Preaching and Preachers

Preaching and Preachersblame will be mine, but, you know, you are not even giving me achance; you are settling down to sleep even as I am giving out my text.You are not fair.'It is undoubtedly true that many members of congregations comein such a frame of mind and with such an attitude. Indeed I have cometo the conclusion during this last year, during my convalescence, andwhile sitting at the back of many congregations, that a number ofpeople seem to go to a place of worship and to a service in order to gohome! Theirmain idea seems to be to get out and to get home. Why dothey go at all? That is the question, I think, that needs to be asked.Why this great anxiety for the service, and especially the sermon, tofinish? There is only one conclusion to be drawn; these people needto be humbled. These people are lacking in spirituality, in a spiritualmind and outlook, and in spiritual understanding.This is not simply a matter of opinion. I say this on the basis ofcomparing them with what we are told about the early Christians inActs 2, which is surely the norm of what we should all be. This iswhat we are told: 'And they continued stedfastly in the apostles'doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.''And they, continuing daily' -daily!- 'with one accord in the temple,and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat withgladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favourwith all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such asshould be saved.'Here were Christians who met every day for preaching and teachingand instruction. Not only on Sunday, or once on Sunday, and anxiousto get home as soon as they could, hoping it would be short, andannoyed with the preacher if it is not short. 'Daily!' 'Continuedstedfastly, daily.' That was what they wanted and enjoyed aboveeverything else. And of course that is inevitable in the true Christian.The Apostle Peter puts it thus: 'As newborn babes, desire the sinceremilk of the word, that ye may grow thereby' (I Peter 2 : 2). The newbornbabe in Christ does desire the sincere milk of the word. If hedoes not he is ill, he is marasmic, he is in a bad state, and you had156