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There Is a Time for Everything
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Greetings Friends,
This past Sunday, I didn't preach a sermon. And that was entirely on purpose. A while back we decided we wanted to break up the rhythm of our weekly services with something a little different. So we settled on this... whenever there was a fifth Sunday, we would consider doing something more casual, something focused on fellowship and the relationships within our church. This past Sunday was a fifth Sunday. So we gathered in the fellowship hall for a relaxed service, followed by our new school year potluck luncheon and an ice cream social.
The service ran mostly as it normally does. But instead of a sermon, we played a game of Bible trivia. And here is why that matters to me.
Joy is deeply biblical. Faith was never meant to be a never-ending cycle of seriousness. We know that laughter builds community. It makes it easier to spend time together, to learn about one another, to trust one another. In a more casual setting, laughter opens doors that formality keeps closed. I think a relaxed Sunday, one where we have some genuine fun during worship, makes our church more welcoming.
And for the folks who have only recently started worshiping with us, it gives them a chance to see that we really are all part of this family of faith... that we can enjoy ourselves together and learn at the same time.
One of the things I hold onto is the belief that faith isn't only about our problems. It isn't only about wrestling with what's hard. Faith is also about celebrating being alive. It's about being able to laugh at ourselves, laugh with one another, and make memories together. And doing things a little more casually every now and then keeps us from getting so rigid and so locked into routine that we'd struggle if something ever had to change.
Joy and laughter and fun are not distractions from the gospel. In fact, I think they may be one of the very best ways we live the gospel out. So many people in our society today use a distorted version of the gospel to be judgmental and critical. So when we get the chance to sit in a gospel learning situation together, it's worth remembering that it can be fun. It can be accepting. It can be open.
For the trivia itself, we divided the room into two sides, left and right. And although this was supposed to be strictly for fun and not competitive... well, I know some of you have a competitive spirit. I reminded everyone that this wasn't about who is smarter or quicker or more on top of their scripture. It was about having fun with each other and laughing. There was no prize, except that the winning side got to line up for the potluck a little sooner. And we had exactly one rule. Don't shout out the answer, so everybody gets a chance to think it through.
I thought I'd share a few of the questions with you here. Some are easy. Some are not so easy. But all of them were designed to make us think, to help us remember things we may have been taught before, and maybe to teach us something new. I split them into two categories.
Old Testament
How many books are in the Old Testament?
In what language was most of the Old Testament written?
What is the longest book of the Old Testament?
What is the last book of the Old Testament?
What were the ten plagues God sent to Egypt?
Who in the Old Testament is said to have wrestled with God?
New Testament
According to the Gospel of Matthew, where did Jesus give his first public sermon?
Who is believed to be the author of the book of Revelation?
Who carried the cross for Jesus?
How many books are in the New Testament?
What was John the Baptist's father's name?
In what language was most of the New Testament written?
There you have a sample of our Trivia Sunday.
Now, you would probably like it if I gave you the answers to at least a few of these. But part of the fun is the learning, and the learning happens when we search.
Good luck with your search.
In peace and love,
Pastor Bonnie
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