Are you listening?

 

                                    https://www.xpastor.org/strategy/church-growth/forgetting-the-sermon-by-wednesday/

As a Pastor, I love asking the question, "What was last weeks sermon about?" Well, I say I love to ask, but most of the time I don't really want to hear the answer. It's painful. I learned by the example of my former pastor, if we want to have a chance for someone to remember anything from last weeks message, give them ONE POINT, ONE MAIN POINT to remember. Even then the chances are not good. LOL! THEN if they remember the ONE POINT will it actually change their life. That takes the power of the message to an entirely different level.

HAHAHAHA! Look at me trying to give out preaching advice. This is coming from a guy who is now learning to prepare a message every week for the very first time in his life. LOL! But, this thought struck me today as I was reading the final chapters of the book of Acts this morning. Even my hero Paul had a difficult time getting people to listen to his Holy Spirit led messages.

"'Men,' he said, ' I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on -- shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.' But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship's captain and the owner than to Paul." (Acts 27:10-11)

Yeah, they didn't listen to Paul either and later we will find out HE was right. 

I heard someone say they weren't going to church anymore because they never get anything out of the messages delivered by the pastor. They claimed to listen and even feel some connection with the Pastor's sermon, but he said, by the next day, I always forgot even what it was about. He said, "What's the purpose of going if you don't even remember what was said?" Then I heard a Senior Pastor with loads of experience respond this way. "Do you remember what you had for lunch last Sunday? Do you remember where and what you ate on each Sunday over the past month, two months?" Obviously, most don't remember what they had to eat yesterday, let alone the meals over the past couple of months. But, those meals were still really valuable, even if we don't remember them. They provided us with strength, energy, and they sustained us, even though we couldn't remember them specifically. We don't need to remember every sermon. Maybe we don't remember ANY of the past sermons. However, I pray they sustained you. I pray they gave give you strength to handle your week. to 

Thank you, Lord for giving us your word. I pray, LORD, you will fill each person within the sound of my voice on a Sunday morning, with your spirit. Help them to gain power, strength and YOUR wisdom to help them get through each week. Use me, use my words, that those words will be your own. I don't want people to just hear my loud clanging cymbals. I want them to hear straight from you. Help them to hear your voice, your wisdom, your warnings, and your inspiration. Just use me for your purposes! Amen!