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Helping people “apprehend” (take hold of) the sermon is very difficult. Preachers have generally vacillated between two options in the attempt: explanation and experience. On one hand, the preacher tries to convince the listener of the logic of the position being offered. On the other, the preacher tries to create an experience or an emotional appeal that will win the approval of the listener. It is a difficult sell.
A few years ago, the Canadian government began requiring tobacco companies to cover 40% of their external packaging with subtle little statements like, “Smoking can kill you!” It seems certain that these messages were not misunderstood. No one, not even the most hardened smoker, believes that the Surgeon General is mistaken. People acknowledge that cigarettes are harmful, and might eventually cost a person his or her life. And yet still people smoke.
Why? Ask them and they will give you answers like, “Because I like it.” Or “It is a habit. I’m comfortable with it.” None of the answers they will give you have anything to do with logic. They understand that this will likely kill them and they are content with that knowledge.
More recently, the Canadian government added pictures to the packages. Now, along with the stern messages, one finds a picture of a diseased lung, or a smoldering ashtray. Perhaps, adding the visual to the written message will help.
Sin is an addiction. It is more habit-forming than tobacco and yet we expect people to change because we’ve laid out the logic for them. But this might be as effective as the Surgeon General’s statistics to confirmed smokers. Why do we sin? “It’s a habit.” “I like it.” Or so we hear.
Preachers are up against a Holy Spirit-sized challenge. It may help to understand that reason and logic are not the only tools in our box. Apprehension can be gained not only by explanation, but also by experience, and perhaps most effectively, by both.