A Sermon or A “Word”

by Darryl Manning            11/25/01

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As a young preacher I spent many Saturday nights trying to “get up” a sermon to preach for Sunday morning. Sometimes I would let the Bible fall open and hope the passage would trigger something I could use. As I have grown gotten closer to God over the years I have found that most of the time God gives me messages to preach. The past two years I usually have two or three “words” God has given me that I can chose from for any given Sunday. As a week usually goes by one of the “words” begins to take shape for a message.

When I say a “word” I am referring to a statement of truth that God has revealed to me that I am responsible to give to the people. As this “word” rises in my spirit God begins to help me identify supporting scripture and illustrations that will help the people understand the “word” God is giving us.

A few months ago a week went by that I had no “word” from the Lord. I got up early on Sunday morning and went to the office still without a “word.” I did what I had done many times over the years. I “drummed up” a sermon. When I use the words “drummed up,” I am referring to using my mind to put together a nice little talk about the Word of God. As the morning went by, I really dreaded preaching “my” sermon more and more. When we got into praise and worship the Holy Spirit fell. We began to celebrate God on a higher level than usual and then had a ministry time where many were dramatically touched. Thank God there was no need for “my” sermon that day.

When everything was over, God taught me two things that day. First, I should never “drum up” a sermon again. If God doesn’t give me a “word” I should not attempt to speak for Him. Second, I should never subject myself to the expectations of people regarding a Sunday morning sermon. If I have to, I should just dismiss the service early and let people know there is “no word” from God that day.

Last week I had the pleasure of being tested on the teaching God had given me. By Saturday night, there was no “word” from God. I just went on to bed setting my alarm at 5:00 a.m. At 4:30 a.m. I woke up wide-awake. I went to the kitchen and fixed a cup of coffee and then knelt to pray in the den. The first words of my prayer were something like this. “Lord, you have not given me a “word” for today. I promised you a few months ago that I would never “drum up” a sermon again. If you don’t give me a “word” I will just dismiss the service early if necessary and tell the people there is “no word” from You today.”

Immediately God gave me the “word.” The nucleolus of that “word” was this. “God does not always give ‘words’ to his people. The ‘words’ of God are precious and should be treated that way. The ‘words’ of God are not just mere men’s sermons that can be dissected and much of it discarded. The ‘words’ of God are to be valued and obeyed or they will become rare.

I arrived at the Church before 6 a.m. to put together the following message. I pray that you will hear the “word” of God today and will value it and obey it.

In 1 Samuel 3:1 the Scripture says:  Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.

From the Scripture we know why the Word of the Lord became rare in Eli’s day. Eli, the priest, did not control his sons. They were dishonest and ungodly men. They became the cause for the loss of the Ark of the Covenant to the Philistines.

Unfortunately we live in a day when many of the “men of God” have not lived out the Word of God. Many preachers who stand in the pulpits of America are not even Christians. Many do not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. Many do not even believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Many others say they believe these truths but their lives do not reflect the glory of God and their sermons are merely nice little speeches they have “drummed up” on their own.

A “word” of the Lord is so rare today that most people in America have never heard one for themselves and scoff at others who claim they have received one. After the tragedy of September 11, suddenly there seems to be some hunger arising for a “word” from God. However for the most part people are not seeking a “word” from the true preachers of our land. Many are looking to politicians and the “politically correct” to give them human wisdom for this hour.

Most Americans have become like the people of Jesus’ day who did not recognize He had a “word” from God. In Matthew 13:12-15, Jesus speaks about the situation He faced.

      Matt. 13: ¹²Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ¹³This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. ¹⁴ In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. ¹⁵ For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.

Notice that those who have the “Word” will be given more. If you have valued the “word” and kept the “word” you are promised to receive more of the “word.” Notice that having the “word” brings about abundance in a person’s life.

Folks, our real problems in America are not poverty, sickness, racism, disease, and terrorism. Our problem is a lack of God’s “word.” In this passage it speaks of abundance that comes with the “word.” (vs. 12)  It speaks of healing that comes through the “word” (vs. 15). Jesus commanded us to pray that God’s Kingdom would come upon earth as it is in Heaven. In heaven there is no poverty, sickness, racism, disease or terrorism. In heaven the “word” of God is kept and treasured and obeyed. When God speaks, the angels leap to do His bidding. How bad does our world have to become before we will cry out for God’s Kingdom?  How dysfunctional do our families have to become before we cry out for the “words” of God that will bring healing?

In Matthew’s passage the people had become calloused to the “words” of God and had closed their eyes to the truths given in the past. Now they could not even see that Jesus was the Christ and could not receive His “words” that would have brought them healing and prosperity.

Friend, do not harden your heart to any more “words” from God. Go back and see if you have closed your eyes to any “words” God may have given you in the past. Forget about being politically correct. Do not even trust your own understanding for it may have become flawed by your rejection of past truth. Ask God to direct you to a Godly pastor who does hear from God and can help you begin to identify God’s voice again. 

Friend, I hope you will never be satisfied with just a sermon again. Sermons are a dime a dozen. You can buy books filled with sermons but the real “word” of God for today is valuable and right now it is rare. Let the fresh “word” of God become a treasure to you. Seek it out. If you become hungry for God’s “word” He will speak to you again. He may use a real preacher at first but soon He will be speaking His “words” in your ear.