A Sermon: Get Over It Already

Been a while since I posted, again...  Happy New Year!

I preached this morning at Union UMC, Boston, and here is a transcript for it.  As always, I didn't follow the 'script verbatim, but it's close.  A slightly more academic version of this was also preached for my Intro to Preaching class at school this past week, but I wrote it with Sunday morning in mind.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Podcast: Not sure if one was made today or not, but I'll try to find out!

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Coincidences?

I actually do believe in coincidences.  I believe that God is still active in the world, and probably even (since my theology says so) that He knows what's going to happen to us...  But by virtue of the fact that He gave us free will, I also believe in real, genuine, true coincidences.

Shortly after I posted my first sermon here (Why Can't We All Be So Lucky), a "coincidence" happened.  My dad works with a man who's currently in the army, but is considering going back to school - seminary.  They're office-mates at work, so my dad overheard this man talking to his mentor on the phone about "How do you know you've been called to ministry?"

If you've read the sermon, you know it was all about finding your call, and having the faith to deal with it.  I have to add here something I didn't put into the sermon.  Not everyone has just one call - sometimes God has many roads for you, depending on where you are in life.  But the main point is, I wrote the sermon the same week as this man was struggling with his calling, and my dad was able to overhear the phone call (and [sorry dad] my father doesn't have the best hearing).  Apparently, my sermong did mean something to the guy.  I don't know if it helped him reconcile what he was feeling at all, but if it provided even the least bit of comfort, well?  You've got to think this is one of those coincidences God might have had a hand in.

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A Sermon: Christian Love

I took a class at the end of August on "Race and American Christianity."  For my final project, I decided to write a sermon.  On September 12, I preached a majorly slimmed down version at a contemporary service; now that I've actually e-mailed the thing in (today) I'm posting the sermon here pretty much in full.

I'm not the most PC person around - in fact, I often delight in not being PC.  I'm not an ultra-liberal, but nor am I ultra-conservative.  Mostly, I just believe in basic human rights, and in the God of the New Covenant - the God of Love.  This sermon isn't supposed to say how to behave politically, or even socially.  It's just supposed to be a reminder to love everyone.

Scripture for this sermon: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 and Ephesians 4:1-6

Par for course, it appears to be a full manuscript, but I doubt I'd ever preach it exactly as written.

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