What Comes Next? Performing Music and Proclaiming the Word

Chapter 10, Clayton J. Schmit, “What Comes Next? Performing Music and Proclaiming the Word” pp. 169-190

Schmit compares a sermon to a piece of music, observing that both are effectively intended for aural reception, are prepared, and follow typical conventions. How do the musicians and preacher prepare? Through thorough knowledge of the materials and the conventions of presenting their art form both the musician and preacher can grasp and remember the overall flow of the message. Most pieces of music (Schmit says all) follow a recognizable organizational pattern. They follow naturally to their conclusion. Likewise, the sermon will always have demands and resolution, the gospel promises. In different settings the preparatory style may vary, but the final product always shows familiarity with the style and patterns used.

Schmit’s analysis of music is not always adequate, as the notes on the page or what the musician conceptualized are actual music. But as far as the public performance and transmission of music are concerned he does draw insightful parallels to the world of preaching.

Chapter 1 “Sunday Morning: Evaluating and Planning the Service

Chapter 1 “Sunday Morning: Evaluating and Planning the Service” pp. 13-25

The Sunday morning church service is the time and place where the most obvious and ongoing ministry in the congregation takes place. It is the pastor’s responsibility to treat this as a very valuable opportunity. Willimon suggests the pastor consider how every element of worship contributes. When innovation is necessary it should be coherent and accepted by most of the congregation. Some of this coherence can be established by basing work on the framework of the church calendar and Scripture selections from a lectionary. Care should also be given to the worship space, creation of opportunities to build friendships, and making the worship accessible to the congregation. As the congregation is able to enter into the singing, prayers, preaching and fellowship in an active way, more of the worshipers will receive God’s grace and retain what is being taught.

Willimon, William H. Preaching and Leading Worship. Louisville: The Westminster Press, 1984.

God's Word Takes Form as His People Convey It to One Another

Chapter 9 “God’s Word Takes Form as His People Convey It to One Another” pp. 205-220

God has given a priceless gift in the Word. It is through the Word of God that his people receive new life and find their identity and purpose. Luther therefore recognized the teaching of the Word of God as being of critical importance. If God’s Word is something other than God’s way of communicating himself to us we have neglected God’s gift and cannot remain steadfast.

Luther and Melanchthon viewed God’s Word not as a series of doctrines but as one body of truth. Nothing can be removed or left idle. All must work together or the whole body suffers. It is all organically connected. When we communicate God’s Word, then, sometimes it takes the form of proclamation, while at other times it may take the form of explanation. But the power of God is primarily found in the proclaimed good news of forgiveness.

We rightly respond to God’s Word in prayer, trusting that our Lord can care for all our needs. The life of prayer benefits from both written and improvised prayers. God’s conversation also includes the structures of liturgy which keep us focused on Christ crucified for us. In all our Christian walk, God gives his Gospel and we respond by depending on him. This is the conversation we have with God.

The Preacher's Creative Process

Chapter 9, Jana Childers, “The Preacher’s Creative Process” pp. 153-168

Childers discusses creativity in preaching. She asserts that finding “deep translation” as described on p. 154 is essential. Sadly it is not clear what “deep translation” might be. Childers then shifts focus to talk about studies of creativity. The subject has not been studied systematically until the late nineteenth century. Since then most theorists have articulated some form of definition of an issue, a period of stepping aside from the issue, emergence of an idea, and consideration or testing of the idea. Establishing time and space to step aside from the issue is critical for creativity, including that of art, literature, invention, and problem-solving. Finding the time and space, says Childers, is very difficult for preachers. However, she says the process is necessary, otherwise the Holy Spirit will never give the preacher understanding sufficient to order a powerful sermon.

Childers’ view is made suspect in her references to the Holy Spirit as “she” and her allegations that the Holy Spirit “needs an editor” (p. 165). Yet some of Childers’ suggestions may well be valid. No doubt creativity can and should be fueled by making space for subconscious problem solving. Spending tme in contemplation is of great value.

