First and foremost, preachers must be excited about the sermon ourselves. We need to preach it with enthusiasm. The derivation of “enthusiasm” is “God breathed.” Sermons must come from God. Preachers must hear them for themselves as well as the congregation. The name of God, in the Hebrew “YHWH”, has been spelled as “Yahweh.” The vowels have been added, but in the Hebrew language there are no vowels. YHWH is comprised of aspirated consonants that, spoken, are the sound of breathing. We need his breath to live. And when we breathe we speak his name.
God is the great “I AM.” He is exciting. He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. He is mysterious. Nevertheless, God wants to reveal himself through his Word. We are to preach his Word, but first we must carefully listen to what he is saying. If our heart’s desire is to preach his message, then God will speak to us and entrust us to share his Word. Let us read his Word and carefully listen to his breath. Then we will preach his Word. No reading the sermon, telling the story – an exciting story. Speaking with enthusiasm.
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150)
Preaching the Lectionary 