I reckon there’s a common nightmare that preachers share. Its the one where you go to bed on Saturday night thinking everything’s ok, wake up and turn up to church on Sunday morning, only to find that you are rostered to preach that morning. And you’ve done nothing.
I went close to living out that nightmare yesterday. For varying reasons, I turned up for 8am church quite early. And I left my mobile at home.
So, at 7.45am, one of the Wardens of the church said, ‘Did you get the message from the Senior Minister?’
‘Um – what message?’
He showed me the message on his phone. The Senior was sick, and wasn’t coming. ‘Keith will look after the sermon.’
As it turns out, the Senior has messaged me early and told me to do my 5pm sermon from the previous week, but, having left early, and having left my phone at home, I hadn’t received that message!
Soooo – I preached the passage. 15 minutes notice. No notes. Romans 8:12-30.
It was terrifying, and exhilerating, all at the same time.
And, no stones were thrown at the end, so God was good.
I’m preaching there next Sunday. I am very tempted to do the same thing to the Senior, but he’s on hols, so I guess I’ll just prepare and preach…
In Anticipation 
