Exploratory Essay

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Celebration Jesus described heaven like a party – a celebration (Sabella, 2014). Matthew 22:2-4
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.” But there is much work to be done before we get there. God must transform us first. We must allow His grace to work within us changing us so that we may revel in joy over Him and His grace in our lives. God teaches us joy and celebration through …show more content…

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7
Through focusing on the good things that God provides and being grateful to Him for all things, joy comes (The Discipline of Celebration). And the reason to celebrate becomes evident. It is imperative that one learns the spiritual discipline of celebration. If one is without joy it is unlikely that perseverance would occur. The things that Paul mentions that a person must do are a choice. That is why Celebration is a spiritual discipline (The Discipline of Celebration). A benefit of the spiritual discipline of Celebration is that it saves us from taking ourselves too seriously. It adds a note of gaiety and festivity to our lives for without it life would be boring and life-less. From a heart of joy true celebrations spring forth. It is not something that should be forced upon anyone if they are not feeling the spirit of celebration it is fine. Theirs just has not yet to come (The Discipline of Celebration). …show more content…

If one views preaching as a spiritual discipline and not a rhetorical technique the preacher will use a different set of focal points. It causes the preacher to be consumed with what God is saying through the text and how God is seeking to conform the church and preacher to the pattern of Christ through the text. These issues cannot be accessed unless the preacher has an intimate relationship with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The depth of spirituality of the preacher adds to the sermon something that mere technique cannot. Richard Baxter

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