The Theme of Preaching

Gospel: Mark 1: 7-11

Priests and ministers are always looking for sermon material and the next great idea for a sermon series.  Texts will be consulted, pre-packaged programs are purchased, and the religious publishers make a great deal of money in selling pastors on all this media.  But today's Gospel provides the only sermon series that matters.  The theme of John's preaching was the coming of the Lord Jesus.  In this theme alone we have two complete sermon series.

First, what was the first coming of the Lord Jesus like? Here we can unpack the Gospels week by week, looking at the words and deeds of Jesus both in their historical context and what they mean for us today.  How is Jesus calling us to live? What values are central in these passages and how can I appropriate those values in my life as a Christian disciple in the 21st century?  This sermon series can last three years, going through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke in a constant meditation on Jesus' first coming in the world.

The second series would then be a reflection on the coming of Jesus in our lives in the here and now.  Jesus came into the world in time.  Jesus continues to be born in the world - born in the hearts of men and women called to bear and bring forth Jesus in their lives in whatever times and places they live.  What does that coming of Jesus look like? How can we bring Jesus into the world by our words and deeds today?