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I’ve been thinking about celebration lately—what it really is, and what I actually do in my own sermons. And I’m going to get back to you soon with more on that.
I am even thinking about whether I should even use the term “celebration”… but we shall see.
One thing I can tell you now is this: I make almost extensive use of what I call “celebrative challenge.” We celebrate not the certainty of God’s decisive action to change things in the way I want, but we celebrate that whatever happens, I’m going to hold on and live the life God leads me to live.
Too often, when we “celebrate” in preaching, it’s future-focused: God is going to fix it… God is about to open a door… just hold on until your change comes. That has its place, but if that’s all we ever offer, we leave people waiting for something to happen instead of showing them how to live while it’s still hard.
The blues teaches a different rhythm. The blues doesn’t deny the pain or rush past it. It names it, sings it, and somehow finds a way to dance with it. That’s what your people need when they’re facing challenges. They don’t just need hope for tomorrow—they need to know how to make it through today.
What if your sermon celebrated the fact that God is sustaining them right now? What if the shout wasn’t about “next season,” but about the God who is holding them up when they can barely stand?
Instead of talking about what is going to happen… how about what has already happened?
Yeah, it’s messed up, but what has happened? God is right here.
What has happened? God has blessed me even in the middle of the storm.
What has happened? I woke up this morning when I thought I wouldn’t make it.
What has happened? God gave me the strength to get up, get dressed, and face another day.
What has happened? God has surrounded me with people who love me and pray for me.
What has happened? I can still lift my hands and say, “Thank You, Lord,” even through tears.
And if you really want to preach it, sing along with Inez Andrews:
“Lord, don’t move this mountain, but give me the strength to climb it.”
That’s the blues. That’s the gospel. That’s a celebration rooted in reality.
That’s what I like about the blues—I don’t have to smile when I feel like crying.
That’s what I like about lament—I can tell the truth and not fake it.
That’s what I like about the spirituals—I can sing, “Sometimes I feel like a motherless child… a long way from home,” and end the song without a cheap shout tacked on the end.
I want to preach sermons that Paul can hear when he has that thorn in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7–9).
I want to preach sermons that Jesus can hear when he feels like saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1).
I want to preach sermons that Jeremiah can hear when he wrote Lamentations (Lamentations 3:19–24),
and that King Solomon can hear when he writes Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 1:2–3).
I want to preach sermons that John can hear when he’s sitting on the isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:9–10).
That’s what I want to do, y’all.
Your people need permission to cry and praise at the same time. They need to see that “celebration” isn’t about faking it; it’s about recognizing that if you’re still standing, God is already at work.
This week, don’t just celebrate what’s coming. Celebrate the fact that God is giving your people the strength to take the next step. That’s the kind of celebration that turns survival into worship.
If this resonates with you—or even if you’re not feeling it—go ahead and hit Reply and let me know what you think.
In any case, SoulPreaching is back. And I hope you’ll come back with me.
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