While Still Speaking
He was giving it all he could in this speaking engagement for a special spiritual program at the church, but the man on the third row lost the battle. His eyelids must have felt a pound apiece, so down they went. Over the edge into a nap went the faithful Christian. And who can blame him? Many factors led to this man’s slide from worshiper to man-at-rest. It might have been Abraham Lincoln that sardonically quipped, “If you lined up all the people who sleep in church, end-to-end, they would all be a lot more comfortable.”
The speaker who had to finish his devotional presentation to an audience of mostly conscious people was me. I was twenty-six years old, still, a student in seminary, presenting a talk at First United Methodist Church in Buda, Texas. It hurt my feelings a little that the good man found my talk to be more of a sedative than an inspiration, but I pressed on. It was early evening and after Sunday supper. I was inexperienced, long-winded, and goodness knows whether the material was well ordered. I have put many people to sleep over the years. I hope never to see a write-up on my work that starts with, “While he was still speaking, eyelids were silently closing all across the room, and listeners peacefully succumbed to slumber.”
For something completely different, notice how things went for the holy Apostle, Peter, as he held forth in Caesarea:
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days. (Acts 10:44-48)
Some of this result might have been due to the skills and energy of Simon Peter: aspects of his personality. Reading it, however, we see that Peter is a conduit for the activity of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the people gathered. The Holy Spirit was working in Peter, and the Holy Spirit was working in the people listening. A fine professor and coach for preachers, Fred Craddock of Chandler School of Theology used to say a sermon is half the work of the preacher and half the work of the worshiper.
How one listens is a considerable factor, just as how the preacher prepares is a considerable factor. We would add to that, the proclamation of the Good News is certainly also the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God often brings something important about despite others in the loop feeling as though they did not bring all they wanted to their task. The Spirit can most definitely move in ways we are not expecting.
Another time we can bring some thought to this matter of speaking in tongues that we see in the passage above, and which we will hear this Sunday (the passage I mean, not the tongues). Fascinating topic! For now, let’s just keep a few prayers in mind at worship. Pray for the preacher, that efforts in preparation may find spirit-filled qualities in delivery. Pray for yourself, that your listening may be inspired. And while the preacher is still speaking, pray too for the safety of those falling asleep in that space with so many hard surfaces.