How To Listen To A Sermon

This coming Sunday, November 13^th I will finish a preaching series titled “The Word of Truth.” The series presents basic Bible doctrines on who God is, who we are, the tragedy of sin, life and death and the great redeemer from sin the Lord Jesus Christ. You can read or listen to the sermons at the “Teachings” section of our church’s web site (www.graceministryinternational.org). Now I begin preparing for our up coming Christmas series based on John 3:16. If you are in the Chicago area you are welcome to come hear the Word of God and worship with us. We meet at the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest, IL. The service begins at 10:30am.

In light of this I thought it would be good to provide some tips on listening to a sermon. First, pray for the person giving the sermon. Your pastor has worked hard in prayer and study to bring a biblical, fresh message to your heart. He has done this because he loves God and he loves you! Pray for him and his message.

Second, when you are going to church to hear a teaching, ALWAYS pray a prayer like this: “God please speak to me today through Your Word. Help me to hear the truth and apply it to my life by the power of your Spirit.”

Third, in every sermon you hear, you should be listening for truth to build on and an action point. Bring paper and pen and take notes. Then go back over the notes during the week and think through one truth to pray over and one action point to apply in your  life.

Fourth, be a Berean! A BERE-WHAT? A Berean. Real quick, turn to Acts 17 and read verses 10-12, I’ll wait... Now be like a Berean - always check out what a preacher says by the Word of God. Preachers can get it wrong sometimes. That’s why they should always be preaching the Bible instead of what they think, and the listener should be checking it out in the Scriptures.

Fifth, you should try to get to church early and sit as near the front as possible. Be prepared mentally, spiritually and physically. And share something about the sermon with someone afterward.

Finally, EXPECT God to speak to you. If you come expecting nothing, that’s probably what you’ll get. I decided as a young Christian always to take notes and always to apply something the minister said, and God has blessed my Christian growth greatly.

As you pray today, ask God to give you a love for the one who speaks God’s Word to you. Pray for his work, his family and his needs as well as your own. Ask forgiveness if you have let the Word you have heard go in one ear and out the other. And commit now to being both a hearer and doer of the Word (James 1:22-25).