Three Questions to Ask Before Listening to Any Sermon

1. “Am I Ready to Hear?”

Need to say a prayer to prepare

Experience of coming to worship and not know what was said

Key Principle to Follow

James 1:21 ESV

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Before we hear God’s word we need to put aside the things in our heart

Are there things blocking my attention

Example of those ready to hear

Acts 10:33 ESV

So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Focus

Right heart

Acknowledge that the word is from God

Accept ALL of God’s Word.

People come to worship service for many reasons (pot-luck Sunday)

John 4:39 ESV

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”

John 4:40–42 ESV

So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

2. “Am I Ready to Heed?”

Key Principle to Follow

James 1:22 ESV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Not good enough to simple say I’ve heard the word

There are things that I find very challenging

Mark 10:17–22 ESV

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Some truths may challenge us

We must remain focused on the goal

Some will receive the word gladly

Some will reject the word

I did not like the way that sermon was said (need more honey)

Preacher was too loud, too short, too long (T.V. show, wait to be seated, sit through a movie)

Someone needs to die after a sermon (Ego)

3. “Am I Ready to Herald?”

Key Principle

Romans 1:15 ESV

So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Paul put in prison, shipwrecked, beaten

I am ready to herald the word in situations?

Acts 9:4–6 ESV

And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

Encountered the truth about Jesusm (V. 4-6)

Obeyed the commands of Jesus (v. 8, 18)

Immediately shared what he knew (v. 20)

Acts 9:20 ESV

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

Remember Jonah from last week HE WAS NOT READY TO HERALD

We now all kinds of folk who are lost

I need to Hear, I need to Heed, and I need to Herald

You never mentioned Him to me