It was a good day this past Sunday, the church is filling up again after the summertime slump. Sometime during the summer a pastor wonders if he has a church left because so many are out doing other things but, thats just a pastor thing. I thought I had preached a good message and the people confirmed that as they passed by on their way out, “good message pastor”, “good job”, ” good sermon” and that is nice because I have had the other side of that when people file passed and can barely look you in the eye and the ones that do have that “may be you’ll do better next week” look or they just pat you on the shoulder as if to say “you tried.”
I hope that last Sunday was my last “Good Sermon.” Now I think the pulpit’s of America should have the best communicator in the world because we have the greatest message in the world. I have spent a lot of time and money trying to get better delivering God’s word. A “good sermon” for me was never the goal, transformation is and has been my goal. People don’t need to be informed they need to be transformed. Information can be helpful but, God’s word, the bible will transform your life if you apply it’s truth to your past or current situation of life. The bible says as Dr. Billy Graham would say: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV2011)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
The Transformation of the soul is the goal. A “good sermon” is just that good but not life changing. I never want people to leave a meeting where I preached cheering me, I want them cheering Jesus Christ the lover of their soul. To walk out challenged but hopeful in the fact that the Holy Spirit can and will help them to change and transform their life. To know what it is to experience the “old” going and the “new” coming. If I can remind you the Gospel Is GOOD NEWS! I don’t have to live a remodeled life and can have a new life in Christ. To say to me or any pastor worth his salt “Good Sermon” is a huge let down. It is great that you connected with me but my goal is to connect you with the one who lived and died for you so you might find hope and courage to try to live one more day knowing that God is with you. Knowing He will never leave you NO matter how hard a blow life has given you.
So if you want to encourage your pastor, tell him about how the message that God gave him impacted your life and what gave you hope. Tell him what challenged you to change or what corrected your thinking. Tell him how you saw Jesus in the message. That kind of feed back is what we all pray for. I want you to see Jesus. I want you to feel his touch and hear his voice saying “what do you want me to do for you”.
Mark 10:51-52 (NIV2011)
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
You see a “good sermon” just doesn’t cut it when you are hoping to see Jesus. And thats the way I SEE it in my market.