I just finished writing my first sermon. Ok, it's not exactly done. It needs some work, but I have almost 10 pages and 17 minutes of words. I guess I can't really say they are words either, it's much more than that. Steven asked me over Christmas break if I would preach the RLC chapel, and I of course agreed. But it didn't take me long to realize that it just wasn't going to happen. I told him I'd still help plan it, but there was no way I was preaching it. Our service got moved back by several weeks, because someone else wanted our spot - oh darn! When I went to meet with him last Thursday (just before Spring Break) I decided I would preach it. I'm actually not sure what happened or why I decided to do it. I just felt that push. And despite my anxiety and nervousness, I was excited by it. I've been thinking about it ever since. What am I going to say? What am I going to preach on? What do I really have to offer?
After thinking about it for days and working on it for hours, it's done. (Right, not done, but you know what I mean.) I still don't know if I have anything to offer. I don't know if the theology is right. I don't know if what I'm saying is what Paul meant. My main focus is on 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. It being Holy Week, that was part of the Lectionary for Tuesday. So a week from today, I will be preaching my first sermon. So here I was just a few weeks ago not even going to seminary and now I'm preaching. Really?!?! But I guess it is what it is.
I've read over what I've written several times. I've tweaked it and timed it and tweaked it some more. I don't know if jt all fits together. Maybe I'm offering too much of myself in it. Maybe I'm not offering enough for other people. Maybe what I'm saying is far from right. Maybe this will totally suck... Do people really care about me or what I have to say? Likely not. The pastor at my home church always prays this prayer before he preaches: Holy God, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of each one of us gathered here today be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. This has been my prayer through this process. And I know I will continue to pray this prayer.
"For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength."
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1 comment:
good luck tonight...we'll bring you some beach since all you saw on spring break was snow. snow on spring break has to be some sort of sin, right? :o) i know you will do great tonight! see you Friday!
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