NOTE: I just have to say I'm extraordinarily proud to be a US citizen today. I deeply admire both Barak Obama and John McCain for the fine speeches they gave last night and I'm amazingly hopeful that the country so decisively chose hope over fear. I’m not that old but I have never witnessed the kind of jubilation I did last night.
But Election Tuesday did not shine with all the brilliance it could because Proposition 8 was passed in CA, which is the first amendment in CA history to deny rights to people. Had the millions of dollars poured into the campaign from sources outside the state and the country (all from religious sources) not fed this campaign that used lies to create fear about same-sex marriage, it would not have passed. Our President-elect is right. We have alot of work to do. I am hopeful that we can overturn this.
The Sermon
Writing sermons is a uniquely humbling experience.
And although I was told this would happen, I didn’t quite believe it.
Sermon 1… I did a pretty decent job… especially for a first sermon. I liked it. I got lots of good feedback from it. It was emotional, poignant… it challenged the text and opened it up. It had a social justice theme embedded in it. In general, I did a pretty good job even with the shaky first time delivery.
Sermon 2… pretty much the same deal. Not as emotional, but even more thoughtful. Showed some real promise. Better delivery… after all, I had done this before so I’m no amateur at this point. Improvement… we’re on the right track.
Sermon 3… ok. Not my best effort, but it’s still in the ballpark. I can chalk it up to lack of preparation.
Now, this semester… I’m taking a preaching class. So, I’ve lost track of which number I’m on although I don’t think I’m in the double digits yet. Most of them have been pretty good and I've taken a few chances with some new technique.
But what’s more important is that I’ve hit the point where I’ve been sorely defeated by my text. And I don’t mean that I just lost the battle… I mean that I was ripped open, chewed up, spit out, trampled on, yelled at, beat down, torn apart and otherwise thinly filleted… all by a bunch of words.
Who knew that I would come to this point so early in my career? I was told this would happen.
I suppose I can learn from this experience. Right? That’s what they tell you… you learn from your struggles, your mistakes. OK.
But I haven’t even given the sermon yet… that doesn’t happen until this Sunday. So I get 3 grueling days of agonizing over this sermon… the first sermon I will give to my internship parish. The first time many of these people will hear anything about what I have to say… possibly the last if it goes that bad.
I’m sure it’s not as bad as I think it is. I’m sure it’s going to be fine.
So, let’s go for the lesson. Ah yes, the lesson.
It came at lunch yesterday. After I moaned about doing this sermon on this text for the bazillionth time, my friend said,
“I know it’s going to be fine because God wouldn’t put you up there in front of all those people and not give you anything to say.”
Oh yeah… God.
So, that’s what this is about.
Ah humility! My old friend.
Where would I be without you?
Apparently, God just decided to let me know I could do it… this preaching thing… whet my appetite a bit so that I would follow through. God let me like this preaching thing. But then, God doesn’t always play fair… and by that, I mean, that God doesn’t play by my rules.
When I facilitate small group discussions, I say a very simple prayer that goes something like this. “Let me get out of the way.” This makes more sense when it’s a small group discussion because, everyone else is talking and I’m just guiding.
Apparently, I need my prayer again.
It’s a little different now…
After all, the preacher is to be up in front of people, the only one speaking for about 10-15 minutes… so I get to learn how to get people’s attention but get out of the way at the same time.
OK… I’m game.
Holy Spirit… bring it on!
Just so you can laugh along with me, here’s the text that defeated the Great Sermon Ego.
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.