Issue 41 Small churchesBlog | Reading Scripture: savouring every word
Reading Scripture: savouring every word
Author: Andy PeckPost Date: 13.12.24
In this article, Bob uncovers the nuances of reading Scripture during a sermon and provides tips on how to read passages effectively.
You’ve no doubt heard it. And maybe you’ve even done it. The moment comes in the course of a sermon where Scripture needs to be read. And that’s when it happens. The passage tumbles out in a rush of words, with little appreciation for its meaning or narrative structure – almost like medicine that must be swallowed in one big gulp.
The generous part of me is willing to concede this might sometimes be down to a question of time. But the cynic in me wonders if it isn’t just a matter of the preacher wanting to move on to the ‘really important stuff’ – the stuff that she or he has to say.
The reality, of course, is that the passage of Scripture truly is the ‘important stuff’, the stuff upon which every other word in the sermon hangs. So reading it well not only honours the words that God has given us, but also roots and empowers the preacher’s message.
How do we read the passage well?
First of all, we make time for it.
We take a breath. We pause. Something important is about to happen. This is God’s word. And that’s why we read the passage slowly, carefully and with understanding.
I don’t mean so slowly as to be boring, but slowly in a savouring kind of way. Have you ever read a passage of Shakespeare and struggled to understand it, then listened to an actor who truly does know what it means and loves every word? It comes to life, doesn’t it? And it helps the audience to know what that passage means, as well. That’s the kind of savouring I’m talking about. That’s the savouring God’s word deserves.
It’s particularly important when we read Paul’s epistles. His writing is often dense. He’s famous for those long, run-on passages. So we need to break them up in our heads, first of all, to understand where he’s going. And then we need to break them up, in the same manner, as we read them, always aiming to help the listener understand the passage.
