Jewels

February 19, 2020

One would think that only preaching twice every six weeks would make sermon preparation a piece of cake; after all, with that much time to prepare, the preacher should be able to knock it out of the park with barely enough swing for a bunt. Sadly, such is not the case. Sermon preparation is a funny business. The Bible is chock full of gems, but just like diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, they don’t lie on the surface, and even when dug out of the ground, they must be cut and polished till they shine.

This week’s reading is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus, a major event in the gospel narratives. Plenty of sermons have been preached on these texts, but they are someone else’s, not mine. Preachers are not denizens of jewelry stores, displaying the wares someone else took pains to mine, polish, and set. We don’t sell the beautiful product of the gospel; we work to reveal the beauty already present in it. We set it before people, inviting them to look, to handle, and to take it home with them.

So again I sit, digging for the jewel, then painstakingly I begin to polish till every facet sparkles in the light of Christ. I’ll choose what I consider to be just the right setting, and Sunday I’ll hold it high for people to see. Hopefully, someone will notice and reach out for the life it brings. Even if they don’t, I’ll give thanks because I’ve seen with my own eyes the glory of the gem.