Preacher if you miss this you will be sorry! G. Campbell Morgan said, I remember reading many years ago an address published to students by Henry Ward Beecher, in which he gave a very striking account of a sermon by Johnathan Edwards. Beecher says, that in the elaborated doctrinal part of Jonathan Edwards sermon, the great preacher was only getting his guns into position, but that in his application he opened fire on the enemy. There are too many of us, I am afraid, who take so much time getting our guns into position that we have to finish without firing a shot. We say we leave the truth to do its own work...Depend upon it gentlemen, this is a great and fatal mistake... That explains the whole thing. The aim of every sermon is stirring the human will...A discourse which makes no spiritual or moral appeal or demand is not a sermon. Truth is something that must be obeyed... There is no use in showing what repentance is unless the appeal to repent is made...Preach for a verdict. It is no use talking morality to a crowd unless we show them it is for them. ...Too many preachers close sermons that are really powerful in their discussion of moral values and spiritual things, by saying; But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you. The best note is, Thou art the man. And we have never come to the true climax of preaching until we have left that impression on our hearers. ....The avenues of approach should be the intellect and the emotions. We are storming the citadel of the will. All to often, in this day and age, the pulpit becomes a firing range where we shoot volleys of ammunition. Aiming we know not where and hitting we know not what. I suggest we need to focus and refocus, until our aim is to preach the cross of Christ to the sinner and the message of Gods almighty power to the Christian! - Dr. Steeves
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 04:09:30 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015