Sermons account for a large portion of the time in worship. However, do people look forward to listening to the sermon? According to a BBC News article found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8467504.stm most people do. The article states, "Researchers at Durham University found 60% of churchgoers felt sermons gave them a sense of God's love." I think it would be nice if we could get a better idea of what people read do take home from our sermons. Sometime we get very little feed back from members so we wonder about the effectiveness of our messages. Having said that I think was also need to remember slow growth comes over time so we may not see nor understand the effect of a message for some period of time. What do you listen for when you listen to a sermon. Do you listen to hear the Law and how it impacts our lives? Do you wait expectantly to hear the healing grace of the Gospel? I think we must remember that both are vital to our healing and growth. With out proper diagnosis the doctor does not know what to treat or how to treat it. And once the doctor knows what the condition is, then he or she can treat it with the right kind and amount of medicine.
Blessings & Peace as you listen to God's Word,
Pastor John
Hebrews 13:20-21
1 comment:
First off, I really enjoyed last week's Monday night service.
On the subject of sermons, I do look for the Law and Gospel. The Law is necessary in order for the Gospel to have any meaning. We need to hear that we fall short, make bad choices, but that in Christ we are reconciled to God. We appear to be in a narcissist period of time (Christopher Lasch's book is relevant today), and I think the Law is the medicine many need, myself included. Without the Law, people make excuses.
Our business was broken into a year ago, and pretty much wiped out. In order to console us, well meaning friends offered us the excuse that they were probably hungry (bad economy and they didn't steal the food)or needed money (stole the silver coins, left the copper pennies). I reject that as did the police that deal with people who steal. I think it is natural to try to explain bad behavior using your own rationale why you would do something like that.
As you can tell, I like the phrase "poor, miserable, sinner." It is a humbling phrase.
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