Listening To A Sermon

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16

I'm an Andy Griffith fan. Over the years, I'm pretty sure I've watched all of the episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and most of Matlock. It is always funny to watch Barney in church. I remember one episode in particular when Gomer and Barney had trouble staying awake. At the door afterward, Barney compliments the preacher by assuring him that he can never preach too much on "Sin," even though that was not the topic of that day's sermon!

Now, here's a question for you: What did your pastor preach on Sunday?

I am well aware that preaching is a two-way endeavor. There is speaking and listening. In a sermon, the preacher speaks, and the congregation listens. Sadly, sometimes, there are breakdowns along the way. Either the pastor fails to communicate clearly, or the congregation fails to listen carefully. Sometimes, both failures occur! But I have found that it is possible to "get something" out of a message if you carefully and prayerfully listen.

If you cannot remember what your pastor preached, I think it would be wise to ask yourself a second question: Why can't I remember? And be honest in your answer. Were you distracted or too tired, or was the sermon boring? Maybe your memory isn’t what it used to be.

You may need to change the way you listen. Praying for the sermon, jotting down some notes, and offering an "Amen" where appropriate might help you get more out of the sermon that Gomer and Barney got!

Dear Heavenly Father, Today I want to lift my pastor to you in prayer. Help him this week as he studies and prepares his sermon. And please help me to be an attentive listener. I don't want to be just a hearer of the word; I want to be a doer. May the taste of Your Word be ever sweet in my mouth. In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen.