Anticipation
Stories
Object:
Contents
What's Up This Week
"Anticipation" by Argile Smith
"Keeping Focus" by David O. Bales
What's Up This Week
Christ is risen! Today marks the celebration of the most joyous moment in history. Death has been defeated and a new day has dawned. A wondrous future lies ahead for all who believe. It is precisely that joy of the resurrection that strengthens the life of the believer, as Argile Smith illustrates in "Anticipation." While the message of Easter is so powerful, it can be easily overlooked and we can begin to lose our focus, not remembering the resurrection. David O. Bales examines this trend in "Keeping Focus."
Happy Easter! Rejoice! Christ is risen!
* * * * * * * * *
Anticipation
By Argile Smith
Acts 10:34-43; Colossians 3:1-4
Coach Clark had led the men's basketball team to one of the biggest winning streaks in the high school's recent memory, even though the beginning of the season had been tough. That's when two of the starters had to be sidelined. Without them, the season looked bleak. The new players who had moved into their places seemed to have some problems adjusting to the others on the team. They couldn't make themselves fit well into the team's routine or rhythm. Over and over, Coach Clark tried to fix the problem caused by the new players, but nothing worked. Consequently, he feared that the team would be doomed to one tragic loss after another and that the remainder of the season would be characterized by gut-wrenching misery for everyone involved.
Not long into the season, however, things began to click for the team. Much to the Coach Clark's surprise, the team started to work together and hit a rhythm that produced points on the scoreboard. By the end of the season, the team had gained momentum with a winning spree and had almost made it all the way to the championship game. Although they didn't get as far as the championship, the guys on the team felt good about what would happen next season.
The anticipation continued to grow after the season ended. Conversations among students, teachers, parents, and other people in the community revolved around what would happen next year. The more they talked about it, the more they speculated about how many games they would win. Their speculations fueled their excitement over the possibility of a winning season and a shot at the championship.
When Coach Clark gathered the team for training just before the new season commenced, he knew that everyone was still talking about what lay ahead. The hope of a winning season filled the air, and he knew it.
After he gave the players a chance to warm up on the court, he blew his whistle and called for everyone to take a seat on the bleachers near him. They reacted like winning players, eagerly finding their seats and situating themselves to listen to what their coach had to say to them.
Coach Clark started by thanking each of the players for staying with the team another year. He went on to affirm their talents, their fine finish last season, and the sense of anticipation regarding the future of the team. Then he elaborated on the tough beginning they endured and the happy ending they enjoyed together.
"Men," he explained, "the team came back to life after everyone had given us up for dead. When we started to come alive, people began to believe in us again. Now they're sure that we have a winning season on our hands."
After a long pause, he asserted, "But men, we're not back in last season when things started to turn around for us. And we're not playing the championship game yet either. Right now we're in the middle, somewhere between having the breath put back in our lungs last season and winning the championship next season. If what happened in the past means anything to us and if we anticipate something good happening in the future, we've got to make the most of the time in the middle."
That's when he instructed them to practice the plays more, work the court better, and shoot the ball with more accuracy. After talking about what he wanted to accomplish during pre-season training, he said, "Remember that we've experienced a resurrection of sorts. We believe that the season ahead of us looks promising. Now keep on telling yourself that you have an opportunity right now to make the most of what's here in the middle."
The resurrection of Christ breathed new life into His followers, and we anticipate a promising future because of it. The anticipation of Easter helps us as we live productively for Him right now, somewhere in the middle.
Argile Smith is vice president for advancement at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He has been the pastor of several congregations in Louisiana and Mississippi, and has also served as a preaching professor, chairman of the Division of Pastoral Ministries, and director of the communications center at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. While at NOTBS, Smith regularly hosted the Gateway to Truth program on the FamilyNet television network.
Keeping Focus
By David O. Bales
John 20-1-18
"John ran faster, but it didn't do him any good," Adrian said. "We can try to be first, but our striving will be as for the wind." Her words echoed through the empty church sanctuary. Frank stared at her. She was seventeen, pointing at the Bible on the lectern and shaking her head. She looked almost sorry or scolding, as though John's dashing to the tomb was a bad idea.
"I don't think John's running ability is the center of the story," Frank said.
Adrian looked down again at the large Bible on the lectern. She turned to her sister, Riley. "It's right here on the page," Adrian said to Riley and Frank. Inwardly Frank groaned. During high school Bible study, Adrian and Riley Hart always popped up with irrelevant little morals from the scriptures.
"Really?" Riley said. "You know what struck me? Here's Peter, leader of the church, keys and all, yet he follows John to the tomb." Riley nudged closer to her younger sister behind the lectern and read, " 'Simon Peter came, following him.' Look at his humility -- following a younger guy."
