Great Stuff, Mike! I hope some of your pastors take you up on the suggestion to simply read the sermon together with their congregation, and take their study time for some quiet reflection. That won’t fly with my colleagues … but it might if our bishop encouraged it!
I was privileged to be in the listening audience in Galveston as you made this Bible study presentation and was so glad to see it on-line since I couldn’t write notes as furiously as I wanted to while you spoke! Thanks so much for your wisdom and for your inspiration. I’m rather looking forward to preaching tomorrow. +tbs
By the way: this poem, by anti-apartheid activist and author, Alan Paton, reminds me of what we mean to say when we preach The Beatitudes.
O Lord, open my eyes
that I may see the needs of others,
open my ears that I may hear their cries,
open my heart so that they need not be without succor.
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak
because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor
because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to these places.
Open my eyes and ears that I may, this coming day,
be able to do some work of peace for you.
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January 24, 2011 at 10:48 pm
Great Stuff, Mike! I hope some of your pastors take you up on the suggestion to simply read the sermon together with their congregation, and take their study time for some quiet reflection. That won’t fly with my colleagues … but it might if our bishop encouraged it!
January 29, 2011 at 1:11 pm
I was privileged to be in the listening audience in Galveston as you made this Bible study presentation and was so glad to see it on-line since I couldn’t write notes as furiously as I wanted to while you spoke! Thanks so much for your wisdom and for your inspiration. I’m rather looking forward to preaching tomorrow. +tbs
By the way: this poem, by anti-apartheid activist and author, Alan Paton, reminds me of what we mean to say when we preach The Beatitudes.
O Lord, open my eyes
that I may see the needs of others,
open my ears that I may hear their cries,
open my heart so that they need not be without succor.
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak
because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor
because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to these places.
Open my eyes and ears that I may, this coming day,
be able to do some work of peace for you.