The past week's call with DYP coaching group was fun. I talked through the art of starting a sermon. As preachers, we have to be confident in how sermons start. We can't spend days in double-mindedness about where we should go. A sermon can be inspired by many things.. Devotional readings, art, an excerpt from a book, an assigned text by a leader, a theme you want to explore, a passage you just want to go after, a Holy Spirit prompting, a problem that you see that needs to be spoken to... in open to all of this! Every good sermon is provoked or prompted! The key is this: however a sermon is sparked... FIND A SPECIFIC TEXT TO OBSERVE AND COMMIT TO. Of course I'm open to changing it in the middle of study... but for the most part I'm committing to it! I shared with the group my journey of starting this weekends Easter Message. one: I read a devotional reading from lent on the toilet Monday morning... (yes.. the toilet.) two: I went to the passage it was speaking to... Matthew 27:15-26: Jesus or Barrabas? three: One question of the text that sparked the whole sermon: WHY DID THE CROWD CHOOSE BARRABAS? Ultimately why do we? Why do we choose what is bad, harmful, destructive over what is good, helpful, and life-giving? This is the question.. this is the tension: it's not I want to choose good but accident choose bad. This is... something in me PREFERS WHAT IS BAD. The crowd didn’t accidentally choose Barabbas… they preferred him. And if we’re honest... there are moments we don’t just fall into sin… we vote for it. Four: The rest is up to the scripture! 1.Vanity: "selfish interest"/ Power, Prestige, & Popularity 2.Voices: persuaded by religious leaders. Mimicking the crowd. 3. Volume: "they shouted ALL THE LOUDER" : what we don't want to deal with we drown out. Jesus Barrabas vs. Jesus the Christ. Choose your Jesus. Choose your Messiah. Everyone does. One brings life.. one brings destruction. Don't be surprised when you don't find life, fulfillment, and joy in Barrabas...

Dear Young Preacher, I know nothing about figure skating. But after watching Alysa Liu win Olympic gold, I realized something: every preacher can learn something from her. I remember going on a weird group date in middle school to watch Blades of Glory. What I do know is… when I watched Alysa Liu’s Olympic gold medal–winning performance, I was captivated. This 20-year-old was the first U.S. woman to win Olympic singles gold since 2002. (Have you seen it? If you haven’t, stop reading and please go watch it.) How could I not be? She was floating…secure, free, light. Not a care in the world while the whole world was watching. She was spinning in the air, twirling on the floor, while vibing to “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer. She looked like Kanye in 2001. Popped collar, polo backpack…while everyone else was wearing FUBU. This girl is legit! Every time I watch her skate or hear her in an interview, I feel like I’m in a therapy session. She’s got a settled confidence that is inspiring. The other week we were celebrating our friend’s birthday at our house, and here we all are cheesing at the TV like proud parents as Alysa is skating off the ice smiling with that painful-looking piercing. Her set made us watch 10 others… Look… I know nothing about skating. All I know is that when I see Alysa Liu doing what she is called to do, it inspires me to do what I am called to do. Watching her skate, I realized something: young preachers can learn a lot from Alysa Liu... Read Full Article: https://substack.com/@dearyoungpreacher/note/p-190692781?r=2dn239&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action Watch Gold Winning Performance: