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On occasion, some may wonder why the sermons at Epworth are always based on one (or more) of the assigned readings from the lectionary. Why not let the Minister choose the texts for preaching? Or why not preach sequentially through the Bible or various books of the Bible? Or perhaps the Minister should preach topically, speaking to the current issues of the day?
These are good questions. At Epworth, we use the lectionary for both practical and theological reasons. On the practical side, when the Minister is responsible to choose texts for preaching, it can be quite easy to preach a “canon within the canon.” That is, without strict discipline and planning on the part of the preacher, the Minister can often gravitate toward those parts of the Bible that he or she prefers, while avoiding other parts of Scripture that are problematic. Even with strict planning and discipline this can happen.
On the theological side, the lectionary serves us well because it is designed to expose the congregation to the entirety of Scripture in a three-year cycle. While not every single chapter and verse is covered, the lectionary is designed not only to cover the whole breadth of Scripture, but to do so in a way that emphasizes the life and ministry of Jesus. The life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus can and should have priority in the Church’s preaching, because Jesus is the unique revelation of God who has come to save us and to make us God’s people.
Related to this is the theological concern to maintain the relevance of the Old Testament in the life of the Church. Studies have shown that when preachers choose their own texts for preaching, the Old Testament is often given short shrift, or abandoned entirely. When the unity and interrelatedness of the two Testaments is lost, our understanding of both is compromised. The lectionary texts are often arranged in such a way as to show how the Old Testament lesson informs both the epistle and Gospel lessons in significant ways.
Using the lectionary is also a practice that is ancient, dating back to the Jewish roots of our Christian faith. When God’s people gathered for worship in the Temple and Synagogue, assigned texts from Sacred Scripture were read as a normal part of the gathering. This is what Jesus is doing in Luke 4, when he stands to read from the prophet Isaiah. The reading from Isaiah – of which Jesus claims himself as the fulfillment – was the assigned lectionary reading for that day in the Synagogue.
There is certainly nothing wrong with preaching sequentially through books of the Bible, or giving to individual preachers the responsibility to choose texts for preaching. But the lectionary is a time-honored, proven method of exposing God’s people to the whole deposit of faith in a systematic way, with particular emphasis on the life and ministry of Jesus. Using the lectionary also ensures that a healthy quantity of Scripture will be read publicly in worship.
(For those interested, Pastor Thelander has a little booklet, “The Role of Scripture in the Liturgical Service,” which may be helpful.)
