The Sermon Stayed Folded In My Bible

I sat on the front row yesterday eager to preach a fiery sermon. My sermon notes were folded in my Bible. I felt the first prompting from God during the second song we sang. It is hard to describe. Somewhere during that song I asked God if He had something different in mind than that sermon. From that point on during the rest of music I prayed for God's direction.

The more I prayed the more I sensed I was not supposed to preach my prepared message. When it came time to get behind the pulpit a different scripture had come to mind. A short verse by very specific. Tired and burdened people weighed heavy on my heart. I read Matthew 11:28 (NASB) 
²⁸  "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 

All I knew to do was to read the scripture, make a few comments and extend an invitation. I did so and several people responded coming to the altar. Many others went around the room praying for people who were weary or carrying heavy burdens.

A dad came to the alar and knelt down to pray. Before long his little daughter came and knelt beside him with her hands on his back. I saw a teenage boy come to the altar and his mother came to pray with him. One by one different ones came to do business with God. A mother and daughter came together to pray. Another mother prayed alone unloading her burdens to the Lord. All across the front at the steps people knelt and talked to God.

I don't know how many sermons I have preached in this church. Most Sundays nobody responds during the invitation. On this Sunday I did not preach and yet God moved well over a dozen people to come forward to seek Him. The sermon needed to remain folded in my Bible.

I sensed clearly I was not to preach the sermon folded in my Bible. I may never get to preach it. I went and prayed for some people heavy on my heart during that invitation. Other than that I knew I was not to preach that morning and had done what God wanted me to do. God did the preaching. God did the ministering. He did not need me to add anything to that service.

I never saw such a move of God coming. I had passion for the sermon I had prepared. God never gave any indication I would not preach that message and that He would do something far different that morning. The work of God yesterday morning felt fresh. The Holy Spirit took control and worked in people. He knew the need in people  of the morning. He knew the hearts of the people. He knew what people needed far better than me.

I would gladly leave every sermon folded in my Bible if I could see Gid move in ways like I saw yesterday. He comforted people. He lifted heavy burdens. He strengthened people. He wiped away tears. He encouraged people. If I had ignored His promptings and preached the prepared sermon anyway I would not have helped anyone. I would have done my duty but not been a true vessel for the LORD to work through. I would not have been a useful vessel.

God can do more in a few minutes than I could do in a thirty minute or even an hour long sermon. What the LORD has to say is much more important than what I have to say. Too often preachers fall in love with the sound of their own voices more than the voice of God. What He has to say and what He wants to do always trumps what we prepare to preach or have in mind to accomplish.

I want to be yielded to the LORD daily. I wanted to be yielded to Him every Sunday. I want Him to show up in the lives of people to touch them deeply where they need it most. At times that will include comforting, exhorting, forgiving, and restoring. On other occasions that might look like conviction, brokenness,  reproof, and repentance. May all lifeless sermons remain folded in my Bible in favor of God blessed services where He works in fresh ways in the lives of people. He knows better than me.

I may never preach that sermon still folded in my Bible and that will be alright with me. He will give other messages. I would not trade services like yesterday for a whole year's supply of sermons.