"You need to learn how to write a sermon when you've had a bad day--or when you're swamped." she says.And she's right. After all, one of my summer goals is to experience the "rhythm of pastoral life" and if I have my own church next summer (I can't believe I can write that!!) I could easily spend all my Saturday nights on last-minute sermons.
So it's good that I'm writing a sermon each week.
But I'm indecisive and time is of the essence. (That's one of the reasons why procrastination is so wonderful. I don't have time to deliberate, so the process takes half the time...).
So my decision this week is to draw lots. I wrote my four sermon directions on post-it notes, shuffled them, and begged the Spirit to guide my hand!
My options (for 1 Samuel 8)
- Focus on God in this text (instead of the sinful crowd who rejected God)-- preach God's ability and willingess to work all things for good. (sure, kingship wasn't God's plan, and the Israelites messed up, but God redirected their kingship. Eventually, we get back to "Jesus is Lord!" (We can't mess anything up beyond God's ability to reconcile) :. Mosaic. Justification. ...free will means God lets us make mistakes. (but eschatology means redemption)
- Focus on God as the One who doesn't leave us--despite our constant rejection; God as longsuffering, patient, and forgiving (looking at God's outcry in Hosea 11 and the story of the prodigal son)
- Focus on Samuel and study the implications for leadership in this text. How do you lead a group of people who won't listen to God? (one key element here is recognizing that lay people ARE called to lead--in work environments and social groups. So how?)...God tells Samuel not to be offended, to listen to the people. (perhaps even loving them?)
- God's REASONS for not wanting a king. A king means war. (this would be an overt AGAINST the 'angry and violent' stereotype for the OT). God's way is peace and reconciliation.
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