Going to Jail?

With Great-aunt ShortElizabeth on ViewIt seems a real threat that I’m going to be in jail in just a few days. The charge, you ask? Kidnapping, of course. The latest word is that Elizabeth will still be in the hospital until Sunday or Monday. Since David, Cyndee, Joy (5) will join Sherry and me for the weekend there, I have to have her nearby. So I won’t kidnap her far, nor will there be any ransom demands. I just will walk her out the door to Donn’s house, holding her a lot! She’s completely free of lines other than her oxygen assist, eating heartily, but still unable to take and retain enough food by mouth to sustain herself. So she needs some tube feeding, Donn says. But as you can see from the picture, she delights her great aunt. You can also verify that she’s unconnected other than the oxygen and a couple of monitors. And she’s REALLY cute!

I’m super glad technology that I can get e-pictures from Donn and post them on the website for you to enjoy. I think how recently doing pictures involved rolls of film, developing, posting and such. I am on Facebook with many of my friends residing in places like Lebanon or Tunisia. I can exchange pictures, status reports, greetings and information, sharing it with many other friends living all over the world. E-cards enable me to give quick, cute, inspirational greetings with people. It’s amazing how billions of emails, e-pictures, e-cards arrive instantly in destinations all over the world. The down side, of course, is when an e-card doesn’t get there. Usually one doesn’t even know it didn’t arrive unless there’s mention of it in a comment. Then a replacement card is very precious, but doesn’t quite make up for the disappointment that the intended greeting didn’t arrive.

I’m preaching on Luke 1 on December 16. Imagine with me what’s involved in doing that whole chapter in a single 30 minute sermon. Getting a totally overwhelmed screen? So am I! Do I do a big picture sermon? Do I focus in on one element of the story? If so, which one? The familiar annunciation? The prophetic song of Zechariah? Help!!

Happy Advent Season!

3 thoughts on “Going to Jail?

  1. Thanks for your good suggestions, Gerry. Those were some of the very passages that I’ve been thinking about (specifically starting in Gen. 3:15). Guess we’re always going to face the problem of how to tackle such monumental issues in limited slots of time. Lord, help us 🙂

  2. This is a good suggestion, Tom. How do we respond when God invades our life?

    On the OT passages, I’d start with Gen 3:15, the “seed” in Abraham, the hope in Moses (like Deut 18, 32 and 34), the songs of Messiah (Psa 9-10; 22-24, etc.), the need for a better ruler in 2 Sam 7 (and such), the expectation of a special child in Isa 7 and 9, and the triumph of Zechariah. But how to do that is three lessions is beyond me!

  3. Hi Gerry,

    That’s a tough assignment! Who came up with the crazy idea of doing all of chapter one? Here’s a thought: You could focus on the songs of Mary and Zechariah, how they are a response to the wonderful, mind-blowing revelations they received, specifically with regard to the fulfillment of the promised Messiah and the salvation he will bring.

    Or…you could focus on how the synonymous parallelism of vv.46 and 47 argue against trichotomy, but that might not go over as well.

    Now here’s my request for help. This month I’m teaching a 3 part series (entitled “The Coming of the King) for our Wednesday night service. My idea is to focus on Old Testament passages that lay the foundation for the expectation of the Messiah. I want people to understand that Jesus didn’t just show up on the scene one day unannounced before the angel’s announcement. I’ve thought of looking at the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants. Pretty sure I’ll do Is. 9. I want to be sure to make them sermons, rather than just straight teaching with little encouragement, exhortation, etc. Know what I mean? Any ideas?

    Have fun with your family! Sounds like you already are.

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