Forgive a Bad Sermon If…

I can forgive a man a bad sermon, I can forgive the preacher almost anything if he gives me a sense of God, if he gives me something for my soul, if he gives me the sense that though he is inadequate in himself, he is handling something which is very great and glorious, if he gives me some dim glimpse of the majesty and glory of God, the love of Christ my Saviour, and the magnificence of the gospel. If he does that, I am his debtor, and I am profoundly grateful to him.

D. Martin Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981)

Preaching Worthy of the Name Starts with God

Preaching is first of all a proclamation of the being of God . . . preaching worthy of the name starts with God and with a declaration concerning His being and power and glory. You find that everywhere in the New Testament. That was precisely what Paul did in Athens — “Him declare I unto you.” “Him”! Preaching about God, and contrasting Him with the idols, exposing the emptiness and the acuity and uselessness of idols.

D. Martin Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981)

The Monday Morning Pastor’s “Hangover”

Pastor, as you reflect on yesterday’s sermon and ministry, don’t beat yourself up because you didn’t say what you wanted, or because you said something you shouldn’t have said (or in the wrong tone), or because your sermon didn’t do the text and its subject justice. God can take the five loaves and two fishes of your sermon and multiply it in ways you can never imagine. You aren’t the only one who feels poorly about your sermon. I feel that way too. Listen to the words of one of the greatest expositors of the 20th century:

“I can say quite honestly that I would not cross the road to listen to myself preaching.”

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers, p. 4