Sound Doctrine

What was the last sermon you heard? Not just the subject matter. What were the scriptures? How did they relate to what you are doing now?

I remember an illustration given of a man who met a preacher he had heard years earlier. That sermon planted the seed that grew to the point the man accepted Christ as his savior years later. When the preacher asked about the sermon, the man said, “I don’t remember what it was, but I’ll never forget it.”

He remembered enough that he kept searching for answers.

So, how much do you remember about the last sermon you heard? The best way to remember is to make notes. We provided our Sunday School students small journal-type notepads. It is so heartening to see the girls use them to take notes in class. They keep their prayer lists in them, too, and in church they write down the scriptures the pastor uses in his sermons.

OK, not all of them do.

But the ones who are learning do. The ones who want to know more, to look up the scriptures afterward, to memorize them. Those are the ones that take notes and delve more deeply. Those are the ones who ask questions, not taking for granted what we tell them is true. Those are the ones building strong foundations for their faith.

These are the ones who know the Lord is with them always (Psalms 23), that Christ came because He loved them (John 3), that Jesus is eternal (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1) and that the end of the story has been written (Revelation).

These girls know Jesus had doctrine (Luke 4:32; John 7:16-17; 18:19) and His doctrine is spelled out in His words. His beliefs, his teachings, should be in the sermons given from Christian pulpits, and we should study to know them as truth. If we are not hearing them, studying them, taking notes to take away with us, what sustains us in the dark valleys we encounter in life?

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4 KJV)

Where’s the comfort in His word – if His word is not with us?

A beautiful example of this concept was written by Paul to Timothy. Paul, who counted himself a Hebrew of Hebrews (Philippians 3:5 KJV), asked that he hold fast to the sound words of belief, of doctrine.

Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:11-13 KJV)

Why would we do less?

Detail from painting "St. Peter Preaching" ca 1424 (Wiki Commons)