Waterfall of Grace... sermon for PR501-- the outline, the sermon, the video, reflections

One of the assignments for PR 501 was to choose a Psalm and preach it.  We first did an outline and posted that for our classmates' feedback.  Then we were to write it out and preach it for a live audience, having them evaluate us.  We were to videotape the sermon (8-10 minutes in length) and post it in our online class for additional feedback.

I chose Psalm 42.

For this particular assignment, I decided to focus on the waterfall.  As I spent time in the Psalm, it intrigued me that no matter how much despair or struggle the Psalmist went through, the Psalmist ended up in a place of hope.  This hope was based upon the experience of God's relationship with the Psalmist and the grace extended (as I read it).  So, I came up with "Waterfall of Grace".

Here is my outline:

Introduction

1.  Picture a waterfall in your mind.

2.  If it helps to think of a well-known one such as Niagara Falls or another one you're familiar with, do so.

3.  Picture the water flowing over the rocks, the mist spraying toward you, and the sound of the roar.

4.  If it's not too big of a waterfall, picture yourself, underneath the waterfall, enjoying the water falling down on you and around you.

5.  If you're thirsty, would you try to capture some of that water flow in a tiny cup?

6. In Psalm 42, we see the Psalmist struggle back and forth throughout the Psalm, longing for God, thirsting for God.

7. In verse 7, he expresses complete surrender and submission to God by becoming engulfed in God's presence: "deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me."

8. Even when we are struggling, like the author of this Psalm, we can pour out our souls to God, remain steadfast in hope, and accept the grace that God offers us that will quench our thirsty souls.

Thesis

God's overflowing abundant grace is available to us all as we remain steadfastly hopeful in God, even through difficult times, giving praise to God and recognizing God as our helper.

Body

I.  We are created to long and thirst for God.

A.  the Psalmist desires God (v.1) and recognizes God as the living God for whom he thirsts (v. 2)

B.  the Psalmist questions when he will be able to see God/be in God's presence once again [expression of longing/desire] (v.2)

II.  We can pour out our soul to God and remember God when our soul is cast down.

A.  In tears or in anguish (v.3)

B.  When others question the existence of our God (v.3)

C. When we don't understand why our souls are downcast or disturbed. (v.5)

III.  As we keep an ongoing connection with God through times of torment and trial, we can hold steadfastly to God as our help and hope.

A.  We can choose to remain steadfast in hope, recognizing God as our help. (v. 5)

B.  By recognizing God's work in the past, we can look forward with strength, acknowledging the power and depth of God (vv. 6-8, 9, 11)

Conclusion

1. This Psalm speaks to me in the midst of daily living.  Though my circumstances might be difficult, my soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

2. As deep calls to deep, I know that God will fill my thirsty soul, meeting me in my circumstances.

3. Portion of Psalm 42 Prayer  by Jerry Webber:

"Open my eyes, my heart,

                to experience the Niagara of Your grace

                crashing down upon me moment by moment.

Help me to catch more and more of Your grace,

                trading my narrow-necked bottle

                                for a Niagara-filled tub." (Sometimes an Unknown Path, p. 6)

4. What in your life has left you thirsting and longing for God? 

5. Like the Psalmist, can you choose to remember God's deeds in the past and remain steadfastly hopeful and know God to be your rock and living God for whom you thirst?

6. Can you allow yourself to experience the "Niagara of God's grace?"  May it be so.

Here is the manuscript for the sermon: (not word for word what ended up coming out during the actual sermon... but that is normal)

Waterfall of Grace

Psalm 42

Look around you.  There isn't much water flowing from this waterfall today.  We have come here to experience the beauty of the waterfall, but it isn't flowing.  We long to enjoy the beauty of the Creator's waterfall, but it isn't here today.  Does that mean that we are left hopeless in our longing? The Psalmist in Psalm 42 is crying out to God in his longing.  Let's listen to see how he responds to God in his longing and to see if we can find what he found.

