In our tradition, the sermon has always been of great importance. The Reformation positioned the pulpit in such a way that all eyes of the congregation were focused on it. Half the time of a worship service is taken up by the sermon. Because most congregation members now have to experience the service online, the sermon has become even more important.

Note: This article was written in 2020 at the time of the COVID epidemic.

The sermon is the casting net, cast into the depths to catch people.

The sermon itself is not a word from the Bible, but it is a biblical word.

One of the things the editors do when compiling De Wekker is finding suitable illustrations for the cover of the magazine and for the various columns. What would be a suitable illustration for an issue with the theme “the sermon”? It could be a photo of the notebook in which the preacher wrote his sermon. When I cry out that “I’ve lost my sermon,” I mean that the notebook (or, more contemporary: the digital document on my tablet) has disappeared. Professor H. Berkhof once began a sermon with the remark—which was rather unpleasant for himself and therefore also for the congregation—that he had lost his sermon. His own words were “I always put it on my bedside table; maybe that helps. And this morning I wanted to look at it as usual, but it was not there.” His wife finally sent him away with the advice: “Just pray for the Holy Spirit and don’t make it too long.”

But most people will not think of a sermon notebook when they consider a sermon, but they think of the speech delivered during the worship service. That is not something you can take a picture of; it is an event. How can this event be appropriately depicted? We chose the picture of a pulpit. One of those high ones  to be found in older church buildings, the one you have to climb as a preacher and the one you look up to as a congregation.

From so High⤒🔗

The height is the first thing that stands out. That is where the spoken Word comes from. It descends upon you, gentle as rain or lashing as hail. It is, after all, the Word of God, not of a man. Professor Van Ruler calls preaching the pivot and core of being church: “Therefore, the preacher’s position in the pulpit... can clarify much regarding the authority of the office. There, the ‘Thus speaks the Lord’ is fully heard.” The congregation does not come together to listen to themselves or to a story they could have made up themselves. But they listen to a message from outside their own circle, they listen to words from God. Words of a different caliber. Words that have the power to comfort, surprise, and awaken. The sermon aims at an encounter with none other than God.

Contradiction←⤒🔗

The second thing that stands out is the “opposite” of the pulpit. Everyone is looking in the same direction, except the preacher. The sermon is an address. It is spoken “to,” or “in the direction of” the congregation. Preachers are fishers of men, and the sermon is the casting net, cast into the depths to catch them. Professor G. de Kruijf calls the sermon “a casting for the soul.” I think that is beautifully expressed. There is something about it that is purposeful, yet simultaneously “hoping for the best.” As a preacher, you do not have control over it yourself.

The expression “to” mentioned regarding the “address” also can have the meaning of “against.” The Word encounters you on its journey through the world; it appeals to you and contradicts you. Van Ruler raises the question whether it is even possible to concern yourself with the soul of another. Is it acceptable for one person to be so intimately involved with another, without a foundation of marriage or friendship? A legitimate question, which points out that the sermon is not self-evident. If the sermon were merely the work of man, one might rightly ask the preacher: What business is it of yours? The Bible knows of the bread prophets, who flatter the people, agreeing with them instead of disagreeing with them. They are condemned. Even Jesus had to answer the question of the leaders of Israel: “By what authority are you doing these things?” (Mark 11:28). Their fault is not that they ask that question, but that they do not believe the answer.

Bible←⤒🔗

The third striking aspect of the sermon—using the imagery of a pulpit—is that there is a Bible on that pulpit. Without a Bible a pulpit is incomplete. It must be open, preferably with the last passage that was read and preached, so that it is actually used. The sermon arises from the Bible. It is not itself a word from the Bible, but a biblical word, even if the starting point of the sermon is a song, a poem, or an article from one of the confessions, because they are all still rooted in the Bible. A sermon by Spurgeon based on Proverbs 6:22 is entitled “The Book That Talks.” His sermon is one long plea to read the Bible for yourself: “One single drop of the undiluted liquor of God’s word is worth more than a sea of ​​commentaries, sermons, and the like.” The sermon is an attempt to get the Book of God speaking.

The Hearer←⤒🔗

In reflecting on what the essence of a sermon is and how it impacts the hearers, increasing attention has been paid over time to the role of the hearer. The Bible text does not stand alone from the hearer. It is true of the written text. These are words that were spoken at a specific time to specific people. It also applies to the text of the sermon itself. That is God’s Word for me, in my situation, with my present state of mind.

You may be familiar with the paintings of the artist Marius van Dokkum. In one of those paintings, you see a preacher in a pulpit, high up along the wall. What is missing is a staircase. The preacher is imprisoned in the pulpit. There is no connection with the hearers in the pew. However, there should be a connection with the sermon. A sermon is not a conversation, but it must be in conversation with the hearers.

That the hearer demands more attention is evident in the location from which preaching is being done in an increasing number of churches. In many churches, the high pulpit has fallen into disuse or has even been removed. The preacher stands on the platform, somewhere between the baptismal font and the vase of flowers, the Easter candle, and the musical instruments. He is no longer the angel of the congregation, somewhere high and far away, but he walks back and forth on the same level.

Online←⤒🔗

The coronavirus crisis has drastically changed the setting for the sermon. Many congregation members are forced to follow the worship service online from home. A pulpit, a lectern, or a podium no longer matters, because the camera is focused on the person and is zoomed in on him. Whether they are up high or down below, on a pulpit or behind a lectern, is no longer relevant. The physical distance has increased enormously. There is no eye contact. The worship service takes place within the confines of a screen.

But all things considered, there is more than just loss. A kind of closeness has been gained. The sermon is literally heard in the midst of daily life. The laptop is standing on the table in the living room or at the foot-end of the bed in the bedroom. I heard of a family who listened to the worship service on a smartphone in the car while driving. However, what we read in Deuteronomy 6:7, that God’s commandment should be heard “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise,” never receives the meaning it was meant to have.

And the sermon has become even more important. It has been thought and said that the sermon has had its day. People no longer accept having one person tell them what is beneficial for them; they can not listen for more than ten minutes. The church service should be a varied program of words, music, and drama. Church services became a complete set of experiments. However, now that services must be experienced online, the sermon has become even more important. Just consider that due to the restrictions, church services have been scaled back. Worshipping together and singing together have to be omitted. As a result, the relative importance of the sermon has increased. For most, the spoken word is the most effective form of communication.

I think that it is a sign that the sermon will never be lost. Our God is a God who speaks. That requires a congregation that listens.