Greetings from Wheaton! I’m in the middle of a three day preaching workshop on the minor prophets sponsored by the Simeon Trust and College Church of Wheaton, IL. The workshop combines two and a half days of lectures, preaching, and small groups in which we discuss sermon outlines we have prepared in advance. The lectures by Dr. House have been thought provoking, edifying, and occasionally hilarious. The sermons (45 minutes each) have been extraordinary. The nine pastors in my small group have been extremely helpful and encouraging. I was assigned to prepare sermon outlines for Amos 2:6-16 [show]Amos 2:6-16
[6]Thus says the LORD:
"For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals--
[7]those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth
and turn aside the way of the afflicted;
a man and his father go in to the same girl,
so that my holy name is profaned;
[8]they lay themselves down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge,
and in the house of their God they drink
the wine of those who have been fined.
[9]"Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
whose height was like the height of the cedars
and who was as strong as the oaks;
I destroyed his fruit above
and his roots beneath.
[10]Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt
and led you forty years in the wilderness,
to possess the land of the Amorite.
[11]And I raised up some of your sons for prophets,
and some of your young men for Nazirites.
Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?"
declares the LORD.
[12]"But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
and commanded the prophets,
saying, 'You shall not prophesy.'
[13]"Behold, I will press you down in your place,
as a cart full of sheaves presses down.
[14]Flight shall perish from the swift,
and the strong shall not retain his strength,
nor shall the mighty save his life;
[15]he who handles the bow shall not stand,
and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself,
nor shall he who rides the horse save his life;
[16]and he who is stout of heart among the mighty
shall flee away naked in that day,"
declares the LORD.
and Habakkuk 1:1-11 [show]Habakkuk 1:1-11
[1:1]The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
[2]O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you "Violence!"
and you will not save?
[3]Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
[4]So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.
[5]"Look among the nations, and see;
wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
that you would not believe if told.
[6]For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
that bitter and hasty nation,
who march through the breadth of the earth,
to seize dwellings not their own.
[7]They are dreaded and fearsome;
their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.
[8]Their horses are swifter than leopards,
more fierce than the evening wolves;
their horsemen press proudly on.
Their horsemen come from afar;
they fly like an eagle swift to devour.
[9]They all come for violence,
all their faces forward.
They gather captives like sand.
[10]At kings they scoff,
and at rulers they laugh.
They laugh at every fortress,
for they pile up earth and take it.
[11]Then they sweep by like the wind and go on,
guilty men, whose own might is their god!". A big focus of the workshop is to help preachers find the Gospel in these prophets and when you look at the texts I had to prepare for you can see that this was quite a challenge. I have enjoyed the preaching workshops I have attended in the past at Luther Seminary but I was looking for an experience that was unlike anything I have had before and this workshop has certainly has exceeded my expectations.
The pastors at the workshop have come from a wide range denominations (although most are Presbyterians) and countries. Many of the pastors here have been attending for years and describe it as their spring training workout. Two of more interesting people I have run into include a physician from Taiwan and a Biology professor from Iowa both of whom are preachers in their respective congregations. In the hotel I spent a lot of time talking with two grips from LA who are working on a new action film that is being shot in Chicago.
Click HERE to learn more about the workshop.
