In a recent evangelistic sermon, I heard David Sproule speak to those assembled and told them that he had been praying specifically for them. As I listened, I thought of the great impact it would have if every Christian did this. At that point of the sermon, I began to pray the same prayer.
Have we not all sung, “While we pray and while we plead; while you see your soul’s deep need; will you not my brother come?” However, is this true? How often do we sing these words, telling the lost who are in the assembly that we are praying and pleading with them to respond? Is it possible that we may never have been praying that the lost might respond and told them that is precisely what we were doing?
That decision made it so much easier to follow what was being said. I began to listen to the message from the viewpoint of the lost and in my prayers I became part of their lives.
When the church began, they were forbidden to preach or teach anyone about Jesus. It had to be exciting as they had seen the church grow into thousands of members. Consider what they did. They came together to pray for those who were teaching others, that they might boldly present God’s message (Acts 4:32). Can you imagine how this impacted those who prayed, whenever they next listened to the gospel being preached to the lost?
Almost every preacher has had to deal with those who listen to the sermon to find some misspoken word. Every week, when they exit, they usually tell the preacher how he could have improved the lesson. When individuals do this week after week you wonder how much they are truly worshiping during the preaching of the sermon. Constructive criticism is so helpful, but constant critiques of every sermon is so discouraging.
On the other hand, those comments and private emails are one of the greatest joys. Words like: “Thank you for this lesson, it really helped me”; “Thank you for the way you used the Bible, I am a better person because I heard it”; “I want you to know that I was praying for you today”; “Thank you. My friend was not here to hear this message, but I am sending a copy of it.”
Be honest. Be sincere. Be that person like Barnabas who helped Paul so much, but he did not have to be in the forefront to encourage.
So let me suggest you just do what I did. Pray for the preacher and the lost during a sermon. It changed me. So, when he preaches a lesson directed to Christians, do not pray for others, pray for yourself!