Hear the Psalmist: (NIV--New International Version)

¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
³ My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
⁴ These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.

⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

⁶ My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

⁸ By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹ I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?”
¹⁰ My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”

¹¹ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

Since there isn't a waterfall for us here to look at, picture a waterfall in your mind.  If it helps to think of a well-known one such as Niagara Falls or another one you're familiar with, do so. Now, picture the water flowing over the rocks, the mist spraying toward you and on you, and the sound of the roar drowning out other sounds. If it's not too big or dangerous or a waterfall, picture yourself, underneath the waterfall, enjoying the water falling down on you and around you.  Picture yourself thirsty and trying to get some of the tested clean and drinkable water. Would you try to capture some of that water flow in a tiny cup or use a bottle with a small opening?  The very thing that can often overwhelm us can also be an instrument of grace.

Would you not want to immerse yourself into the fullness offered you? 

In Psalm 42, we see the Psalmist struggle back and forth throughout the Psalm, longing for God, thirsting for God.   In verse 7, he expresses complete surrender and submission to God by becoming engulfed in God's presence: "deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and your breakers have swept over me."  Even when we are struggling, like the author of this Psalm, we can pour out our souls to God, remain steadfast in hope, and accept the grace that God offers us that will quench our thirsty souls.

God's overflowing abundant grace is available to us all as we remain steadfastly hopeful in God, even through difficult times, giving praise to God and recognizing God as our helper.

Let's break the Psalm into three sections:

I.  We are created to long and thirst for God.

II.  We can pour out our soul to God and remember God when our soul is cast down.

III.  As we keep an ongoing connection with God through times of torment and trial, we can hold steadfastly to God as our help and hope.

I.  We are created to long and thirst for God.

A.  the Psalmist desires God (v.1) and recognizes God as the living God for whom he thirsts (v. 2)

B.  the Psalmist questions when he will be able to see God/be in God's presence once again [expression of longing/desire] (v.2)

II.  We can pour out our soul to God and remember God when our soul is cast down.

A.  In tears or in anguish (v.3)

B.  When others question the existence of our God (v.3)

C. When we don't understand why our souls are downcast or disturbed. (v.5)

III.  As we keep an ongoing connection with God through times of torment and trial, we can hold steadfastly to God as our help and hope.

A.  We can choose to remain steadfast in hope, recognizing God as our help. (v. 5)

B.  By recognizing God's work in the past, we can look forward with strength, acknowledging the power and depth of God (vv. 6-8, 9, 11)

This Psalm speaks to me in the midst of daily living.  Though my circumstances might be difficult and overwhelming, my soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  As one example, just these past two weeks I have been making several cold calls over the phone and to hospital waiting rooms and a courtroom to attempt to offer pastoral care and ministry of presence to others.  These haven't been easy situations.  I do not have the strength or resources on my own to supply what is needed in these situations.  But, as deep calls to deep, I know that God will fill my thirsty soul, meet me in my circumstances and overflow into the lives around me.  

It is God's grace, overflowing, that carries me and carries you, no matter what our circumstances.

I want to share a  portion of Psalm 42 Prayer  by Jerry Webber:

"Open my eyes, my heart,

                to experience the Niagara of Your grace

                crashing down upon me moment by moment.

Help me to catch more and more of Your grace,

                trading my narrow-necked bottle

                                for a Niagara-filled tub." (Sometimes an Unknown Path, p. 6)

 

What in your life has left you thirsting and longing for God?  (pause)

Like the Psalmist, can you choose to remember God's deeds in the past and remain steadfastly hopeful and know God to be your rock and living God for whom you thirst? (pause)

Can you allow yourself to experience the "Niagara of God's grace?"  (pause) May it be so.

Here is the video of my sermon:

Here are my reflections I had from the experience: (what I turned in with my assignment)

The ongoing living Word within me went through some changes in the process.  After my first run-through orally, it was 8:35.  I felt I could and should change some things as it continued to work on me.

