Last Sunday one of our youth wrote this question on the back of her worship note sheet:
"How do you decide what to preach on each Sunday?"
Here's my answer... thank you to the young person who asked it!
Hi ________ -- you asked how I decide to what to preach on each week. That is a great question.
I start by reading what is printed on the bulletin – the Bible verses come already printed on it. Many times as I read the verses an idea starts in my mind—an idea of something that I believe God might be wanting me to say. Because I believe that God speaks to us through the Bible, I then spend some time researching that idea and the Bible verses that we are going to read in connection with what is going on in my life and in our community and in our world and in our church.
For example, on January 31 we are going to read from Jeremiah 1 (verses 4-10), Psalm 71 (verses 1-6); First Corinthians 13; and Luke 4:21-30. Since I preached on Luke 4 last week, and since we’ve read from First Corinthians for two weeks already without me saying anything about it, I took a closer look at First Corinthians 13 which is known as the “love chapter” of the Bible. Because this “book” of the Bible (1st Cor.) is actually a letter written by Paul to the church in the city of Corinth, I did some research to find out what was happening in that church at the time the letter was written. One thing that was happening was that there were some divisions and troubles in that church. Because some people in our church are noticing divisions and troubles, I’ve decided to preach on that “love chapter” as it relates to church when people are feeling uncomfortable with each other.
There is a lot more to say, but hopefully that helps.
www.equalsharing.com
It's interesting that, in conflict, Paul looks to love, as if love can solve the problem. Love, in a single work describes so much an yet, at times, seems so inadequate. Love comes from God and is God. He created us out of love and gave us love to share with each other.
ReplyDeleteSo how do we love? I love my wife, I love my kids, I love my mom and dad, I love my brother and sister, I love my congregation, I love my church, I love my truck... I love God.
And we all need love so badly. We seek it out anywhere we can find it. We look for it in a loving family, in church, in Christ's redemption.
Sometimes we look for love in the wrong places, in relationshops that are harmful, that feel like love but realy aren't. In child that returns to an abusive father, becasue it's the closest thing to love she knows. Like anything that has the capasity for good also has the abililty to do evil.
I feel deeply ... well just deeply, that I have so many loving relationships throughout my life. And I know that when I feel coflicted, and the pressure starts fo pile on, all I wanna do is go teach a Sunday School class.
So much for my ramblings on love.
Love y'all
Tim Robbins