Are You Willing To Help Me Preach This Sunday?
A Word from Pastor Steve
Are you willing to help me preach this Sunday? You might be thinking, "Not me; I don’t like public speaking." Don’t worry; I’m not going to ask you to stand and deliver a sermon. Some people think their contribution to the sermon is to sit and listen. Certainly, active listening to the sermon is very important, yet there are other things you can do to assist me in preaching. If you want to help, engage in these activities this week and in the service on Sunday.
Read the text repeatedly (Matt. 5:1-12). Growing familiar with the passage during the week prepares you to understand and receive the sermon on Sunday.
Pray multiple times this week that the Lord would prepare your heart to receive His Word and that unbelievers would come to faith in Christ Jesus. Preaching thrives on anticipation, so let us come ready to receive a blessing. Join with me in prayer that the preached Word would bring conviction and conversion to the lost.
Fast through breakfast Sunday morning if you are physically able. When you feel hungry, pray for yourself and others to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Physical fasting allows us to feast on Christ. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). Join with me on Sunday mornings in finding our nourishment from the preaching of the Word of God.
Sing in the service as if Jesus were standing right beside you, because he is. Singing prepares the heart for preaching. God inhabits the praise of his people (Ps. 22:3). When we sing together God is with us and in his rightful place.
Be present in service both physically and spiritually. Make attending service your top priority and minimize distractions. Focus as hard as you possibly can on worshiping the Lord with your whole person.
Decide now that you will not leave the service unchanged by the Word and Spirit.
Commit to reflecting on and applying the sermon to your life this next week.
Bring a visitor with you to church so they can hear the good news and be transformed into the image of Christ Jesus.
These are some concrete ways to help me preach this coming Sunday. Never underestimate the power of an engaged congregation. These activities not only aid the preaching, they also cause us to grow in our Christian walk. As a result, the Holy Spirit will use us together to accomplish his kingdom work. What a joy and privilege that is!
In Christ,
Pastor Steve