Saturday, May 10, 2008

Your Answer Please!

Last Sunday, May 4th, as I gave the announcements to the congregation , without prior thought, I asked if anyone remembered what was special about next Sunday, May 11th. Several called out, "Mothers Day". I then asked if anyone remembered anything else special about it. No answers were given. I reminded everyone that it was also Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the church and asked, "Which is more important - Mothers Day or Pentecost?"

Later in the day my mind went back to the question and God seemed to say to me, "Your answer please!" You see I had planned a Mothers Day message for May 11th. So, this week I have been prompted by the Lord, I believe, to change my sermon to focus on the Holy Spirit. I will be preaching from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and focus on what we are to do with our bodies since they are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

I have been asking other preachers this week what their sermons are about this Sunday. So far they are all planning on preaching a Mothers Day message. I wonder if I am making to much of this tension between Mothers Day and Pentecost. We will still have a Mothers Day emphasis in the services (including a funny video in the 11 am service) but I feel that the proclamation of the Word should focus on the coming of the Holy Spirit.

My conviction is that since I only have 7 more Sunday morning messages in Bessemer City (next Sunday I will be preaching in Neighbors Grove Wesleyan) they all are taking on an added weight of importance to me. I guess I ought to have that sense of urgency every week. But let's get back to the point of this post - Mothers Day vs Pentecost.

So, what was the sermon Scripture and topic in your services on May 11th? I really would like to know. So, post a comment with your answer please!

1 comment:

Elizabeth B. said...

Our preacher did a Pentecost sermon this morning (asking the same question of which was better to do for church Mother's Day or Pentecost), though he did do a couple of special things for the moms in the service. My friend Keith at school (who is a preacher at a UM church) when he realized Pentecost was this Sunday, said he was going to change his message from a mother's day one to a Pentecost one. So, so far you've got 2 votes for Pentecost! :-)