“EMBODYING THE WORD”

"EMBODYING THE WORD"

Monday, July 18th, 2022

SCRIPTURE

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

Over fourth of July weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to ride in the Fourth of July parade dressed as the biblical character of Moses to advertise our Vacation Bible School to the community. The theme last week for VBS was, INTO THE WILDERNESS: WHERE GOD GUIDES, GOD PROVIDES, SO TO TRUST GOD. I was blessed with the opportunity to serve as Moses that week. It was truly spectacular. We had a dozen tents or so representing a marketplace and I was in Moses’ tent where I shared the account of Moses leading the people out of Egypt.

Leading little children through the parting of the Red Sea in a darkened hallway at church with blue tarps and spraying water was quite the experience. As I was walking up front in leading the children, holding Moses’ staff above my head for all to see, I couldn’t help but to notice my shadow that was cast upon the wall far down the hall. It made me think about truly being present in that moment, leading God‘s people in a profound, miraculous, and redemptive way. How am I doing that today? being empowered by the Holy Spirit, leading God‘s people, Christ's Church?

The more I studied and read about Moses and taught the little children, I felt led to preach into the story of Moses on Sunday morning.

As a pastor every week we are called and invited to be praying, “Lord, what would You have me to teach? Lord, what would You have me to share with our congregation? Lord, what would You have them to hear, and what would You have me to say?”

I can’t say that I have ever done this before, but I felt led to write a monologue of Moses to share in worship. So, my prayer turned into, “Lord, what would you have ‘Moses’ to share with your people some several thousand years later?”

It was pretty awesome to prepare a sermon in the first person, really trying to live into who Moses was, and reflecting upon the blessed relationship between the old and new covenant‘s. Moses leading God’s chosen people of Israel to salvation from slavery, sin and death in Egypt, and promising to bless them for generations to come, holding in parallel the fact that Jesus offered life, redemption, and salvation, not only for the Jew, but for the gentile, and ALL those who would believe. It was really wonderful to reflect and to preach into the sacred connection between both Old and New Testament Scriptures and the truths of the stories in which they reveal. I literally, in a physical kind of way, embodied God‘s word as I was retelling the story of Moses. The monologue was more or less a retelling of the biblical story using the specific words of scripture, but changing it into first person narrative form. There was so much to learn.

A) How am I embodying God‘s word on a weekly or even daily basis?

B) Am I preaching only the New Testament or am I preaching the Old Testament Scriptures as well, sharing the entirety of God‘s message of salvation for ALL people ?

C) And as it relates to the specific story of Moses, am I trusting God to lead me, guide me, provide for me, as he has called me to lead HIS people today 2022, several thousand years after the time of Moses?

Sure, I have dressed up in costume for a live nativity at church during Advent and the Christmas season, and I have shared in the Last Supper and Passover meal quite frequently in worship. And I have even asked others to do a monologue of Mary, or Joseph, or even the apostle Paul that has already been prepared by someone else through a curriculum type of resource. But I can’t say that I have ever prepared and written my own monologue to personally embody God’s Word and a biblical character for the purpose of sharing that with my congregation. It was truly a blessing not only for our congregations, but for me as well.

My own sermon preparations and perhaps yours as well, might sometimes include sharing in holy conversation in a lectionary group with other pastors, or in simple conversation with clergy colleagues about a sermon series etc. But what would it look like if we coupled our sermon preparation with teaching the week before for example? For me, teaching little children the stories of Moses for a week right before sharing a monologue with the entire congregation really opened my eyes and my heart to a greater awareness of the full story of Moses. I can only imagine what God would have to teach me if I approached my sermon preparation in such a way on a more regular basis?

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION

How about you? Have you ever preached a monologue, preaching in the first person as though you were a biblical character? What does your sermon preparation look like? How are you embodying God‘s Word on a regular basis? Are you preaching the entirety of the Bible; Old and New Testaments? How are you trusting in God as the Lord has called you to lead God’s people today?

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of Your Word. By Your Holy Spirit, lead me to more fully embody Your Word as I prepare each week for worship. Teach me, guide me, lead me, and be glorified in and through me in such a way where it has nothing to do with me, but where You and You alone are worshiped and glorified. I humbly offer this prayer in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. - AMEN

APPLICATION / RESOURCE

Sometime this summer, while you are doing some worship planning for the fall and winter, prayerfully consider your approach to sermon preparation each week. How might the Lord be calling you to “Embody His Word” in a mental, spiritual, and perhaps even a literal physical kind of way? Prayerfully consider studying one character in the Bible and maybe even writing a monologue, praying and asking God, "What would this biblical character have to share with us today, some 2000 years later?"