Not every sermon is a “masterpiece” of oratory that keeps the listeners on the edge of their seats. Some sermons may turn out to be quite boring and hard to follow. Add to a boring sermon a listener who is already weary, and you have a combination that may cause some to ”drop off” to sleep.
I try not to be offended when someone falls asleep during one of my sermons. Sometimes I do not even blame them. I figure it is my job to keep them awake. However, I don’t accept responsibility for those who are already dozing before I even get started.
We even have a biblical example of one young man who fell asleep while the apostle Paul was preaching in Troas (Ac. 20). We might be inclined to “excuse” his weariness because Paul “continued his message until midnight.” Eutychus’s big mistake was sitting in the wrong place—in a window. His fall caused his death. (As a preacher, I have to wonder if Paul, while miraculously raising him back to life, was tempted to refrain from removing the aches and pains associated with such a fall).
What is true about sermons is also true about articles. Some are easier to read than others. Perhaps some have already given up on this article and are not reading this sentence. This might be a good way to judge the readership of this publication. If you have read this, how about sending me an email and simply say, “I got the message.”
aldiestel@gmail.com