How to make Sermons meaningful?
-By Dr.Sumeet Manakan J
We Christians have a particular type of unique lifestyle. As part of it, every Sunday and other week days too, we are flooded with Sermons from Preachers. So much is being heard by us, but sadly, we all have problems in living what we hear. It simply doesn’t match. While so much good also comes from hearing Sermons, there’s also a danger of getting accustomed to only hearing and doing nothing.
This lifestyle to all of us seems inevitable. Yet, there are some ways in which we can make the most out of it.
I have been teaching on this topic for quite sometime in our Bible Study sessions at Church. Let me illustrate.
Monday (or 1st Sunday), we hear about David and Saul, about OBEDIENCE.
Tuesday (2nd Sunday), we hear about Moses about HEARING GOD’s VOICE
Wednesday (or 3rd Sunday), we hear about GIVING from epistles of Apostle Paul
Thursday (or 4th Sunday), we hear about FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT from Galatians 5
Friday (or 5th Sunday), we hear about LOVE from 1 Corinthians 13
Now, here’s the problem – By the time, we hear and begin to contemplate and apply what we heard, there’s another Sermon hitting us. So in this continuous process of hearing, we tend to develop gradually a lackadaisical attitude towards Sermons and their content or message. This is why, we stay ineffective followers of the Word.
Mother Teresa had only 1 Sermon that she followed in hear entire life. It’s found in Matthew 25:45 – Then He (Jesus) will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
Making Sermons meaningful to us is what I am talking about.
Making Sermons meaningful to us happens only when we consciously choose to Apply the Sermon in our daily life. When we consciously apply the principles that we have learnt in a Sermon, we begin a process of living that Sermon and not just hearing it.
Simple guidelines:
- Be very Conscious of what you hear
- Choose carefully what you hear (don’t get trapped in information or knowledge bombardment.)
- Hear from selected and reliable Sources.
- Reflect on what you hear as a Discipline
- Write down Notes to follow or Action points that are relating to the Sermon
- Consciously, begin to apply and change your lifestyle to suit the Sermon.
- Evaluate periodically, your progress.
- Seek a help of a Mentor or Pastor to guide you in any hindrances you are facing in following what you have heard.
Happy Listening!
