Why sermons

It is actually rare to find a sermon completely devoid of inspiration or creativity, yet sermon has become a word like politics, a noble term with a tarnished reputation. People who remain alert through an NPR report on agricultural reforms in the Sudan or who are all eyes and ears for a half-hour pitch on QVC for zircon earrings become testy the moment a sermon overflows the banks of their endurance.

Some might say that the sermonic genre has outrun its usefulness. That argument might be persuasive if charges of preaching's obsolescence hadn't been raised and dropped so often over the years. Also, there is the curious fact that the American sermon, after gradually shrinking for decades to fit diminishing attention spans, is getting a bit longer nowadays, and it is the electronically savvy churches with their longer teaching-oriented "messages," so appealing to the wireless generation, that are beefing up the average.

Ironically, much of the snickering about boring sermons comes not because we expect so little but because we have hoped for so much. Barth once described preaching as happening in the context of one urgent question hanging in the air: "Is it true? Is God present?

If there is no such word, then we are left to ourselves—our boring selves. Walter Benjamin once recounted the story of a 19th-century Paris neurologist whose patient was complaining of boredom, of a debilitating ennui. The physician performed a thorough physical examination. Go see Deburau some evening, and life will look different to you," said the physician, referring to a popular French comic and mime.

We are all Deburau, weary of our own amusements. We joke about boring sermons, but often it is we who are boring—and bored. We say that sermons have bored us when actually they have disappointed us, failing to be the alternative word we need, failing to be the speech that arises not from our own meager entertainments but from the life of the Spirit.

Psychology is not all wet on their findings. It has been discovered there are several different ways people learn and relate to more effectively. Here are some of them I can remember: spacial relationships not from a sermon , musical relationships may or may not be helpful with a sermon , touch relationships not from a sermon , logical relationships possibly from a sermon , audio-verbal relationships sermons , group learning experiences sermons , solitary experiences not from a sermon , putting pieces of a puzzle together after looking at the pieces first possibly from a sermon , interactive or social relationships not from a sermon , written relationships reading, possibly from a sermon.

The more ways you can address the different ways a group of persons can relate to and understand effectively, the more chance they will actually learn something useful they can relate to. The class I went to that taught this allowed one participant to continue weaving while listening to the lessons.

This person learned that by doing so, more of the material she heard was understood and retained. Like many kids, one of the scariest times was that moment after my Mom tucked me in, and shut off the light and I lay awake in my bed, waiting for sleep to come. I had some serious concerns. I liked to lay on my stomach and hang my Scripture: Job , Job What sort of attitude do you have concernong those who attacked the U. Scripture: Proverbs , Romans Denomination: Grace Brethren.

In this time of tragedy many of us are asking why. I hope this sermone will help. Psalm 1. Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing?

This is the question that have been on most of our minds…Why? This world is groaning with the birth pains of the last days. Mark 7 "But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be WHY do bad things happen to good people? WHY would a loving God allow awful tragedies such as Sept. WHY would a loving God allow awful tragedies?

But I do know that we live in a world which is suffering the consequences of sin. Way back in the beginning of time, people chose to disobey God and Scripture: Psalms , Genesis This is a funeral sermon that points to Jesus - He too asked "Why? I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who trusts in me should not remain in the darkness.

Leah Lyman Waldron Park Avenue Congregational Church, UCC February 25, 1 Corinthians Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. John If so, I have news for you.

So just by being here this morning — just by showing up here instead of sleeping in or going to brunch — you are being radical. You may not have thought of this way, but being involved in a church community these days makes a significant counter-cultural statement.

In scripture, God rebuked listeners for being dull far more than preachers for inadequately presenting the word. In Matthew 13, Jesus gave five parables to a multitude who walked away without seeking to understand his message. Some have the wrong idea about sermons. Was the preacher encouraging? Did he specifically address my present needs? Would the same person be excited to hear Paul preach from his letter to the Romans? To be clear, Paul was not condemning a well prepared lesson that is delivered eloquently.

Apollos was a great speaker, but his lessons were obviously rooted in his knowledge of the word, not in his ability to promote himself and his talents by an entertaining speech. A sermon has certain purposes and advantages over a Bible class just as the Bible class has a role that cannot be met by a sermon.

In the same way that our 66 books are sermon-like presentations, a sermon can develop a primary message without interruption, which can have a powerful effect on the listener.

One of the most important reasons for a full-time evangelist is to provide a man with the time needed to prepare lessons that could not otherwise be adequately researched and written after a hour week in a secular job. The reason the Levites were supported by the tithe was to provide them time learn the word and teach the people.