Reflections for Sunday (5/30) Pt. III
The sermon is coming along.
My sermon centers on John 16:12-15 and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. (I won't make a link to the trinity, because the trinity is a mystery)
I've got a rough outline:
Intro:
1) How did this idea of the Trinity come about?
a) Probably some theologian in seminary.
b) Doesn't seem to be the case. Ordinary Christians making a confession of their faith.
2) So how does this ancient confession affect our "here and now?"
a) This obsession with the here and now is a little obnoxious to me. Afterall, why must everything relate to my experience right here and now?
b) In fact, Jesus says, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."
3) could it be that there are truths we just can't bear to hear now?
a) The disciples hearing completely how Jesus will end up leaving them; hearing about the fear they will experience; hearing about their deaths. Could they bear all that? Could they bear to completely understand that God is about to die?
4) There must be things we can't bear to hear right here and right now.
a) Buechner quote. Rilke quote
b) We all know there are things we can't bear to hear: The truth about how alone we feel at time; the truth about our doubt, the truth about our fear...
c) What are we to do about these deep truths? Hide from them? Ignore them? Perhaps...
5) Perhaps we do ignore or hide these truths. That isn't what Jesus suggests, though.
a) Instead, the Spirit of Truth comes and the Spirit leads us. We're lead to the truth. Even the truths we can't bear, or the truths we're too afraid to bear.
b) In the midst of all the thing Jesus doesn't say because we can't bear them, the Spirit leads us.
6) The Spirit leads us to all truth.
See, even though we're waiting for Christ to return, Christ's words continued to be proclaimed.
a) The Spirit proclaims what the Spirit hears. What the Spirit hears is what is to come.
7) What is to come?
a) What is to come is that these truths we're afraid of won't define us. Instead, the Spirit will take what is Christ's and give it to you; to us.
b) When we get what is Christ's, Christ is glorified.
8) What is it of Christ's stuff that we get?
a) God's very justice.
9) That's the reality of the here and now...
a) We will face things we cannot bear, but luckily we're not one bearing this. Now we have Christ.
b) We are made into new creatures lead by the spirit, bearing more than we ever could alone because the Spirit has taken what is Christ's (what is God's) and given it to us.
10) In this giving Christ is glorified.
11) And we encounter the Trinity in a very real and personal way. Perhaps my qualm with the obsession with the here and now is a little misplaced.
That's how Jesus' preaching works. It's always breaking into our world and creating a new here and now. The Trinity impacts our life in our hearing that the Spirit is taking what is Christ's and giving it to us: here and now.
~Amen
(FIN)
At this point I need to tighten up points 6-8. I don't want it to get too heady. What do y'all think?
Also, I'd like to make my ending a little better. Any suggestions?
My sermon centers on John 16:12-15 and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. (I won't make a link to the trinity, because the trinity is a mystery)
I've got a rough outline:
Intro:
1) How did this idea of the Trinity come about?
a) Probably some theologian in seminary.
b) Doesn't seem to be the case. Ordinary Christians making a confession of their faith.
2) So how does this ancient confession affect our "here and now?"
a) This obsession with the here and now is a little obnoxious to me. Afterall, why must everything relate to my experience right here and now?
b) In fact, Jesus says, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."
3) could it be that there are truths we just can't bear to hear now?
a) The disciples hearing completely how Jesus will end up leaving them; hearing about the fear they will experience; hearing about their deaths. Could they bear all that? Could they bear to completely understand that God is about to die?
4) There must be things we can't bear to hear right here and right now.
a) Buechner quote. Rilke quote
b) We all know there are things we can't bear to hear: The truth about how alone we feel at time; the truth about our doubt, the truth about our fear...
c) What are we to do about these deep truths? Hide from them? Ignore them? Perhaps...
5) Perhaps we do ignore or hide these truths. That isn't what Jesus suggests, though.
a) Instead, the Spirit of Truth comes and the Spirit leads us. We're lead to the truth. Even the truths we can't bear, or the truths we're too afraid to bear.
b) In the midst of all the thing Jesus doesn't say because we can't bear them, the Spirit leads us.
6) The Spirit leads us to all truth.
See, even though we're waiting for Christ to return, Christ's words continued to be proclaimed.
a) The Spirit proclaims what the Spirit hears. What the Spirit hears is what is to come.
7) What is to come?
a) What is to come is that these truths we're afraid of won't define us. Instead, the Spirit will take what is Christ's and give it to you; to us.
b) When we get what is Christ's, Christ is glorified.
8) What is it of Christ's stuff that we get?
a) God's very justice.
9) That's the reality of the here and now...
a) We will face things we cannot bear, but luckily we're not one bearing this. Now we have Christ.
b) We are made into new creatures lead by the spirit, bearing more than we ever could alone because the Spirit has taken what is Christ's (what is God's) and given it to us.
10) In this giving Christ is glorified.
11) And we encounter the Trinity in a very real and personal way. Perhaps my qualm with the obsession with the here and now is a little misplaced.
That's how Jesus' preaching works. It's always breaking into our world and creating a new here and now. The Trinity impacts our life in our hearing that the Spirit is taking what is Christ's and giving it to us: here and now.
~Amen
(FIN)
At this point I need to tighten up points 6-8. I don't want it to get too heady. What do y'all think?
Also, I'd like to make my ending a little better. Any suggestions?
So, I just wrote you about 15 minutes worth of hardcore typing...and the post never showed up. Sweet if this one works, but it doesn't say anything useful and now I'm just frustrated -- also working on my own sermon -- and don't feel like typing everything out again. Argh. Maybe I'll be able to conjure up my thoughts again in a few minutes, or maybe I'll just be able to tell you in person, but alas, my apologies for this silly Internet glitch.
ReplyDelete