Why Do You People Write Sermons & Stuff? — part 2

[Quick Review: Not long ago I wrote here , “How Do You People Write Sermons & Stuff?”

A question that may well precede it is, “Why Do You People Write Sermons and Stuff?”

First Big Reason —

How can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims,

But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: “Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?” The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to. (Romans 10:14-17, the Message version)

— Not real subtle.

But really real.]

Second Big Reason —

God’s called us. We’ve responded.

Part of our response, in our way to doing things in The United Methodist Church, is that we are tasked with what the New Testament calls literally “the preach-ment.”

At our ordination we hear these words from The Bishop: “Take thou authority to preach the Word of God and to administer the holy sacraments in the congregation.”

We do.

And we take that very seriously.

As if life depends on it. Because it does.

Because life beyond this life also depends on it.

Pastors: good reminders here for us.

Laity: good reminders here for all of us.

Thanks be unto God for all the opportunities!