Prepare Like It's Your Last Message
It's hard to believe preachers need to be reminded that, "The most important thing we you do in ministry is the Sunday morning message." So often we get caught up in the other activities of ministry — caring for the sick, visiting the home-bound, guiding the staff, training our volunteer workers, casting vision, etc. -- that we forget that our first call is to preach the Word.
Most preachers have multiple opportunities throughout the week to preach but none of these eclipse the importance of the Sunday morning worship service. There are generally more people at this service than any other. Not only that, but generally people are more spiritually in tune and prepared to hear the word during the Sunday morning service. These facts alone demand that we give the Sunday Sermon priority in our ministry.
As Pastors, we are often guilty of forgetting that God has raised up other people in the church who are capable of ministry. We do not have to do it alone. We can equip others for the work of ministry and share almost every task in the church. In fact, the church will be stronger when we share ministries such as hospital visitation, administrative tasks etc. But there is one ministry we cannot share or delegate -- preaching the Word.
Specifically, preaching the Sunday Sermon. When we step in the pulpit on Sunday morning to deliver the Word of God we have been given a divinely appointed and divinely mandated task of preaching the Bible to God's people. We must never take this task lightly.
Prepare Like It's Your Last Message
One of my mentors in ministry used to tell me to prepare every Sunday morning message like it was my last. The truth is that we don't know if it will be the last message a member of our congregation might ever hear. We all say that our sermons have eternal significance, but the proof of that belief is in our preparation. Sloppy, inadequate preparation demonstrates that we take our call lightly. It shows that we don't really take our call seriously.
Inadequate preparation also shows what we really believe about people. All week they have been battered, bruised, discouraged and disheartened. Now they have come to hear if God has anything to say concerning their plight. How sad it would be for them to leave, having not heard from God simply because we didn't prepare for the most important hour of the week. How can we possibly claim to love the people God has called us to serve if we are not willing to invest the time and effort to prepare to preach the Word of God on Sunday morning?
Every week, preachers are given an opportunity to impact eternity. People come to church needing and longing to hear a Word from God. Preachers are the only ones in the church who have been called and tasked with the responsibility of delivering God's message. Preachers must never let lesser tasks crowd out the one thing needful for which they have been called.
Dr. Joe Buchanan has been preaching Sunday Sermons for over twenty years. Currently, he serves as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Metropolis, IL and as Assistant Professor in the School of Religion at Liberty University.
---
Keywords: Sunday Sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons
By: Sunday Sermons Online
Article Directory: http://www.articlecatalog.com
Copy and Paste Link Code:
Read other Articles from Sunday Sermons Online:
- Using Topical Sermons Wisely
- An Awesome Glimpse of God
- Delivering Your Sermon: The importance of pronunciation
Article ID 1028810 (Views 1255)
Announcement from Our Sponsor
Cancer Drugs like Lenvima (generic version Lenvatinib), Imbruvica (generic version Ibrutinib) now have generic versions at tremendous savings. Brain boosting drugs like Provigil (generic version Modafinil) and Nuvigil (generic version Armodafinil) are also popular.
