The best sermon...

Once again, I learned an easy lesson the hard way. All week long, I have been trying to figure out what I was supposed to preach. I read, I prayed, I pondered, but nothing would come together. I was supposed to kickoff our new series Community 4-1-1 and I had nothing! On Saturday night, I almost decided to preach the text that I had planned for the conclusion/summary week, but I just wasn't settled about it. So, I went to bed and set the alarm for 5am so I could get up and hoepfully have some great revelation to put down on paper. As I climbed out of bed at 6:16am, I realized that I was doomed. I don't work this way. I plan my sermons weeks in advance and write my outlines by the Monday or Tuesday before. I do this so God has all week to "preach" the sermon to me. I seldom have the application of the topic masstered in my own life, but I at least want to give God a chance to begin the molding/shaping process. It also gives me a chance to see it happening around me before preaching about it. (whatever the "it" is that week) Anyway, I climbed into the shower and cried out to God and there it was. It was as if He had been trying to tell me all week long and I hadn't been listening. You see, all week, I had been asking for a sermon that would excite and encourage our church family about joing or leading a LIFE Group, and He had been trying to tell me that I wasn't supposed to preach. Well, sometimes (alot of times) I can be pretty thick headed, but I got it and we had a great time together yesterday. Some of you already know the outcome, but for those who don't, I will explain. Instead of me urging, encouraging, and begging people to try something a little scary or uncomfortable, we asked people who have truly experienced "community" through being in a LIFE Group to share. And they did... I think it was the best sermon on "living in community" that I have ever heard. From all walks of life, ages, and backgrounds they came. It was awesome to hear the difference that sharing life with others can make. One of our core values is "community" and another is "people" and now we see why. It's not that we didn't know already, but it was incredible to hear how much of a difference it makes when people let down their guards, sacrifice of the lives and time, and enter into "community" together. It is almost as if God wanted us to be his "body" or something. My prayer for today is that all people could/will know Jesus personally, but not indiviually. We are better together.
IT'S ABOUT WE, NOT JUST ME!