I can relate to the Apostle Paul who said he feared running the race in vain when it came to his teaching. He didn’t want people to miss what God had laid so heavily on his heart. Sermons that point us to Jesus, reveal God’s nature (and our own), or call us to specific action are only as effective as our hearts are yielded to the Spirit who speaks through them.
I try to approach preaching the Bible through exposition, which means I present what the Bible says, what it means (in context), and how it applies to our lives today. The best way to listen to a message like that is through “expositional listening”. Expositional listening seeks to put as much thought into the process of receiving the message and applying it as was given to delivering the message. Here are some pointers to help you listen expositionally:
Preparation
Get a good night’s rest in preparation for Sunday- we all know that weekends can be just as busy as week days as we try to pack in all the fun and extra activity time that we can. But do yourself a favor, come to church on a “full tank”. Give yourself (and the kids) the best opportunity to enjoy the day in fellowship by getting some much needed rest the night before.
Bring a notebook- whether this is a daily journal or a weekend spiral bound notebook, have something you can interact with and refer to. This notebook will become a genuine treasure in days when you are facing the challenges of life.
Take time to pray- worship is a spiritual act. Prepare for it spiritually by tuning your heart to God’s heart in prayer. We sing a prayer of preparation when we sing, “Show Us Christ”. “Prepare our heart’s oh God, help us to receive…” Sometimes you may find yourself engaging in spiritual warfare when the enemy is trying to drown out God’s truth through clamor in your soul. Find victory by running to your heavenly Father in prayer!
Foster a sense of expectation- if you come to church expecting something, you are more likely to receive it! It may not be from the sermon, it may be in a song, or in a conversation you have with somebody at church. Either way, your expectations of our weekly gatherings will almost certainly be met.
Put it into practice
Get yourself (or the kids) settled- as a father of seven, I know what a challenge this can be, but I also know its rewards. The first part of our worship service is spent with the whole family together. Show your kids how to participate in the service through prayer and singing. In children’s church, the kids participate in all aspects of their service, from prayer requests to singing to special music and Q&A after the lesson. Try to limit getting in and out of your seat during the teaching time. The moment you disconnect your attention (and others in the room) from the message might be the very moment God had something special, just for you!
Listen for key words- Scripture was written up to about 2000 years ago. Yet, it is still relevant today! As the text is being read, watch for keywords and how they affect the context for understanding the importance of the message today. Write down key words that the speaker is drawing your attention to. Are there any circumstances in your life that relate to what’s being taught? Write it down…
No Stick People- The Bible wasn’t written about stick people, it was written about real human beings with emotions and back-stories, hopes and dreams, faults and failures. Always look for the emotional connection between you and the characters in the stories we read.
Listen for correlating references- Scripture illuminates scripture. When we go to references outside of the main text we are studying, write down the reference so you can look at it more fully later on. Check to see if the pastor has actually used that text correctly to back up the point he is making.
Highlight and mark up your Bible- if you wear out your Bible because of too much note taking and highlighting, don’ worry…you can always get another! Well-studied Bibles become invaluable family treasures!
When you get home, take a moment to consider how God is urging you to respond. Then DO IT!