Preaching from the Heart

This morning, I preached one of the hardest sermons I have ever delivered at Lebanon Road. Utilizing the text of Revelation 3:1-6, we discussed the church at Sardis, and how what Christ saw in them (a dead church) was more important than what other people saw in them (a church that had a reputation for being alive).

Of course, preaching a sermon like that opens up a lot of questions. I tried to address these in the sermon, but they need to be reemphasized, so I wrote this short article for folks to read. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Do I think Lebanon Road as a whole is a “dead” congregation? Absolutely not! There are many who are keeping their garments white and who are truly faithful saints. Many good works are done and the love and support within our congregation is without equal.
• On the other hand, do I think some at Lebanon Road need to “wake up” and even “repent?” Yes. Without question. That hurts to say, but there are some who just sleepwalk through their Christian life, and that is unacceptable to our Lord.
• Do I enjoy preaching sermons that seem like they are “rebuking?” No, and again I say no. I hate preaching them. It goes against my personality, and I know the risks I am taking in doing so.

So, why do it? Because if I do not, I am failing to serve my Lord as a preacher, and He is the One I strive to please first and foremost. In 2 Timothy 4, Paul told his young protege to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” Hopefully, many at Lebanon Road would state that I spend more time in exhortation than anything else, but if I am going to do all that God would have me to do, I must spend some time reproving and rebuking as well.

Preachers, if you are going to preach such a sermon, please spend a lot of time in prayer and thought. Please make sure it is from the heart. Preaching a sermon that truly steps on toes or calls out a perceived problem should not bring you joy! It should pain you; further, it should cause you to do a lot (and I mean a LOT) of self-examination. I admitted in the sermon that there were areas in my work where I need to wake up as well. It is my prayer that this sermon was an eye-opener for the one presenting it, too, not just for the ones who would hear.

Lebanon Road, I want us as a congregation to always be awake, alert, and serving the Lord with as much strength as we can. I do not want us to just have a good reputation to other people. I want us to seek to know what the Lord’s evaluation of our family would be. I want every one of us to go to heaven, and I want us to seek daily to find someone else to help get there as well.

I love you.

Adam