During my lifetime, I’ve probably listened to over a thousand Sunday sermons. Out of those, I can recall a fraction in fuzzy detail. This makes me think that I’m either a horrendous steward of information (which I probably am) or there is something more important in hearing a sermon than being able to recite every bulleted point ten years down the pike.
I prefer the second option.
What is most important about a sermon is the immediate effect that it has on me while I am listening. Does it make me see Jesus? This is how I change: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Whether or not I can recall its content at a later time is secondary.
Jonathan Edwards said this very thing: “The main benefit that is obtained by preaching is by impression made upon the mind in the time of it, and not by the effect that arises afterwards by a remembrance of what was delivered” (quoted in Jonathan Edwards: A Life by George Marsden, pg. 282).
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May 22, 2008 at 11:39 am
WANTED: CHRIST-DRIVEN SERMONS « Christ-Driven Web Clippings
[...] Bowers reminds us that it’s more important on Sunday afternoon to have seen Jesus than to recollect the [...]
May 22, 2008 at 11:51 am
Jake Meador
Great post Johnathon, I’ve had the same thoughts recently. I’ve just begun attending a PCA church in my hometown and the preaching philosophy seems to be along the lines of what you’re talking about - to point the hearers toward Christ. I came out of a fundamentalist church where the “sermons” were more lectures in systematics (meant to “protect the flock from the dangers of liberalism”) and then spent time at an evangelical mega-church where the goal of the sermon was to apply the text to our everyday lives.
Having seen the Christ-centered approach modeled so beautifully by the two pastors at my new church, I think that’s the best way to approach it. (Question: Have you read Bryan Chapell’s book on Christ-centered preaching? I’ve wanted to read it for awhile and I’ve heard good things, but haven’t had time yet.)
May 22, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Having Trouble Remembering the Sermon? « Gloria Filiorum Patres
[...] Trouble Remembering the Sermon? Posted on May 22, 2008 by joshuaesc The Fool’s Gold shares two opinions as to why one has difficulty remembering just last week’s sermon. What [...]
May 22, 2008 at 3:00 pm
thefoolsgold
Jake,
Thanks for your comment. I haven’t read Chapell’s book. I looked it up really quick on Amazon, and it looks like it would be a helpful read. Let me know what you think if you get time to read it.
Johnathon
May 22, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Brittany K.
I do agree with you that it is VERY important to see our God and the cross in a deeper way through a sermon (in order to lead us to worship).
But don’t you think it’s also important to have remembered at least one truth from the sermon to be able to apply to your life? God calls us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. If all we did was listen to sermons in order to get some sort of spiritual high or momentary insight, only to lose it the next day, I doubt there’d be much lasting fruit. (I’m saying this from experience)
If we don’t apply the truth we hear (by the grace of God and work of the Holy Spirit), we don’t change.
what do you think (in relation to applying the word, and not just “experiencing” it)?
May 22, 2008 at 9:29 pm
thefoolsgold
I agree with the need to apply the truth that we hear in sermons. I think when Edwards says that the “main benefit” is the impression made on the mind during the hearing of the sermon, he isn’t denying that remembering content is important. He’s just saying that the need of the hour is the heart’s response to the glory of Christ.
May 22, 2008 at 9:57 pm
True Convert
I enjoyed that; to me it has major implications in how I respond to my children when they don’t seem to remember all that I’ve tried to impart to them in a given day. I think that this is why when I begin family devotions, I’ll focus on what of the Sunday sermon impacted them as opposed to quizzing them on the bullet points. Good stuff
May 23, 2008 at 10:52 am
Richard
My wife prepared lots of meals for me last month. I made a few myself. But I can’t remember them all. Indeed, I doubt whether I can remember what we ate for supper two days ago! But all these meals delighted me, fed me, kept me alive and healthy. Sermons work much the same way. Even when we can’t remember them they keep us alive and healthy.
May 23, 2008 at 6:49 pm
What Really Matters In A Sermon « Pastoral Musings
[...] May 23, 2008 What Really Matters In A Sermon Posted by pastoralmusings under Preaching | Tags: Preaching, seeing Christ, sermons | I don’t know Jonathon Bowers, but he surely has a good post here. [...]
May 24, 2008 at 9:20 am
Jeff Patterson
Well said. Just wrote about this earlier this week and hit ‘publish’ for this morning. My perspective was to consider why so much preaching is of the “How To…” genre instead of focusing on the What, and especially the Why and WHO (!). Are we giving the people a system of redemption, or a Redeemer?
Your take is spot on, and probably more helpful (being shorter! :-)
May 24, 2008 at 9:58 am
Lance
Amen bro. I concur with Richard (two posts up). We may not remember what we ate three years ago, but it most certainly nourished us until the next meal (and so on).
“but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
May 26, 2008 at 10:29 am
How about last week? « gospel muse
[...] Jonathan Bowers: Why it’s okay that I can’t remember last month’s sermon. [...]
May 30, 2008 at 3:51 pm
drjmarkh
Great post and comments too.
Reminds me of what John the Baptist said, “I’m just a voice.” The real thing is Jesus…He’s the Word, the Living Word.
Thanks,
Mark
September 6, 2008 at 6:28 am
Chris
Rich Mullins once said that he became a songwriter instead of a pastor because people remember Wesley’s hymns but not his sermons.
If we listened to sermons as much as we listened to music, we would remember them better. Since I can now listen to CDs in the car and online sermons while I’m working around the house, I can remember the sermons a lot better.
You’re right, the immediate effect that sermons have on us is powerful, but I have found it is also helpful to review them.