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Written by George Hartwell, 'Creative Closings' provide the preacher and liturgist with a way to lead the congregation to a deeper experience of the message of the selected Revised Common Lectionary text or texts for the day. 'Creative Closings' follow the sermon or homily and most often pick up on the theme of one of the sermons provided on the 'Sermons & Sermon - Lectionary Resources' site (as referenced in the 'the thematic background'. Each Creative Closing can also stand on it's own and might be used as well in a devotional or bible study session.
If this Creative Closing is of use to you please fell free to utilize it, but reproduction electronically or in print requires the author's authorization. George Hartwell would also like to hear your response to this resource. You may write him at GHartwell@HealMyLife.com
THEMATIC BACKGROUND from: Sin and Despair, Salvation and Hope From Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" CREATIVE CLOSING Jesus refused the temptation to focus on the needs of his body. He refused to use God’s power to produce bread for his body. During this time of lent, let us be like Jesus and focus less on our physical needs and focus more on the needs of our heart and spirit. Let us tone down our focus on food and tune in to the voice of God. So, in this time of silent prayer tell God that, during these 40 days, you would like to focus on listening to God’s word to you. Take a minute to pray silently about your commitment to feed your spirit on God’s Word. Decide what you will do in Lent to be tuned in to God’s very word spoken to you. Tell God what you will do to listen and feed on His Word. copyright - George Hartwell, 2002, 2005 Rev. Richard J. Fairchild - Spirit Networks, 2002 - 2006 please acknowledge the appropriate author if citing these resources.
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