Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A Sermon is Not Just any Talk

by  DTL

A sermon is different from a talk (chat).

A talk can be a leisurely exercise with no specific aim but to commune and fellowship.

A sermon however has to have objectives. Why? Because of the role of the sermon-giver is a SERVANT OF GOD delivering a needed MESSAGE from God!

It can take the form of a talk but can not simply be any talk. The preacher has to ask himself:

"What does God really want me to say to my audience today?"

"What has God so burdened my heart TODAY that I have to 'speak His words and pour out His heart' to MY PEOPLE?"

You see, a sermon without any objective is tantamount to a waste of time.

Oh God, deliver us from sermons that are a waste of time!!!!

SERVANT OF GOD>>>MESSAGE>>>TODAY>>>MY PEOPLE

A servant of God on the puplit has to deliver a message from God. The pulpit can not speak-it's the person who preaches from it who speaks. Everybody has biases, and humility is not the issue. I do not worry about biases or humility, or the lack of it. I worry about the message. Where is the message? At a time when we are all hungry and thirsty for words of encouragment, uplifting and directions from the Word of God, we need TIMELY, COURAGEOUS, RELEVANT and CLEAR messages from God.

A prophet speaks almost always AGAINST an audience of ignorance, apathy or hostility (check out your OT). This is what makes a prophet a prophet. The quality or preparedness of the audience is A TOTALLY DIFFERENT issue from the delivery of the message. A prophet may have to adapt his message according to [the level and preparedness of] his audience, but he has to deliver his message nonetheless! There is no escape from it.

As a lay preacher (same should apply to an ordained preacher), I can not worry about whether my audience will like me or not, whether they prefer me to sooth their fur, or irritate their skin. I worry about MEETING THEIR NEEDS and HOW I SHOULD deliver the message according to God's wishes and the burden He has laid on my heart to meet those needs.

Do I make any sense?

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