Luke 8:9-21, How to Listen to a Sermon (2)

Let us consider our need before, during and after the sermon.

·        Before the ministry of the Word: prepare your heart.

Proverbs advises us to keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (4:23).  The need for this in hearing from the Lord is clearly seen in the four types of soil in Jesus’ parable (Lk. 8:9-15).  We often pray that those who need to hear the gospel will have an open heart when they hear it.  We need to pray the same for ourselves as the Word of God is opened and presented to us.  God’s word to Ezekiel reminds us that the preacher must preach the Word of God; the preacher is not able to make us listen.  Ezekiel was to say Thus saith the LORD whether the people listened or not (Ezek. 3:10-11).  I believe this matter says a lot about how we spend our Saturday night (do we get good rest before we spend time with our church family and are fed from the Word) as well as what goes on in our homes Sunday morning. 

·        During the ministry of the Word: plan to work.

Peter mentioned the OT prophets and how they were searching for understanding about the things they were hearing from God (1 Pt. 1:10-11).  The Bereans engaged in this searching when they heard the Word preached by Paul and Silas (Ac. 17:11).  Read Prov. 2:1-5 and see how many terms you see that apply to the hard work of hearing from God through others.  The picture is of one searching for silver or hidden treasure.

For many people taking notes is essential.  That may not work for you but what we need to ask is what will help us to stay on track.  These days we have been somewhat dumbed-down so that we can only handle sound bites.  The average attention span is pretty short.  I am bothered by the constant emphasis being placed on the preacher to make it short and simple.  That might be necessary for preaching the gospel to the unsaved but in preaching and teaching to believers the emphasis ought to be on making good use of the time and holding nothing back.  Preaching into the night (Ac. 20:7-12) means those listening must work.  In the West it’s sermonettes for Christianettes but if you go to most other places in the world the believers meet for hours on Sunday mornings.  PLAN TO WORK!

(We will conclude our thoughts on this matter tomorrow.  For now, let us hear and heed.)