Sermon for 11/3/13 Revelation 7

Sermon:Every Tear Wiped Away

Picture of fear and terror in the life of Felix the paranoid cat

beloved? safe? terrified?

biblical tension

 law   gospel

 saint   sinner

 have nothing   have everything

 joy   sorrow

Here in Revelation 7 we have saints who have come from the great tribulation. They are people a lot like you and me. They are people a lot like the people whose funerals I’ve conducted this year. In fact, I guess those people are here in Revelation 7. Marlan Bruens, Marian Harms, Don Theesfeld, Lafe Milar, Marylyn St. Germain. Whenever I do something like that I’m always afraid I missed someone. I hope I didn’t.

These people, all who have died in Christ, have come out of the great tribulation. That’s another piece of biblical tension.

We’re in the tribulation.

 time of suffering

 time when people are killed for their faith

 time when some people simply die in Christ

 time when people die apart from Christ, which is the truly terrible thing in all of this

At the same time the we see we are in a millennial period.

 Christ is ruling in his kingdom.

 Sins are forgiven.

 The Holy Spirit is saving people.

 The Church of God goes forth to destroy the works of the devil.

Counter example - Left Behind series - tries to draw a picture of a future time of tribulation, tries to create a millennial reign of Christ but can’t work out the details. We can talk about that in Bible class if we need to. It doesn’t work. Throughout history the picture has been consistent. Jesus reigns in the lives of all believers. We are in a millennium, a thousand-year reign of peace, that time that is so big and wonderful we can’t count it. We’re in that time. At the same time, we’re in a world that is cursed by sin. We’re in a period of tribulation. The seven years suggests completion. It is a time when we endure hardship, even death, for the cause of Christ. We’re in both at once. Don’t look at popular attempts at writing a Christian thriller with a teaching point that says you have to believe well enough. That’s man-centered, works salvation. The Bible never gives us that.

We look around ourselves. Just like the Bible pictures it, we’re dying, one by one, day by day. And if the Lord waits for another hundred years, there’s not a one of us who will be here.

 surrounded by tribulation

 surrounded by trials

 tired of wrestling

 tired of losing

 tired of loneliness

 tired of pain

What will we do?

The day is coming, it will be at a different time for different people, when we are ushered out of this life, out of this life that’s full of joy and full of pain, this life that’s at the same time in the millennium and in the tribulation, into eternity.

For those who trust that Jesus is their savior . . .

 robes of white washed in the blood of the lamb

 we have given our lives to Jesus

 we have given our lives for Jesus

 we have confessed our sin

 he has given us his righteousness

 we have given filthy rags

 he has cleansed us and clothed us for eternity

Unlike the people who have to trust on how well they believe, we have true good news.

Are we scared sometimes? Discouraged sometimes? Yes. And no doubt, just like the differences between Felix the cat and myself, we’re bothered by different events. The way we view the world and our life is different. But the troubles are just as real for Felix as they are for me. The fear of ruin is just as great, maybe greater, for him, than for me.

Do we trust ourselves? If we do, we’d better run and hide somewhere.

Do we trust Jesus? His perfect love casts out all fear.

Jesus has accomplished salvation on our behalf. We trust on what he has done, not on how well we believe. He has taken care of our salvation. Trusting in him we will stand before his throne.

 come weak

 come weary

 come last, lost, least

Trust that Jesus is your redeemer. Know that he will deliver you from your tribulation. He will wipe every tear from your eye. He will present you before his throne.

Jesus has given himself - body and blood, life and all, for you.

The Means of Grace as Forms of God's Word

Chapter 8 “The ‘Means of Grace’ as Forms of God’s Word.” pp. 175-203

God works in this world through words. He speaks and things happen. The Reformers saw that God also used material elements, especially clearly in the Old Testament, to accomplish His will. So God’s Word was often combined with a physical element as God gave grace. Luther therefore identified “means of grace” as ways God would use words and physical elements to accomplish his will. These means of grace are specifically recognized as baptism and communion, as well as the absolution which accompanies confession. These are all occasions when God’s words of forgiveness and life are proclaimed and a certain physicality is present. As opposed to a mystical or magical view, Luther saw the pastor as bearing responsibility, not merely power. There is also an interpersonal element in the means of grace, as in every case God’s Word is transferred from one person to another. As God’s Word is proclaimed, considered and shared the Lord speaks his power and grace into the believer. Against opponents in the Roman church and in the radical Reformation, Luther refused to address how God’s grace is imparted. He insisted rather that God be permitted to make his own rules of engagement, including imparting gifts via Word and Sacrament.