Sermon Tone Analysis

The Holy Martyr Hyacinth

Ambon Prayer: normal

Title

Slaves of God

Outline

We do not like the idea of being slaves of anyone

Now most of those around us are indeed slaves, slaves of sin, and one can often see death in their direction or even in their present, but they deny it - “I’m free, man.”

But freedom is an illusion - one can only choose the guiding force in one’s life

Furthermore, in the ancient world a slave could be a man with enormous authority and prestige, most especially if he represented the emperor.

He was, so to speak, an extension of the emperor.

That is what informs our texts

Paul notes that God’s grace has freed us from sin

But it is not to a totally independent state - we cannot stay “our own man” - I think of a Bp Barron Presents video on the power of mimetic desire: we will, as Rene Girard pointed out, start getting controlled by imitative desires.

God frees us so we can choose allegiance to him and to righteousness, to sanctification.

That is what makes us “a man [or woman] fully alive.”

Now look at the centurion in our gospel

He has a slave who is paralyzed and in “torment” so he requests Jesus to heal him.

Jesus says he will “come and heal him.”

“Oh, woah there,” says the servant.

“That is above my rank.

I am not worthy of your presence.”

Whether he thinks of this as a Gentile soldier, knowing Jesus is a Jew, or because he recognizes Jesus is king greater than Caesar we are not told, but Jesus recognizes his “great faith,” so likely it is the latter.

But the centurion has more to say.

“I know about authority.

I know how to obey my superior officers.

I know how my soldiers or slaves obey me.

My superiors speak and I jump to; I speak and my soldiers and slaves immediately follow my command.

So, ‘only say the word, and my servant will be healed.’”

Jesus is so impressed he commends the man and the slave is healed.

So here is our principle: assuming that we are not God, we have authority depending on whom we are under, and that authority may be either authority to command others or authority to execute or both.

So, brothers and sisters, we chose your master well

If you feel trapped by the wrong master, ask God to set you free.

Express your freedom by fixing your eyes on God, so your mimetic desire is formed by his deeds and wishes, just as Jesus always “did what he saw his Father doing”

Then live out your authority and find yourself “fully alive”

That is how to live fully in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus and of his mother the Theotokos

Readings

EPISTLE

Romans 6:18–23

18  and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

19  I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations.

For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.

20  When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

21  But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed?

The end of those things is death.

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.

23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GOSPEL

Matthew 8:5–13

5  As he entered Caperna-um, a centurion came forward to him, begging him 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress.”

7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

8 But the centurion answered him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.

11  I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12  while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.”

13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.”

And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (7-3-2022: Fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2022 | OCTOECHOS

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Bright Vestments

Matins Gospel Luke 24:1–12

Epistle Romans 6:18–23

Gospel Matthew 8:5–13