Sermon Briefs: Hebrews 10:11-18

Chrysostom's homily, Homily XVIII, can initially be read as the usual predictable verse-by-verse homily form of the early Fathers.¹ There is a sophisticated surprise in this particular homily, however, because of its emphasis and line of reasoning. A certain `mirror image' quality is brought out in the text at the sermon's conclusion in terms of sacrifice--God's and our's.

The preacher begins by explaining the verses of the text. "So then he forgave their sins, when he gave the Covenant, and He gave the Covenant by sacrifice. If therefore He forgave the sins through the one sacrifice, there is no longer need of a second."

Then Chrysostom offers a long, seemingly tangential, digression on the value of poverty, the nature and actions of the poor man compared to the rich one. He extols the value of choosing poverty as a reflection of the Christ life in each person.

The latter portion of the sermon urges the listener to choose poverty so, as the last verse of the text says, the hearer will not be an enemy of God. This emphasis on the possibility of being an opponent of God is emphasized further when Chrysostom con cludes with a quote from the Matthew text on the final judgement, "When did we see you....?"

In other words, choosing poverty is to choose being on the side of the God who made all sacrifices possible. The abandonment of Christ in his ultimate sacrifice should elicit such living from his followers as well.

A word which has garnered close scrutiny in many faith circles in past years is addressed by David H. C. Read in Spirituality--In the Church on the Corner?²

The preacher defines spirituality, believing it to be neglected amidst the pressure of daily life. He admits that "in our efforts to interpret the gospel in practical terms we may have neglected the spiritual center of our faith--our communion with God, our prayers, our union with Christ in word and sacrament."

The consequence of neglecting these things means that America has experienced a crisis in its moral life. Failure to look at the things of the heart results in a failure of ethics. Read then mentions both Ezekiel and Paul who were led to live lives for others through their daily actions.

An intentional connection between faith and works means changed lives. "Who can calculate what we owe to men and women over the years who have sought a "heart of flesh,"....combined with a genuine effort to "walk in his statues and keep his ordinances?"

A change of heart happens with those "who know their needs and their weaknesses and seek to live by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, in that unique family relationship we call the communion of the Holy Spirit."

While the dichotomy established between `practical' and `spiritual' is questionable, the sermon definitely offers scriptural personalities as evidence of the point it is making.

Like Chrysostom, Paul T. McCarthy seeks to emphasize the eschatological note in this text and season. The sermon, Hell: The Ultimate Tragedy,³ is unusual in that it is rare to hear preaching on the subject of hell. The sermon is true to the catechetical nature of some forms of Roman Catholic proclamation and is historically informative in nature.

The author gives a brief history of human reflection about what the afterlife is like for those eternally parted from God. He says that his choice of such a preaching subject is motivated by "Love [which] alone is enough to prompt one to speak of it because of the tragic consequences it holds for people."

Both Old Testament, New Testament and later writers give evidence of the reality of hell. All of these authorities together tell the listener "There is (1) its duration as a "living death," (2) the pain of loss, and (3) the sense of suffering."

Preaching on such a topic as this, says the writer, is necessary for "There is no turning back from eternity, no medication or divorce court." What then?

Finally, "we avoid Hell by the grace of God." While the sermon is only implicitly textual in nature, it does address questions listeners have about the meaning of a life lived apart from God.

Frederick Schleiermacher intends this text for his listeners on Good Friday, somber and apocalyptic in nature as the mood of the end-of year texts. In The Death of the Saviour The End of All Sacrifices⁴ he reassures them that as they struggle with their deep feelings of religious fervor, the worshipers must also be aware of the facts of the text. "...the sacred writer regards the Saviour's death as the real transition point at which the old covenant terminated and the new covenant of God with man began."

The sermon is divided into two sections. First, the author shows how the old system of sacrifice is imperfect. It only allows the power of sin to continue as before with no check. Tragically the death of Jesus finally demonstrates how "sin has accomplished its greatest work...."

Furthermore, the old system of atonement allowed the darkness of the human heart to continue unabated as many refused to acknowledge Jesus in his day among them.

The second portion of the sermon demonstrates how the old sacrificial system was incapable of erasing sin permanently and contrasts that with the benefits of the new covenant reality. "But now...sin is taken away through the death of the Saviour--that, my friends, is the great mystery of the fellowship of his death and his life..."

Jesus' "life-giving processes" are effected in the Church by preaching and the power of the Spirit. As a result the new consciousness replaces the "conscience of sin."

The remainder of the sermon emphasizes, in true Schleiermacher fashion, the need to live a sanctified life. Listeners are reassured that "Love of Christ, and the good fight of the whole will against sin are one and the same thing."

The sermon concludes with a prayerful invitation to the hearer to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice and live that out in their daily life.

Susan K. Hedahl

1. John Chrysostom, Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews, Volume XIV. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Volume XIV, Philip Scaff, ed. (W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids: Michigan, 1956), pp. 451-454. 2. David H.C. Read, Pulpit Digest, May/June, 1988, pp. 7-10. 3. Paul T. McCarthy, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, October, 1988, pp. 40-43. 4. Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher, Mary F. Wilson, trs. (Funk & Wagnalls: New York, no publication date given), pp. 250-265.