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“ Summary, Part 6 (final) ” God speaks authoritatively through mere human preachers. If you knew that Jesus would be speaking from this pulpit today, what would your level of expectation be? Hearing preaching is an act of worship. If we would go away so blessed, we must come to the sermon anticipating that God has a word for us.
Ian Migala (6/5/2013)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 5 ” If we don’t come to the sermon expecting to be taught by the Holy Spirit, we will probably go away without receiving much reward. HEBREWS 11:6: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Consider the active example of the Jews who came to hear Paul preach in Berea. ACTS 17:10-11: “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” What benefit did these active hearers receive from their eager, discerning listening to Paul’s preaching (verse 12)? God’s chief means of bringing sinners to Christ and then afterward growing them in faith is by the faithful preaching of His Word. 1 THESSALONIANS 2:13: “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”
Ian Migala (6/5/2013)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 4 ” b) it implies a crucial factor about our spiritual condition that makes the hearing of preaching essential for our spiritual welfare (it is helpful for what it is ordained to do): it is profitable for TEACHING (doctrine, instruction in the truth), REPROOF (showing where we’ve gone wrong, calling to repent), CORRECTION (mending or making something upright again), TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS (child-training in the right way), ADEQUATE AND EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK (to be completely equipped). The practical implications of this text: a) because we are fallen, sinful beings, each one of us needs the Bible’s teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness; b) therefore, the Bible is relevant to each one of us. The Bible has a fallen-creature focus that is just as applicable today as it was to the original audience. When hearing a passage, ask yourself which part of your sin life is being addressed. Understand, dear brethren, that a careful hearer of preaching is not passive, but active. Put yourself in the text. 3. EXPECT TO BE TAUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AS YOU HEAR GOD’S WORD PROCLAIMED. What is your level of expectancy when the pastor begins preaching?
Ian Migala (6/5/2013)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 3 ” SIX WAYS TO MAKE THE SERMON MORE BENEFICIAL TO OUR SOULS (three will be examined today): 1. LISTEN TO THE WEEKLY SUNDAY SERMON AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED UPON IT. If you were in a plane about to crash, you’d hang on every word of instruction from the pilot. The Bible is that important to the soul, saved or perishing, and God gives us a pastor to deliver such messages each Lord’s Day. Paul makes it plain in EPHESIANS 4:10-15 that God calls and gifts pastors for the purpose of equipping Christians to live the Christian life. 2. LOOK FOR GOD’S REMEDIES FOR SIN AND HIS INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIVING IN A SINFUL WORLD. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” This passage is important to our study because: a) it declares that the Bible is a God-breathed book and not simply the religious cogitations of some early Christians; because it is breathed out by God the Bible is without error and authoritative in all that it teaches and fully sufficient for our spiritual needs.
Ian Migala (6/5/2013)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 2 ” Much presentation today is visual rather than propositional; there may be underlying argumentation, but we are habituated to rely on the illustration, especially when it is skewed in attention-getting ways. Television news producers admit that their programs are designed to hold the viewer with variety, novelty, action, and movement. Content is secondary; in fact, the average news piece is about 45 seconds long. [Even films demonstrate this. Film critic David Bordwell discovered a negative correlation between average shot length and intelligent dialogue. He argued that some films have ASLs so low that intelligent dialogue is impossible. –IM] We’ve come a long way from not so long ago when listening to lectures was a form of recreation! Tricksters and pulpit entertainers readily capitalize on this short attention span and fascination with entertainment in our culture and in the church. This just further hinders the ability of people to hear the faithful preaching of God’s word. Even sincere Christians struggle with this, as they are relying on a skill they don’t need to practice anywhere else: extended, thoughtful attention to a verbal presentation.
Ian Migala (6/5/2013)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 1 ” [This series is based on Robert Spinney’s book of the same title.] D. BE CAREFUL HOW YOU HEAR. LUKE 8:18: “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” JAMES 1:21-22: “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” INTRODUCTION: WE MUST SQUARELY FACE THE HINDRANCES TO A CAREFUL HEARING OF THE PREACHING OF GOD’S WORD: We live in a sound-byte oriented and entertainment-saturated culture that fosters and reinforces short attention spans. People used to be able to listen to hours-long sermons, debates, and presentations. Because of that, they could obtain the reasoning and a completeness of the subject. However, we live in a visually-stimulated versus a mentally-imaginative society that hinders a careful consideration of any lengthy oral presentation, hampering reasoning about what is presented.
