Preacher, Your Sermon Stepped on My Toes
Why it's important to know what this means.
Sometimes people will say something like this to me: “Preacher, that sermon stepped all over my toes this morning.”
This statement means something was taught that pricked their conscience and convicted them of sin.
I was thinking about this statement, and it brought a couple of things to mind.
The Convicting Power is in God’s Word, Not in the Preacher.
When the gospel is taught, it will convict sinners of their sins
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37)
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. (Acts 7:54)
How people react to having their “toes stepped on” will vary according to the condition of their heart. In the above examples, the first group listened to Peter, repented of their sins, and were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38-41). The second group executed the preacher - Stephen - by stoning him to death (Acts 7:57-60).
The writer of Hebrews tells us that when we feel our toes being “stepped on,” that is the word of God working upon our hearts.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
You Have a Decision to Make.
How will you respond when you feel your toes being “stepped on?”
Will you get angry?
Sometimes people get furious when God’s word steps on their toes. Remember the people who stoned the preacher Stephen? Rather than repent, they got rid of the man who proclaimed God’s word to them.
People today may get rid of the preacher or leave and go to another church because they didn’t like their toes getting stepped on by God’s word.
Is this you?
Will you forget about it?
Sometimes people will tell the preacher, “Boy preacher, that sermon stepped all over my toes” - and then they will walk out the door and never give it a second thought. God’s word convicted them of sin in their life, and then they quickly dismissed it and went back to life as normal.
People today still do this.
Is this you?
Will you repent?
Sometimes people will tell the preacher about a sermon or class that stepped on their toes, and then they will respond positively to God’s word and make the necessary changes.
As a preacher, these people are such a joy to be around - because the preacher knows he can preach challenging passages from God’s word and people will respond how God wants them to.
Is this you?
When we feel our toes being “stepped on” may we remember:
It’s God’s word convicting us of our sins.
We ought to respond humbly in the way God desires - not by getting angry and rebelling, or by sweeping it under the rug like it never happened.
Thank you for loving the truth and striving to live according to His will!
So often God speaks to us through a sermon because we are focused and listening. But you are so right, when we leave the building, a million things try to grab our attention and then we quickly forget about what God was just speaking to us about.