My secret weapon for preparing a sermon

I wonder what your favourite resources are in preparing a talk? Perhaps it’s a particular commentary series; or maybe a favourite preacher you like to listen to? Perhaps you have a piece of software which helps you dig deeply into the Biblical text.

Over the years I have discovered a resource that consistently helps me in preparing messages that really connect. You won’t find it on a bookshelf, and it can’t be found on the web. The good news is the resource is free and easily accessible, if you can spare a little time.

Have you guessed yet? I’m talking about spending time with and listening to people in your church family.

To be clear, I don’t do this primarily to get material for my next sermon. I visit people in our church because I care for them and want to draw alongside them in their various challenges. And as I do this, I’ve consistently found I come away with a sharpened sense of application for the message I’ve been preparing.

Let me provide an example. I was recently preparing a talk from 2 Samuel, and one of the things I was trying to communicate was how we think about ‘the stuff of now’ and ‘the stuff of eternity.’ I wanted people to get that sense of the ultimacy of eternity. As we fix our eyes on what’s to come it shapes our priorities in the here and now.

As I was preparing the talk I visited an older lady in our congregation. She’s in her 90s and, sadly, she is no longer able to get out to church. So, I went to visit her in her care home and as we finished talking I asked her, "Are there any things I can be praying for you at the moment?" Now she has many things in her own circumstances she could have requested prayer for. Quick as a flash her answer was, "pray for my children who do not know the Lord." And then she followed up with "I wonder if the reason the Lord has kept me alive this long is so that I can keep praying for them, because when I’m gone no-one else will pray for them."

It was a powerful statement. Spending time talking with and listening to her helped me try and drive this application home on the Sunday morning. So many of our people are burdened with many things, but are we truly burdened with the things of eternity? I told the story of my visit and could sense the application land with greater weight. I could have still made this point if I hadn’t visited her, but by spending time listening I really felt it helped shape and focus the application. This sort of experience has happened to me countless times as I’ve spent time simply listening to those to whom I regularly speak.

Perhaps this is a challenge for those of you just starting out preaching. It may be you struggle to find time to visit others, or you worry about whether they’d really want to see you, or what you’d say if you visited. Let me encourage to make the most of the opportunities you can get to spend time with other Christians – perhaps especially those facing challenges. It will undoubtedly enrich your preaching and make you a much better communicator.