My preaching schedule of preaching through both halves of Kings took me through chapter four of second Kings last week. There’s nothing really amazing about that, finished chapter three the week before. (My preaching schedule is not that complicated.)
I do take breaks from the schedule from time to time. I’m known to shift out of the schedule with some calendared events such as Christmas or Resurrection Sunday. (I rarely follow the Hallmark Card industry calendar, such as Mothers’/Fathers’ Day, Valentines’ Day, etc… but never for Groundhog Day…) I’ve been know move out of the schedule when there are special events happening in the life of our church, but these are really quite rare. I’ve even been known to not break out of the schedule at Christmas or Resurrection Sunday.
That said, after I preach I’ll usually sit down at some point in the next couple of days and read the text I just finished preaching and look at my notes and many times listen to the audio; This practice has been helpful in many ways.
- I usually see or hear something but missed in my preaching. Or hear something I did say that was not in my notes.
- Sometimes I hear me say things that I wish I hadn’t said or things I wish I had written down.
- If the text has an uncommon name I laugh at how many different ways I can butcher a name (out loud).
- I want to make sure I don’t misrepresent God, ever, and if I need to make correction to something I said I want to do so as quickly as possible.
- I hear my my incomplete sentences or stammering tendencies and wish I would just say it already.
But what I like best about looking back over a text I just previously preached is a fresh view of the text just preached.
This past week, for example. I saw the compassion of God in the text but I wish I had focused more upon it than I did. Chapter four of Second Kings had four sections.
- A widow in need – After re-reading the text I called a widow in our church I have not done a good job of checking in on recently. I was touched by her confidence in God to help supply all of her needs. And He does. And she was kind to me.
- A woman without children – After re-reading the text I was able to let the Holy Spirit minister to my soul for the desire of my children to want children. The Holy Spirit used to text to minister to me in a very close and personal way that would not have been appropriate in the pulpit.
- A woman in grieving pain – After that same woman who was previously without child lost that child in death, her grieving process was unlike most. She was disciplined in her emotion. I spent time in prayer for the many in my church who have recently lost family. My prayer was for their emotional well being and that they would find stability for that emotion in a disciplined way.
- A group of prophets mistakenly poisoned during a time of famine – This was an unexpected moment for sure. I thought upon this for a few more extra days. The beauty of God restoring the food to a healthy state was an encouragement for me as many will arrive at Eastside late this week for some bible training. Yes, the bible talks about famines of food and a famine for the word of God. Just as God restored the poisoned food for the prophets in a time of physical famine – He can restore a poisoned word for his church in a famine of the word.
God Can Restore!
Join me Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls.
Meal provided Thursday and Friday night at 5:15 pm, Teaching time begins at 6:00 pm each night. Saturday morning at 9:00 am
