How to kiss sleeping through preaching goodbye!

I confess, I've never liked to be called "Preacher."  I'm a pastor--preaching is just one of the things I do; but I will acknowledge that the importance of preaching can't really be overstated.  The Bible claims to be God's message to us, and Paul, one of the early Christian leaders, would say that by preaching it people come to believe and know God (1 Corinthians 1:21-24, Romans 10:17).  For this reason, followers of Jesus have always embraced the priority of preaching in their times of worship.  To hear, learn and apply God's Word to our lives is a supreme act of worship.  In fact Jesus said that to love Him can be equated with nothing less than obeying Him--"If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).  So to love God it's essential that we know His Word.

Consequently, preaching is a priority in our worship, but just as important to us personally should be getting the most from the sermon.  I'd like to share with you four commitments you can make that will help you profit greatly from the preacher's talk.

First, come to the preaching time with an expectant heart.  Come believing that God wants to communicate to you.  One thing God promises is that He sends His Word out with a purpose--He says it won't return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).  I'm not exactly sure all He might mean by that, but I believe when we listen to God's Word it will convict us or it will merely harden us.  I remember a farmer friend telling me that the same rain that softens the ground, also hardens it--it all depends on what you do with it at the time.  If you act on the soil while it’s wet, it’s softer.  However, if you let it sit and it dries, the water will leave a harder ground behind.  As you prepare to listen, believe God has something for you to hear.  Let it soften your heart.

Second, bring your Bible and follow along.  I know preachers these days often put the Bible text on the screens used in worship, but whenever possible, follow along in your own Bible.  For two reasons I suggest this.  One, it will help you familiarize yourself with your Bible.  Nothing increases our skills more than practice so following along will acquaint you with how your Bible is designed and laid out.  If you are using a book Bible, you can take notes in the margins that will be great reference markers in the future.  Two, it will enable you to reread the text or read in a greater context if you don't really understand.  Often I've read a few verses before or after what the preacher reads just to make sure I understand what's happening.  Context is so important for understanding what the Bible teaches.

Third, take notes.  I don't mean you have to make copious notations but use a pencil and paper to help you listen.  We remember so much more if we listen and write it down.   My wife makes it a practice to bring her sermon notebook to worship where each week she takes notes of the message.  Maybe you should consider getting a notebook to keep with your Bible and use each week.   Before I became a pastor, I also kept a sermon notebook; and though I don’t have such a notebook anymore, I never listen to a sermon without keeping notes.  I might not even keep the notes later on but I know that by doing so I am listening better and much more likely to retain what I learn.

Finally, leave the sermon with at least one specific, concrete action point.  All good preachers preach for this one goal--they want the people who are listening to them to hear God and apply what He says.  Here's an exciting thing about preaching God's Word: there is only one meaning to the text we are studying, but there are many applications.  Say, for instance, the text for the sermon is on one of Jesus' many calls for us to forgive others--who I need to forgive and who you might need to forgive most certainly will be different.  So, whatever the application God prompts to your heart, leave with a concrete thing you hope to do in response to what God showed you.  Recently, I heard Greg Stier from Dare2Share preach, and I don't think this was even one of his main points; but as I listened to him my action point was that for the next week I would get up earlier and practice prayer-walking my morning quiet time with God.  So all last week I did just that--I got up early and went walking for thirty minutes the whole time praying out loud and talking to God.  Yes, I'm sure I would have appeared strange to anyone watching me!  But it was good and I'm repeating it this week.  Your responses will always vary in nature and difficulty.  Maybe at the conclusion of a sermon God might call you to believe something, confess something, or do something but whatever it might be, commit to an action point and then do what God says.

I hope this will help you listen to preaching with greater attentiveness than ever before.  Practice these things and chances are you will never sleep through another sermon.  And by the way, I still don't like to be called "Preacher."