Sermons

Some sermons are wonderful---yards and yards of godly insight. But some make it only 99 percent of the way and then they leave out the crucial last link in the chain. That's the one where the preacher should tell us how to do the thing. I have a request, as a parishioner: Do not assume that the people sitting before you will file out of the church and know how to apply these beautiful insights. You may need to say something (depending on the topic) like: "Church, find a time in your day when you can read the Bible, because this is very important to growth. If you're having trouble, I have a few ideas. . . ."

Or you may have to say: "Next time someone tells you this week that a certain marriage or boss or job or situation is impossible, you must immediately combat that demonic lie with the truth. Say to yourself (out loud, preferably): 'Nothing is impossible with God.' Repeat as often as necessary. That is how we 'take captive every thought.' That is how we 'destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the kingdom of God'" (2 Corinthians 10:5).

There are very few Christians who, if shown how to live for Christ, will not do it.

The other thing about sermons is that the best sermon is a testimony. A testimony is a show-and-tell of God's faithfulness in response to our own obedience. A sermon that is not a testimony is just theory. Henry Kissinger told about the benefit of personal experience over mere theory:

"Because I started life as a professor, I was concerned with doctrines and theory. But professors have a hell of a time getting their concepts relevant to a contemporary situation. . . . As a professor, you could come up with absolute solutions. As a secretary of state, there is almost no solution that you could achieve in one blow. You could only achieve it in a series of steps. . . . I didn't realize the magnitude [of the job of Secretary of State] until I actually got to the seventh floor [of the State Department]" (Newsweek, January 4, 2010).

To hear commentaries by Andrée Seu, click here.