“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12).
If the word of God is so incredibly sharp, why we put people to sleep when we preach it?! (Be encouraged, Paul also put someone to sleep with his sermon as well.) And why do we fall sleep so often when it is preached? Since the problem cannot be the word of God, it must be with the way we are preaching/teaching it.
Let’s consider the context in which the author of Hebrews expressed his convictions about the word of God being sharper than a two-edged sword. In Hebrews 3:7-11, he quotes the words of an ancient psalm (Psalm 95). But because the author of Hebrews sees a direct correlation between the words of this ancient psalm and the current circumstances of his readers, he alludes to, quotes, and applies it in all the verses leading up to his statement about the word of God (Heb 3:12 – 4:11). When the author says the word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, he is not referring to the word of God in general, but specifically to Psalm 95, i.e., the passage he has just been preaching to his readers (although what is stated specifically about Psalm 95 can obviously be applied across the board to the rest of the Bible).
A Specific Sword
The author gives us two reasons why he believes the words of Psalm 95 are so incredibly powerful (and by extension the rest of Scripture). First, the author affirms a very high view of inspiration. He introduces his citation of Psalm 95 with the following words: “just as the HOLY SPIRIT says.” Although the author attributes Psalm 95 to a human author (Heb 4:7), he believes this passage is the very words of the Holy Spirit.
Second, the author of Hebrews sees no historical gap between the message of this ancient psalm and the current circumstances of his readers. In Hebrews 3:7 he doesn’t write, “the Holy Spirit SAID” [past tense]. Rather, he uses a present tense verb which can also be translated as a present imperfect tense: “the Holy Spirit IS SAYING.” The author of Hebrews preaches Psalm 95 as words being spoken by the Holy Spirit directly to his readers.
The most powerful sermons are always faithful to the original meaning of Scripture and completely RELEVANT to our lives.
And herein lies the secret to preaching/teaching that won’t put people to sleep. When we preach and/or teach God’s word, it is not enough to rightly divide the word of God (2 Tim 2:15; i.e., correctly interpret the passage according to its authorial intent). We must also teach in such a way the word rightly divides us (i.e., pierces as far as the division of soul and spirit). In a sermon, people must hear the Holy Spirit speaking directly to them, in a way which is applicable to their own personal lives. In other words, the most powerful sermons are always faithful to the original meaning of Scripture and completely RELEVANT to our lives.
Waking Up
Oftentimes the reason people fall asleep in our sermons is not because they lack a love for God’s word. It’s because they struggle to find any connection between the biblical text and their own personal lives. Preparing a sermon means we must spend as much time on making it relevant as we do on making it faithful to the text! Let us, therefore, hold fast to a high view of the inspiration (i.e., “the Holy Spirit”) combined with an emphasis on the relevancy of Scripture to every aspect of our lives (i.e., “is saying”). For I don’t know a single person who doesn’t want to hear the Holy Spirit speaking directly to him/her!
“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?'” (Acts 2:37).