Frank could almost hear their mother's voice speaking through the Hart sisters. Their mother Marie was the junior sermon lady. Every Sunday she sat on the sanctuary steps and chatted with the children, tossing morals here and there and always ending, "Now, be good little boys and girls." When Frank came right from seminary to this congregation six months ago, he was instantly repulsed by this approach that he considered both legalistic and downright damaging to the children. He smiled for the only time that morning as he thought: Maybe Marie Hart's children's sermons are child abuse.
"Remember," Adrian said, "the race isn't always to the swift." That's John.
"But," her eighteen-year-old sister Riley said, "Pride comes before a fall. Peter didn't thrust himself to the front. By then he'd learned humility."
Frank drew a slow breath and tried to decide what to say to the Hart sisters. He was associate pastor at this gigantic First Church with two other associates and the senior pastor: The Rev. Doctor McIntosh. Frank was in charge once a month of the senior high youth helping in worship as acolytes, ushers, and the scripture readers -- of all the days to have the Hart sisters in the chancel. Not only was tomorrow Resurrection Sunday, but it was the Rev. Doctor McIntosh's last Sunday before retirement. Worship would include thanks to him and be followed by a grand party.
Instead of just running his hand through his hair, Frank realized he had hold of his hair and was pulling slightly. Ten more minutes before the Rev. Doctor McIntosh arrived to meet with them. Doctor McIntosh announced his retirement the week Frank arrived, so the senior pastor spent his time on details of his leaving the congregation he'd founded 45 years before. "Dear Old Doctor McIntosh" was almost his nickname. But he wasn't dear to Frank. He was frightening. Not only had Doctor McIntosh begun and led this congregation for 45 years, he was a force in the whole state. He regularly prayed in the state legislature. People who didn't know him there thought him a senator, or, in his black robe, more likely a Judge: six-and-a-half-feet tall, a gigantic turban of shining white hair, and a booming voice that still carried a Scottish burr.
"Okay, girls," Frank said. "Let's go through this ag..." Out of the corner of his eye he saw white hair, almost fluorescent, and realized that Doctor McIntosh had slipped in and was sitting in the back of the chancel. He felt the urge to go to the restroom -- which end of his body to attend to there first he didn't know.
Doctor McIntosh stood, all six-six of him, and walked slowly toward Frank and the Hart sisters. "That sounds good," he said in his deep Scottish accent. "I think that's enough for today. You girls can leave and we," he pointed to Frank, "will get ready for tomorrow."
When they were gone Frank said, "I'm sorry we weren't done on time," always feeling in Doctor McIntosh's presence that he must apologize for something. "I couldn't keep them on target. They wanted to talk about the text." Then Doctor McIntosh's presence must have inspired him to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He said, "They sounded just like their mother." It was out of him before he could stop himself and he was blushing before he finished the sentence.
A giant hand landed on his shoulder, and a deep, low sound seemed to shake the building. Frank was startled, but didn't have time to be frightened. Doctor McIntosh laughed so hard he nearly buckled in half. "Well said, lad. Well said. And you can only say it in pastoral confidentiality and I can only laugh because I'm retiring day after tomorrow."
Frank smiled and squirmed a little, not having had this sort of a conversation with Doctor McIntosh. "They kind of got me off the subject," Frank said.
"On Resurrection Sunday we need to struggle not to get off the subject, now, don't we?" Doctor McIntosh said. Frank nodded with a smile.
"Tell ye what, lad," (he reverted to the archaic Scottish "ye" when he was serious), "tell ye what. I need work yet on tomorrow's sermon. I say we're done here." He looked sadly across the empty sanctuary. "Tomorrow," his voice caught. "Tomorrow much will entice us away from Jesus' resurrection. I'll pray that tomorrow in all ye do ye focus only on the risen Jesus, and," he winked, "ye do the same for me."
Doctor McIntosh held out his hand and they shook, "Good to have been with ye in ministry."
They turned and walked from the sanctuary. Frank said, "And with you, Doctor McIntosh. And with you."
David Bales was a Presbyterian pastor for 33 years. He is retired and is a full-time writer living in Ontario, Oregon. His sermons and articles have appeared in Lectionary Homiletics, Preaching Great Texts, Interpretation, and other magazines. He is author of Gospel Subplots: Story Sermons of God's Grace (CSS) and Toward Easter and Beyond (CSS). David is currently in his third year writing for Emphasis (CSS). Bales is a graduate of the University of Portland and San Francisco Theological Seminary.
**********************************************
How to Share Stories
You have good stories to share, probably more than you know: personal stories as well as stories from others that you have used over the years. If you have a story you like, whether fictional or "really happened," authored by you or a brief excerpt from a favorite book, send it to StoryShare for review. Simply email the story to us at storyshare@sermonsuite.com.
