"Preaching is the fine art of talking in somebody else’s sleep.” One pastor was preaching and noticed that a gentleman was sleeping as he preached. The pastor appealed to the man’s wife asking her to wake up her husband. “You put him to sleep,” she answered, “You wake him up!”
What makes for a good sermon? I met with some of our young ministers last week to discuss preaching. I learn a great deal from them. As we shared, I told them that in the preaching classes I have taught, I insist that the preachers read a text and explain it. I tell my students, “If you do not read from the Bible and explain it in your sermon, you will not get a good grade.”
Peter succeeded on both counts. Imagine this amazing fisherman from Galilee reciting from the book of Joel to the gathered crowd in Jerusalem. Joel had predicted that in the last days God would pour out his Holy Spirit on all people. Sons and daughters would prophesy. God would show wonders in the heavens. Everyone who called on God’s name would be saved.
Wait. Why would Peter choose this text? Did he think it was the end times? Yes. Yes he did. The New Testament authors agree that the first arrival of Jesus signified the beginning of the last days. Pentecost fulfilled Joel’s prophecy. After the Spirit came upon them, both men and women in the upper room proclaimed the wonders of God to the people in Jerusalem. The sound of the wind and the flames of fire fulfilled Joel’s prediction of miraculous signs. Best of all, Peter called on the people to call on the name of the Lord and be saved.
Nobody slept through Peter’s sermon. It must have been electric. In my classes, I have heard young men and young women teach and preach the Bible powerfully. Often when they preach I think, “God gave that gift.” Listening to Blake Wilson on Sunday night and in our revival last fall, I heard a man who had spent meaningful time studying God’s word. I saw one of God’s sons proclaim the word of God. The Holy Spirit attended his words and filled them with power. It made me want to call on the God who saves. Today, if we hear God’s voice, let us not harden our hearts.
