Not the Same Old Story
Some time ago I posted a synopsis of a Sunday morning sermon given by my pastor. I had a lot of traffic and seven comments on that one. Perhaps I should use Mondays for posting my sermon notes from the previous day. Then again, my note taking may be limited since I am now working with the media production crew and in the sound booth. That's another story for another day. Guess I just wanted you all to know that I gone from techno-wanna be to a multi-media flunky. (smile)
Pastor entitled Sunday's message, "Speak Lord". Sunday School veterans, stay with me now. I know you are thinking of a couple of Bible stories you heard so many times as children. I had the same thoughts as he continued on giving the text references. Just as I was about to put myself on auto-pilot, the Lord spoke to me. He simply said, "Watch and pray". It wasn't what He said that roused me. It was how my mind completed the verse, just as I had heard it so many times.
You see, I was about to lean back and let my mind wander. I was about to allow the familiarity of the text, keep me from hearing a fresh admonition from the throne. I was about to be a poor example for the rest of the body. I was about to let my pastor down. I was about to open the door and let satan step inside. I was about to .......sin.
I always exhort folks to interpret scriptures in light of their context. And I'm not much on studies that are wholly topical in nature. But there are single scriptures that can stand alone as commands of God. Each of the 10 Commandments support this notion, as does many of the Proverbs. Is it a stretch to apply shutting the devil out and avoiding the path of the wicked , to my Sunday morning experience? I don't think so. Different contexts but same principle.
The 3 verses I have referenced convicted me. They became a single exhortation that went something like this: Be alert and pray so you will not yield to temptation. Don't let satan disrupt your purpose. Push him out of your way and get involved in the service.
It was clear to me that I had to take authority over the enemy and over my flesh. Much like casting my thoughts into prison. I could not tune out my pastor just because I thought I knew where he was going with the message. I go to church to be fed the Word of God, to worship the Lord, to fellowship with the saints, to support the pastor, and to use my gifts to serve others.
So I rebuked the tempter, put my mind on the Lord, inclined my ear to hear the preached Word, and I gave hearty amens as I responded to the message. My soul was filled and my heart encouraged. All because I heard the Lord speak to me at the beginning of the sermon. I am thankful for the chastening of the Lord.
Soon I will be posting highlights of pastor's sermon "Speak Lord". For now, I will leave you with this exhortation: Muzzle your flesh and hear the preached Word. Always listen for the voice of the Lord. He may speak to you at any time, even during Sunday morning service; even when you think it is the same old story.
4 comments:
I know what you mean about shutting out the preacher just because you "think" you know where he is going with the message. I don't do that anymore. Even when my husband preaches the same message twice..it is different each time and I get something different out of it each time he preaches it. God showed me just like with reading the same verse or passage of Scripture over and over...He will give me something different each time I read it or hear it preached. This post is a blessing. Thank God for how He speaks to His children over and over in different ways through the same means.
Although it is always a great blogging topic, I think writing about the sermon you heard is even more good for the writer. In that you really dwell on it and retain the information so much better.
Hi Sista Cala - thanks for visiting me - I have enjoyed reading your Sunday Sermon Post - and I'll be back to see what else you have to post. I was encouraged because I love it when God does that to us - when He speaks and makes us sit up straight. I once heard a pastor say - "You can attend a mediocre church, with mediocre preaching and mediocre worship and still have a face to face encounter with God - because we arrive at his house with great expectation" That really challenged me.
The Lord does indeed speak to us in mysterious ways... especially out of the mouth of our pastor. He also uses the ordinary individuals we run across in our day. Thanks for the reminder to "listen up!"
Blessings, e-Mom
Post a Comment