I was fascinated by that 'in between status' of one who is part of the household and yet also goes out to bring others in (c.f.the servant in Luke 14:15-24 and "those who hear" in Revelation 22:17). I wanted to push that image of hospitality/evangelism. In fact, I was all ready to preach it, but I just couldn't sleep. ...and something hit me.
Something said 'don't push--be open' and I realized that--for myself--I had been pushing so much (working so much) that I, myself, hadn't even bothered to sit at the banquet. I had refused God's hospitality in order to check off my own excuses.
So the sermon became a question--or a series of questions (Where are you in this text?
How is it with your soul in that place? -and- Is that where you need to be right now?)
And the manuscript--my eloquently articulated textual manuscript--became this:
I'm proud of the product (I actually brought this--only this--into the pulpit with me) but the process itself was revelatory. I recorded some notes/thoughts, but I'll have to upload them another time. Revelations have been uploaded (as of 9/8/14)
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