One of the many things I do as a missionary is preach at local churches. This past Sunday (yesterday) was just a little different. I didn't preach my usual third sermon to a church that had already heard me twice before. I actually hadn't preached the sermon since about seven years ago.
It was awkward. It just was. I really thought all week that I would talk about the Greatest Commandment and how God wants us to love Him and the second like it, love others more than we love ourselves. But something just didn't seem to fit.
Sunday a week ago the guest preacher (and my supervisor who is the Director of Mission) talked about "how deep is your love" so I thought a sermon on love would just continue the thought he shared with the congregation last week. I thought that could work, but something deep within just was not quite right. Then i thought of tying in the adulteress woman's story and the call to love we have and add the Shema (the Jewish confession of faith) found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
So in stuggle and wrestling, I changed my sermon Saturday early evening. I decided to shoot back 7 years ago this month to the very sermon I had written in manuscript and spoken orally for a class grade in homiletics during j-term. And then the thought hit me-- what if everyone in the audience and myself took off our shoes before I preached (just after we read the text of Moses and the burning bush) the Exodus 3:1-9 text.
Ridiculous, unheard of, very far-fetched (yes, to all of those). But it worked. The following is the church's website where you can watch the special soloist and myself preach: http://www.langstonbaptist.com/ondemand/ for a good look at all the shoes at the alter of the church, forward to 12 minutes 3 seconds.
The sermon wasn't the best, and I know it. It was within the text, accurate to the best of my ability, but just not my best. I think though, looking back, the text hit home because the church experienced the text.
Maybe I'm rambling, but it's my blog anyhow. I just thought for down the road, someone may have a very far-fetched idea like I had, and maybe know that sometimes God works in far-fetched ways to get His people to experience His Word.
ps. By the way, the church also held baby dedication. The gentleman who led this dedication time (as the church is without a Pastor), read the Deuteronomy 6:4-9 text. God is "I AM"!
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