A great deal of otherwise good preaching fails of its purpose. It may be
that no flaw can be found in it from the purely homiletic viewpoint, yet
it fails to get the verdict for God and righteousness. Often this happens
because the sermon has been considered as an end within itself. The
preacher has failed to take into account the human values involved in his
work. He has prepared his sermon with the one idea of making a
perfect product.
His more successful brother has gone at the task in quite another way.
He has worked no less earnestly and persistently, but he has seen more
than the paper before him. He has looked past his study table and beyond
his book shelves out into the busy world where his people live. He has
seen them toiling, hoping, struggling, and suffering. He has thought of
their heartaches and problems, of their aspirations and difficulties, of
the drag that sordid situations and drab years put upon their souls. He
has felt their temptations, their discouragements, and their limitations.
His heart has gone out and felt the weight of their burden with them.
Then he has searched Scripture, history, science, literature, and life for
something that will help them in their fight. In some instances, at least,
he has found it. No wonder his work catches on and succeeds. He has sensed
the human side, and seen what it is that makes the need for preaching. If
there were no human problems along the road that leads to God, then the
pulpit might as well be abolished.
To such a man the sermon he has prepared is not a fetish, but a message.
He delivers it not merely that it may be admired, but that it may be
minted into a blessing for the people before him. He knows what is in the
hearts behind the Sunday clothes down in the pews, and he is trying to
answer their questions and meet their needs.