2 February 2025: Fourth Sunday after Epiphany – Epiphany 4 Year C
Lectionary Texts: Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30
Below, you will find a story and a shorter version (less than 300 words) that could be used as a newsletter reflection. Some sermon topics and ideas based on the Sunday lectionary readings are also included.
The story will be based on one of the topics, which will be identified, and my sermon topic will also be identified.
The Parable of the Hidden Way
In the medieval walled city of Certainty, order was life. The city’s foundations rested on the unchanging words of the Book of the Rule, a tome revered for centuries. The Rule dictated everything—from how bread was baked to the prayers murmured at dawn. The Council of Keepers and their knights guarded its teachings fiercely, ensuring that no voice rose above its pages. Certainty prided itself on being immovable, a city unshaken by time.
Clara, a master glass artisan, was known for her luminous windows that bathed even the most austere chambers in radiant colour. Yet, within her, questions flickered. She often gazed beyond the city walls and wondered if the world was as unyielding as Certainty claimed.
While repairing the bell tower of the city’s chapel, Clara stumbled upon a hidden compartment beneath a loose floorboard. Inside lay a codex, its leather cover faded and its pages illuminated with intricate designs. Unlike the severe lettering of the Rule, the codex’s script flowed like poetry.
Clara spent countless nights deciphering its words by candlelight. Its teachings astonished her: “Love is the only law that binds. It is the flame that melts fear and the light that reveals truth.”
As she delved deeper, Clara began to see the city of Certainty not as a haven but as a prison of unyielding rules. Inspired, she shared the words with her apprentices, who marvelled at the beauty of the message but feared its implications.
Despite warnings, Clara continued to share the teachings of the codex. Slowly, her words reached others—an elderly baker burdened by harsh taxes, a widow grieving in solitude, a scribe longing to write freely. Her message was simple yet profound: Love is freedom, and freedom brings healing.
When the Council of Keepers learned of her actions, they summoned her to stand trial. In the grand hall, under the stern gaze of the high priest Aldred, Clara defended the codex.
“This city was built on fear disguised as order,” she said. “But love can do what walls cannot—it unites, heals, and sets free.”
Her words were met with outrage. The Council accused her of heresy and banished her beyond the city walls.
Exiled into the wilderness, Clara wandered with the codex as her only companion. The lands beyond Certainty were untamed, but she soon discovered villages and towns where life thrived in different ways. At first, Clara struggled to speak, for her heart ached with the sting of rejection. But she remembered the codex’s words: “A single spark can ignite a great fire.”
In a small village, she met a blacksmith named Gerin, whose son had been taken by raiders. Seeing his despair, Clara spoke of Love’s strength—not a sentimental love, but one that gave the courage to face pain and rebuild. Inspired, Gerin began forging tools to aid his neighbours, believing that service could heal his grief.
In another town, Clara encountered a group of merchants debating in the marketplace. One argued for raising prices on grain after a poor harvest, while others worried about the hungry. Clara shared a parable about a farmer who planted seeds generously, trusting in abundance rather than hoarding. The merchants were struck by her words and agreed to lower their prices, ensuring that even the poorest could eat.
Clara’s teachings spread like the whisper of the wind. Travelling peddlers carried her message from town to town, often recounting tales of her kindness and wisdom:
- A cloth merchant in Certainty heard from a fellow trader about a woman who had taught villagers to pool resources during a harsh winter. “She said love isn’t just a feeling—it’s action,” he told the marketplace. “They survived because they helped one another.”
- A wine seller from the river lands shared a story of Clara inspiring a feud between two clans to end. “She asked, ‘Is your pride worth the lives you lose? Love seeks peace, not victory.’ And they listened!”
These stories reached Certainty through merchants and travellers. As they spread, so did murmurs of discontent among the people. Some began questioning the Rule, wondering why Love and mercy were absent from its pages.
Years passed, and Clara’s name became a legend. Her teachings transformed villages into havens of mutual aid, where strangers were welcomed as kin. Even in Certainty, cracks appeared in the once-immovable walls. The Council of Keepers, faced with growing dissent, softened their rigid enforcement of the Rule. They allowed acts of mercy that had once been forbidden, and the city began to change from within.
