My sermon for yesterday went well. I wish I had a recording of my youth sermon to go with the recording of the adult sermon. For the youth sermon, I gave them each mustard seeds and said I was sure that they had that much faith. I said, "So, instead of going outside to move a tree with our faith, let's move this piano over to the baptismal font with just our faith alone."
I then crouched beside them in the aisle and said, "Ready? Let's say it together: 'Move piano!' Ready? Move piano!"
My voice was loudest, and I said, "Hmmm. Does this mean we don't have enough faith? Do I not have enough faith? Do I need to go back to seminary?" The youth shook their heads. I then talked about faith not being a matter of magic powers. I ended by talking about the time a few weeks ago when faith did move the piano--when a group of people stayed after church and moved the piano, and then the next week moved it back. Faith in community can do marvelous things.
I did also acknowledge that I myself did not help move the piano--and that's what's great about community. We don't all have to have the same measure of faith to get things done. Community can get things done that will seem like miracles to future generations.
In some ways, the adult sermon was much less dynamic. But that's O.K. I try to create the two sermons to go together, so that there's Good News for everyone, whether they prefer it in a youth sermon or a more cerebral adult sermon.
The recording of my sermon is here on my YouTube channel.
You can read the manuscript in this post on my theology blog.
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