**************
StoryShare, March 23, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
What's Up This Week
"Anticipation" by Argile Smith
"Keeping Focus" by David O. Bales
What's Up This Week
Christ is risen! Today marks the celebration of the most joyous moment in history. Death has been defeated and a new day has dawned. A wondrous future lies ahead for all who believe. It is precisely that joy of the resurrection that strengthens the life of the believer, as Argile Smith illustrates in "Anticipation." While the message of Easter is so powerful, it can be easily overlooked and we can begin to lose our focus, not remembering the resurrection. David O. Bales examines this trend in "Keeping Focus."
Happy Easter! Rejoice! Christ is risen!
* * * * * * * * *
Anticipation
By Argile Smith
Acts 10:34-43; Colossians 3:1-4
Coach Clark had led the men's basketball team to one of the biggest winning streaks in the high school's recent memory, even though the beginning of the season had been tough. That's when two of the starters had to be sidelined. Without them, the season looked bleak. The new players who had moved into their places seemed to have some problems adjusting to the others on the team. They couldn't make themselves fit well into the team's routine or rhythm. Over and over, Coach Clark tried to fix the problem caused by the new players, but nothing worked. Consequently, he feared that the team would be doomed to one tragic loss after another and that the remainder of the season would be characterized by gut-wrenching misery for everyone involved.
Not long into the season, however, things began to click for the team. Much to the Coach Clark's surprise, the team started to work together and hit a rhythm that produced points on the scoreboard. By the end of the season, the team had gained momentum with a winning spree and had almost made it all the way to the championship game. Although they didn't get as far as the championship, the guys on the team felt good about what would happen next season.
The anticipation continued to grow after the season ended. Conversations among students, teachers, parents, and other people in the community revolved around what would happen next year. The more they talked about it, the more they speculated about how many games they would win. Their speculations fueled their excitement over the possibility of a winning season and a shot at the championship.
When Coach Clark gathered the team for training just before the new season commenced, he knew that everyone was still talking about what lay ahead. The hope of a winning season filled the air, and he knew it.
After he gave the players a chance to warm up on the court, he blew his whistle and called for everyone to take a seat on the bleachers near him. They reacted like winning players, eagerly finding their seats and situating themselves to listen to what their coach had to say to them.
Coach Clark started by thanking each of the players for staying with the team another year. He went on to affirm their talents, their fine finish last season, and the sense of anticipation regarding the future of the team. Then he elaborated on the tough beginning they endured and the happy ending they enjoyed together.
"Men," he explained, "the team came back to life after everyone had given us up for dead. When we started to come alive, people began to believe in us again. Now they're sure that we have a winning season on our hands."
After a long pause, he asserted, "But men, we're not back in last season when things started to turn around for us. And we're not playing the championship game yet either. Right now we're in the middle, somewhere between having the breath put back in our lungs last season and winning the championship next season. If what happened in the past means anything to us and if we anticipate something good happening in the future, we've got to make the most of the time in the middle."
That's when he instructed them to practice the plays more, work the court better, and shoot the ball with more accuracy. After talking about what he wanted to accomplish during pre-season training, he said, "Remember that we've experienced a resurrection of sorts. We believe that the season ahead of us looks promising. Now keep on telling yourself that you have an opportunity right now to make the most of what's here in the middle."
The resurrection of Christ breathed new life into His followers, and we anticipate a promising future because of it. The anticipation of Easter helps us as we live productively for Him right now, somewhere in the middle.
Argile Smith is vice president for advancement at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He has been the pastor of several congregations in Louisiana and Mississippi, and has also served as a preaching professor, chairman of the Division of Pastoral Ministries, and director of the communications center at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. While at NOTBS, Smith regularly hosted the Gateway to Truth program on the FamilyNet television network.
Keeping Focus
By David O. Bales
John 20-1-18
"John ran faster, but it didn't do him any good," Adrian said. "We can try to be first, but our striving will be as for the wind." Her words echoed through the empty church sanctuary. Frank stared at her. She was seventeen, pointing at the Bible on the lectern and shaking her head. She looked almost sorry or scolding, as though John's dashing to the tomb was a bad idea.
"I don't think John's running ability is the center of the story," Frank said.
Adrian looked down again at the large Bible on the lectern. She turned to her sister, Riley. "It's right here on the page," Adrian said to Riley and Frank. Inwardly Frank groaned. During high school Bible study, Adrian and Riley Hart always popped up with irrelevant little morals from the scriptures.
"Really?" Riley said. "You know what struck me? Here's Peter, leader of the church, keys and all, yet he follows John to the tomb." Riley nudged closer to her younger sister behind the lectern and read, " 'Simon Peter came, following him.' Look at his humility -- following a younger guy."
