How to Listen to a Sermon

One of my favorite memories happened at the sanctuary exit door after I had preached a sermon.  The unintended antagonist was Ted Wilson, a devoted Jesus-disciple and dear friend, who is now with the Lord.

I was shaking hands, and Ted came through the line.  “Pastor,” he said with a straight face, “I have to apologize.”

“Why?” I wondered, taking his bait.

“Well, I’m sure you saw me dozing off this morning, and I need to explain. You see, usually, before I come, I take a NO-DOZ pill on my way to church.  But for some reason I can’t explain, this morning I managed to take SOMINEX (e.g., a sleeping aid).”

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized.
He was dead serious.

“Thanks, Ted. That helps (I think!),” I offered.

Listening well to sermons requires preparation, though I don’t recommend NO-DOZ.

Still, digesting a sermon without getting a stomach ache can be difficult.  One of my seminary preaching professors once remarked (tongue-in-cheek, as I recall), “I’ve listened to 7,000 sermons in the last 11 years.  It’s enough to make you an atheist!” 5020202020Recent