A good sermon, like a good book or a good movie, is something you want to talk about. You don’t just leave church and go on to the next thing on your “to-do list.”
If it’s a good sermon, your mind has been stimulated and you want to interact with others regarding what you heard. Were they as moved as you were? What questions or comments do they have? How are the planning to respond?
I heard a sermon like this recently. My wife was away at a conference, so I went to church on my own. There were no guests to pick up, no responsibilities I needed to prepare for. I guess I went more out of habit than anything else.
But I heard a truly remarkable message. It engaged me on every level. In fact, I called Karen that very afternoon and talked with her about it on the phone. Then I went out to dinner at a quiet restaurant and wrote several pages of notes related to what had been said. It’s now several weeks later, and would you believe, I’m still wrestling with this sermon.
The message reminded me of some important biblical principles, but it also left me with the job of figuring out what I was going to do with them. I’m glad the speaker didn’t try to leave me with a finished product. It made me work through everything on my own. I think he purposely preached with this in mind. In fact, I’m sure he did.
The experience has made me wonder what people do with my sermons. Do they just say “nice message” when they leave the sanctuary, or do they talk about them with their friends, even mentally process them repeatedly in the days that follow?
Come to think about it, I’m certain that was the response of people when they heard Jesus preach!
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You can learn how to develop highly relevant Sunday sermons that grab the attention of your congregation and help your listeners respond effectively to the deep truths of God’s Word. David Mains and Mainstay Ministries have a whole range of helpful solutions. Do you need to prepare a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon? You can find help on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons. Just click here to visit David Mains’ website.
