Music for the Ears

While I have never been a fan of buying books of sermons, I broke my own rule a few years ago and purchased a book of sermons by Charles Spurgeon.  Since it was almost 1400 pages long, it will do for another lifetime.  I have always been of the opinion that sermons are not to be read, but heard.  A sermon is not meant for the eyes, but for the ears.  Spurgeon's written sermons are of such depth that not many of us would be around for the conclusion.  When I read them, I am amazed that the people of his day would crowd in the sanctuary to hear him preach.

 

The truth is that some of them are so powerful and so well crafted that you can almost hear them singing in the air, demanding to be heard.  And, even though none of them would be done in fifteen or twenty minutes, I can read and understand why some folks would stay with him to the very end.  Even his written sermons point to him being worthy of the title, "Prince of Preachers."  I always loved to preach.  It was the highlight of my work week, but I must confess, I was no Spurgeon.  I was mostly ordinary and mostly amazed that folks would stay with me for the twenty or thirty minutes I claimed the pulpit for preaching.

To be a preacher is to be in a place of great blessing and rare privilege.  The task is to take the Scripture and speak the Word of the Lord to the people of God.  God invested a heavenly amount of faith in me to call me to the holy work and the people who listened to me invested a huge chunk of their time to listen.  For both blessings I am grateful.  Of course, I am on the retired side of the pulpit these days and when I sit out there listening, I long to hear what I have always wanted to hear from the preachers who preached.  I cared not an iota for their opinion, but I surely wanted to hear what would resonate with my heart as the Word of the Lord.  There were times when I have failed even as have others.  "Lord, be merciful."