Rev. Zach

The other day we were in a Pizza place with a little game room. Zoe, my 3 yr. old, wanted to see the games. She likes to sit in the car racing games even though she does not know what to do. Correction - she knows what to do. She gave me very specific instructions which buttons to push when, and when we arrived at our destination she told me we were in Africa. Anyway, she saw the games with guns and wanted to play with them. I of course said that guns were not toys, but that some people play with them. She looked at the screen and said,"Why do some people pretend to shoot other people?" I said, "I don't know, but it's not very nice. Is it?" She looked serious for a moment, then softened and said, "It's just a game, Daddy!" I agreed and changed the subject, realizing that the anticipated conflict over violence in our culture as a normative behavior had begun. Ah, the innocence of youth!

This is the sermon I would have liked to preach. The one I delivered was slightly different because I decided to come out of the pulpit and go from an outline. It was a good first attempt, though not the standard I hope to attain. I guess we "press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of" us. Also if anyone saw this recently, I have edited the typos. “The Advocate” The Rev. Zachary S. Sasser First Presbyterian, Dalton GA Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C Mother’s Day May 13, 2007 Scripture Texts: Acts 16:9-15, John 14:23-29 Today is Mother’s Day, and I find it highly appropriate that our texts today speak of God’s active presence in our lives as an Advocate sent by Christ himself, and of a strong woman who helped found a church in one of the crucial ports of call in ancient Macedonia. Psychologists tell us that our parents, each in thier own way, help form a base impression of who God is and how God operates in our lives. And so, those of us who have