Tomorrow morning I will preach in the three morning services of the First Baptist Church in Henderson, Kentucky. As I was preparing tonight, I was reminded of a little exhortation that John Piper wrote eleven years ago titled “Take Heed How You Hear.” In it, Piper gives his parishioners ten practical preparations to prepare to receive the word of God on Sunday morning. You can either listen to the exhortation below or read it here.
[audio:http://media.desiringgod.org/audio/1998/19980222.mp3]I’ll give you the ten points, but you should take time to go and read the rest of the article and the scriptures in it.
1. Pray that God would give you a good and honest heart.
2. Meditate on the Word of God.
3. Purify your mind by turning away from worldly entertainment.
4. Trust in the truth that you already have.
5. Rest long enough Saturday night to be alert and hopeful Sunday morning.
6. Forebear one another Sunday morning without grumbling and criticism.
7. Be meek and teachable when you come.
8. Be still as you enter the room and focus your mind’s attention and heart’s affection on God.
9. Think earnestly about what is sung and prayed and preached.
10. Desire the Truth of God’s Word more than you desire riches or food.
2 Comments
Mark Lamprecht
Great list. True and practical.
Tom 1st
Good word. A great sermons is always just as much the responsibility of the hearers as it is the preacher.