Phil, Tim, and Lee, thank you for your comments. Lee, yours does have a funny ring to it, huh? Mary and I were discussing this last night with David and Lisa. Something came up in our discussion which might fit this one.
Heather Thornton recently introduced the concept of a University of Financial Peace class beginning soon at Memorial. At first the class was going to be in the Memorial Room. Then it grew so much they took over the Rainbow Room forcing PowerSurge to move to A-2. Now the class has grown so that they have also bled over into A-2 forcing PowerSurge to move again to the auditorium….plus….after overloading the class with more participants than allowed, she is now building a waiting list for a future class!
What’s the deal? It is this: we give God glory for this and nothing else. God causes blessings! The more we speak of God working around here, the more He does. It is clearly noticeable. So it is with our preaching and teaching possibly?
Do the speakers who have something to say find an unusual backing and participation from the Living Lord? Is it that those who fill our hearts with life from the Word are found to be full of God themselves…Eph. 3:19? Could it be that from earthiness there are gifted speakers both believers and non, yet those who believe God works seem to find coming from their mouths a new range of depth and purpose of Life?
From experience, I think there is something to this. I once preached lessons and outlines. I knew how to craft such a series of comments. Now I make concentrated effort to hear His voice. And, when I do the sermon lives. When I don’t, I take up the time with Bible information but what seems to be missing is the quickness of the Holy Spirit. The more we accentuate the Spirit working among us, the more He seems to be willing to do His work.
Could it be that the Holy Spirit is the freshness to the Bread of Life? And, if we are not anticipatory of His involvement then we simply offer stale bread to the flock?
What thinketh ye?
5 comments:
I love those last two questions! Just as Paul says in Romans 8 that "the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" I think this applies to speech as well. I find that happening too when I preach or prepare sermons. There are things that I think of or say; that I am 100% convinced that there was interceding going on.
There is no way I could come up with words or phrases that inspire people to better living. It is all God! A Spirit-driven preacher will electrify the listener! Isn't the Spirit Powerfully amazing?!!
Thanks Terry for your thoughts.
If God has a monopoly on good, then ...
Seems to all lead back to Him, huh?
I remember having breakfast with you one Sunday morning in Long Beach and you sharing this with me. It was very difficult for me to understand, but in time I embraced it and those who are close enough to me to be gut level honest with me said my sermons took on a noticeable shift to a higher level. They couldn't explain it, nor could I. But when I resigned from preaching to work with my son, those same friends said, "You're just now any good!" I've pondered if that was the best time to leave???
I don't think you can teach that concept. The best you can do is try to explain it via your experience, but for those who can embrace it ... there is something wonderful awaiting them.
yes! I think the Holy Spirit is who keeps the Word fresh. Leaving room for His work in the lesson!
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