The Real Thing

Harley Dad took his camera to church. My purpose was to take a picture of the Automobile that went to church. But that is another blog.

Brokerbelle sat beside HarleyDad in the service with some trepidation, knowing that HarleyDad was armed with the camera, and when he is armed, he is dangerous. During the most reverent part of the service HarleyDad is likely to spring to his feet, take a picture, and shout "I got it."

Our church is not a pentecostal church, so when I shout, "I got it" people get confused and think I got religion.

Today, I did get something. I got a great and insightful sermon. The Sermon could be entitled "The Real Thing."

Our minister, Chris Sloan, had an ice chest with him on the podium. He begins to talk about how his wife recently found some coke in bottles. He stated that coke in real glass bottles was the real thing. It tastes great.

Christianity is like the coke in glass bottles. It has fizz to it. When you open it, you hear the pop of the cap and the smoke come out. It has life to it. Once you have tasted it, you will always know the reality of that taste.

Many people only experience a Chrisitianity that is like the plastic two liter bottle of Sam's Club soda that has been left in the refrigerator for a month. There is no fizz, no life to it.

As Chris is saying this, he is holding the plastic two liter bottle.

Next he goes to his blue cooler and pulls out a coke in a glass bottle. He talks about how Jesus Christ is the real thing and about how one is refreshed when one accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and finds the real thing.

Then, Chris drinks the coke and does not even offer any of us a sip! Brokerbelle points that this is OK because it is not Communion Sunday.

By now HarleyDad is fully awake and listening intently, and Princessbelle has stopped her drawing and is listening to the sermon.

The Pastor quotes from Martin Luther and states, "A religion that costs nothing and suffers nothing is worth nothing."

He goes through a number of other things including stating that our choir does not sing for your enjoyment but sings for God's enjoyment. Now this comes as a surprise to HarleyDad who had thought the choir was singing for his enjoyment. However, after being reassured by Brokerbelle that this statement is correct, HarleyDad was relieved because he knew he did not sing too well and so may be his singing is for God's enjoyment too. Well, HarleyDad knows no one around him enjoys his singing so may be it is OK to sing in church even if you are not too good a singer.

Well, it was a banner day. It was a great sermon. You might even say that it was "The pause that refreshes."

The real, Real Thing. That's what we need. And that is what we got today!

Harley Dad