Month: February 2009

Preaching 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

This Sunday, I’m preaching at Sharon Baptist Church in Iron Station, NC.

The lectionary text for this Sunday is from 1 Corinthians and is a text I’ve been wrestling with all week. So many possibilities yet such a subjective text that really makes the most sense when you can apply it directly to a community you are familiar with and understand.

I’ll post up my notes after I finish (since I don’t preach from a full manuscript… I know, I know) my preparation.

In the meantime… what would you say to a congregation based on this text from Paul?

9:16 If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!

9:17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.

9:18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

9:19 For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them.

9:20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law.

9:21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law.

9:22 To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.

9:23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

BTW, I love how Paul is always depicted with a receding hairline in Christian art. I should know this being that I have a Masters in Religion and Art from Yale… but I wonder where that tradition comes from?

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B

GeekDads@Home Podcast

I’m doing a weekly podcast with Joe Magennis, Daniel M Clark and Scott Jangro titled GeekDads@Home. It’s really becoming a great show as we combine our shared experiences of working from home with kids with our love of all things geeky.

This week’s show (episode 7) was one of my favs:

Geek Dads @ Home #7: Steal This Podcast | Geek Dads @Home: “The Geek Dads gather ’round the computers and don the headphones and mikes once again to talk about things both geeky and dad… y. Dad-ish? Okay, that last part didn’t come out right, but you know what I mean.”

Here’s the mp3 or head over to the site for the stream.

Even if you’re not a dad or a geek, it’s an entertaining listen. Give it a shot. You can also subscribe in iTunes if you are of that persuasion (and please leave us a comment on iTunes!).