What Makes a Sermon Work

Preaching this past Sunday reminded me how sermons work.

I was preaching on how to experience Jesus, how to enjoy him, rejoice over him, and “extol his love more than wine” (Song 1:4). And at the apex of the message, as my soul was stirring and spilling over about the amazing love of Jesus, I saw a man dozing off.

He had the airplane head-bob going.

I felt so discouraged. The thoughts rushed in: “Well, this sermon is horrible. I’m horrible. Should I talk louder? Vary my cadence? Ugh.”

But before I did any of that, my eyes left the sleepy-head and found someone else.

One row up, and at the opposite end, there was a woman with her hands discreetly extended in front her, in her lap, worshipping. Her head was nodding in agreement, tears on her cheeks, and I could tell she was saying, “Thank you, Jesus.”

I felt the same. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for your death and resurrection. Thank you for loving me. And thank you for blessing this woman.

What makes a sermon work is a who—the triune God.

Po…