Have you ever wondered what happens to a sermon after the preacher preaches it? Most pastors I know, myself included, invest a lot of prayer, time, thought, and heart into preparing a message. Most of us preach ourselves out physically, emotionally, and spiritually delivering the sermon.
Each week, many pastors stand at the front door of the church and listen to a variety of comments attenders make about the sermon, almost always positive. ALMOST always. I’ve heard some “doosies” in my days. Here are a few of the more entertaining ones.
“Preacher, I can tell you spent a lot of time on that sermon today.” (Like I don’t every week?)
“Everything you said today was important.” (What? Unlike every other week?)
“You sure told ‘em today, preacher.” (Said by the man I had in mind during the sermon.)
“You must get your sermons from Charles Stanley. I heard him preach it once.” (No, but we DO use the same source book.)
In all fairness, most of the comments – 99.9% at least – come from genuine people who encourage me and express appreciation for the message. Occasionally, someone will even mention something specific from the sermon that addressed a particular need in their life. Nothing makes a preacher feel more satisfied than specifics.
I also like to listen to people’s side conversations, and those can reveal a lot about a sermon’s effect. One night after preaching my guts out in a service at a friend’s church, we stood at the front door. The first person to speak to my friend was a deacon who went into a tirade about the church’s thermostat. I think we all know what effect the sermon had on him. Zero.
We spend an hour focused on the King of Kings, then at the last “Amen” immediately focus on ourselves. Lunch plans, complaints about the service, gossip – you name it, we turn to it. So I wonder, what happened to the sermon? What happened to my homiletical baby that I labored to bring to the congregation? Is there a spiritual landfill where all sermons go to decompose after they are delivered?
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Four Things that Happen to a Sermon
The parable Jesus told about a sower sowing seed, describes four possible responses to a sermon. You can read the parable in Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23. In explaining the parable, Jesus related the seed to the Word of God. Each week, faithful preachers sew seeding among the hearts of listeners gathered in the congregation. Just as the sower’s seed fell on 4 kinds of soil, so also our sermons fall on the same four types of hearts.
1. The Hard Hearts
Jesus said some seed fell on the beaten down path and failed to take root. Some who attend church on Sunday will bring a hard heart with no intention of receiving a word from God. They come to church for some other reason than letting God’s Word shape their life. Some come out of obligation or for some self-serving purpose and miss what God has to say to them.
2. The Shallow Hearts
Jesus said some seed fell on the rocky ground covered only by a thin layer of topsoil. This seed sprang up for a time, but since they had shallow roots withered under hot and dry conditions. Some who attend church Sunday come for the emotional high they feel during worship times. They leave “jacked up” emotionally but with no depth of spiritual experience. As soon as life hits them with challenging circumstances, the emotion fades and Sunday’s emotional experience is a distant memory.
3. The Cluttered Hearts
Jesus said some seed fell on ground filled with thorns and weeds. This seed sprang up but the weeds and thorns choked the life out of it. Many will come to church Sunday with a lot on their hearts and minds. The sermon competes with those concerns and often is the loser. Some attenders come ready to hear, but as soon as church is over, something or someone diverts their attention to other matters. Something that happens before or during the service may steal their attention. An after church conversation may divert their mind away from what God has said to them. The sermon may have hit the mark, but the hearer lets something else choke the life out of God’s message.
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4. The Fertile Hearts
Jesus said some seed fell on fertile ground and bore fruit in abundance. Each week, a few come to church ready to hear, heed, and obey what God says to them. They refuse to allow other things to distract them and they hasten to follow through on God’s Word to them. Sometimes, the fertile heart comes to the altar and commits to obey God. Other times, the fertile heart determines a specific action to take or adjustment to make to comply with God’s Word. Whatever the case, the Word of God delivered through the sermon takes root and grows into fruitful obedience.
How Can I Prepare My Heart
A farmer prepares the ground before planting what he hopes is a bountiful crop. We, too, can prepare our hearts to receive God’s Word and give it the best chances to bear fruit.
1. Prepare ahead the night before by getting your clothes ready and getting a good night’s sleep. Pray for the preacher and for yourself. Ask God to give you a teachable spirit, a ready mind, and a compliant heart.
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2. Pay attention during church. Engage the music. Think about the lyrics of the song and how they apply to your life and experience. Take notes, including specific ways God speaks to you during the message. If appropriate, respond to the invitation. Write down one or two things God wants you to do immediately as a result of what you heard.
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3. Protect God’s Word after church. Be friendly as you leave, but do not get bogged down in a distracting conversation. At lunch, talk about the message, what God spoke to you, and how you will respond.
I pray God speaks to you every week, not just through your pastor’s message but also during daily Bible study. Consider how the condition of your heart affects God’s message for you, and prepare for the best possible result.
Feel free to hit the “comment” tab above and share with us other ways you prepare to receive God’s Word.