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Originally Posted by jwithnell  That said, I'm not sure I'd lump sermons into other writings, assuming that it is good, expository preaching. This was the primary way that the early church had of hearing and understanding God's word. Lately, I've been listening to an excellent series on Isaiah with my Bible open just as if I were listening to a sermon in church. This might give you a half-way-in-between that could be useful as you learn to study God's word. |
The sermons that I really enjoy reading are from Edwards. I actually don't read as many sermons as I used to and I keep trying to make the time to read more as I always feel that my heart is changed the most from reading sermons. For example, I read the verse about Noah doing all that God commanded him to do in building the ark and keep on reading. Jonathan Edwards has a sermon on that verse that brought a tear to my eye and I am not the crying type. Sometimes I just wish that the Lord would take me so that I can study the scriptures uninhibited by my sin such as laziness, selfishness, coldheartedness and I wouldn't grow tiresome of reading or studying God.
I was just wondering jwithnell, why you think that maturity does not come from reading things other than the scripture alone? If you read something with lots of scripture in it and exegetical work on the scriptures, do you think that one does not mature as fast as reading them directly? I kinda felt that I mature the most when "hearing the word preached." The reason for the quotes is that I count reading a sermon as hearing the word preached.
Thanks,
Matt