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Obvi the best advice - Monday Manna

A Review of Ella Lucas' sermon by Rev. TJ Lucas



In this summer music series we have spanned far and wide across the generations and genres of our culture seeking God in the secular sounds that have shaped, influenced, and have drifted in the airwaves among us. This past Sunday we were pleased to welcome one of our youth to the pulpit to hear not only one of her favorite bands, TV Girl, but also a word from God through her worldview. She jokingly entitled her sermon that she saved on my laptop she used to write it, "Obvi the best sermon ever," as a nod to that I must say she gives us a good word in this one so slow down your manic Monday for some manna. See what pearls of wisdom you can glean from one of the youngest among us. We all have something to teach one another.


Ella reminded us of banners (pictured above) she painted for the season of Lent--black and white, each symbolizing an I am statement of God. During that sermon series, we explored the power of words and how they shape our identity. Like many of us throughout our youth, we are drawn into some songs because they help us to contemplate ourselves a little deeper. For Alla, she highlighted three songs of identity in her sermon.


Grapes Upon a Vine - She highlighted the verse, "there ain't no comfort in a bottle for a grape upon a vine," to which she explained,  "My interpretation of it is that it's about being yourself. So when you eat a bag of grapes you will eat one and taste that they all taste different. Some are sour and some are super sweet. Some are crunchy and some are mushy. Well when you put them all together to make wine, you can not taste the difference between the grapes. People are like that too. They all have their own personalities and they are all different in their own amazing way. God each of us to be our own person. But they try to be like other people to fit in, but they lose their own special personalities. Which is why 'there is no comfort in a bottle for a grape upon the vine.' "


Blue Hair - One of Ella's favorite songs is about how a girl changed herself to fit in and to act more grown-up. Ella notes the importance of not changing yourself to belong as God makes us each unique and belonging is for us all. I would add, growing up isn't an act to wear. It is ok to hold on to the youthful parts of ourselves. The older I have grown the more I have come to realize, we are all just children in bodies that overtime start to fail us. So let us embrace the purest and most childlike versions of ourselves because no where in the Bible does it say we are adults of God.


The Blonde - Ella wraps up with a song about a girl who changes her hair to be more attractive but the roots eventually show anyway. Ella notes that no matter how hard you try to change who God has made you, it remains.


She transitions into showing how these lessons come together in the person of Joseph of our Genesis text this week. He forgave the betrayal of his brothers after enduring great suffering and pain that came from their plots of destruction. Through it all, Ella noted that he remained true to himself. He was a dreamer, a leader, and a faithful son--to God and his father, Jacob. Even surrounded by and leading an entirely different people, he didn't turn away from God or who God always intended him to be.


She drew our message to an end by saying Jesus tells us in John 15 that if we remain in Him, He will remain in us. I can't summarize the ending better than she said it so I will quote her directly again,


"God teaches how to love ourselves and each other through all the changes of life. So if you decide that you won’t change yourself  and instead you will be yourself, how do you know who that is anyways? You find yourself with god, and even as you change throughout your life, you keep finding yourself, which is why you must remain with God and he will remain with you."


Good job, Ella! Thank you for such a wonderful message and for sharing your music with us.


Kick off your week with the Word of God through our weekly spiritual practice of Dwelling in the Word:


The Four Movements of Lectio Divina AKA Dwelling in the Word

Taking time to slow down and simply dwell in the Word is one of the most life-giving rhythms we can cultivate. In a world that constantly demands we read for information or efficiency, this spiritual practice invites us to read for intimacy and transformation. It is about letting the text master us, rather than us trying to master the text.


Here is a simple, four-step guide to help you sit with the Scriptures, followed by brief, clear summaries of the passages you've selected to guide your reflection.


Before you begin, find a quiet space, take a few deep breaths, and invite the Holy Spirit to speak.


1. Lectio (Read): Read the passage slowly, gently, and preferably aloud. Don't rush to finish. Just listen for a single word, phrase, or image that seems to shimmer or catch your attention.


2. Meditatio (Reflect): Read the passage a second time. Take that specific word or phrase and chew on it. Why did the Spirit highlight this for you today? How does it intersect with your current joys, burdens, or questions?


3. Oratio (Respond): Read the passage a third time. Now, turn your reflections into an honest prayer. Talk to God as you would a trusted friend — pour out your gratitude, your doubts, your requests, or your repentance based on what the text stirred up.


4. Contemplatio (Rest): Read the passage one final time. Release all your thoughts and simply rest silently in God's presence, letting His love wash over you like a deep exhale.


Scripture Summaries for Reflection This Week

Use these one-line summaries of the text to pick which scripture you will dwell in each day of this week. I have found staying in one scripture for a longer period of time can draw out more than bouncing between several. These are from the Revised Common Lectionary. You can read them in full all together here


 
 
 

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