January 8, 1984

Comment: This was the first story sermon for adultsthat I wrote and dramatized during worship. I had written anumber of story sermons for children, but the breakthoughcame because an old sermon I had been revising every half-dozen years was not taking shape. I started to write.Usually, I have just outlined sermons and "talked" them tothe congregation. When I got started on this one, I found atext forming with which I decided to stay.

There were two major problems that I had with this one.The most important was the fact that I was bound to the textand read it. The people were unaccustomed to that and didnot really like it. So, I opened with an introduction in mynormal style to establish why I was reading the story!Second, to try to minimize the "reading" feel of the story,I…