Two sermons
I recently heard two sermons in close
sequence.
One was by an experienced church leader. The
setting was impressive, the music was traditional church fare performed with grandeur
and the refreshments were a feast fit for royalty. The preacher used his voice
well, had energetic body language and spoke with compelling pathos.
The other sermon was by a young lay preacher. He spoke in a rented hall with
uncomfortable chairs, with so-so music followed by average coffee and snacks. The
A-V system was on and off, so parts of his talk were muted.
The Bible was read before both talks.
One talk soared away like a moon shot. The
other stayed close to the text and was marked by plain words carefully
arranged and spoken with directness.
One talk
was like fast food - feeling good at the time but with little nutrition for the
next day. The other gave food for life. One, a feast that left hearers
hungry. The other, a modest spread that satisfied.
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