The most important thing that I do as a preacher is not speaking but listening. It has to be this way. Jesus said, "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40). A messenger receives a message before he speaks it. The talking, in some ways, is the easy part. I could fill the air with words, but it would be just noise if my words are not from Him. If I am going to tell people about the Teacher, I must first be a good student. I must sit with Him and listen, like Mary in Luke 10. I must spend time watching Him work, taking in how He loves, how He brings justice to the broken, how He prays and how often, how He responds to the rebukes from religious leaders and even His disciples. If I am going to have something important to say, I must hear Him tell me what is important. I am a preacher of Jesus, but I am a disciple of Jesus first, a learner-follower before I am a teacher-leader. I often tell people that my role as preacher is one learner telling other learners what he's learning. So, my sermons do not begin with words to you but to God--"Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."
Posted on
Thursday, March 26, 2009
by Deron Smith