Clara, however, remained in the wilderness, choosing to live humbly among those who welcomed her message. She understood now that Love’s power was not in grand triumphs but in the countless small acts that kindled hope in weary hearts.
The Parable of the Hidden Way
(shorter version)
In the medieval walled city of Certainty, order was life. The city’s foundations rested on the unchanging words of the Book of the Rule, a tome revered for centuries. The Rule dictated everything—from how bread was baked to the prayers murmured at dawn. The Council of Keepers and their knights guarded its teachings fiercely, ensuring that no voice rose above its pages. Certainty prided itself on being immovable, a city unshaken by time.
Clara, a master glass artisan, was known for her luminous windows that bathed even the most austere chambers in radiant colour. Yet, within her, questions flickered. She often gazed beyond the city walls and wondered if the world was as unyielding as Certainty claimed.
While repairing the bell tower of the city’s chapel, Clara stumbled upon a hidden compartment beneath a loose floorboard. Inside lay a codex, its leather cover faded and its pages illuminated with intricate designs. Unlike the severe lettering of the Rule, the codex’s script flowed like poetry.
Clara spent countless nights deciphering its words by candlelight. Its teachings astonished her: “Love is the only law that binds. It is the flame that melts fear and the light that reveals truth.”
As she delved deeper, Clara began to see the city of Certainty not as a haven but as a prison of unyielding rules. Inspired, she shared the words with her apprentices, who marvelled at the beauty of the message but feared its implications.
Despite warnings, Clara continued to share the teachings of the codex. Slowly, her words reached others—an elderly baker burdened by harsh taxes, a widow grieving in solitude, a scribe longing to write freely. Her message was simple yet profound: Love is freedom, and freedom brings healing.
Sermon Topics and Ideas
- When God’s Call Doesn’t Fit Our Plans (Jeremiah 1:4-10)
- Resisting God’s Call: Jeremiah’s initial reluctance highlights our tendency to resist God’s direction when it doesn’t align with our comfort zone or ambitions.
- The Weight of Divine Calling: God’s call often comes with a burden that can feel too heavy, especially when it challenges societal expectations or demands sacrifice.
- Trusting God’s Purpose: Encouraging the congregation to trust that God’s plan, though often uncomfortable, is ultimately for the greater good. This is a call to embrace God’s mission in a world that values individualism.
- Faith Under Fire: When Your Own People Turn Against You (Luke 4:21-30)
- Rejection from Familiar Places: Jesus faced rejection not from outsiders but from his own people. This resonates with personal experiences of rejection or misunderstanding by family, friends, or church communities.
- Standing Firm in Faith: The challenge of maintaining faith when it alienates those closest to you. How can we stay true to our beliefs when those around us are hostile to our values?
- Jesus as a Radical: Jesus was rejected because his message was a radical departure from expectations. We are called to challenge norms and live in ways that might seem countercultural, even within our own faith communities.
- Love Without Boundaries: Is Love Always Fair? (1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30)
- Love that Crosses Boundaries: Jesus’ message was one of radical inclusion, extending beyond familiar boundaries. The challenge is whether we can embody that same love to those we consider “other” or undeserving.
- Unconditional Love vs. Justice: Is it fair to love those who hurt or oppress us? How do we balance love with holding others accountable for injustice?
- Love in Action: Moving beyond sentimental feelings of love to a love that actively seeks justice, healing, and reconciliation, even when it’s difficult.
- Jesus the Revolutionary: A Prophet Without Borders (Luke 4:21-30)
- Breaking Down Barriers: Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth foreshadows the message of breaking down national and cultural barriers. His love extended to the Gentiles and those outside the traditional bounds of Israel.
- Challenge to Nationalism: Jesus’ message questioned the privileges of his own people, calling for a broader understanding of who belongs to God’s Fellowship. This challenges nationalist ideas and calls Christians to engage globally.
- Inclusion as Radical Act: In a world that often segregates based on identity, Jesus’ radical inclusivity is a model for how we are to live today, especially in our global, multicultural society.
- The Cost of Love: What if Love is Not the Greatest? (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
- Love’s High Cost: Love requires sacrifice, and sometimes it feels too costly, especially when it asks us to love those who are difficult or unlovable.
