Why are you preparing another sermon or sermon outline? And why do you go through this creative agony week after week?
Is it because it’s part of your job description to prepare and deliver a church sermon every Sunday? Maybe you do all this because you kind of like it when people say “great sermon, Pastor” on their way out of the sanctuary.
It’s possible you are one of those rare individuals who actually enjoys putting thoughts together in a meaningful way. For you it’s almost a hobby, like solving a crossword puzzle or completing the weekend Sudoku puzzle. You were good at it back in school, and through the years you have stayed sharp at the exercise.
It’s more likely that you sense a call to your pastoral role, and part of the pressure you feel is to represent the Lord in the best way possible. You identify with Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2.
“So then, men out to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
If that’s the case, I strongly suggest you consciously and prayerfully keep appealing to the Lord for help all during the sermon-preparation process. Especially is this important in the early stages of your sermon ideas, because this is when you set the direction regarding what you will be saying.
“Is this the subject You want me to talk about, Lord? Is it fair to the text I have chosen? Am I on target in terms of the response I’m asking for? Am I representing Your thoughts in what I am intending to say? And can You please give me a sense of assurance that I am on the right track? I’m doing this for You, You know!”
