I have a love/hate relationship with sermon applications. You know, that part of the sermon when the preacher finally tells us what we’re supposed to do as a result of the Scriptural text of today.
Not all texts have a direct application in the text, of course. And even if they do, we all want something more specific that “love your neighbour”.
Sometimes it is indeed helpful to suggest something we could do “this week”. But the problem is that the text may have as many specific applications as there are people listening. The Holy Spirit speaks to people in their own circumstances through His Word. I would suggest it’s often better to clearly explain what the passage is saying – and let Him do the rest.
(Another problem is that applications are often opinions and ideas – and the preacher had better be careful that he’s not presenting a helpful idea as a new law!)
That being said, this doesn’t mean that the preacher shouldn’t connect the text with today’s world. That’s quite another matter, and it’s something that’s urgently needed. Again, this will depend somewhat on the people listening and their context. But surely God’s Word should be shining light on the classroom, changing the way we view politics, transforming how we do business, affecting the way we respond to authorities over us, readjusting our priorities, thinking about health – the list goes on and on.
It’s a challenging thing to do, but it’s up to all of us to take God’s Word and let it shine on today’s world.
This takes a lot of listening, to hear where people are at, and what they’re struggling with. It may take some listening to the world at large – what’s happening in the community, country and world? How does God want us to respond?
How is this happening here? I started talking about sermons, but it’s actually happening in many conversations in general. It’s happening at our institute classes, as we continue especially working with leaders and struggling together to equip our congregations for their ministry (Ephesians 4:11-16). Learning how to worship. Bible studies on certain topics.
I was reminded recently as I sent out a report to some people that pray for us that we’re in some pretty challenging studies right now! I’m preparing a study on a vision in Zechariah (which has been a great blessing to me, I might add), as well as a study on the doctrine of divine healing, and the gift of prophecy! I didn’t realize until I wrote it all down how intense all this is. 🙂 But these are things that affect us today.
It seems to me that the church is often starving for more than the vague platitudes that we already know. And God’s Word is so full of riches. How can we do better at mining them?
