Where does Jesus meet you?

This is my final sermon from Spiritual Preaching this past Spring 2010.  I will most likely preach this again, although it will still go through more revisions.  I think it is important to share it in it's original form though.  Comments welcome!

A Personal Lament

¹Heavenly Father, what have you given me today?  The trials and tribulations of this call consume me.

²With each move I make, I am met with challenges that seem beyond my abilities.

³With you I can achieve without limitations.

⁴Through your strength I can act for others

⁵You are the provider of both grace and instruction

⁶Each day I bow to your Almighty power

⁷Surround me in your wisdom!  For with you I can follow your call.

⁸Heavenly Father, your glory and love conquer all!

Christian Pollution (James 1:19-27)

Please be gentle as this was our first sermon in front of the class.

Personal Theology

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If I had to compare my theology to one thing, it would be a marble statue.  This is not because I believe my theology is hard and unwavering or any other analogy you can make to the structure of the statue itself.  It is based solely on the creation process.  I don't know how long it took Michaelangelo to carve and chisel out his statue of David, but every day I feel like a new piece is chipped away to expose the theology, the intricate belief and faith structure below, to my eyes, heart and mind.

Every question, every challenge, every interaction with people at school, work and in the world clarifies for me how I believe God is at work within our world.  Furthermore, I realize that the questions and challenges posed to me force me to reconcile how and where I believe God is at work in me.  Then, to take it one step even further, once I have considered how I believe God is/was around me in the world and how I believe God to be in me, can I then put my faith in that God?

I don't think that seminary or theology school is a way for God to take future leaders of the church and break them down simply to build them back up as I've heard others theorize.  I think it is one of many places that we go to, either led by God or by our own desires, within this world that puts the chisel and hammer in our hands and asks us to articulate what we put our faith in.  What do we believe?