I’ve really been stressing this week about this sermon. And really the whole day. If you don’t know, Father’s Day is one of our big days at Parkview. We have the Car and Bike show Saturday, and I always do a big entrance, and we really pull out all the stops. And the message just wasn’t there.
I was away at an excellent retreat this week with Bob Russell (who will be preaching for us in a month) and it was really good for Denise and I to be with these other pastors and wives. But it meant no time for prep or normal work. So everything else suffers – one way or another.
Then I was listening to Shine.fm this morning and Johnny said, “Do you know how you sometimes go for too long without being into the Word on your own?” And I said, "Yes, I know that – I wasn’t in the Word for me this week. I was doing other soul stuff, but not in the Word for me."
So instead of finishing up the sermon on my own and scrambling around to meet deadlines, I got into the Word for me. And I actually started reading, but it didn’t do anything for me. Until it hit me that I’d passed right over the thing God wanted to tell me today.
Luke 12:11-12 When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.
How long have I been doing this? Full time ministry for 27 years now. I’m still an idiot.
As I talk about being Transformed this weekend – one of the major points is that we don’t Transform ourselves – God does it.
We are being transformed into his likeness …which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:1
That was my point, but somehow I thought I was going to transform you with my sermon – duh. Or maybe that I was going to transform my own sermon. But the beauty of living in grace is that we have a mighty Father in heaven who transforms. Who tells us what to say (or write), if we will listen.
Right after the “don’t worry about what to say” passage, Jesus tells us not to worry about anything, because our Heavenly Father takes care of the birds and the flowers and he’s probably big enough to take care of us too.
I’m an idiot.
Be here this weekend. We also have Mosaic in to lead worship; my daughter is in the group. They will be on Shine.fm (89.7) sometime tomorrow morning at 9:30 am. And they have a concert for us on Saturday night at 7:30 pm. Their new worship album is awesome.
Father’s Day will be incredible – so don’t miss it. God said he would be there!
Tim
AMEN! GOD takes care of HIS own :) Can't wait!
Posted by: Paula | June 18, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Really needed this today, thanks PT. Can't wait for this weekend!
Posted by: JohnMReynolds | June 18, 2010 at 02:11 PM
Mosaic was completely and utterly awesome. I could listen to them all day long. As a matter of fact, I think I will, I have their CD. The service was completely cool and completely on target. You got it across today big time. Loved it and went away feeling I had some transforming to do. :)
Posted by: J. Schedin | June 20, 2010 at 09:15 PM
DUDE! Awesome entrance. You didn't disappoint. Kudos to the costume designer. Bravo Mosaic. Got the CD. God Bless all the Dads!
Posted by: Mr. Puggle® | June 20, 2010 at 10:15 PM
I haven't preached in a long, long time, but when I did, I made it a point to plan only 95% of my sermon. I wanted to leave some space for improv because, more often than not, that's where the Spirit shows up, getting me to say things I hadn't planned on saying.
Lest we forget, we're just the hose. God is the water. And water makes things grow.
Posted by: Brian Leo | June 21, 2010 at 09:00 AM