(Note–I resisted the urge to write a Valentine Day blog.  Maybe next year)

My current sermon series is titled Missing Links and it is about the first three chapters of Genesis.  I had fun yesterday launching it.  Last year when I was formulating the idea, my original desire was to build the series around the unique nomenclature surrounding the origins of humanity.

• ex nihilo
• sabbath
• imago dei
• original sin

Ex nihilo is the doctrine that God made everything that is from nothing, using no pre-existing materials.  This classic doctrine is attributed to St. Augustine.  Sabbath is the Hebrew word describing the seventh day.  This is the day God rested.  The image of God, imago dei, is a specific doctrine about the composition of human beings—that which sets us apart form the rest of creation.  Original sin describes Adam and Eve’s fall from the ideal condition of creation.

Eventually I moved away from using these words as my over-arching theme, I still love them and will work them into the sermon.  As I looked at these words on the page, I wondered what alternate definitions might exist for these words.  It’s a funny word game I play sometimes with lots of words.

Warning, the following paragraphs are preposterous and not edifying at all

1.   ex nihilo—A former member of an underground group of people who worship the bottled carbonated beverage Nehi Grape.

I’ve heard that the most difficult part of being ex nihilo is when you start missing the 12 ounce glass bottles and craving the cheap fizz.

2.  sabbath—Slang.  Pronounced “Say Bath.”  A cleansing ritual in Arkansas involving hot water, soap, and shampoo.

Coot, do you know what time its gittin’ to be?

Nah?

Can you sabbath?

3.   imago dei—The latest fuel efficient car from Honda.

My new imago dei from Honda gets 48 miles per gallon.

4.  original sin—An award given to actors and actresses for the best original portrayal of evil on the big screen.

And the original sin goes to . . . Ralph Fiennes.