How to Listen to a Sermon

My father is a preacher and I have heard many sermons from him throughout my short lifetime.  Every once-in-a-while he would make a statement that would stick with me throughout the years.  One such statement was, “Don’t take my word for it.  Look for yourself.” His reasoning behind this statement was very much founded in Scripture and is a great lesson in how to listen to a sermon.

 

In Acts 17:10-15, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke have escaped the dangers of Thessalonica for a town called Berea.  As is their usual habit they find the local synagogue and begin to preach the Gospel Message.  There are some who come to the faith, but this time Luke describes a much different process that these Bereans use before believing the Truth. 

 

This week we will be studying and diving deep into the reaction of the Bereans to the Gospel Message.  I would encourage each and every one of us to read through this very short passage and come prepared to hear and experience what the Holy Spirit has in store.  May we be prayerfully ready for His Word as we study and are transformed together.

Living In Community Can Be Such a Pain

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 (ESV)
"And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.  See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone."

Why do we gather together as the church of Christ?  Why do we feel the need to sit in a seat and listen to someone give a message on Sunday morning?  Why do we live in community with other believers?  Because inside of us is a desire to live in community: with other people and with God.

I've said on numerous occasions on Sunday morning that we gather together because we know that living the life God desires us to live can be a war and we need comrades at arms who are willing to fight our sinful selves by our side.  Accountability partners is usually the word used to describe these types of relationships.  I'm in one of those groups with two fellow pastors and I can tell you that those two men are willing to fight with me and they proven that as true. 

Paul, Silas, and Timothy are urging the church in Thessalonica to hold each other accountable.  Not an accountability like the Spanish Inquisition, but an accountability of love.  "[A]dmonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all."  And all too often churches are afraid to do admonish, enourage, help, and be patient.  But when a church follows through with these words of Paul, Silas, and Timothy then so much good can happen.  Yes, there will be growing pains.  Yes, people may be offended and turn away from the church or even God.  But we can be confident that when we stand firm to these words that at the end of all things God will be pleased and the church will be blessed. 

Full Disclosure

In 2 Kings 5:20-27, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, deceives Naaman and takes money and clothes from him. When he gets back home Elisha asks where he has been. Gehazi of course lies and tells him that he he has gone nowhere. Because of this lie and his deceit against Naaman Gehazi and his descendants had leprosy "forever" (vs 27).

I am still studying accountability and this week I will begin a type of accountability relationship with two other men from the church. I am very much looking forward to it, but I am also have a little trepidation because I am the pastor. There have been times in my past that I revealed a little about the things I need accountability for and have been burned.

So, here is my question of the day: How deep do I get into this accountability relationship? My devotional today reads, "Accountability without full disclosure is a waste of time." That sounds all good, but do I take a leap of faith, disclosing some personal issues that I may need accountability for with the full realization that it may come back in bite me in the butt? This issue is more difficult than I gave it credit for. If I don't give full disclosure am I even receiving the benefits of the relationship?

God's Accountability Partner

Yesterday I wrote about us as leaders being held accountable by God and by others. But what about God? Who is God accountable to?

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?' 'Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?' For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36)

God is accountable to no one. He is the creator of all things and in the end every knee will bow before him and every tongue will confess that he is the Lord above all things. I deserve nothing more than spending eternity in hell, but he has given his own blood on the cross so that I might be forgiven and that his glory would be revealed to everyone around me.

God knows what he is doing. Though there are times in ministry that I wonder what he is doing I can stand confident that it is all in his planning. And that gives me comfort.

Who am I accountable to?

"But the thing David had done displeased the LORD." (2 Samuel 11:27)

David made a number of huge mistakes in the sequence of events surrounding Bathsheba. He wasn't away at war like he should have been. If he had been away then he wouldn't have seen Bathsheba taking a bath. If he hadn't seen Bathsheba taking a bath he wouldn't have lusted after her. If he hadn't lusted after her he wouldn't have slept with her. If he wouldn't have slept with her she wouldn't have gotten pregnant. And so on and so on and so on. Isn't it interesting that one mistake by David led to another which led to another which led to another.

My reading this morning is on accountability and this story of David proves the point that those of us in a leadership position should not only be held accountable by those we lead but we will be ultimately by God. It's interesting that I'm more afraid to have those around me hold me accountable rather than God. I know that God is watching me and when I do something against his will I know that he knows and that I will be held accountable for it. So one would think that I wouldn't do it. But when I know that a human being will be asking me questions about my life to hold me accountable I am more liable to stay on the path of righteousness.

So, let me ask you all a question. Why am I more afraid to be held accountable by a human than God?

One would think that being held accountable by the Creator of the universe would be enough deterent. But just like David I too often forget that God is watching. My hope for my life and the lives of those I am leading is that God is always at the center.