Music From Another Room
Sermon
Sermons On The Gospel Readings
Series I, Cycle C
Introduction
It was one of those hotel ballroom conferences. I was finishing my sermon to the crowd. But in the next room, another conference was cranking up with a soloist's rousing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Hard job, this preaching.
Lots of competition.
Distracting noise is a portion of today's world.
"Muzak" is piped in for the elevator ride to the top floor. The adjacent car at the stoplight pulses rhythm from a cranked stereo system. A neighboring teen's boom box carries across the fence line to one's own porch.
The television blares. A lone walker whistles. Politicians' inane sloganistic jingles lodge like a bad headache in our brains.
Words. Noise. Music.
Why would anyone want to add to today's din? Because God has spoken in Jesus Christ. Because the Bible is a reliable account of his message. Because Jesus himself bid his disciples to go into all the world telling the Good News of God's mercy to all who trust Christ.
Yes, we are a noisy people. Full of opinions. But we can grow quiet listening as Christ speaks.
The other day I heard the faint strains of a lovely violin concerto. I strained to listen. I cut the television off, opened the door, and sat on the back steps to listen, enthralled, while my elderly neighbor rehearsed a song for her church orchestra.
Indeed! It was music from another room. But it became mine as a gift when I made myself available.
These several texts are like that. They are not hit parade songs, commercial advertisements, television sitcoms, or political opinions. They are not of this world, but are the Word of God, harmony to our weary ears. They are music from another room! From God's own heaven itself! And the tune is healing to all who listen.
Stephen M. Crotts
Innisfree
Burlington, NC
It was one of those hotel ballroom conferences. I was finishing my sermon to the crowd. But in the next room, another conference was cranking up with a soloist's rousing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Hard job, this preaching.
Lots of competition.
Distracting noise is a portion of today's world.
"Muzak" is piped in for the elevator ride to the top floor. The adjacent car at the stoplight pulses rhythm from a cranked stereo system. A neighboring teen's boom box carries across the fence line to one's own porch.
The television blares. A lone walker whistles. Politicians' inane sloganistic jingles lodge like a bad headache in our brains.
Words. Noise. Music.
Why would anyone want to add to today's din? Because God has spoken in Jesus Christ. Because the Bible is a reliable account of his message. Because Jesus himself bid his disciples to go into all the world telling the Good News of God's mercy to all who trust Christ.
Yes, we are a noisy people. Full of opinions. But we can grow quiet listening as Christ speaks.
The other day I heard the faint strains of a lovely violin concerto. I strained to listen. I cut the television off, opened the door, and sat on the back steps to listen, enthralled, while my elderly neighbor rehearsed a song for her church orchestra.
Indeed! It was music from another room. But it became mine as a gift when I made myself available.
These several texts are like that. They are not hit parade songs, commercial advertisements, television sitcoms, or political opinions. They are not of this world, but are the Word of God, harmony to our weary ears. They are music from another room! From God's own heaven itself! And the tune is healing to all who listen.
Stephen M. Crotts
Innisfree
Burlington, NC
