Beeke goes on to unpack the Westminster Catechism and apply it to how we as Christians are not only to prepare for and listen to the preached the Word, but also how we are to practice the preached Word.
Here are some practical ways he suggests for us to become better "doers of the Word":
1. Strive to retain and pray over what you have heard
Let us, as the author of Hebrews warns, "pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it" (2:1).
"Our memories," says Thomas Watson, "should be like the chest of the ark, where the law was put." Or, as Joseph Alleine once put it, one way to remember the sermon is to come from your knees to the sermon, and then go from the sermon to your knees.
Beeke goes on to recommend, but in no way command, the practice of note-taking. His practice is to review his notes throughout the week, and to pray through them, asking the Lord to help him apply the truths expounded on the Lord's Day. Moreover, he also encourages families to take notes, from which they can compare them together and learn from one another's gleanings. Often, he says, this time is even more profitable than the hearing of the sermon.
2. Familiarize yourself with the truths you have heard.
Beeke advocates the practice of what the Westminster divines called 'the repetition of sermons, especially to one's families.' When you come home from church, speak to your loved ones about the sermon you have heard in an edifying, practical manner (i.e. not spending time having 'roast pastor', that is, criticizing/judging every flaw or mistake he made that day, or rating/comparing the sermon to your ideal 'standard'). Talk about the sermon in words that your youngest child can understand. Share some of the lessons you are learning from the Word.
Additionally, after the sermon, intentionally refrain from frivolous, worldly conversation after the message. Shallow talk about politics, sports, news, etc. is one of Satan's chief ways of sending vultures to pluck away the good seed of the Word.
During the week, meditate upon the truths of the message throughout the week.
3. Put the sermon into action
Beeke reminds us that a sermon is not over when the minister says "Amen." Rather that is when the true sermon begins. In an old Scottish story, a wife asked her husband if the sermon was done yet. "No," he replied, "It has been said, but it has yet to be done."
James 1:22-25 reminds us that merely hearing the Word but not doing it is a deceitful undertaking. The true blessing, says James, only comes in the doing of the Word.
True listening means applying the Word. In Matthew 7, Jesus says that those who are not doers of His teaching are foolish builders who build upon sand, not rock. Elsewhere, He questions some of His hearers, saying, "Why do you say 'Lord, Lord', but do not do what I say?" This is scary stuff. Sometimes we feel that by merely repeating with our lips what was preached is enough. How often are we like the fig tree, which from a distance looked like it was 'in season', but upon closer inspection ultimately bore no fruit?
To nicely sum everything up: the Word attended must also be the Word applied.
Next time Beeke will show us 4 more practical ways to help us better put into practice what we are hearing from God's Word when it is preached on the Lord's Day.
In Christ, and for His glory through His church,
Pastor Ryan
No comments:
Post a Comment