A Sermon for DaySpring

This is something I found on the internet when looking for a saying of Abba Antony, the desert father, ‘Life and death depend on our neighbor. If we gain a brother, we gain Christ; but if we scandalize our neighbor, we sin against Christ’…

A Sermon for DaySpring

By Burt L. Burleson

“Dr. Isaiah”

Isaiah 1: 1, 10-18

August 8, 2004

Imagine, if you will, First Baptist County Seat in Anywhere, USA. Picture it forty years ago with red brick and four big white columns out front. It’s Sunday morning and folks are parking Skylarks and Station Wagons with “authentic” wood-grain paneled sides and walking toward the church as families while bells peel overhead. Lots of pill box hats and white gloves. Men all in suits…

Little boys and girls in their Sunday best, bearing envelops in purse and pocket. It’s a big day at “First Church.” High attendance day, “Great Day in the Morning.” And they have pulled out all the stops. They’re having a big Sunday School contest. Whichever class has the highest percentage attendance gets recognized in worship. Everyone wins a pin and then gets to have dinner free later in the week at the local steak house called Beef ‘n Taters.

If the entire church reaches its goal and breaks the 500 barrier, the pastor has agreed to eat his chicken dinner on top of the church during dinner on the grounds, which will be held immediately after the service. Dinner will be quite the affair… chicken with all the trimmings… sweet tea… a hundred kind of pies… and a local blue grass band that will meander amongst the banquet tables that the R.A.s had set up the day before. The church had done lots of PR… taken out a full-page ad in the local paper. Bought some radio time. And sent calligraphed invitations to former members. This was a huge day at First Church…

Read more…