The sermon. Boredom or bliss?
Answers on a postcard…
In the infamous words of a former principal of the Scottish Baptist College, the sermon can become “A monstrous monologue by a moron to mutes” (R.E.O White).
Now I wonder what Glasgow preachers he was listening to? Far be it from this preacher to comment.
Sunday by Sunday we pin back our ears, muster up our best listening skills and look for the powerful voice of God through the faltering words of women and men. In our attention-deficit world this is not how we consume our information and for years I have heard preaching questioned as outdated, pedagogically impoverished (look it up!) or simply dull. Some suggest that a sermon is just a commentary on God at work, a scripture seminar – God is to be encountered elsewhere.
I beg to differ.
In the folly and frailty of human words soaked in the Holy Spirit, seeking to articulate scripture truth, God himself addresses us, anchors us in his truth and imparts his transforming word into our souls.
He speaks!
To the astonishment of this preacher, He takes my meagre scraps of understanding and revelation and scatters them like a basket of fish and bread on a Galilean hillside to feed a multitude. And here is the kicker: He delivers a word for the moment, tailored exactly to who we are and where we are. It always amazes me what people hear! How the Spirit translates from preacher to hearer and heart.
“I don’t remember even saying that!”
…is the response of so many preachers to the testimony of their listeners.
Talking of feeding miracles. Ezekiel 3:3 and Revelation 10:9-10 invite us to consider God’s word spoken as something to be ingested and digested: feeding us, reviving us, liberating us and fortifying us to live Christlike lives.
Digestion is as vital as eating. The word of God through human words is to be received, absorbed and embodied. Scriptures urge us to chew over (Psalm 119:11-16) what we hear, trusting the Holy Spirit to work and attuning us to God’s voice despite the noise around.
So, this Sunday, as we continue to reflect on the things that we are and do, we are preaching about preaching! This strange, familiar means by which God has promised to appeal to each of us directly. And the wonderful promise that we can meet Him and hear Him in the faltering words of a human voice.
So, let’s listen up and lean in to what He may have for each of us.
“God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things! —to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.” 1 Corinthians 1:21 MSG