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The Book of Numbers |
This book in the sermon series on "books of the Bible" was a far sight more interesting, and even important, than I expected it to be. I thought I knew the really intersting books, but I was surprised by several, and this one and Deuteronomy were two of my surprises. If you have listened to any of these sermons, you may know that I spend a great deal of time on how to end them. I truly believe that, as intelligent, careful hearers, we need help on pulling things together at the end. We don't want (or need) someone telling us what to think or what to do. Nor do we want someone digesting everything for us. What we do tend to like, though, are smart, reasonable "suggestions," for want of a better term. In a sense, we do want to be able to say, inaudibly, to the preacher--"so, after all your work on this, what we you think we ought to do. That's all. From there, we will listen to you and then make our own decisions." This sermon on Numbers, which I like very much, carries those kinds of suggestions. I firmly believe that when suggestions are presented "without notes," as one person talking, just talking, to another, what is said helps both parties to the conversation. That's when preaching really does work well. |
Playing By the Numbers |