A Seven-Word Sermon
Once in a while, we hear reference made to a very effective eight word sermon. The English translation of Jonah’s message to Nineveh is:
“Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4).
You can read for yourself the results of that message. The short version is that these few words caused the entire city to repent. As a result of that, their lives and their city were spared.
Recently, I heard a “sermon” that was even shorter than the Jonah’s. It might not have spared an entire city, but it certainly was effective.
Donna and I were visiting another congregation of the Lord’s people. A sister we have known for a number of years “preached the sermon” to us. To be more accurate, she just asked us a question:
“Would you like to sit with us?”
Seven words! That’s all.
We were not at all in an unfamiliar place. We knew a lot of people there. We knew there were a lot of people who would not have minded at all if we had chosen to sit with them. We would have not minded if we had set by ourselves. We’ve done that a lot of times before.
However, only seven words made a big difference to us. They made us feel even more at home than we already felt.
Now (as Paul Harvey used to say) here’s the rest of the story. She shared with us what prompted her to ask us to sit with her and her family.
Here is a little of her background. She “grew up in the church.” Her father was a gospel preacher for a long time. She has had the experience of visiting congregations all over the place for many years.
However, in all of those years of experience in the church and in all of those years of visiting various congregations, there is one thing that has only happened to her one time. After she asked us to sit with her and her family, she told me something about her reason for doing that.
The following may not be an exact quote, but it is pretty close. She told me:
“In all of my years in visiting churches, your wife is the only one who has ever asked us to sit with her. I’ve never forgotten that. I’d like for you to sit with us.”
It doesn’t take too long to say seven words. The impact of those words may be long-term, maybe even eternal, Why not use them the next time you see a visitor to one of your worship services?
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