Have you ever sat through a sermon that was hard to take? When it comes to listening to sermons, we all can use some help.
Jesus says, ‘Take care then how you hear’ (Luke 8.18). What does our Lord mean? Jesus explains that if we listen to God’s word one way, we will be given more, but if we listen to His word another way, even what we think we have will be taken away from us. So, the way we listen is not only crucial, it is a matter of life-or-death. It is possible to have ears that do not function properly—they fail to hear in a way that leads to understanding (Mark 8.18). In other words, they always hear, but never understand what God is telling us (Mark 4.12). How can we listen so that we understand the message which God is communicating through His word proclaimed? In the booklet Listen Up, Christopher Ash (Director of the Cornhill Training Course in London, England) gives seven ingredients for healthy sermon listening:
1. Expect God to speak
Ash writes, ‘Jesus governs His church by the written word of Scripture... The main way He does this is not by the written word being read, but by the written word being preached and taught.’ This does not mean the preacher has special powers of prophecy, only that when he faithfully preaches the Bible, he is bringing God’s Word to God’s people. Otherwise, it’s simply the pastor’s personal opinion. Therefore, the people of God should expect to receive a message from their Lord in the sermon. What can you do? Pray for the preachers, that they would properly handle the word; pray for others, that the word would nourish them; and, says Ash, pray ‘for yourself, that by His Spirit, God will grow in you a heartfelt expectation that God himself will speak to you as His word is preached.’
Ash writes, ‘Jesus governs His church by the written word of Scripture... The main way He does this is not by the written word being read, but by the written word being preached and taught.’ This does not mean the preacher has special powers of prophecy, only that when he faithfully preaches the Bible, he is bringing God’s Word to God’s people. Otherwise, it’s simply the pastor’s personal opinion. Therefore, the people of God should expect to receive a message from their Lord in the sermon. What can you do? Pray for the preachers, that they would properly handle the word; pray for others, that the word would nourish them; and, says Ash, pray ‘for yourself, that by His Spirit, God will grow in you a heartfelt expectation that God himself will speak to you as His word is preached.’
2. Admit God knows better than you
When God speaks through His word, we should listen and obey. But often the opposite occurs. We hear the word but quickly forget as the cares of the world crowd out God’s message. ‘You and I must not only take seriously the voice of God; we must bow the knee in submission when he speaks.’ What does this mean in practice? Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to submit to what the Bible clearly says.
When God speaks through His word, we should listen and obey. But often the opposite occurs. We hear the word but quickly forget as the cares of the world crowd out God’s message. ‘You and I must not only take seriously the voice of God; we must bow the knee in submission when he speaks.’ What does this mean in practice? Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to submit to what the Bible clearly says.
3. Check the preacher says what the passage says
Check, double-check, and triple-check. ‘We need to check that the preacher is actually using the only available authority, which is borrowed authority that only comes from teaching what the Bible passage teaches,’ says Ash. The only legitimate authority a preacher has is the authority that is given to him so long as he faithfully opens the Scriptures to explain their meaning. How can you get involved? Read the passage over beforehand, if that is possible, and listen carefully to the sermon, taking notes if necessary.
Check, double-check, and triple-check. ‘We need to check that the preacher is actually using the only available authority, which is borrowed authority that only comes from teaching what the Bible passage teaches,’ says Ash. The only legitimate authority a preacher has is the authority that is given to him so long as he faithfully opens the Scriptures to explain their meaning. How can you get involved? Read the passage over beforehand, if that is possible, and listen carefully to the sermon, taking notes if necessary.
4. Hear the sermon in church
Listening to sermons on the TV or internet is not the ideal. ‘When we listen together, we respond together.’ Being with our brothers and sisters in Christ is part of listening to the word proclaimed. Christians who focus mostly on virtual sermons isolate themselves from the very people whom God has ordained to be their immediate family of faith. God has placed us together as a congregation for a purpose: to function as a family—that means encouraging and, at times, correcting each other, in love as happens in every healthy family. A virtual pastor and a virtual congregation—no matter how good—can never care for you like the real thing. As you listen to the sermon in your local congregation, be aware of others who are there. How might you care for them? How might they care for you?
Listening to sermons on the TV or internet is not the ideal. ‘When we listen together, we respond together.’ Being with our brothers and sisters in Christ is part of listening to the word proclaimed. Christians who focus mostly on virtual sermons isolate themselves from the very people whom God has ordained to be their immediate family of faith. God has placed us together as a congregation for a purpose: to function as a family—that means encouraging and, at times, correcting each other, in love as happens in every healthy family. A virtual pastor and a virtual congregation—no matter how good—can never care for you like the real thing. As you listen to the sermon in your local congregation, be aware of others who are there. How might you care for them? How might they care for you?
5. Be there week by week
Ash reminds us, ‘The Bible is not designed to give me a series of instant fixes. It is God’s instrument to shape and mould my mind and character into the likeness of Christ. And that takes time…So we need, not a random series of sermon fixes, but to sit together regularly, week by week, under the systematically preached word of God.’ After the service, ask yourself how the morning Bible passage should shape your heart and ask others how it should shape our church.
Ash reminds us, ‘The Bible is not designed to give me a series of instant fixes. It is God’s instrument to shape and mould my mind and character into the likeness of Christ. And that takes time…So we need, not a random series of sermon fixes, but to sit together regularly, week by week, under the systematically preached word of God.’ After the service, ask yourself how the morning Bible passage should shape your heart and ask others how it should shape our church.
6. Do what the Bible says
Don’t just hear the word, the Bible says, but also do what it teaches. Otherwise, we deceive ourselves into thinking we are someone we are not (James 1.22). Ash writes, ‘The purpose of sermons is to change us into Christlike people. What do you need to do to obey God? Pray that God would give you the obedience to follow His word, especially when it will require you to stretch, grow, and mature in your faith in Christ.
Don’t just hear the word, the Bible says, but also do what it teaches. Otherwise, we deceive ourselves into thinking we are someone we are not (James 1.22). Ash writes, ‘The purpose of sermons is to change us into Christlike people. What do you need to do to obey God? Pray that God would give you the obedience to follow His word, especially when it will require you to stretch, grow, and mature in your faith in Christ.
7. Do what the Bible says today—and rejoice!
‘Every time we hear the word of God preached, we must respond today,’ says Ash. ‘It is not that we become Christians again day by day, that is not necessary. As James put it, the word of God has already been implanted and has taken root in our hearts; and yet we still need to receive it humbly and urgently day by day’ (James 1.21). Ash says, ‘Ask yourself how the preached passage shows you an attitude, or words, or actions that need to change…Then change, urgently, praying for grace to enable you to repent.’
‘Every time we hear the word of God preached, we must respond today,’ says Ash. ‘It is not that we become Christians again day by day, that is not necessary. As James put it, the word of God has already been implanted and has taken root in our hearts; and yet we still need to receive it humbly and urgently day by day’ (James 1.21). Ash says, ‘Ask yourself how the preached passage shows you an attitude, or words, or actions that need to change…Then change, urgently, praying for grace to enable you to repent.’
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