I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. I have had more encouragers and encouragement in my life than I deserve. People have built me up when they probably could have justifiably torn me down and pushed me on when I maybe should have been held back. As undeserving as I am, I have always been grateful for all of the compliments paid to me to encourage me in my work. However there is one compliment given by well meaning brethren which strikes against my very purpose for preaching – “I really enjoyed your sermon.”
Yes, I know what people mean and I am thankful. But at the same time the proclaimed word of God is supposed to do many things in a person’s life, and one of them is not to provide enjoyment. The gospel is intended to prick the heart (Acts 2:37), cleanse the soul (Psalm 119:9), build us up (Acts 20:32), perfect us (2 Timothy 3:16-17), make us disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), and save us (Romans 1:16). Anytime the gospel is preached this is the intended result, to help people in some way to get to heaven; not to provide someone sheer enjoyment as though its words are somehow not applicable to their lives.
When we listen to the gospel being preached we should be listening with the intention of yielding our lives to God in a greater fashion. Our greatest personal responsibility is to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). That means when the gospel is preached we are as responsible for accepting it as the preacher is for proclaiming it. So when a person walks out and let’s me know they have enjoyed my sermon I smile, express my appreciation, but all the while think “that wasn’t my purpose.”
-Andy Brewer