True North Backstory

One reason I enjoyed preaching the sermons in this series was the contrast between a "head" message and a "heart" message.

The message on Scripture was a head message—didactic. We asked folks for questions about barriers to taking the Bible as authoritative, and there were so many good ones I had to rewrite the sermon on Thursday.

N.T. Wright's notion of the biblical story as a play with five acts was extremely helpful.

This enabled me to demonstrate how the nature of a story carries authority, and what it means to read the Bible literally.

The message on grace alone was aimed at the heart. One question I always try to keep in mind is, What are people talking about this week? That week, people were talking about the deaths of Steve Jobs and Al Davis. So the message was simple: How successful, tough, talented, attractive do you have to be? The stories of high "bar-setters" helped set the stage for grace.

Introduction

This is my Father's world
And to my listening ears
All nature sings and around me rings
The music of the spheres
This is my Father's world
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas
His hand the wonders wrought
This is my Father's world
The birds their carols raise
The morning light, the lily white
Declare their maker's praise
This is my Father's world
He shines in all that's fair
In rustling grass I hear him pass
He speaks to me everywhere
This is my Father's world
Oh let me never forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the ruler yet
This is my Father's world
The battle is not done
Jesus who died shall be satisfied
And earth and heaven be won
Jesus who died shall be satisfied
And earth and heaven be won

We are starting a five-week ...

John Ortberg is pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, California.