Related Texts
Walter Sundberg wrote an article titled Limitations of the Lectionary in it he makes a few points I would like to tag. First, "The lectionary had done its disruptive work yet another week. It had confused the congregation by placing disparate passages of the Bible in juxtaposition. It gave two of these passages a simplified point of comparison and left the third hanging. The Lectionary put the pastor in a dilemma. It presented an awkward combination of themes and issues that demand separate and careful treatment. The sermon we heard concentrated, as usual, on the Gospel. The Old Testament, as usual, was left in the dust."
While the Lectionary added the Old Testament in the mid 20th Century it still often takes a back seat. But this is not the point to highlight, because the Lectionary was supposed to take consideration to make a connection between the Old Testament lesson and the Gospel lesson. The lesson that usually does not connect is the Epistle lesson. But there can appear a vague connection to the Epistle lesson from time to time.
But more to the point I found in this. With three texts being read in which some have more obvious connections even to the lay reader, Preachers preach on the Gospel lesson alone. You may find a few preachers who preach on multiple texts. But they are not taught to do so. They are taught to stick to one main theme or point. Thus, they think that means one text. But like Walter Sundberg points out there are often times "awkward combinations of themes and issues." Thus, the preacher has to either reconcile these differences or just preach on one lesson. Therefore, most preachers like to preach just on the Gospel lesson where the theme of the Sunday seems most clear.
This also points us to the fact that the lectionary uses the Gospel lesson as a controlling text for each Sunday. The Gospel lesson conveys the true theme for that Sunday. I wish that more preachers would preach on the Old Testament lessons. God gave us a lot of examples of his love and mercy in the Old Testament as well as reveals to us who the Christ actually is. Hopefully you will hear more Old Testament lessons preached while the placement of Old Testament lessons into the Lectionary becomes more Historical. Thank you.
While the Lectionary added the Old Testament in the mid 20th Century it still often takes a back seat. But this is not the point to highlight, because the Lectionary was supposed to take consideration to make a connection between the Old Testament lesson and the Gospel lesson. The lesson that usually does not connect is the Epistle lesson. But there can appear a vague connection to the Epistle lesson from time to time.
But more to the point I found in this. With three texts being read in which some have more obvious connections even to the lay reader, Preachers preach on the Gospel lesson alone. You may find a few preachers who preach on multiple texts. But they are not taught to do so. They are taught to stick to one main theme or point. Thus, they think that means one text. But like Walter Sundberg points out there are often times "awkward combinations of themes and issues." Thus, the preacher has to either reconcile these differences or just preach on one lesson. Therefore, most preachers like to preach just on the Gospel lesson where the theme of the Sunday seems most clear.
This also points us to the fact that the lectionary uses the Gospel lesson as a controlling text for each Sunday. The Gospel lesson conveys the true theme for that Sunday. I wish that more preachers would preach on the Old Testament lessons. God gave us a lot of examples of his love and mercy in the Old Testament as well as reveals to us who the Christ actually is. Hopefully you will hear more Old Testament lessons preached while the placement of Old Testament lessons into the Lectionary becomes more Historical. Thank you.
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