Don't Neglect to Reflect: Why?

As you might have guessed, I think taking time to reflect on the sermon is a worthwhile and important endeavor.  I think most Christians would agree, but we often don't do anything about it.  So, today, I want to write about why it is important, and good for our spiritual health, to take time to reflect on the sermon.

First, we are blessed to have pastor who teaches us the Bible.  He doesn't just tell us his opinion or a few things we should all strive to be better at.  Instead, he takes us to the very words of God in Scripture.  He doesn't just use the Bible as a diving board to get to what he wants to talk about.  Instead he allows his voice to be used as the spring board from which the word of God plunges into our lives.  So, the first reason is that our pastor preaches the word of God and it is this word that every Christian longs for and, in fact, needs to grow in the faith.

Second, our pastor spends much time in prayer and study as he prepares to preach.  This investment of time and energy involves him studying Scripture diligently and depending on the Holy Spirit fully.  He spends time meditating on the word as he seeks to properly interpret it, understand it, and make application based on it.  We would be fools not to benefit from this hard spiritual work that he has undertaken to shepherd our souls.  If he spends so much time preparing, we should do more than listen to the message and let it go "in one ear and out the other."  We should listen carefully and then think about what we have heard and meditate on the truths God gave us in the message.

Third, God has sovereignly placed us under our pastor.  We are not a part of this church by accident.  The message you hear each Sunday may not always seem like it directly applies to you, but it does.  God places us under our pastor, gives him insight into the word (as he diligently studies it in dependence on the Spirit), and then brings us to hear that message.  God wants us to benefit from the word preached on Sunday.

Finally, we have a responsibility to be "doers" of the word and not merely "hearers" (James 1:22-25).  Just as our pastor is responsible, before God, to faithfully preach the unadulterated truth of the gospel, we are responsible, before God, for what we do with the word.  If you are like me, hearing it on Sunday and failing to think about it again during the week hinders my ability to apply it.  I must consciously think about the message again and actively seek to apply what I heard. 

I am sure there are other reasons that could be listed (perhaps you can share some in the comments section).  It is important to reflect on the sermons that God graciously allows us to hear.  So, this addresses the "why" question.  Maybe you see that it is important, but wonder, "How can I begin to reflect on the sermon?".  Soon I will post on the "how" question and tell some things that I find helpful in this area.

May we listen well this Sunday and then allow God to work the message deep into our hearts.