No mortal preacher could possibly know what each individual person in the congregation (as well as anyone visiting) needs to hear on any given week. Even if he did, it would be difficult to cover every subject adequately in one sermon. In practical terms, this problem suggests that some may have a positive reaction to one particular sermon or class, while others will be unimpressed by the material presented on any certain day.
In addition to content, there is the overall tenor of the message. Some may have needed to be rebuked because of a certain sin committed out of ignorance, forgetfulness, or weakness. Others may have been worn down by the world and in need of being uplifted and encouraged. Of course, congregations that offer entertainment in place of the Scriptures help no one. For serious problems there is no instruction or spiritual meat. For those needing encouragement, they receive nothing more than temporary comic relief, which they could have obtained from any entertainment medium.
So while one particular sermon may not be exactly what a person wanted on a given day, on the whole each member’s needs should be met–if the whole counsel of God is preached (Acts 20:27). In the course of His ministry Jesus covered such topics as acceptable worship (Mat. 15:1-9; John 4:21-24), faith (Mat. 6:19-34), genuine happiness (Mat. 5:3-10), Christian influence (Mat. 5:13-16), true piety (Mat. 6:1-18), morality (Mat. 5:21-32), the worth of the individual (Luke 19:1-10; 7:36-48), a warning about false teachers (Mat. 7:15-20), the narrow way (Mat. 7:13-14), the “golden rule” (Mat. 7:12), and obedience (Mat. 7:21-27).
So while one individual cannot hope to cover in one worship assembly what everyone present specifically needs, God knew what all people need, and He put all the relevant information in His holy Scriptures. For that reason two things are necessary. First, all members should avail themselves of every opportunity for worship and study. Many preachers have related the experience of having just preached on a certain subject only to have a member (who was absent) request information that had already been given. Many preachers spread out the wide range of material to cover Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights. But some are going to miss certain crucial elements of the whole counsel of God because they came on Sunday morning only or very sporadically.
A few weeks ago a family visited here, and they were called upon on a Tuesday evening. In a brief conversation at the door, they were encouraged to come the following evening to Bible study. The reply was, “We don’t do Wednesday evenings.” Apparently, the arrogance of such a remark escaped the person who said it. Such a remark is the equivalent of saying the following:
“I only need to learn so much; I can get by on a little and do without the rest.”
“My spiritual appetite is limited; my worldly appetite is large. My time must be spent on worldly concerns.”
“A modicum of Bible study is all I need” (due either to a limited capacity, super spirituality, or great indifference).
“Too much exposure to the Bible might prove harmful; I wouldn’t want to become a fanatic.”
Such an attitude certainly does not reflect the following Scriptures:
“I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).
“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Heb. 5:12).
“And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Mat. 5:6).
“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
“But grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. . .” (2 Peter 3:18).
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
“My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. . .” (Hosea 4:6).
“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11).
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; in his law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2).
These and many other verses emphasize the importance of learning the Scriptures. Having a passing acquaintance with them will not suffice on the day of judgment (John 12:48)–if we have neglected the opportunity to know more, do more, and be better Christians than what we are now.
The second thing that is necessary (besides attending worship opportunities with the local congregation) is one’s own personal study and meditation. One cannot grow when all spiritual thoughts are dismissed for the remainder of the week at noon on the first day. No one can grow to be spiritually strong while fasting religiously six and one-half days out of the week.
Having a personal vault filled with knowledge of the Scriptures has great value. It will cause a person to listen carefully and make applications to his life–whether or not a particular subject is covered. Frequently, when one is reading the Scriptures privately, ideas come forth related to daily problems or even major decisions. The same thing can happen when someone is preaching. The subject of that hour may be unrelated to a need that someone has, but to the Bible-based Christian, a thought that is relevant to another subject suddenly springs to mind. In other words, the better the store of internal knowledge, the easier it is to find principles that relate to other matters.
In this way many brethren are helped by sermons that are only obliquely related to a concern or need they have at that moment. The more maturity a Christian develops, the more applications he can make from a lesson being delivered. This benefit, of course, does not negate the need for a preacher to be well-balanced, setting forth the whole counsel of God, or speaking as the oracles of God, but it will aid the hearer until such time as his topic of concern is addressed directly.
Visitors who are unfamiliar with the Bible may have more difficulty making appropriate applications. There are two things they can do to help themselves. First, they should not restrict themselves to one sermon a week as their total amount of instruction. If they have sensed a need to improve their relationship with God, they should commit themselves to attending classes and both worship assemblies on Sunday. With much more exposure to the Word of God, there is a greater likelihood that they will find answers–especially if they begin reading on their own at the same time.
A second option is to request a study on a particular topic. It may become the subject of next Sunday’s message, be worked into a class discussion, or find its way into a bulletin article. Failing those avenues, there is always the opportunity for a private discussion with a member of the congregation who can answer questions through a study of the Scriptures.
God’s great wisdom shines through the holy Book; in the nearly score of centuries that have elapsed since the Bible was completed, there has not arisen any issue to which the Bible does not speak–whether moral or doctrinal. Every false doctrine that has burst forth from Satan’s imagination has been immediately opposed by and exposed from the Scriptures themselves. Moral dilemmas have occurred that no man could possibly have envisioned 100 years ago, let alone 1,000 or 2,000 years back. Yet Biblical principles can always be brought to bear as each new issue presents itself.
The fact is that there is every advantage in studying and knowing the contents of the precious and Divine Word of God; there is every disadvantage in the alternative.