Millpond Ink Musing, 2015 – Of Sermons and Of Hearing

Jeremiah Burroughs, in his sermon, ‘A Heart That Trembles at God’s Word is Precious,’ and preached on November 19, 1643, said “We need to understand that when we come to hear the Word, we come to hear that which has so much life in it that every sermon we hear we must expect to be nearer heaven or nearer hell.”

It is sad to think how many of us leave our churches each Sunday no closer to heaven and apathetic towards hell. If anything lifted us, it was the worship team or choir; and that, affecting our emotions only; which would have been equally affected if we attended a secular concert. This is not to place all of the blame necessarily on the preacher. It could also fall to us, who are either blind or shortsighted; dull of hearing. Herein is the vibrancy and efficacy of the church: when preacher and parishioners both come before the Lord with humility and supplications… for the preacher to speak in the fulness of the Holy Spirit… and parishioners to receive what was heard at their end, equally through the Holy Spirit for application to one’s heart.