What makes a good sermon? Over the years, my feelings on this have changed dramatically. Early on in my Christian walk, I wanted a sermon to have one or more of the following qualities:
- Humor
- Excitement
- Motivation
- Emotion
- Education
These characteristics in and of themselves are fine. Jesus himself exhibited all of these in His teaching at one time of another. Those qualities are listed in my former order of most to least important. Yikes! That is terrible. Don’t feel bad if you have felt the same way, but instead, I would like to challenge you to re-think your definition of a good sermon.
Here is the first question to ask when determining if a sermon is good:
- Did the preacher explain what the text meant?
You know what? If you can answer that question as “yes” then it is very likely that the sermon was a good sermon. It may not have been funny, exciting, motivational or emotional but, if done well, it will always be educational. C’mon Wes, that sounds a bit too over-simplified. It may sound that way, but it is not at all. Too many sermons I hear today focus on, what I can’t call anything but, entertainment. You get some good jokes, some heart-wrenching stories and a giant dose of personal application and leave feeling good and motivated but what did the text say and what did it mean? THAT is the most important.
Too many preachers today have bought into the lie that the exposition of the Word isn’t good enough in and of itself. This is a vital error. The error lies in the assumption that men have power to change, to transform other people. I’ve never heard someone come out and say something like that, but I have experienced preaching where something other than the Bible was the focus of the lesson.
Psalm 119:130 – The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
In contrast to this verse, the words of Wes LeFlore give no light unless they are God’s words. The words of Wes LeFlore give no understanding unless the words I am using are an accurate explanation of the meaning of the Bible.
As we begin our study of the Sermon on the Mount, observe the King as He simply, yet profoundly, displays what a good sermon looks like. Observe how He gives light that exposes sin while revealing truths that bring understanding. Meditate upon His words; Think deeply about their meaning. God bless you all!
- Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
