“I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.” (Psalm 119:162 NLT)
The Sunday service had just ended. The minister who delivered the sermon stood at the back of the church, shaking hands with members of the congregation as they exited the sanctuary. The minister smiled as each person came by. Some shared some brief words, mostly complimentary, “Good message, Pastor.” “Thanks for the word.” “That was just for me, for sure.” Others simply said such things as, “Have a good day!” “See you next week.” “God bless you.”
The minister notices one person sitting on a pew near the exiting line. The minister would soon learn that this person had a serious question. When no one was in line and the minister was standing alone, a young adult approached the minister and asked, “How do you find the passage in the bible that you will preach from, week after week?”
The minister quickly responded, “Sermons are specific messages sent by God.” The young person felt that explanation was insufficient, so he asks another question. “Okay, but how do you find that specific message?” The patient preacher sat down with the inquisitive young person on a nearby pew. He says, “Let me start with a true story. I think it will help you understand how I find the messages for Sunday mornings or any other occasion where I am asked to preach.”
The minister tells a true story about something he observed at the October Festival held at the church on Saturday. “I watched the young children participating in an activity that involved looking for prizes in a haystack.” He continues, “I had seen the bundle of hay, but had no idea what it would be used for at the festival. But the creative adults who put together the activities had put the hay there for a purpose. The children were called over and told to search in the hay to find prizes, small toys, a variety of merchandise that the adults had purchased. Many of the children stopped searching when they found a prize and ran, with smiling, joyful faces, to show the adults their treasured prize. A few kept looking until they had found two treasures. Following directions, the young people went to the next scheduled activities. Bobbing for apples with their own, individual buckets and apples, and a three-legged race was next. Afterwards, most of the kids were just having fun and eating snacks, hot dogs, and chili. But there was one little boy who went back to the haystack to keep searching for more treasures.” The young adult who asked the question is probably thinking, “This answer is as long as the sermon!” Nevertheless, unaware of that question, if it was indeed in the mind of the young adult who had made the inquiry, the minister goes on. “The little boy who went back to the haystack was tossing hay everywhere, bent down on hands and knees, searching for some mor treasure.” The young man who asked the initial question laughs, but quickly says, “How does that relate to my question?” The minister says, “It relates because that is what we must do as God’s messengers. We must keep searching through the scriptures and wait for the Lord to put a word on our hearts for Sundays.” He goes on, speeding up his pace because he does not want the young man to become impatient. “When I started in the ministry, I was told to always read the word. Digest is so that when you are well fed, the Holy Spirit will bring something to your attention, something specific and purposeful for the specific approaching Sunday. I recently just advised a young pastor to dedicate time to reading from one book of the bible daily. Then I suggested that perhaps you can read from one book in the Old Testament, one book from the New Testament, and perhaps focus on a couple of Psalms. I know, a long answer to the question, but if we are diligent in studying the word, the Lord will reward us, and He will be the One who leads us to every specific message.”
The young man said, “Thank you! That help a lot. I learned something.” The minister asks, “What did you learn? Tell me.” The young man says, “I need to keep searching for treasures in the word of God, even though I am not a preacher. Thank you!”
Enough about the young man and the minster. Let me ask you a question, “Are you going on a treasure hunt every day, searching through the scriptures?” Have a great day! Be blessed!
“The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.” (Psalm 19:7-10 NLT)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King