I can’t remember where I first heard it, but someone once encouraged all preachers to ask three questions of their text in sermon preparation: 1) What do I want my church to know from this text?, 2) What do I want my church to do with this text?, and 3) What do I want my church to feel about this text?

Those questions have always seemed useful, especially when thinking through wisely and pointedly applying the text to your congregation. I remember early on in preaching when I asked those questions of every sermon I prepared. I no longer ask all three questions of every sermon I prepare, but I do almost always consider the issue of what my people should feel about the text.

I wonder what are the ordinary things you want your congregation to feel.

PREACHING FOR FEELINGS

With typical pointed passion John Piper sums up how the average church today would answer that question when he writes,

Laughter seems to have replaced repentance as the goal of many preachers. Laughter means people feel good. It means they like you, it means you have moved them. It means you have some measure of power. It seems to have all the marks of successful communication – if the depth of sin and the holiness of God and the danger of hell and need for broken hearts is left out of account.

Said another way, “Entertainment rather than an encounter with God seems to be the goal of most preachers today.” Brothers, we are not entertainers; we are heralds. And heralds aren’t to be court jesters for the congregation, they are ambassadors of the living, reigning King who calls all men to repentance and faith.

Now this doesn’t mean that congregations can’t laugh or find God’s word to be entertaining,¹ but I do think it means that such feelings of amusement should never be our goal in heraldic preaching. Our message is too weighty to let such trivialities be our main concern. We don’t want them walking away with fleeting candy-like feelings, but we want their affections satisfied with the red meat of God’s word (Heb. 5:11-14).

Every text does have its unique feel we preach out of and preach unto, but let me highlight one “feeling” that ought to be a common aim in all our sermons: the fear of the Lord.

AIM FOR REVERENT AFFECTION

I was speaking with a couple church members last weekend who always have thoughtful and encouraging things to say after hearing God’s word. One of them said something I might never forget, “You know we were just talking and that sermon was so timely. As I was sitting during the examination time for the Lord’s Supper (we have communion every week following the sermon) I was trying to discern what it was I was feeling from our study of Job. As I was praying I realized it was the fear of the Lord.”

That will be hard to forget because it’s the only time to date anyone has told me the fear of God was their overriding emotion after on of my sermon. May it not be the last time.

During the drive back home I was meditating on this member’s response to God’s word. I couldn’t help but think to myself that alongside feelings like faith and repentance there isn’t a more worthy and all encompassing affection with which we should aim for in our preaching than fearing God. If a faithful encounter with God’s word is nothing less than an encounter with God Himself, what other feeling is more foundational than fear?

In his fantastic book The Joy of Fearing God Jerry Bridges says, “There was a time when committed Christians were known as God-fearing people. This was a badge of honor. But somewhere along the way we lost it. Now the idea of fearing God, if thought of at all, seems like a relic from the past.” Let us pastors pave the way in restoring “reverent affection” as a preeminent target with which we direct the arrows of God’s truth. Pray for a the Spirit to mold you into a God-fearing man and your church into a God-fearing people. Load your soul with meditations on the majesty and supremacy of God in all things so that you ascend to the sacred desk ready to declare the only King to which we must all bow (Phil. 2:6-11).

BEHOLD THE TERRIFYING BEAUTY

Another thing might be in order.

Let us recover the terrifying beauty of Hebrews 12:18-29. When the church gathers for worship it climbs to the throne room of heaven to worship along “innumerable angels in festal gathering,” to “the spirits of the righteous made perfect,” and “to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.” This King speaks to us through His word and “we cannot refuse . . . Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

Aim for reverence and awe to be dominant responses to your preaching. With the Spirit’s help, compel them unto and draw them into a deeper fear of the Lord.

—————————————————————————————————————-