Obi-Wan and Preaching

If you preach a theologically sound sermon, but it doesn’t relate with the reality of life then it won’t connect. My friend Nadia feels that she has to use illustrations from her life, otherwise it won’t be genuine. Nadia may be one of the best living preachers, but I’m not her. Maybe its my introversion, but I’m not always comfortable talking about myself.

Five years ago, I met with Bob Moon—one of the most genuine pastors I’ve ever known. Bob was kind enough to sit down with me and have a long talk about sermon preparation. One of the things he said was, “When you tell a story from the pulpit, never make yourself the hero of your own story.”

Stories are important; they connect us and ideas. The illustrations in sermons do not always have to be from our lives—they can come from anywhere we hear the truth: movies, music, plays, TV shows. I’m going to use this blog to share some of the stories and illustrations that have made their way into my sermons. The following one is from Pentecost 2022:

The girls went to the beach Thursday, and since I had the TV remote all to myself, I watched the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+. To give you the premise of the show: Princess Leia is a 10 year old girl and she is kidnapped. Obi-Wan has to come out of retirement to go rescue her. In the second episode there’s a scene where Princess Leia, as a young girl, asks Obi-Wan, “What does the force feel like?” Obi-Wan asks her, “Have you ever been afraid of the dark?” She nods her head. He then says, “How does it feel when you turn on the light?” Leia says, “I feel safe.” “Yes, it feels like that.”

If you ever feel bad like you’re not doing enough, or you’re not being a good enough Christian—that’s not the voice of Jesus. If you’re tired, weary, exhausted, the voice the Jesus says, “Come to me and I will give you rest.”

The Spirit points you back to Jesus, reminds you of the grace of God, and reminds you that the work has already been done on your behalf and you are safe.

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Take 1: Genesis 2 and 3

Do you ever have a conversation then immediately think, "I wish I would've said that?" I feel that way almost every Sunday. So this blog will be a place where I share things that I wish I would have said or things that were cut from the sermon because of timing or flow. *Note: I type out a sermon manuscript and I keep my word count to 1500 words. We call Genesis 3:1-8 the fall, but the word "sin" is not in the biblical text. Certainly this story influences what theologians call "original sin," but we cannot base that concept on this story alone. When I was a kid, I used to think Eden was a paradise and Adam and Eve were lounging about in hammocks and eating grapes. Eden is more like a farm. Adam's role is a servant, to serve and keep the garden. In Genesis 2, we see there's a community of people, animals, and the earth. That sounds like a farm to me. As God comes near to create Adam, this feels like foreshadowing of the Incarnation--when God ...

Take 2: Abraham and Sarah

Do you ever have a conversation then immediately think, "I wish I would've said that?" I feel that way almost every Sunday. So this blog will be a place where I share things that I wish I would have said or things that were cut from the sermon because of timing or flow or word count. In Genesis 12, the focus moves from God and the world to God and the family of Abraham. The promise God makes to Abraham--to give him a family and land--is foundational to the story of Israel. God is going to bless Abraham and his future family so that they will be a blessing to the world. But Sarah is barren. And that's the tension. How are they going to have a baby? They're old. It seems impossible. God likes to confront the impossible. Genesis 15:1-6 is a story with a sense of non-fulfillment. Abraham has been given a promise, but that promise has not happened yet. God goes to Abraham and says, "Don't be afraid. I'm your shield." Rather than praise, Abraham respo...

Take 3: Joseph

Do you ever have a conversation then immediately think, "I wish I would've said that?" I feel that way almost every Sunday. So this blog will be a place where I share things that I didn't say in the sermon. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spent the last night of his life in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel. Outside that room is a plaque with verses from our story today. Those words are haunting. Joseph also was a dreamer. He dreams of a future where the family has survived and thrived. In the end, God did something with those dreams. But before that happens, Joseph faces tragedy. The Wesleyan Bible Commentary says, "The exact meaning of the Hebrew word translated a coat of many colors is uncertain. Some translate it 'a long garment with long sleeves.' One scholar finds in ancient clay tablets a clue which suggests that it was something of a ceremonial robe with costly ornaments of gold sewed into it. In any event, it was the distinctive garment of royalty....

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