Comments on: What to preach?

By: Stefanie

Stefanie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:15:15 +0000

I realize this is post 4th, but I wanted to comment. I was on vacation for the 4th–so I didn’t have to write a sermon. However, I attended my husband’s home church that weekend. I was sad to see how much we seemed to “worship” America before we ever even talked about God. There was a 15 minute special music presentation at the very beginning of the service that talked about “how glad I am to be an American” etc. Sigh. I would have definitely preached about God and country–we are citizens of the kingdom of God first, America second.

By: terry

terry — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:37:29 +0000

Your sermon really brought it home with the part about Zora falling asleep in your arms while the fireworks were going. She was in good hand and not a worry!

By: Dan Vos

Dan Vos — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:10:33 +0000

Hi Erica,

Lisa regularly reads your blog and drew my attention to this, a little after your hoped-for deadline. My humble advice, if you are considering option #6, would be to look at 1 Peter 2:13-17. Particularly verse 17, which says, “Show the proper respect to everyone, love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” I like it, because it relativizes patriotism (notice what comes last on that list, even though Peter has just been talking about submitting to the authority of government). So I think there is room to talk, both positively and negatively, about our relationship to God and country.

I find (as someone who only gets a little bit of US network TV in my life) that the Air Force has a galling tag line “Above All” on their current advertising. If I were preaching on 1 Peter this weekend, that would probably work its way in as an illustration of a line being crossed. However, I’m working on Genesis 3 for the morning and Galatians 3:26-4:7 for the evening.

~Dan

By: susan

susan — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:16:54 +0000

I’d go with #6. I just read a great series of articles about the Belhar Confession in Perspectives…that could be a nice theological bridge for your piece given the recent discussion on it at GA last week. Good luck!

By: ms rev or not

ms rev or not — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:23:59 +0000

i think i’m doing genesis, but i’m not sure yet. i’m about to start seriously contemplating.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:06:18 +0000

I am at the same loss. I finished up a really fun, invigorating series on Creation. I’m taking vacation July 13th. So what the heck to do in that odd holiday weekend between??

Maybe psalm 146. But since this was also our music director’s last Sunday, we’re a little too worn down for much by way of prophetic preaching. I just do not know.

By: Meika

Meika — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:36:05 +0000

I’d vote for #6. I tend to have the same take on God and country, but I don’t think you necessarily have to treat it from that angle. It’s a time where there’s a lot of nationalism floating around - so (how) should we celebrate our national identity as Christ-followers? In addition to Ps 146, you have the discussion of our being strangers in a foreign land. On the other hand, there are the bits that talk about honoring rulers as those whom God set in authority over us.

You know, our Reformedness allows - no, requires :) - us to consider how all things might be redeemed - even nationalism. In all seriousness, I think this is a good topic *because* of all the God-bless-America drivel that flies around so mindlessly. Our national identity is a huge part of who we are; reconciling this with who we are as Christians strikes me as a very worthwhile and apropos topic.

By: Meg

Meg — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:49:09 +0000

I think Psalm 146 makes for a kick @$$ sermon on the 4th. I preached it last year on the weekend of the 1st (which, in Canada, is basically the same deal as the 4th.)