S
Soma-Sight
Guest
Soma, not all sermons are commentaries... some "preachers" actually have the gift of teaching. I know of one Pastor who can do a sermon on a particular passage and teach one thing; come back to that same passage a year later and from a different angle, he teaches something totally different. One day he taught on the Prodigal son parable and keyed in on the prodigal son. Several months later, he taught on the same parable, only from the perspective of the brother. Another day, from the perspective of the father. Three sermons; three totally different lessons, none of it opinion.
There have been sermons that have inspired me to be a better person.
But on the WHOLE my CHURCH consists of a small body of people that I know and trust personally in my life. I have had more inspiration and Spirit in these small gatherings than the "Big service".
I also love to talk face to face with people I have just met on these matters on a personal level. Much more is learned when you can be "real" with someone without all the distractions of a large crowd telling you what is right and what is wrong.
Jesus is about the PERSONAL God factor. It is between YOU and GOD and no one else in the end. Learning that you are alone in this world and that your "pastor" and his 100 fold flock will not be there for you at the time of death is sobering but necessary for growth.
You can "train" yourself to accept this fact much easier in a small community of believers as you grow together and not have to worry about "saying the wrong things".
Jesus revealed the most intimate secrets of the Kingdom of God to the disciples in an intimate setting.
He spoke to the crowds in parables.[/b]