One change I made for my audience was that I originally planned to use the NRSV, but switched to NIV.  I did that so I wouldn't need to take time to explain "cataracts" because there would be middle-school students in the audience. 

I also re-arranged where I put my thesis and don't know if that was such as wise choice in the end, but I did it and so be it.  It confused some folks as they filled out the evaluation because I left the thesis portion in the introduction section on it.  I probably should have simply asked elsewhere on the evaluation if there was a clear thesis and what it was.  Oh, well.  Clarity is an ongoing communication goal in all areas of life! ☺

Today I felt nerves going into the day.  I think some of that was knowing I would be delivering the sermon and especially that it would be the first time I would be videotaped (to my knowledge).  I have tapes of my very first sermon (1988) and one recent one from a church this past Spring/Summer.  They have others on file I could get. 

Being nervous isn't new... it happens prior to speaking, whether teaching, giving a talk, or preaching.  In fact, for 24 years of teaching, the first day of every fall semester was always one of those times full of nervous anticipation. 

Once I got going...once I get going, I tend to settle in and settle down. 

Making eye contact today didn't happen at the beginning as much, but I grew into it. 

Today was a tad colder than expected and I felt a little bad for making my audience be out there in 46 degree weather, even for a short time.  They were gracious and one even said he didn't notice once he was listening.  That was super to hear from a retired Navy Chaplain.

Watching the video was difficult.  I take pictures.  I don't like my picture being taken.  Seeing me isn't pleasant, though I'm fine with who I am and what I look like and how I'm aging. It's just that I picture myself as a high school/college student still, so the truth can be shocking. ☺

Beyond that, observation of self is difficult, but I can learn from observation.  Because of where my videographer daughter stood in relation to the rest of the audience, my hand gestures were more obvious on camera than to them.  So, I need to be aware of making gestures visible to folks when/if I'm going to use them and not allow a stand or lectern to obscure the view.

I ended up going over (time-wise) on the delivery whereas I had gone under in practice.  This was likely due to the editing plus my starting over when I messed up the Psalm Prayer.  Though it was only one minute and thirteen seconds over, it was still over.  I'm okay with that though.  I read somewhere that there would be grace. ☺

Not knowing what might occur by being outside in nature, I still felt led to do this outside by the waterfall.  So, I did.  This waterfall really only runs when it rains lots.  But, it is next to the road that goes into a lower parking area.  I wasn't sure if it would have water or how much traffic there would be today.  The only other cars besides ours were parked in the higher lots.  Only one hiker walked by during the taping, around minute 5.  She caught my eye and in my mind (as I'm speaking) I'm wondering what she's thinking about this group of 7 on the side of the road and some woman preaching to them.  I was wondering if she might stop to listen, but she didn't.  It would be a neat location for an outdoor chapel. ☺

This is the first time I have ever received formal feedback in writing on my preaching.  This was good to receive.  I have gotten informal feedback prior.  When I preached at my own church and my mentored ministry mentor (pastor) and I met, he gave me good feedback.  I have gotten other feedback along the way.  I gave a 10 minute sermon earlier this Fall while studying Preaching Rocket and got feedback from the preacher who led us and one other participant.  That was helpful too. My goal and desire is to continue learning and growing from all of the experiences and feedback.

Though the experience is over, the living, breathing Word of God isn't quite through working in me.  It seems to still be going through my heart, mind, and soul.  Even though it has been released, it hasn't fully left me.  Part of that is because I've been asked to share with the Wesley Center tomorrow night.  Due to that being a different group in a different setting, I know I will need to change some things.  In fact, I'm considering not using the manuscript at all and starting with a totally different viewpoint.  We'll see how tomorrow's sermon goes.  Every sermon will be different because words are dynamic, just as the living Word is dynamic.

I am blessed to have had this class and this experience because it has pushed me beyond where I was.

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I don't know how this post will connect with you on your journey, but I put it out there.  It was and is a part of my journey, a part of my learning and growth... So I risk vulnerability and share it. 

Blessings on your journey,

Debra