[Note to Steve: We set up the batting cage last night. Why don’t you bring the family over and hit a few buckets?]
If I had the chance to preach the weekly sermon I deliver on Sunday again on Tuesday it would probably be a much better sermon. Part of the struggle of preaching on a weekly basis is clearing the old sermon out of your head to focus on the new sermon.
Since Tuesday of last week I’ve been praying, planning, writing, re-writing, practicing and delivering the new message. Sunday morning I deliver said message. Sunday afternoon I rehash the delivery of the message - the mechanics of delivery and presentation. By Sunday night into Monday morning I’m thinking what I would have done or said differently - what I would have deleted or included. By Tuesday it’s a much better sermon that I have to stop thinking about so I can start on the new one. It can be rather frustrating.
I think of an etch-a-sketch and how sometimes it would be helpful to just be shaken vigorously a few times so the images of the old sermon would disappear. Of course this would just make me nauseous and set into motion a whole different chain of events.
So I’m sitting here today trying to begin the new sermon and I can’t get the old sermon out of my head. Is there some way to reboot the brain? Some way that doesn’t involve me forgetting who I am, soiling my trousers, and wondering about the strange people in my house?
The text from, actually a sentence from Hebrews 9:26, for the old sermon was “But Christ came only once and for all time at just the right time to take away all sin by sacrificing himself.” I talked about the reasons why it was the right time when Christ came to earth.
So today I’m thinking what if Christ had come during my lifetime? Would I have recognized him?
Would he have recognized me?
8 Responses to “114355789445852040”
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March 28th, 2006 at 10:35 am
As callers often say to Rush, “longtime listener, first time caller.” Your post really resonated. I always wish I could deliver as well as I write, and I will often continue thinking of how some point could or should have been made. But I have also come to firmly believe in “unction” - that the Holy Spirit is using my words far beyond my skills or eloquence to communicate. And I’ve had that demonstrated many times over the years by people who commented on how a particular sermon helped them, when I was convinced that same sermon was the worst I’d ever preached. I’m not sure Paul was being completely rhetorical when he said, “…I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.” Thanks for the great thoughts.
March 28th, 2006 at 10:40 am
John, thanks for the comment.
I have the same thing happen to me as well. I proclaim it the worst sermon I’ve ever preached and someone will say how much that sermon helped them. I proclaim the next one the best one I’ve ever preached and someone (usually my wife whom I love and trust greatly) will say “eeh, it was ok.”
March 28th, 2006 at 10:57 am
Thanks, guys! I thought this was unique to me! That a sermon stays in your head and you rehash it and refine it after the fact, I think, shows you really care about the people and the message you intended to give them. I don’t know of a solution other than not caring and that’s a bad option!
March 28th, 2006 at 11:16 am
Those of us who listen to your messages wonder how they could get any better!
March 28th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
I’d respond to this, but I can’t get the thought of that batting cage out of my head.
(Shaking head like an etch-a-sketch)
Okay, that’s better.
First of all, one of the things you would love about teaching is the chance to improve your lesson with each new period. The first time you teach any lesson is always the worst. By the time you’ve got it down, you’re tired of it and ready to move on.
I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if you tried this sometime.
“I know I preached on this last Sunday, but I couldn’t get it out of my head and there are some things I’d like to add, some things I’d like to change. So here’s my second attempt:”
It’s a real lesson on how God’s Word works on us, stays with us, matures us.
March 28th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
Steve, you took the words right out of my mouth! As one who listens to you guys, I think I would appreciate knowing whomever was in the pulpit had these thoughts so much on his heart that he felt he needed to say more. I think it would grab my attention, maybe even more than the first time.
March 28th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
Randy - Steve has a good point about the advantage teachers have in improving the same lesson as each class comes and goes. Maybe that’s an idea for our churches? We can split (we’re really good at this in our heritage)them up into groups and give each member a schedule such as:
1st Period - Fellowship
2nd Period - Sermon
3rd Period - Sunday School
4th Period - Small Group
We could rotate the groups and thus give us (you preachers) the advantage that we enjoy in secondary school.
As for your last 2 questions I’d answer:
1. Probably not.
2. I’m not sure but I hope so.
March 29th, 2006 at 1:37 am
I think you should become a third day Adventist minister.
Or, practice on Sunday, write the book on Monday.