IS A 29 MINUTE SERMON SCRIPTURAL

IS A 29 MINUTE SERMON SCRIPTURAL PART 2

When I was pastor/teacher of First Baptist Church in Altoona, Kansas I usually would start the message with something like this:

1. We have been for many months studying Paul's marvelous epistle to Ephesians, or I could say Philippians, or Romans, and I Corinthians. And we return to that epistle and chapter ? for our study this morning.


2. We systematically go through the Word of God emphasizing these New Testament books because

• every word is pure,


• every word proceeds from the very heart of God,


• every word of Scripture is indeed to us a treasure


• as well as a responsibility for our edification and our obedience.

And Eric, my son said, "but Dad you teaching even the . and , and : and ;. Funny Eric.

My comment was, if every word is pure, and comes from the very heart of God, why shouldn't we teach on every word in the New Testament? So I really tried to do that.

Part two today: WHY SPEAK 45 MINUTES WHEN YOU COULD SPEAK 30 MINTUES? AND I WOULD ARGUE "WHY SPEAK 30 MINUTES WHEN YOU SHOULD SPEAK 55 MINUTES, IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEAK EXPOSITORIAL?

Ephesians 1:1

1. "Paul" (several sermons) "


2. "an apostle of Jesus Christ" (several messages)


3. "to the saints which are at Ephesius"


4. "and to the faithful in Christ Jesus."

WHAT IS THE QUESTION THAT PREACHERS AND CHURCH LEADERS NEED TO ADDRESS IN THIS MATTER OF WORSHIP AND PREACHING?

Are we given a clear mandate in Scripture as to how we are to Worship and Preach and Teach? What was Paul’s motive, what was Christ’s objective in his teaching, what was Peter and the apostles’ motivational mindset in doing the ministry that was given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ?

The only time Paul preached less than 29 minutes was when he was stoned, or thrown in jail by the crowd. Stephen’s sermon was cut short by his stoning.

Crafting a sermon? For what purpose do we speak?

“You’ve got to be a REALLY great communicator to keep attention for an hour. “ Todd said. Of course! Charles Tremendous Jones was a great communicator and could speak and keep my attention for an hour easily.

I am glad we are not living in Europe or Central America. Those leaders will speak for hours at a time. They have little concern with the attitude of those to whom they are speaking.

I have gone to Preachers’ Fellowships, and Paul Henderson would speak for 17 minutes, and get applause. Jack Hyles could speak for an hour and ten minutes and get applause. I am sure John Piper or John MacArthur could speak any length of time and get applause. Charles Stanley, did you know he speaks to thousands each week for over an hour? Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, how long did they speak? Have you read a Spurgeon sermon?

And, of course, you could mention DeWayne Prossor’s two hour sermons. Kenny McComas could preach two hours on “prayer” and you would be in awe. Monroe Parker, Tom Malone, Lee Roberson, those fellows could preach. Roy A. Kemp could keep my attention as a boy and teenager preaching on Revelation for hours. But there were some who could speak thirty minutes, Raymond Barber, Wayne Martin, who could have you wishing they preached longer. I have said of a lot of preaching I have heard, they should have cut their message in half. (Of course I could mention their names as well, uh!) I have said “there are enough fillers in that sermon to fill a dump truck.” Take out the jokes, and farm illustrations and you have little biblical content.

The purpose of your preaching is. . . ? That is a good question to ask yourself.

Crag put it, “As communicators, we can become emotionally attached to information others simply don’t care about. Find those areas and cut them.” So then we are to craft our sermons around what the church, and the lost and Christians want to hear? We are to keep in mind the audience? Jesus did that, right? Paul did that, right? Peter did that, right? J.F. Norris did that, right? John MacArthur does that, right? John Piper does that, right? Oliver B. Greene did that, right? J. Vernon McGee did that, right?

“Information that people don’t want to hear, cut it out?” Let’s take a survey of our sermons, and let the people in our churches tell us what they don’t want us to say and they would rather we cut out of our sermons. Text message us while we preach and we will. E mail us this week and give us your ideas of what we should speak on next week.

Let’s ask Jeremiah and John the Baptist that question, “Boys, did you feel that your crowd that you were preaching to didn’t want to hear your message?” John, how did the Pharisees and Sadducees like your statement “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come.” John, why would you want to stir up those religious groups like that?

The King said, “Tell me what I want to hear, or you will be killed.” That should have got the attention of the Prophet Daniel, and others. Today, the deacons will say, “Tell us what we want to hear and we will keep you, or you will be fired.” Ouch!

I will agree that many times we do need to cut out a lot of information like illustrations, jokes, comments that are rude, crude, and unacceptable, and self glorification of what we have done. Ouch!

(The photo: The series on Matthew: Twenty One volumes with twelve sermons in each volumes.) Manuscripts hand written. Several volumes not showned

PART THREE NEXT TIME