been thankful for unanswered prayer? “So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them” (Ps. 106:15). Sometimes we think we’re asking for bread when all the while we’re asking for a stone, and the Father is too loving to give us what we ask. For other statements of things God hasn’t done, for which we should be thankful, see Psalm 103:10, 1 Kings 8:56, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, and 2 Timothy 1:7. There are more, but these will get you started.
Have you ever preached on the theme “When God Gives Thanks”? Here are some texts that describe our Lord’s thanksgivings when He was ministering on earth: John 6:11, 23; Luke 10:21 (Matt. 11:25-30); John 11:41; Matthew 26:26-27. Use your imagination and see what patterns can be found as you survey these passages.
“Political” Holidays
When it comes to Independence Day and the other “political holidays,” pastors find themselves walking a knife’s edge. Revisionist history has made some of our national heroes into rogues and their feats of valor into questionable activities at best. The older generation may revere them, the younger generation may reject them, and the preacher had better stay with the Bible and leave politics and history to the experts.
The major question, of course, is this: Can we apply to our own nation warnings and promises that were originally given only to the covenant nation of Israel? Is our native land in the same covenant relationship to the Lord as was Israel from the calling of Abraham to the coming of the Messiah? How you answer these questions will determine how you apply your selected texts. If basic principles of morality don’t apply to all nations, then Amos 1-2 and Romans 1:18-32 are all wrong.
The great danger to avoid is preaching about a “nation” and forgetting that we’re addressing only individuals. The nation isn’t listening to us; and even if it were, changes in nations begin with changes within individuals, starting with God’s people. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If our nation is going to ruin, it’s because sinners are acting like sinners (which you expect) and believers aren’t acting like Christians (which you don’t expect).[13] In a speech at Plymouth, Massachusetts, Dec. 22, 1820, Daniel Webster said, “Whatever makes men good Christians makes them good citizens.” Keep that in mind when you prepare sermons that focus on national celebrations.[14]
David’s pouring out the water in the cave (1 Chron. 11:15-19) is to me a perfect text for any anniversary that honors those who died for freedom. Each new generation is handed the cup of freedom. Do we use it for ourselves or do we give it to God in gratitude for the price others paid for us? Of course, it’s but a short step from David’s cup of water to our Lord’s cup in the upper room and in the garden.
The next time you read the Book of Joshua, make a note of the various “memorials” that were raised, some bearing witness to great victories and others to tragic defeats. (See Josh. 4:9, 20-24; 7:26; 8:29-30, 32; 10:27; 22:10ff; 24:26-28.) Joshua’s farewell speeches in chapters 23 and 24, and the memorial that he raised, offer the expositor many opportunities for preaching about the importance of individual commitment to God if the nation is to prosper. What a contrast between the monument to disobedient Achan (7:26) and the monument Joshua erected to the faithfulness of God and the promise of the people to obey Him! (24:26-28)
Church Anniversaries
I think that church anniversaries are important and ought to be celebrated annually. Each anniversary is an opportunity for the church family to “raise their Ebenezer” and joyfully confess, “Thus far has the Lord helped us” (1 Sam. 7:12).[15] The older generation enjoys recalling the past and the new generation needs to learn what happened before they arrived on the scene with their computers and credit cards. The focus must not be simply on past history but on the God of the past, the God of our fathers who has been our refuge and help all these years.
My predecessor at the Moody Church in Chicago, Dr. George Sweeting, started a new tradition there when he and the church established “Founder’s Day,” a day to honor Dwight Lyman Moody and the Lord who used him so mightily. Sometimes we brought in guest speakers, but they were always cautioned to relate their message in some way to the heritage of Moody Church. One year I preached from Mr. Moody’s life text, 1 John 2:17; and another year I used Mr. Moody’s favorite psalm, Psalm 91. It was challenging to study his life and discover those texts that meant the most to him.
Some anniversary messages can be related to people who were a part of the church; other messages can be tied to events. If you’ve done your research and know the key events in the life of the church, then you can find the messages in those events and “raise your Ebenezer.”[16]
An anniversary message should both remind us of God’s goodness in the past and challenge us to the task He has assigned for us for the future. An effective anniversary celebration must always say “Hats off to the past—coats off to the future!” Otherwise, the church may find itself looking in a rearview mirror and plowing crooked furrows.
Some of the images of the church offer rich possibilities for anniversary preaching. The church is a bride, and every married couple knows what it means to celebrate one anniversary after another, to grow in devotion to each other, and to plan for the future. As a bride, does the church still rejoice at hearing the bridegroom’s voice? (John 3:29) Are we still enjoying “honeymoon love” with our Lord? (Jer. 2:1-2; Rev. 2:1-4) Are we true to Him so we’ll be ready to meet Him when He comes? (2 Cor. 11:1-6)
Sometimes change is the thing to emphasize in an anniversary message, particularly if the church has quietly been resisting change. Paul’s three pictures of the church in 1 Corinthians 9:7 offer some tempting ideas on this theme. Vineyards and flocks have been around for centuries, and what they do hasn’t changed. If you want grapes, you have to cultivate vines; if you want wool and milk and meat, you have to tend a flock. Some things don’t change.
But today’s armies aren’t using bows and arrows or slings and stones. Military leaders make use of the latest technology as they seek to keep our nation free. Some things do change. The famous prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr certainly applies here: “O God, give us serenity to accept what cannot be changed, courage to change what should be changed, and wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”[17]
“The difference between the right word and the nearly right word is the same as that between lightning and the lightning bug.”
“Originality is simply a pair of fresh eyes.”
“A life lived without fantasy and day-dreams is a seriously impoverished one.”