There will be no sermon post for 7.2.07.

It was one of those sermons that went a different direction than originally planned. I'm not sure if this was due to the distraction of my dad's stroke (he's now in a nursing home, hopefully for rehab) or something the Holy Spirit wanted to accomplish (or some combination of both).

Preaching, at least for me, is more art than science. By that I mean a science is a precise formula and measurement that can be recreated. Included in that is the crafting of catch phrases, "extreme exegesis," and the turning of words. Anyone who has heard me knows that I am more interested in teaching the process and discovery of meaning. OK, maybe you were not consciously aware, but think about it... you'll get it.

In other words, I think that perception overrides fact. Most preachers preach on the level of fact, emotion, or application (all would be considered "fact" in some way). All of these can be (and have been) points of heresy and evil if volition is ignored (not taught). However, God has created us like Him... with the ability to chose and determine our destiny in response to God's kindness. It is the consistent pattern and process of how we chose (volition) that causes our perceptions to override facts.

Let's be honest. NOBODY remembers a sermon. (All those squishing and splatting noises you are hearing right now are the egos of millions of preachers, who actually attempt to make their sermons memorable because they think its possible, hitting the wall of honest reality.) Some might remember an element of a sermon (usually an illustration). What is remembered is how the preacher teaches the listener to listen, think, and live. It is those things we deeply care about that are passed on to others and become part of the church culture. Sometimes they are good, healthy, and righteous... sometimes not.

And every now and then, God allows the donkey to speak.