Are You Listening?
Author Unknown

Don't listen to a sermon for the purpose of critiquing the methodology and delivery. You can so focus on the mechanics that you fail to hear or apply the message.

Don't listen to a sermon for its entertainment value. Re-read Peter's (Acts 2-3), Stephen's (Acts 7) and Paul's (Acts 20) sermons. Count the number of jokes and heartwarming stories. Humor and illustrations are fantastic toppings, but they do not make good main ingredients.

✓ Don't listen to a sermon to find its mistakes. You typically won't have to listen hard before you find plenty, but did you take to heart the message preached? Did you let it find place in your heart, convict you, and make you better?
“Are You Listening” (continued from page one)

✓ Don't listen to a sermon with blind acceptance. Do not take the preacher's word, no matter how nice, kind, friendly, or helpful to you he has been. Is his message Biblical? Is it accurate? Study the Scriptures as you listen (Acts 17:11).

✓ Don't listen to a sermon too sensitively? If you think that the preacher is "aiming" every sermon at you, there is a good chance you are having a paranoid reaction. A faithful preacher of the Gospel will not do that. Evaluate the facts meticulously before you begin to draw that conclusion.

✓ Don't listen to a sermon to find validation for your lifestyle. Many will take some statement or sermon by some preacher, often out of context and twisted, to defend how they already feel and live.

All of these approaches to listening to sermons are fruitless and will not likely help the hearer. Listen to try and learn. Listen to improve. ❦

Gospel or Gimmick
L.G. Jackson

John the Baptist did not offer a free camel ride to whoever brought the most people to hear him preach, nor did he give an autographed copy of Isaiah to the oldest grandmother present. He was his own publicity and needed no press agent.

Today we reward, coax, picnic, persuade, tantalize, trying to get church members to come to church. We have tried banners, seals, diplomas, badges, buttons, pot-luck suppers, and bar-b-ques trying to induce people to do what they ought to do anyway because they love the Lord. People go where they want to go. Where their hearts are, their heels will follow.

The Bible says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is" (Hebrews 10:25). The two main reasons for attending the assembly are: (1) We are supposed to; (2) We want to. ❦