So there I was. Seventeen years old. Preparing for my second time preaching ever.
I remember wanting to make it great. I wanted to tie in tons of great stories. I wanted it to be deep and compelling, as well as convicting. (I didn't preach often, my youth pastor let students preach when they wanted to) I wanted it to be perfect and for people to talk about it for years to come.
I still have the notes for that message in my old Bible.
Fast Forward eight years to present day. I now prepare multiple messages a week. The technique has changed. The style has changed. The presentation has changed. Sometimes I still want to "wow" the congregation in front of me with stuff they never noticed before.
Rewind to last night. Sitting in front of my computer. Tropical Storm going on around me. Trying to find ways to kill time. I open up an online Bible and start reading 1 Corinthians. Namely, 1 Corinthians 1:17-31.
I got a punch to the gut.
I remember thinking back to all the times when I used to plan such intricate details to my messages to sound so eloquent and sound deep and ominous when talking about the Bible.
But Paul writes here that the Cross would be emptied of its power.
The Cross. The cornerstone of our faith. The sacrifice of the Son of God. Emptied of all of its power because I tried to make it be a good public speaking opportunity.
I've read this passage dozens of times. 1 Corinthians is probably my favorite book in the Bible. I am familiar with this passage. God chooses to use certain passages of Scripture at certain points in our lives to convict us the most.
This passage tells us that God chooses to use the ones who are "not wise according to worldly standards". God is choosing to use the poor, the broken, the unintelligent, the non-witty, the socially awkward, the stutterer, the shy, and the uncomfortable to reach the lost.
The Gospel is so simple that those are the perfect tools. The Gospel is not a topic that requires years and years of schooling. The Gospel is not a topic that you can perfectly create a message around so that it is guaranteed that someone will accept Christ because of the emotions they felt during the message because of lighting and the aura of the room.
The Gospel is so simple.
Love.
Jesus loves us (sinners) enough to die on a cross (crucifixion) so that we may spend eternity with Him (Heaven).
That's it.
No bells or whistles. No special chants. No crazy rituals. That's it.
I pray we realize that, lest the cross be emptied of its power.
I remember wanting to make it great. I wanted to tie in tons of great stories. I wanted it to be deep and compelling, as well as convicting. (I didn't preach often, my youth pastor let students preach when they wanted to) I wanted it to be perfect and for people to talk about it for years to come.
I still have the notes for that message in my old Bible.
Fast Forward eight years to present day. I now prepare multiple messages a week. The technique has changed. The style has changed. The presentation has changed. Sometimes I still want to "wow" the congregation in front of me with stuff they never noticed before.
Rewind to last night. Sitting in front of my computer. Tropical Storm going on around me. Trying to find ways to kill time. I open up an online Bible and start reading 1 Corinthians. Namely, 1 Corinthians 1:17-31.
I got a punch to the gut.
I remember thinking back to all the times when I used to plan such intricate details to my messages to sound so eloquent and sound deep and ominous when talking about the Bible.
But Paul writes here that the Cross would be emptied of its power.
The Cross. The cornerstone of our faith. The sacrifice of the Son of God. Emptied of all of its power because I tried to make it be a good public speaking opportunity.
I've read this passage dozens of times. 1 Corinthians is probably my favorite book in the Bible. I am familiar with this passage. God chooses to use certain passages of Scripture at certain points in our lives to convict us the most.
This passage tells us that God chooses to use the ones who are "not wise according to worldly standards". God is choosing to use the poor, the broken, the unintelligent, the non-witty, the socially awkward, the stutterer, the shy, and the uncomfortable to reach the lost.
The Gospel is so simple that those are the perfect tools. The Gospel is not a topic that requires years and years of schooling. The Gospel is not a topic that you can perfectly create a message around so that it is guaranteed that someone will accept Christ because of the emotions they felt during the message because of lighting and the aura of the room.
The Gospel is so simple.
Love.
Jesus loves us (sinners) enough to die on a cross (crucifixion) so that we may spend eternity with Him (Heaven).
That's it.
No bells or whistles. No special chants. No crazy rituals. That's it.
I pray we realize that, lest the cross be emptied of its power.
Wow, babe! That right there is punch in the gut! The Bible and its message is all one needs to know the power of God's love and He takes us from there!
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