- When Love Doesn’t Work: Love doesn’t always result in peaceful outcomes or harmonious relationships. Jesus’ message of love led to his rejection. Can we still embrace love when it doesn’t “work” in a worldly sense?
- Love Beyond Feelings: Love, as described in 1 Corinthians, isn’t just about feelings but actions, persistence, and commitment. This redefines love as a choice rather than just an emotion.
- The Privilege of Speaking Out (Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6)
- Speaking for Justice: Just as Jeremiah was called to speak out in a difficult time, we, too, are called to use our voices to advocate for justice, particularly for the marginalized.
- Silence as Complicity: Silence in the face of injustice is not neutral; it can be seen as a form of complicity. We are challenged to consider whether our silence is contributing to the continuation of harm.
- Courage in Advocacy: Jeremiah’s courage in speaking truth to power encourages us to speak up, even when it puts us at odds with those in authority or society’s norms.
- Love that Challenges: Reframing Kindness as Confrontation (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
- Challenging Injustice with Love: Love is not always passive. Sometimes, true love requires confrontation—whether it’s challenging systems of power, speaking against inequality, or confronting our own biases.
- The Aggression of Love: What does it mean to be loving and kind in a world where silence in the face of injustice is often preferred? Love can be a forceful tool for change.
- The Prophetic Nature of Love: Love can challenge and transform, like a prophet. It’s not just about being kind but about confronting falsehoods and seeking truth in difficult places.
- Who Are the ‘Gentiles’ Today? (Luke 4:21-30)
- Revisiting the Outsiders: The term “Gentiles” once referred to outsiders. Who are the “outsiders” in our world today? Immigrants, the poor, the marginalized? How does our treatment of these groups reflect our faith?
- Broadening Our Definition of Neighbor: Jesus’ rejection by the people of Nazareth forced them to reconsider who their “neighbours” were. For us, it’s a call to reconsider who we are called to love and include.
- Breaking Cultural and Religious Barriers: The gospel calls us to break down the walls we’ve constructed between ourselves and others, particularly those who don’t fit our cultural or religious moulds.
- Faith in Public: The Tension Between Personal and Political (Jeremiah 1:4-10, Luke 4:21-30)
- Public Faith and Prophecy: Jeremiah’s call was not just a private matter but a public declaration that impacted the nation. How should our faith inform our involvement in the public sphere today?
- Faith and Politics: Where do we draw the line between personal belief and political action? Should Christians be involved in political issues, or is the church’s role strictly spiritual?
- The Role of Prophets in Society: Prophets are often unpopular because they speak uncomfortable truths. Are we willing to stand with the prophetic voice, even when it’s controversial?
- Faith as a Public Witness: What Happens When Our Beliefs Are Rejected? (Jeremiah 1:4-10, Luke 4:21-30)
- Rejection of Prophetic Faith: Both Jeremiah and Jesus experienced rejection by their communities. What does it mean when our faith leads to alienation or rejection? How do we stay true to our witness when it costs us something?
- Standing Up for Truth: In a world where many are more interested in comfort and conformity, how can we maintain a strong public witness for justice, truth, and love?
- The Call to Persevere: Jesus and Jeremiah both faced great opposition. Yet, they were faithful to their call. We are invited to persevere in faith, even when faced with rejection or hardship.
† The story above is based on this Topic
‡ My sermon will be based on these Topics/ideas
Other Lectionary Resources
These resources are based on the lectionary readings.
- A Sermon for every Sunday – FREE lectionary-based video sermons by America’s best preachers for use in worship, Bible study, small groups, Sunday school classes, or for individual use. All you do is push the button.
- Laughing Bird – a gift to the wider Church from the South Yarra Community Baptist Church in Melbourne, Australia. Has several sermons, prayers and the lectionary bible readings.
- The Lutheran Church of Australia – A worship planning resource that includes many parts of the service, including song selections, sermons, visual arts, children’s resources, and others.
- Lectionary Liturgies – A full liturgy for each Sunday based on the lectionary readings for the week. These are liturgies that I prepare for the congregation I serve and make available to others.