Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.
J. I. PackerRead
We complain today that ministers do not know how to preach; but is it not equally true that our congregations do not know how to hear?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the mutual responsibility between preachers and their congregations in the communication of ideas.
J. I. Packer highlights the idea that while ministers may struggle to deliver effective sermons, it is equally important to consider whether congregations are prepared to listen and engage with the message. This mutual responsibility suggests that effective communication involves both the speaker's skill and the listener's receptiveness, thereby inviting reflection on the dynamics of teaching and learning in spiritual contexts.
Themes
CommunicationListeningPreachingCongregationResponsibility
In practice
Example use cases
During a sermon on self-improvement, the speaker could use this quote to remind the audience to actively engage.
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We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the psalms, and that the habit of celebrating the greatness and graciousness of God yields an endless flow of thankfulness, joy, and zeal.
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The fruit of wisdom is Christlikeness, peace, humility and love. And, the root of it is faith in Christ as the manifested wisdom of God
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Were I asked to focus the New Testament message in three words, my proposal would be ADOPTION THROUGH PROPITIATION, and I do not expect ever to meet a richer or more pregnant summary of the gospel than that.
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Only when it is seen that what decides each individual's destiny is whether or not God decides to save him from his sins, and that this is a decision that God need not make in any individual case, can one begin to grasp the biblical view of grace.
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