Bad Sermon

Whenever I have the opportunity to speak, I usually have people who ask me, "So. How did it go?"

I never really know how to answer. To be honest, I really don't know how one guages such a thing. Last night, I read Act 7 where Stephen gives a sermon of his own. He was a very influential, motived Christian in the early church, holding a position in a front line evengelical ministry. He helped run a food program.

I'm being rather silly aren't I? We likely wouldn't have him at the front of the church to bring attention to his ministry. Would we? Living out his calling, he eventually gets into a debate with some local Jews, which lands him the opportunity to address the Jewish high council.

He gives a lengthy speech, walking through Israel's history, ending up with the death of Jesus. It must have been a bad sermon because in the end, this is how his audience responded,

"Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him." Acts 7:57-58

It must have been a bad sermon. He likely didn't tell enough jokes or warm up to his audience very well.

How do you measure the weight of a message? Do you look at the response of those who listen? What if you sell a lot of books after the show? Is that how you tell? I don't think so. The more pressing issue at hand would be to ask the question, "Were you faithful in delivering what was given to you?"

Most of the time, when I speak publicly, I can look you in the eye and say with condfidence that I have said what had been laid on my heart. However, that hasn't been the case lately. Perhaps someday I will give you the specifics, but for now, if you consider yourself to be my brother or my sister, I merely ask that you would pray for me, that I would make it right.

My audience was fine with the message. They listened and they smiled. To be honest, that's exactly the problem.