Introduction

A few years ago, one the men of the congregation preached a lesson which was solid from start to finish. After services, I complimented him on his lesson, his wife was also present. Then I was about to suggest a couple ideas on how to improve his lesson when his wife chimed in, “Why are you suggesting ideas if you liked the sermon?”

Needless to say, I didn’t get to provide my ideas but it made me think further of his wife’s question. Is a sermon so perfect that it doesn’t need improvement?

Examples in Scripture

All through the New Testament, we have examples of sermons and lessons that were written for our learning as well as a template to write our own lessons. This is not to say that they aren’t fine as written, but it is to help the Christian to grow as he searches the scriptures, studies what is written, and makes application to his own life, while helping others to make application also.

Looking at Jesus’ lesson in Mt. 5-7, known as the Sermon on the Mount, we see a lot of potential for expansion of His lesson. That is not to say his lesson isn’t perfect but simple and straightforward to allow the student to take a part of it and expound on a certain passage or go into a different direction with what is shared.

I, personally, have written a lesson on Mt. 7:13-14 which talks about the Straight and Narrow Path vs. The Easy and Broad Path. This focuses on the two paths, what it means to be on either one, and the destination that each path takes you.

If the opportunity came for me to preach this another time, I would definitely make changes depending on the audience I’m preaching to. With Christians, the focus would be on the narrow path, with non-Christians, the focus would be on the broad way. Any lesson could, and should, be changed depending on the listener.

Are We so Perfect?

King David writes, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? (Psalms 8:4) We know that we are insignificant in the grand scheme of creation, yet God takes time to watch us learn and grow. Do we ever get a point that we decide that we no longer need God? We’d better not! If ever a time were to come, then clearly we are not living our lives according to His Word.

Why, then, do some think that a sermon couldn’t be improved upon? It wasn’t written through inspiration of the Holy Spirit therefore it is as imperfect as we are. Every lesson should be adjusted to fit the needs of the congregation, or group of people, which you stand before. Perhaps they need more focus on one point from your lesson than another. That isn’t to say that one is not as important but requires less time and focus.

Conclusion

In our daily lives, we constantly strive to improve ourselves to become better people. Our daily walk with God should be a living sermon all its own to show the people of the world how to live their lives. If we don’t allow for improvement, they we become a faded copy of our former selves or simply a rerun of a television show.

Never settle for the way things are now. As the writer of Hebrews states, Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)