“I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men.”
— Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor
Reading this line from a longer poem by Baxter stunned me. I have been preaching since I was 15 years old, pastored or interim-pastored half a dozen churches over the last four decades and have always taken the preaching role seriously. And yet, this statement adds the element of urgency to proclamation that I had not consciously considered.
Meditating on the quote brought me to this:
Pastor/Preacher: The next sermon you preach may be your last. Take the opportunity seriously. Point people to Jesus.
Worshipper: The next sermon you hear may be your last. Take the opportunity seriously. Obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit to act as He leads.