Quite often, Jesus talks about things that I don’t know much about. A man may have gone out to sow – but I know precious little about agriculture. A father may have said goodbye to a prodigal son but I know nothing about having a jealous brother. A young man may have been told not to look back from the plough – but my soft hands, have clearly never touched a plough in their life.
However in the Gospel today, Jesus does stray into an area where I know a thing or two.
He is talking about (more…)
I think I would add: if it does not matter to you, yourself, then don’t imagine it is likely to matter to anybody else. Find, if you can, the point where your concerns and the concerns of the text cross. Better to say a very little that matters, than a lot which really does not.
Also: read (to yourself, before you start) the whole passage you are going to speak on and read what comes before and after. You do not have to agree with it. You do have to enter into dialogue with it. Supine agreement of Scripture is not (in my opinion) required. Taking it seriously, is.
[…] Dent-de-Lion by admin Posted on November 2, 2012 Six Points for Preachers […]
I’ve noticed how uncomfortable preachers are with the word ‘love’. Discounting the times in is used in a pre-set theological phrase like ‘love of Christ’ as sort of a plug in, I rarely hear it in sermons.
Its a reason to be Episcopalian – if the preacher avoids love, you can always hear it – or see it- or taste it – in the Eucharist.
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To the Diocesan Council for the first time this morning. The average age was a little alarming, however, some of the debate was lively. Has Mission 21 been a success or a failure? That was one of the issues we started to talk about. Lots of local successes I think. Rather like the curate’s egg…
At the once a year gathering of the SEC Organisational Review Committee today. This is the one which makes recommendations about How the General Synod Works. You have to be a synod nerd to really enjoy this kind of thing and such people are fortunately rather thin on the ground. I tend to wave my…
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