When The Cat's Away...

When the cat's away, the mice will play, right? Well, in my life, when the Senior Pastor's away, I get to preach, and that makes me happy!

The Assistant Pastor position is an interesting position. Some people see it as a junior pastor, kind of like the take-your-son-to-work-day and he just tags along with the "real" pastor. Some people think that the Assistant Pastor is like the administrative assistant for the Senior Pastor, and some just don't have any idea what to think, because they know a Senior Pastor is necessary, and a Youth Pastor is necessary, but who's this guy who isn't old enough to be a senior pastor, and wants nothing to do with teenagers? I've heard all these, and each of them are tremendous (he said with great sarcasm in his voice).

My bread and butter, the very icing on my ministerial cake, is getting to preach on Sundays. It only comes every so often because that is the role of the Senior Pastor, but when it comes, I cherish it. All that to say, I am preaching on Sunday, June 5th, and I am excited.

I love every aspect of the sermon; from the preparation, to the illustration development, to the proposition, to the delivery, to the figurative light bulbs that pop on in peoples' eyes when they grasp a concept that is new to them, all the way down to the audience exegesis (thinking through who your audience is, and preparing a tailored message for each person represented in the congregation). The only part I don't enjoy is the final 'Amen' as the service closes in prayer, because it will be a few months before I get that pulpit again! I even welcome the criticism afterwards, and especially the comments for me to slow down (honestly, that's not gonna happen, so just listen faster, people of the Eastern Shore!).

As I have been preparing for the sermon on Sunday, I have the sermon completed and prepared at this point. But as I was thinking through the message, I had an epiphany this morning! This isn't the proposition for the message, this isn't even anything that is going to make an appearance in the message, but as I was working through 1 Kings 18, I had this thought: The remedy for unbelief is answered prayer. Very simple, very plain, but incredibly profound! The context is Ba'al's priests and Ahab and Jezebel trying to call fire from heaven all day long, and nothing happens. Elijah steps up, prays a 62 word prayer (it's actually much shorter in Hebrew) and the fire is there.

The prayer is answered, and people believe! Granted, it's a lot easier to believe in God after a fireball comes and blazes on an alter right before your eyes, but the principle is the same. The remedy for unbelief is answered prayer. Perhaps today you have been feeling off. Maybe you haven't been feeling very 'Christiany' because you've been too busy with everything else. Fix your unbelief with answered prayer. Pray specifically for someone, or something, and see if God doesn't return with answered prayer.I'm quite certain that he will.

See you Sunday from behind the pulpit!