I’m preaching again on Sunday. I have a choice… Jesus turning water into wine and/or Paul’s passage about spiritual gifts. I’m going with the gifts but hope to link back to Jesus’ first miracle.
The thing is, and this has happened before, what seems to be a gift of a passage is actually pretty hard to find something to say about it that isn’t trite. I found something somewhere (can’t remember or I’d link it!) about God not choosing people with all the skills they need for a job but rather empowering people to do the job they are called to. I find that an encouraging thought, and true in my own experience.
It’s an awkward Sunday for the congregation. Their minister (my best friend) is preaching as sole nominee for another congregation and so I want to bring them a hopeful message. God will be with them as they search for a new minister.
Now if I could only expand all that to 1,500 words!!!
Good morning Stewart! I came across your blog in my tag surfer yesterday, and now here I am again hahaha.
From a listening standpoint, I have a hard time tuning into a “gifts” sermon if it isn’t based on the premise of God empowering the called. I think this view of gifting is the most healthy perspective to have because it requires faith. It’s not as simple as taking a predictable “Spiritual Gifts Inventory” and then sitting back, resting on one’s laurels of Hospitality, Wisdom, and Discernment (etc.). I think you have a great approach, and best wishes to you in extracting a sermon from it!
Thanks Russell (and welcome back!). I’ll let you all know how it goes!
I was reading Yancey’s Reaching for the Invisible God last night, and came across a reference you might find helpful. Yancey is discussing confidence and cites Christ saying, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether or not my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” Then Yancey says this: “Note the sequence: Choose to do God’s will, and the confidence will later follow.” I feel the idea here is quite similarr to what you’d like to encourage your congregation towards…
That’s exactly what I was looking for! Thanks a million!
Hi Stewart
thanks for letting us know whereto find you!
I lookforward to working my way through your musings and thoughts!
Sometimes passages you are given to preach on do indeed appear to be gifts and then you really struggle with what to say. During the summer I had three services onthe trot on John and Bread – I was struggling! But then this week I had Nehemiah and throught “Crikey!” but once I looked at it it was a gift!
Anyway I am off to explore……….
Shuna
Hi Shuna
I remember the bread series from the summer. I think I had all three weeks too. I got fed up and did the epistle I think. After all, Man can’t live by bread alone!
Oh, that’s bad…… 🙂