Saturday Surprise

Last Saturday morning as we were debating what Christmas shopping was still necessary the 'phone rang.  It was our minister warning me that his family had been stricken by a serious cold, especially his wife. and he felt it was now developing in his own system.  'Just to ask you, please stand by if I can't preach tomorrow.  I'll let you know definitely later! said he  cheerfully.  

Just finishing lunch he was on the 'phone again. 'Yes, please.  I am feeling worse and don't want to pass it on. The theme in my series is Gratitude with the Magnificat as the text.'  If he had asked me to work on a less well-known passage it would have been much more demanding.  But an opportunity to preach on such a great text genuinely thrilled me.  Suddenly, Saturday afternoon, sitting at my lap top I was thrust into the joy of preparation.  I say joy...because not only does Mary's song (Luke 1:46-55) begin with such wonder and gratitude but she foretells in revolutionary language what the ministry of Jesus will bring.

Someone wrote to me and asked whether I used old material.  Well, not exactly, but I remember preaching on these verses as Jesus the Great Leveller - levelling DOWN the proud with haughty thoughts, kings with absolute power, the rich with self satisfaction and levelling UP the lowly, and the hungry,  ( Have you heard the expression 'levelling up' recently?) 

I believe so much in the promise of God's Holy Spirit to work with the preacher (and it helps that I have had a few decades of practice) but when I preached I sensed how God had used those few hours of preparation.  I cannot recommend leaving sermon writing until the Saturday before but I was so glad to experience God's grace in action. Anyone who would like to see it - it's short (19 mins.) - and you can find it on Histon Baptist Church web site. Just google the church's name, hit the church site, move cursor to resources and go down to sermons!   Blessings!