YOUR SERMON-COACH PREACHING TIP

     There were so many December activities listed in the church bulletin this past Sunday that I decided to take it home to see if I could match some of the dates with our family calendar. We will choose one or two dates to attend, but I'm aware that there is an expectation that the paid church staff should be at most of them.
     The truth is, you ministers are entering an incredibly busy season when you will probably be up to your ears in extra responsibilities. If being "on the go" were equivalent to walking with the Lord, December would be your month to shine! Unfortunately, the Thanksgiving / Advent / Christmas / New Year's sequence is all too often a blur to pastors and their families.
     There's an interesting six-letter word you might consider getting a handle on as these days quickly come into focus ... ponder. It means to weigh in the mind, to think deeply about, to reflect on quietly, soberly and deeply. The implication is that pondering is not something you do when you're in a big hurry. To ponder you need to somehow get rid of distractions. You also should probably make quiet a priority.
     I don't know how young Mary did it, but even in the midst of the confusion of childbirth, the Scriptures report that she "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).
     If Mary could pull this off in her rough setting that was certainly more complicated and traumatic than ours, maybe in the next week we can copy her example.
     "When?" you ask.
     Early in the morning maybe --
     During your workweek getting alone in the sanctuary --
     After supper instead of watching television --
     In the middle of the night with a cup of coffee or tea --
     Like Mary, finding the time to ponder for a half-hour or so the miracle of the Incarnation, what it all means.
     It could change your approach the next four weeks from "I've got so much to do!" to "What a joy to be given the opportunity to preach during these remarkable days!"
Title: Picturing a Revived Individual
     Sermon in a Sentence: Picturing what is desired enhances one's prayer for revival.
     Text: Psalm 42
     Excerpt: A party game we’ve used a time or two that’s always been fun is to give each participant a sheet of paper with the following brief instructions:
     “Webster defines an aardvark as ‘a burrowing African mammal that feeds on ants and termites. It has a long snout, rabbitlike ears, short legs, and toes armed with large, flattened claws.’ Aided by this definition and your memory, you now have five minutes to draw a picture of an aardvark. The best resemblance will merit a prize.”
     Well, the results are always funny. Some people couldn’t draw an aardvark if one was sitting in front of them. Others, though not bad with pencil and paper, struggle with the more common problem of great uncertainty as to just how this creature should be represented. You see, everyone knows what an aardvark is—until he is actually put to the test!
     I have a feeling this game is not too different from what sometimes happens when we listen to sermons. A preacher uses a word we’ve all heard, such as revival, and everyone recognizes it. But unfortunately, most would be hard-pressed to put on paper what true revival actually is.  Read More Title: Picturing a Revived Church
     Sermon in a Sentence: Picturing what is desired enhances one's prayer for revival.
     Text: Psalm 42
     Excerpt: Words are not hard to understand if the stand for objects our mind can easily visualize. For example, elephant poses no problem because you know what one looks like. Watermelon is kind of a long word, but no one finds it confusing. Why? Because people have a visual picture of it. It is something concrete.
     Small, abstract words like faith, however, can pose real problems. Very few of us have a good handle on what faith is. Trust is similar but not quite as bad because in your imagination trust can be portrayed. Perhaps you’ll picture a child jumping from a table into his daddy’s arms, or a parent entrusting the keys of the family car to a teenager. Being able to picture a word helps us know its meaning.  Read More
Title: The Christlike Touch
     Sermon in a Sentence: Openness to a holy touch allows for special ministry.
     Text: Mark 1:40-42 and others
     Excerpt: I’m kind of a funny person. Often I feel uncomfortable around touchers. You know, people who apparently feel natural touching someone while ministering to them. On the other hand, I also find myself impatient with those incapable of ever touching another person, even when offering comfort, affirmation, or expressing joy and friendship.
     Some of this ambivalence on my part stems from the fact that during my lifetime, great changes have taken place. It used to be kind of an unwritten rule that “a hands-off policy avoids complications.”  Read More
Title: Procrastination
     Sermon in a Sentence: Blessed are those who pursue God's desires today!
     Text: Psalm 119:59-60
     Excerpt: I might try to be funny and say, “I’ve been wanting to speak on procrastination for some time now, but I’ve just kept putting it off.”
     That really wouldn’t be true (and probably wouldn’t be too humorous, either). I do know that with the many things occupying people’s time, procrastination continues to be a big problem in our society.
     The word procrastination comes from the Latin pro-, meaning “forward,” plus cras, which is “tomorrow.” Hence it means “to put forward to tomorrow.” The problem doubtless relates to any area you might name, but my concern is its effect on spiritual matters.  Read More
Title: Restoring a Brother
     Sermon in a Sentence: Spiritual people, in a spirit of gentleness, should restore believers who have fallen prey to temptation.
     Text: Galatians 6:1
     Excerpt: What would you have done in my position? Twice in a week I was asked to help people who had yielded to temptation. In both situations those making the request were close friends and fine Christians. But each had somehow been caught in one of Satan’s many traps. The violations were both so serious I couldn’t just nonchalantly ignore the matter.  Read More Title: From Generation to Generation: Psalm 145
     Sermon in a Sentence: Each generation must continue the lauding of God's great works.
     Text: Psalm 145
     Excerpt: How difficult it is to imagine living in a society where people who can read are in the minority and whatever reading material is available is not printed but copied by hand. But if you’ll go in imagination back into the setting of the author whose writings we’ll look at, you’ll need to eliminate radio, TV, the Internet, postal services, and phones. Learning is communicated through oral tradition. This will be the chief means of knowledge about both past and present as opposed to our modern utilization of newspapers, magazines, books and such.
Read More
Title: Rejoicing in Each Day: Psalm 118
     Sermon in a Sentence: God intends that His people rejoice in the privilege of each new day.
     Text: Psalm 118:24
     Excerpt: Which of the following two characterizations best describes the kind of person you are?
     One: Normally you don’t particularly notice things like sunsets or birds singing or the stars coming out at night. When you travel the scenery just passes by.
     Two: You relish the arrival of flowers in the spring; you see beauty in a fresh blanket of snow. You even enjoy walking in a light drizzle.
     Did you identify with one of these descriptions? Let me attempt several other contrasts. How do you wake up in the morning? Grudgingly, reluctantly, not really sure you want to rejoin the human race for another go at things? Or do you awaken with a glad heart, happy to be alive, and grateful for another day and the opportunities it affords?  Read More