Sermon Summary: 2 Storms, 1 Purpose, 3 Reactions

Why I started summarizing sermons two months ago.

During the spring of 2024, I learned that one of my college roommates, Greg Miller, had been diagnosed with a form of early-onset dementia. He’s in his early 60s.

Greg lives with his wife, Beth, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and I live 750 miles south of him in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area.

Greg, who played a minor but pivotal role in my salvation, and I have stayed in touch over the decades since we were buddies at Western Michigan University. You know, things like Christmas cards and occasional texts. When my parents, who lived 150 miles north of Grand Rapids in Traverse City, Michigan, died in 2020 (my mother) and 2023 (my father), Greg traveled to support me at both funerals.

Greg and Beth at my parents’ home in Traverse City after my mother’s funeral in July 2020.

After hearing Greg’s awful diagnosis (he’s already given up his car keys), I wondered how I could support him and Beth. They are devout Christians, and I thought I could summarize the sermon I heard each Sunday and text it to him, with the hopes of starting a conversation.

That was the genesis of my “sermon summaries,” which I send to Greg and to a half dozen other men who have shown interest in them. Taking notes during sermons (which I have done for a decade) and then summarizing the main points has been helpful in deepening my trust in God — and it also has helped spark some conversations with Greg. So it’s a win-win.

And now I’m going to include them in this Substack.

Here is my first summary. Because it’s first, it’s not super-great. I think they get better. You’ll be the judge.

This one was given by Bishop Thad Barnum at Good Shepherd Anglican Church (my home church) in Cornelius, North Carolina, on June 23, 2024.

Greg:

Today’s sermon was on Mark 4:35-5:20, which included Jesus calming a storm and then ousting demons from a man into 2,000 pigs. And all the pigs drowned, angering the townspeople, who only cared about their lost income.

The pastor noted that in this passage there are:

• 2 storms

• 1 purpose

• 3 reactions

The two storms:

• One of nature (the storm)

• One of evil (the demons)

The one purpose is: Jesus allows storms to come into our lives, and he will take us safely through those storms.

The three reactions:

1. Some people will reject Jesus. “Don’t hurt my business. Don’t change my life.” To follow Jesus can be costly. When I was first confronted with Jesus at Age 18, I absolutely said, “I’m not going down that path because I don’t want my life changed.” It’s so interesting that I clearly knew in an instant that my life would change if I started following Jesus. It took me 10 more years before the Holy Spirit knocked on my door again. I’m glad I opened it the second time.

2. Some, like the disciples, will question: “Who is this man?”

3. Some, like the demon-possessed man who was healed, will follow Jesus.

Really good sermon, and the music was better than usual (and it’s always good), and we had cake to celebrate a friend’s birthday. A pretty good day at church.

I hope you’re having a great Sunday.

Blessings,

Ed