Emphasis Preaching Journal

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun was shining brightly. Many of our congregation's members had taken advantage of the summer weather and had walked to church. Men and women, young and old, individuals and families entered the church to worship together. People greeted each other with a smile, a few words, a handshake, or a hug. It was an idyllic picture, but underneath the smiles and behind the polite words dissension ruled. There were too many noisy children attending worship. Why couldn't their parents control them better? The older members could remember the days when they took their children out of church, spoke to them in words they wouldn't forget, and then brought them back in to sit silently. If the children couldn't be quiet there should be a nursery. The younger members wanted their children to learn that church was a loving, happy place to be. They could remember being forced to sit still. They grew up thinking that God never smiled. They wanted their children to learn that God's love was a warm, happy, supportive love, not a cold, distant, and uncaring love. As everyone entered church they were given their bulletin and a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. When it came time for the children's message the pastor invited the children to come forward and to bring their puzzle piece with them. As they took their seats the pastor showed the children the puzzle box. It was a picture of Noah's ark with the animals in front and a picture of the rainbow in the background. The pastor spoke about the rainbow being a symbol of hope for God's people of all ages. Then the pastor asked the children if they had enough pieces to put the puzzle together. The answer was no. They wanted all of the pieces to make the whole picture. During the sermon the pastor once again spoke about needing all of the puzzle pieces to make the picture complete. Then she reread the lesson from Romans. Her point was simple. First God's love and forgiveness was for all people. Second, it takes all people working together to make God's picture complete.
-- Conroy