Sleepwalking Through the Sermon

It was a 17-hour trip that included overnight passage, I was to arrive and preach less than one hour later. On the plane, I slept about 30 minutes. While I felt I had prepared well, I knew I would be worn out. People were gracious and kind in their comments (as good people tend to be). 

As I reviewed the sermon later in the day after a few hours of rest this thought ran through my mind. I felt as if I was sleepwalking through the sermon. I was preaching, my mouth was moving, my larynx functioning, the points progressing, and the Text was being attended to, yet I was just going through a motion. It was as if I was asleep but still moving.

It made me think about this thing called preaching in another way. Preaching is God’s energy presented through human flesh. It tracks along with “earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7). God has given us His soul-saving Good News, it is our mission and His plan that we should present it. We are not delivering the evening news, the daily forecast of financial times. We are not dictaphones, nor are we editors - we are presenters of the glorious Gospel of our loving Lord (1 Timothy 1:11). We are putting the power of God (Romans 1:16) on display. 

We best…bring our best! We durst not “sleepwalk through His Message.” Let me challenge you to renew your passion in your presentation, it will bring you new energy!