Leadership Thought: The Day I Preached the Greatest Sermon Ever Heard.

Dear Friends,

I remember it well. It was the day I preached the greatest sermon ever heard. It was Easter Sunday, and I had just concluded my message: "The Greatest Story Ever Told," the story of the resurrection.

As I was getting ready to proclaim the benediction, I promised the congregation that if they returned the following Sunday, they would hear the greatest sermon ever preached. It was my effort to take advantage of the Easter crowd and hopefully draw them back the following Sunday, a Sunday that was typically one of the lowest attended Sundays of the year. I am sure some came the following Sunday out of curiosity while others came to prove this prideful pastor wrong, but many did come.

That Sunday I made good on my promise. I put a robe on like Jesus might have worn, descended from the pulpit, and began slowly walking throughout the sanctuary sharing the "Sermon on the Mount" that I had memorized that week. Up and down the aisles I walked, looking into the eyes of those in the pews as I shared the whole of Matthew 5-7, the "Greatest Sermon Ever Preached." To this day I still have people remind me of that sermon. I will never forget the stunned expression on one of the women seated in the pew as I stopped beside her pew and looking her straight in the eyes  quoted, "Thou Shalt not commit adultery."

Well, what has this got to do with a Leadership Thought you might ask? Well last night at a small group meeting, one of our members, a former missionary to Ethiopia, shared how scripture memorization had impacted her life. She encouraged us to take up the challenge of scripture memorization.

Many years ago, I was deeply involved in a Scripture memorization program that was produced by the Navigators, a para church organization that was known for its emphasis on scripture memorization. While I was no longer regularly taking time to memorize God's Word, her message was a wonderful reminder of my previous experience and how scripture memorization had impacted the early years of my ministry.

I share this as a challenge to you who have never tried to memorize God's Word or who like me may have done so but discontinued the practice.

There are many different ways to memorize scripture and if you google "scripture memorization" you will find a number of suggestions. But they all come down to this: "repetition over time." That is how one pastor memorized 46 books of the Bible, just one verse at a time. 

You don't have to memorize whole books of the Bible, although some may choose to do so. Just memorize a verse or two a day, or one verse a week and by the end of the year you will have filled your mind with 52 verses from the Word of God, and there is no telling how those verses will impact your daily life.

It is not how you do it that is important, but that you do it.

Want to join me and others as we memorize God's Word. You can begin with 2 Peter 1:3-4, and if you want to know the rest of the verses my friend shared with us, let me know and we will include you on this scriptural adventure.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. Chuck Swindoll writes. “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing scripture. No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your competence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified.” (Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life, P. 61)