For whatever a reason might be, I am speaking the message tomorrow in our home church in Rowlett and I continue to struggle with the message. I have thought throught it over and over it again for weeks, trying to write it down but coming up with nothing. Yet, I am no so much worries about not getting it done, but more worried about delivering a message that is sufficient to what God is planning for the morning.
It's almost a 'preaching block' just as writers might have 'writers block.' I know the scripture. I know the main points. I know what is trying to be said, but when it comes to weaving it together to create a sermon I go blank.
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Hi Curtis,
The ongoing, "stirring within" you is something I can relate to. I've had one for several years with regards to my ministry and am in the process of figuring out why my soul won't rest when my physical body stays in rest mode. What is my purpose? Where should I spend what little energy I have.
I wanted to share a quote from Mother Teresa that helps me. She said, "Holiness does not consist in doing extraordinary things. It consists in accepting with a smile (my note - emphasizing the attitude), what Jesus sends us. It consists in accepting and following the will of God."
I think the answer to the architect's question about what to do with intelligence and talent is do both but only with a smile of grace.
As for tradition, I think that the only reason it is leaving us is because the history and heart of the traditions are not being taught. The richness of why we do what we do is not being communicated and it's coming across as nonsense to the un-churched. I respectfully disagree that Jesus did not follow any format and went about constantly throwing out tradition. Jesus kept the sabbath in it's original intent, went away for solitary prayer as opposed to being public and for show, and celebrated passover. What made him different than the Jewish leaders was where his heart was. I just think we need to look at our traditions through the eyes of someone who has never been to church before, to somehow show how this is supposed to be about God's love for all.
I'm taking Wes' class about communion and at first thought, what in the world could we possibly talk about for four weeks about communion? I have come to find out there is so much I did not know about the history of this tradition let alone it's original purposes. The entire catholic worship is centered around communion and I grew up catholic yet I never understood it or noticed the significance. I mean, I realized we had it every time but my grandmother's baptist church did it maybe once a quarter but I never knew why. This is just one of those very important traditions that every Christian should be educated about and do as often as possible as John Wesley also suggested.
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