Preaching Your Sermon

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
 
It is important to follow God’s lead when He is calling you to preach a sacred sermon to someone who needs encouragement. How do you write your story so that when the time comes, you will be ready to speak truth and love to someone who needs it? Here are three components of a sacred sermon:
 
1). It will always answer a question or address a specific issue  
 
A sacred sermon will always seek to answer a question, or to resolve an issue that is present right now. Pastors, our job is to teach, and also to preach, to equip God's saints. As I have said before: “Sometimes, the difference between preaching and teaching is volume!” Actually, preaching focuses on an issue, addresses a question, resolves something, and is focused on one thing. Keep this in mind as you share. You are not just telling your story for the sake of telling it. You want to use your story to help someone solve a problem or address a question they have.  
 
2). It is Biblically rooted
 
A sacred sermon is always biblically rooted. Today, there are more preachers and teachers who are preaching pop psychology than at any other time. People are hearing that foolish information and wondering why they go away empty. It is because they are hearing what a man says rather than what God says. Anytime we share a story or preach a sermon, it must be rooted in His Word. Otherwise, what we are sharing will fall flat.  
 
3). It always points people to Jesus
 
The sacred sermon always points people to Jesus, not to the messenger. It can be tempting to think that we are at the center of our own story, but the story isn’t about us at all. Everything should point people back to Jesus – His goodness, His faithfulness, His sacrifice, and His love. That is how we know we are sharing a sacred sermon. It is not about us. It is about Him.  
 
As you are thinking about stories or sermons you want to share, I pray that you will keep these three components in mind. Think about the questions or issues your listener needs to hear. Base your sermon on God’s Word, and remember that your ultimate focus is always to point others back to Jesus.