things not said in a sermon

A couple of conversations the past two weeks have caused me to think about how many people hear a sermon. Often, based on a life circumstance or journey, a listener will focus on something the preacher says that is not really what the sermon is about. Let me give you an example or two: 1. In a sermon about the authority of God's word, a preacher my say, "We stand against divorce because God says he hates it". Now immediately those who have experienced divorce may be offended because theirs was "allowable" by Scripture and they may even take the preacher to task. 2. In a sermon on Christian family, a preacher may say, "God designed a family to have a mom and a dad and kids, and that is the best way to do family". Suddenly, single parent radars go off, feeling as though the pastor has made them a second rate family as they struggle to do their best. 3. In a sermon on struggling with sin, a preacher may say, "I sin every day even though I don't want to". Suddenly, people in the seats think everything from "I wonder what sins he commits" to "we pay him to be holy, why is he still sinning?" Suddenly the focus is on the sins of the pastor and not how the Holy Spirit guides us through these struggles of the flesh. My point is that there are always a multitude of things not said in every sermon because time does not allow for the preacher to explain in detail every theological nuance of the day's teaching. So, here's the best way to get past these distracting phrases and what is left unsaid about them. First, try to focus on the text and the points the pastor is making based on his week of study, prayer, and preparation. Often a word of The Lord is missed because we are listening for what we want to hear and not what God wants to say. Second, if there are things you hear in the sermon that are not fully explained, do some biblical research (eg. look up "divorce" in a Bible concordance and read the Scriptures where divorce is mentioned). I say often when asked about my opinion on some topic, "Whatever the Bible says about that, I believe that." Third, ask your preacher to explain but do so in love. Don't assume the worst of the preacher (ie. you have bad theology) but give him the benefit of the doubt (maybe he has a different context, or I heard it wrong). In short, don't allow the things not said in a sermon to drown out the things that are preached from the Word of God.