If you’re reading this, it means that it is midnight where I live. I am currently at Midnight Mass, so I’ll leave you with a Christmas Greeting until I get back. (Since I am too cheap to send you cards.)
Merry Christmas my friends, and have a peaceful and Christ filled day.
Hoo Ha Ha!!!
By now you may have seen this, it seems to be floating around the internet.
It’s not a very original concept, but the music is awesome. (IMHO)
Do you take notes during the sermon?
I have to admit I never have. I am of the school of “If you write something down, you give yourself permission to forget it.” and “It’s easier to pay attention when you’re listening and looking.”
Also it probably helps that I have a pretty good memory, so if you ask me questions about sermons I have heard in the past, I can probably tell you the bones of it anyway.
Unless of course it’s really bad, but in that case you know I would only be drawing pictures of Bat-Man in the margins anyway, so sermon notes won’t help.
But I digress. (Frequently)
I have never really been a fan of taking notes during sermons, and I especially get a little freaked out when people write down what I’m saying when I preach. Maybe it’s a lawyer thing, I want to be able to deny the heresies later.
Recently however, Cyndi over at Atypical Pastor’s Wife ran a series of posts about sermon notes. She called them….
Sermon Notes
Sermon Notes pt 2
Sermon Notes – the finale.
And after reading them, especially part 2, I have been taking notes at all the sermons I hear for the last three weeks. So, pop over and read the posts. If they can change the mind of a stubborn fish (for a while at least) then there might be something there for you.
The book is focused on the question of whether God uses simple, ordinary people to advance his Kingdom. Of course we know this is true, but sometimes it helps to be reminded. One of my favourite lines is “We do not hear ‘I was sick and you healed me’ or ‘I was in prison and you liberated me.’ The works of Mercy are simple deeds. And yet in these simple deeds, we serve Jesus.”
The book has 16 short chapter, of about 5 or 6 pages each. Each chapter focuses on a simple aspect of service to others, and out own attitudes towards Christ and his call to change the world. As always, Max Lucado makes it all seem to straightforward.
I like the structure, which I think, lends itself to use in a Bible Study group, or for a teaching series. I read the book in one sitting, so it is quite light, but I think it should probably be savoured, and I will definitely be re-reading it chapter by chapter to re-examine some of the lessons.
What didn’t I like about it? Nothing much springs to mind. He fictionalises a number of biblical stories, and adds certain elements which might jar with certain readers. But nothing that bothered me, or detracted from the message, so it’s all good.
I received this book for free as part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze programme.
Learn more about the book here.
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