Fathers' Day Sermon
I was asked to give a Fathers' Day Sermon this year. In reality it would easy to tell a couple funny stories about my dad and a couple sad ones about his death and be done with it.
I work pretty hard with my congregation to talk about the Jewish and Christian traditions and how they can inform Unitarian Universalism. I usually try to bring in at least some of the Revised Common Lectionary readings when I am in the pulpit to help folks be at least familiar with what the other protestant churches in town might be talking about.
But I have to admit, with Fathers' Day I am stumped. I think of Jephthah's daughter, Abraham with the binding of Isaac and of course the father who loved the world so much he gave his only son. I mean I love you all, but nobody is taking my boys.
I feel like I can talk reasonably intelligently about Christology, but when push comes to shove, I can't quite get past that.
I don't really want to be cheesy enough to refer to the Da Vinci code, but how is it more troubling that Jesus could be a father (all the holes in that theory aside) than the notion that a loving or just God would sacrifice his son?
posted by jfield @ 11:29 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
You know, referring to "Da Code" really isn't cheesy if you can make a relevant sermon out of it, and it sounds to me like you've got the beginnings of a humdinger going there. I know we like to be above cheesy pop culture, but sometimes we miss great opportunities to dig deeply into stuff our people are actually THINKING ABOUT when we so assiduously avoid it.
I, for one, would welcome that sermon. Go for it, Pa. Give them the first creative idea that sticks with you. Don't feel that you have to toss that out as garbage and give them something that's "better" for them.
Trust thyself.
Hey, give us the complex sermon. But give us the one with a few funny stories and a few sad ones, too. There's a lot to be learned from experiences that people choose to tranfer on. - profschiler
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