My Last Chapel: Wordled

Wordle is a web site that takes text and artistically arranges it. The words most used are the largest. I wordled the chapel I gave on June 1. The results are interesting.
I used Matthew 28:17-19 as my text. Actually, I wanted to use this text for my penultimate chapel but I asked Pastor Bagnal from St. Luke Lutheran Church in Clinton Township to give chapel so I used the text this past Monday. I've Wordled other chapels and it's interesting to see what words are used the most. As chapel speakers our responsibility is to present God's Holy Word in all its truth and purity. We need to reveal the condemnation of the Law and the glorious, unconditional grace of the Gospel. That's it. Students and staff must leave rejoicing with the robes of righteousness given to them through Christ's atoning sacrifice. So when I look at the Wordle graphic it was comforting to see Christ was the word most often used. However, that doesn't mean it was a good chapel. Reverend Todd Wilken, of Issues Etc., has a great sermon diagnostic that I've discussed in previous blogs and use every time I give chapel or listen to a sermon:

1) Is Christ mentioned? 2) Is Christ the subject of the verbs? 3) If Christ is the subject of the verbs what is he doing?

That diagnostic helps me avoid presenting Law as Gospel, Gospel as Law. It also helps me avoid presenting Christ as a pal, chum, compadre, or chingu rather than as our sin-forgiving, eternal-life-granting Savior.