Last weekend, I read about a rollercoaster that was stuck on an upside-down turn, leaving its passengers stranded for some thirty minutes. I think I know how they feel. I am going through the same thing concerning my preaching. The struggle continues. Last week, I worked on a passage from Ephesians to preach. But I was not able to put my study into preachable form. So Saturday afternoon, I made some calls to have one of the guys preach in my place on Sunday morning. But when I woke up Sunday, a message from Hebrews took shape as I prepared for worship. And I said I would just take a shot at it in the 8 AM service. Then I took another shot at it in the second service. I will be glad when I get some point of stability in my sermon preparation. But until then, I praise God for holding me up as I continue to hang upside-down from this rollercoaster. Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday's message:
Title: "Being Fit for the Finish Line"
Text: Hebrews 12:1-2
Theme: The perseverance of the saints
Point: Stay in the race.
Outline:
- Run with assurance
- Run with discipline
- Lay aside the sins that hinder your spiritual progress
- Lay aside the weights that hinder your spiritual progress
- Lay aside the sins that hinder your spiritual progress
- Run with endurance
- Run with focus
- Focus on Jesus because of who he is
- Focus on Jesus because of what he has done
- Focus on Jesus because of where he resides
- Focus on Jesus because of who he is
