What’s a Sermon?: A Perspective for People in the Pews (Part II of III)
As I write this article, I’m sitting in a room flanked by windows on all sides looking over the mountainous region of the lake district in the north of England. I can see trees of indeterminate size, dark crevices, and a variety of pathways and obstacles. If someone were to climb to each peak, I’m sure they would come back with a unique story each time. Each adventure would pose its own wonders and difficulties. Yet, the same basic skills and tools would be required to complete the journey.
I don’t know what this Sunday will look like for you. Perhaps you’re anticipating a short homily (sermon) based on a parable, or maybe you’re eighty-seven Sundays into a “new” series on the book of Mark—eagerly anticipating finally getting into Mark 1:8.
Providing advice that cuts across such a broad spectrum of experience is a daunting task, but unsurprisingly one the Bible is rich in offering assistance. Some sermons are like mere hills, while others climb to the heavens. Regardless, I would give the same advice. That advice, on how best to understand and benefit from preaching, starts with this—Listen.
Don’t be fooled, however, because that word isn’t as simple as it might sound. To listen requires patience, intent, and practice. If we’re honest with ourselves, we all know how difficult listening really is. What we’d prefer is advice on notetaking, or a sheet to fill out, perhaps with color-coded sections. While these can be helpful, they are neither as difficult nor as beneficial as learning to listen.
The best way to benefit from preaching is not a better system but open ears and a heart willing to change.
Proverbs 1:8 says, “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.” We need to have a similar view of preaching. We’ll look today at what preaching is and what our response should be from the pews.
Teaching. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
These verses are often used today in the arena of apologetics, making the case for the inspiration of Scripture. Though that is indeed important, these verses precede a charge given to Timothy to preach the word; teaching, reproving, correcting, and training the people of God in the way of righteousness.
Paul also writes, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus . . . preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:1). As church members it could be easy to read this text simply as a command to our church leaders, but there are implications here for us too. If the preacher is to preach, what then must we do? It is true that to sit under preaching—especially for those new to the faith or new to church—requires, in essence, nothing more than attendance. For those of us who are members, however, we should arrive in the pews each Sunday ready to hear the word of God, seeking to be taught, corrected, and equipped.
Reproof & Correction. “Reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2).
“Mr Ravenhill, can I sit with you?” the young boy said. “Of course,” I replied and pulled out the chair beside me. This was a regular occurrence in the kindergarten I worked in, each morning I would have to tell one or another of the children to behave or ask them to take a time out to calm down, and by lunch, they would come back, apologize, and ask to sit with me for lunch. It was an immense privilege to sit with them during those lunchtimes. The kids knew they needed discipline, and they knew there was forgiveness afterward.
Oh, that it would be so easy for those of us who are all grown up.
In Galatians 5:19–20 we’re given a long list of difficulties faced by the church in Galatia: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries . . .” I certainly dealt with my fair share of jealousy, fits of anger, and rivalries in that kindergarten, but growing up brings a greater capacity for sin and a greater need for correction and reproof, not a lesser need.
We ought not to assume that sermons are easy listening; in fact, if they are, we might need to revisit that first point and listen with more depth. The Bible, thankfully, will contradict our thinking at times. Can you imagine if it agreed with your every motive, thought, and deed? The Bible warns us against such teaching: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim. 4:3).
Imagine walking up one of the mountains I mentioned previously, and coming to a sign that tells you to turn back immediately because there are dangers ahead. To turn back you’d have to make a significant, but safe, detour. What do you choose? The dangers you know are ahead, or the safe journey? Of course, you’d choose the latter. Biblical reproof and correction are like that sign; they are there to put you on the right path.
Training in Righteousness. In addition to reproof and correction, we’re also to listen for training in righteousness. Last month, in Part I of this article, I said that “with the Bible in hand, the preacher is tasked with speaking to you, whilst trusting that the Spirit will speak into you.” Conversely, we’re tasked with listening while trusting that the Spirit will speak to us, as Paul says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).
So, what does righteousness entail? Paul explains, “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:22–24).
Though these might be worked out in various ways, these fruits should always be at the forefront of our minds. (Your pastor will also entreat you to good works and to faithfully use the gifts you’ve been granted for the building up of the body of Christ.) In addition, we should never forget that the living water that feeds those fruits doesn’t come from our strength but flows from the throne of God. Righteousness comes from the same source. Paul reminds us that he did not have, “a righteousness of [his] own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Phil. 3:9).
So then, in listening, we must be ready for reproof and correction, hoping that correction might lead to repentance. Rather than trespassing on dangerous land, we would instead walk in the light of the Lord, and in so doing, witness the fruit of the Spirit grow, not just for our own good but for the good of the church and the world.
* To read Part I and III of this series, click here and here.
Adsum Try Ravenhill is married to Anna and together they are passionate about seeing young men and women discipled within the context of the local church. You can find Adsum through his writing at The Raven’s Writing Desk and alongside Anna as the co-host of the Consider the Ravens Podcast, you can also find Adsum’s articles for GCD here.