As I was reading the text in worship and preaching the sermon, I had the feeling that I had missed the point. Instead of focusing on Judah and his speech, perhaps I should have focused on Judah's offer of self-sacrifice leading to Joseph's self-revelation. The good news is that I am preaching the next section this week, so I can bring that thought into the mix. I suppose that's one of the good things about preaching a series.
I thought the illustration of "accidentally" stepping forward as shown in the Time with Young Disciples and referenced in the sermon worked well. From a technique standpoint, I continue to realize that the the stronger connection between the Time with Young Disciples and the sermon about to preached, the better things work. The Young Disciples get a sense of what their parents will hear, and the congregation gets a concrete example that will show up shortly in the sermon.
Although it may have been the least developed (or most poorly) point of the sermon, I still look back at Judah's act of stepping out and find it compelling. It may be an artificial imposition on the text to connect his act with an act of faithfulness, but I think the question still resonates with us -- what compels us to step out in faith? Can you name the last time you stepped out in faith?
Peace,
Richard
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