Frank could almost hear their mother's voice speaking through the Hart sisters. Their mother Marie was the junior sermon lady. Every Sunday she sat on the sanctuary steps and chatted with the children, tossing morals here and there and always ending, "Now, be good little boys and girls." When Frank came right from seminary to this congregation six months ago, he was instantly repulsed by this approach that he considered both legalistic and downright damaging to the children. He smiled for the only time that morning as he thought: Maybe Marie Hart's children's sermons are child abuse.
"Remember," Adrian said, "the race isn't always to the swift." That's John.
"But," her eighteen-year-old sister Riley said, "Pride comes before a fall. Peter didn't thrust himself to the front. By then he'd learned humility."
Frank drew a slow breath and tried to decide what to say to the Hart sisters. He was associate pastor at this gigantic First Church with two other associates and the senior pastor: The Rev. Doctor McIntosh. Frank was in charge once a month of the senior high youth helping in worship as acolytes, ushers, and the scripture readers -- of all the days to have the Hart sisters in the chancel. Not only was tomorrow Resurrection Sunday, but it was the Rev. Doctor McIntosh's last Sunday before retirement. Worship would include thanks to him and be followed by a grand party.
Instead of just running his hand through his hair, Frank realized he had hold of his hair and was pulling slightly. Ten more minutes before the Rev. Doctor McIntosh arrived to meet with them. Doctor McIntosh announced his retirement the week Frank arrived, so the senior pastor spent his time on details of his leaving the congregation he'd founded 45 years before. "Dear Old Doctor McIntosh" was almost his nickname. But he wasn't dear to Frank. He was frightening. Not only had Doctor McIntosh begun and led this congregation for 45 years, he was a force in the whole state. He regularly prayed in the state legislature. People who didn't know him there thought him a senator, or, in his black robe, more likely a Judge: six-and-a-half-feet tall, a gigantic turban of shining white hair, and a booming voice that still carried a Scottish burr.
"Okay, girls," Frank said. "Let's go through this ag..." Out of the corner of his eye he saw white hair, almost fluorescent, and realized that Doctor McIntosh had slipped in and was sitting in the back of the chancel. He felt the urge to go to the restroom -- which end of his body to attend to there first he didn't know.
Doctor McIntosh stood, all six-six of him, and walked slowly toward Frank and the Hart sisters. "That sounds good," he said in his deep Scottish accent. "I think that's enough for today. You girls can leave and we," he pointed to Frank, "will get ready for tomorrow."
When they were gone Frank said, "I'm sorry we weren't done on time," always feeling in Doctor McIntosh's presence that he must apologize for something. "I couldn't keep them on target. They wanted to talk about the text." Then Doctor McIntosh's presence must have inspired him to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He said, "They sounded just like their mother." It was out of him before he could stop himself and he was blushing before he finished the sentence.
A giant hand landed on his shoulder, and a deep, low sound seemed to shake the building. Frank was startled, but didn't have time to be frightened. Doctor McIntosh laughed so hard he nearly buckled in half. "Well said, lad. Well said. And you can only say it in pastoral confidentiality and I can only laugh because I'm retiring day after tomorrow."
Frank smiled and squirmed a little, not having had this sort of a conversation with Doctor McIntosh. "They kind of got me off the subject," Frank said.
"On Resurrection Sunday we need to struggle not to get off the subject, now, don't we?" Doctor McIntosh said. Frank nodded with a smile.
"Tell ye what, lad," (he reverted to the archaic Scottish "ye" when he was serious), "tell ye what. I need work yet on tomorrow's sermon. I say we're done here." He looked sadly across the empty sanctuary. "Tomorrow," his voice caught. "Tomorrow much will entice us away from Jesus' resurrection. I'll pray that tomorrow in all ye do ye focus only on the risen Jesus, and," he winked, "ye do the same for me."
Doctor McIntosh held out his hand and they shook, "Good to have been with ye in ministry."
They turned and walked from the sanctuary. Frank said, "And with you, Doctor McIntosh. And with you."
David Bales was a Presbyterian pastor for 33 years. He is retired and is a full-time writer living in Ontario, Oregon. His sermons and articles have appeared in Lectionary Homiletics, Preaching Great Texts, Interpretation, and other magazines. He is author of Gospel Subplots: Story Sermons of God's Grace (CSS) and Toward Easter and Beyond (CSS). David is currently in his third year writing for Emphasis (CSS). Bales is a graduate of the University of Portland and San Francisco Theological Seminary.
**********************************************
How to Share Stories
You have good stories to share, probably more than you know: personal stories as well as stories from others that you have used over the years. If you have a story you like, whether fictional or "really happened," authored by you or a brief excerpt from a favorite book, send it to StoryShare for review. Simply email the story to us at storyshare@sermonsuite.com.
**************
StoryShare, March 23, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
