Please pray for a meaningful preaching event on July 3

Here is an honest, personal post I am writing in the midst of my preparation for Sunday's sermon (07.03.16).




This Sunday morning, I have the privilege to preach at Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Pastor Duke is away and I have a rare opportunity to preach to the entire church at EBC.
Here are two problems with preaching this upcoming Sunday...
1)  It is 4th of July weekend some might be away.
2)  It is the week after Pastor Duke's great sermon 1 Timothy 2:5, 6.  Pastor Duke does a awesome job of preaching the Word each Sunday.  It is a challenge filling the pulpit especially after such an awesome sermon on Killing Sin!  Click HERE to hear this sermon

Here are two reminders that have been an encouragement to me while preparing.
1)  God is sovereign.  He knows what weekend it is and He knows who is going to be at church on Sunday.
2)  God's word is powerful.  The main reason Pastor Duke's sermon was great is because it was based on the truth of what God's word says about the Gospel and man's sinfulness.

In the first 12 minutes of THIS SERMON, Alistair Begg summarizes what I have been trying to teach, model and demonstrate in EBC's Soul Care, EKIDZ ministry and my life
and
what I desire to communicate this Sunday morning - We need to treasure Christ!

I am really praying for "a meaningful preaching event."  Here is how Begg describes "a meaningful preaching event."

For a meaningful preaching event you need an expectant praying preacher and you need an expectant praying congregation and when the expectations meet at the throne of grace whereby both preacher and listeners are looking to God rather than looking to one another.  Then suddenly there is a divine chemistry and everyone is surprised. 

The preacher says listen and they listen. 

Children pay attention. 

They don't get it all but they get some of it. 

People are going home and the children are saying "I learned this" and the parents are saying "I can't believe you learned that." 

They didn't get the whole sermon but they got enough. 

They knew God was there. 

They knew the Bible was important. 

They knew their mom and dad were supposed to be learning the Bible so they could teach them the Bible.

It is my prayer that I will passionately preach our need to treasure Jesus Christ and help the congregation understand how to treasure Jesus Christ.

It is my prayer that each of us would treasure Jesus Christ more and we would help others treasure Him!