Recent Email: “Scot, you look stressed.”

Sunday at MCC, we started  new series called Acts.  It’s a look at the book of Acts (brilliant title for a series, don’t you think?)  A friend e-mailed me today.  She writes, I thought today as I was sitting several rows behind you, that your body language seemed very stressed even from the back.

My response:  “Heck yes!” I am usually wound pretty tight when it comes time for the sermon.  Why?

1.  This is serious business.  I still look around and wonder why they allow the bald guy to speak about God every week.  People listen as I represent the one who created us.  I seriously don’t want to mess that up. I don’t want to mislead people or misrepresent Christ.  That is a heavy thing.  Extremely heavy.

2.  People give me their time; and that is a precious gift.  Each week a ton of people stop and listen to what I have to say (which causes even more anxiety – see #1 above).  If you are going to give me 35-40 minutes of your week, I better have something good and accurate to say.

3.  Boring people with the Bible should be outlawed.  A boring presentation of the greatest story in the world is my nightmare.

4.  I value you.  I want you to know Christ better.  I want you to give your life to something bigger than yourself.  I want you to become the person God dreams you to be.  I want to make sure that you hear the message crystal clear without me getting in the middle of it.

There is much at stake, and it makes me nervous; and I think that is OK.  When I am so comfortable that I can walk up and teach totally calm with the thought that I know everything, well, you need to make for the exits. 

That being said, I am excited (and nervous) about our Acts series.  God has been revealing some great things to us through his word.  For Sunday, read Acts 2 and come and listen to what God has to say to you.  I’ll do my best not to look a bit uptight; but I can’t make any promises!