There are days this just seems to much. Sunday is over and all the preparation that I have invested in the subject of the day is placed behind me and I have to start all over.
Monday morning I walk into my office a complete blank slate. I don’t know what is going to happen. I’m not sure how my study is going to take shape and I have no clue what I am going to preach in just 6 short days.
Some weeks that terrifies me. How do I get from this point to a well-reasoned, properly exegeted masterpiece between now and Thursday? What in the world do I have to say about this text. And why does anybody care what I have to say?
It’s been especially difficult the past two years. In the fall of 2005 I embarked on a two year preaching cycle that would tackle one book each week. My goal was to present the Bible as narrative, to show the Messiah predicted in the Hebrew Scriptures and the fulfillment in the New Testament. It’s been a great process as we’ve been able to see one story emerge: the story of God’s love for and redemption of mankind.
But it’s been daunting as each week I have to become fully conversant on an entire book. As a part of the process each week I introduce the coming week’s book on Wednesday night in a devotional thought. In my Sunday morning class I give an overview of the book. In my sermon time I pull out a thought based upon the thread of Christ that weaves throughout Scripture. And then, on Sunday night I entertain questions and discussion that has arisen from that week’s reading.
Simply put, I have to know my stuff. As we’ve progressed I’ve eschewed the doctrinal discussions and moved more toward the historical, cultural and contextual understandings that are crucial to true biblical scholarship. I’ve talked a lot about canonicity and reliablity, inspiration and inerrancy.
So, I walk into my office each Monday morning a little overwhelmed with what lies before me (this week is 1 John). I get stressed as the week goes on and aspects of scripture remain elusive to me. I bear the scars of wrestling with texts that I find troublesome and complex. I get overwhelmed with understanding the background, setting, author, date, audience, historical themes and theological significance of each and every book in 6 days time.
But this I know: I will stand up on Sunday and proclaim that the God of Scripture is the God who loves us all. And He is the God who did not stop writing the story when John laid down his pen but is still penning the narrative of redemption in our hearts and lives to this day.
But right now I’m stumbling.