Six More Sermons
2009 May 16
After about 1100 sermons at Highland over the past 18 years, I’m down to six more. There are so many things I’d like to say, but I’ve chosen these texts:
2 Corinthians 4:7-12
Luke 4:16-30
Philippians 2:1-11
Romans 8
Matthew 6:9-13
Romans 16:1-16
There is a reason why I’ve chosen these six. I’m quite sure your selections would be different. Anyone want to share what some of yours would be?
22 Responses
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I think we should have a contest: “Top Ten Things Mike Ought to Say Before He Leaves the Highland Pulpit.”
When leaving a congregation, I preached on 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, trying to stave off preacheritis. Seemed to be well received.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Well, I’m not a preacher – nor do I play one on TV – but I’d be happy to link these texts for those who are as curious as I am:
2 Corinthians 4:7-12
Luke 4:16-30
Philippians 2:1-11
Romans 8
Matthew 6:9-13
Romans 16:1-16
I wish I could be there for all of them. For any of them. I suspect I would have to bring a hanky for Romans 16:1-16, presumably the last in the series – the farewell.
(And if I count correctly and have my proper name genders sorted out right, almost half of those to whom Paul specifically sends greetings in that passage – 9 in 21? – are women.)
Oh dear!
Is it right that my pastor/teacher/preacher & friend send me into a schizo dilemma …. still in denial – yet thrilled for you and your new adventure?
Several of the sermons I’ve heard over the past almost six years would have to include 1/16/05 – not only because of your topic that morning, but the close of an era for you, Diane and the boys. A result of that horrific day has been a deepening and new richness in your preaching. You are now more …. personal and accessible in your preaching.
One of my favorites? “Remember, it’s better to be in a well than in …” Never will I ever forget your absolute helpless surrender to laughter that morning.
Last year’s Senior Sunday.
And I suppose, one I’ll remember will be the morning you announced your ‘transition.’ The gentleness with which you slipped the announcement in after a seeming non sequitur talk about Landon. You were so careful of our emotions, affirming a time of grieving we all would and are experiencing. I was very proud of you, that morning, Mike, especially proud!
These last 6 sermons will be treasured memories and I pray they are for you too – memories of how much you are loved by all of us at Highland!! God speed, beloved pastor-teacher/preacher and friend!!
Some of mine would include:
Colossians 1:15-20
Matthew 6:25-33
Matthew 25:31-46
Luke 15
Mark 8:27-38
John 11:1-44
Mike-
In my own mind, your legacy within the faith communities of the Churches of Christ is well represented by Matthew 6 and Romans 8. I’m glad you’ve chosen them.
Peace,
Matt
We just finished up Romans in our men’s class. Instead of teaching Romans 16 we took time out to actually live out the text in class. We took three weeks to say good things about each and offer encouragement to all the men who attend the class. Although this doesn’t come naturally to all of our men, it was well received. I hope you can offer encouragement to highland and them to you as you make this transition!
On a more humorous note, I introduced the idea by saying that in Romans 16 he tells them to greet each other with a holy kiss and also to “Greet” which literally means to embrace or wrap your arms around someone. Because of that I told the men that before they left class I would have to give each of them a “hug and a kiss.” After a few awkward seconds I got out a bag of hersey’s kisses and a bag of hugs and began to pass them out as the men offered up things they had learned from Romans.
I know those will be some really fine lessons. It’s fairly easy for preachers to start well with a church. Good to know that some also finish well.
Being so allergic to the New Testament these days, I would have preached mostly from the Old. Seems my invitation from Highland has been lost in the mail.
The final passage is a great choice. I have a distinct memory of a late night /early Sunday farewell lesson using that text while in Italy.
I think, as a c of C female, I’d only get 6 words before the
bouncerselders hauled me off the platform….Romans 16:1-16 is a homerun text for the last Sunday. I can’t wait to see what you will do with that. It is the text I preached when I left Ballinger and Houston.
My list would be similar:
Luke 4:16-30
Philippians 2:1-11
Col.1:15-20
Matt.6:9-13
Luke 9
Acts 9
As you were leaving College Church, you preached on “Remember Your Baptism”. It was powerful then, and I bet it would be powerful now.
DU
1 John 2:15-17
1 John 3:7-10
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Hebrews 10:26-31
Galatians 5:16-21
Ephesians 5:3-7
I think the 1st 5 are perfect. Each one reveals a part of your heart. I’m intrigued by the last one, but I know that it will rock!
Does Highland have a contingency plan in case the second sermon becomes your last?
Jeff – Ah, yes. There is the issue of people trying to kill Jesus after he preached on Isaiah 61′s implications (in Luke 4). Nice awareness of the text!
Jeff (and Mike)
I will be there for the second sermon. Mike will be fine.
CS
Reflecting on my comment above, it sounds really creepy if you were to read it in a certain way that I didn’t take pains to prevent readers from reading it. Reading such an interpretation into Mike’s and Charlie’s responses give them a tinny, nervous sound: “Ha-ha-I-hope-you’re-not-a-crazy-stalker.”
I’m very sorry if I freaked anyone out.
It was supposed to be a collegial comment in the spirit of “Well, you know what comes with preaching the gospel,” except that I didn’t consider death-threats from parishioners to be remotely in the neighborhood of things that you might have ever encountered, Mike; I’m probably very naive in that regard.
Whatever the case, I pray that your farewell sermons are a blessing to you and the rest of Highland.
Jeff W:
I took it as a joke, just as I hope you took mine. My comment is sort of an inside joke concerning Mike and my’s baseball coaching days.
I am sorry if my response caused you any concern.
CS
Hey, Jeff. We didn’t take it that way at all. It wrote my response with a wink, and Charlie — well, as he said, we have a long history of coaching together. I was head coach; he was head bouncer. Every little league head coach needs a head bouncer.
Good! Little league bouncers: sad, but true.
Just for clarification: The majority of my “bouncing” was directed at players on our own team. I did not want to leave the wrong impression.
CS