A Critique of Pastor Mark’s Sermon on Psalm 23
1. 0 Introduction
I attended a speech given by Mark Balmer, the pastor of my local church, on Psalm 23. I was interested in critiquing the speech not only because of its content, but also because of the context in which it was given. The speech was given at our church’s Wednesday night service, which is typically much smaller and more intimate than our Sunday morning service. This gave me a chance to really observe and analyze the way that Pastor Mark delivered his message.
2. 0 Description of the Speech
Pastor Mark began his sermon by asking us to close our eyes and imagine ourselves in a peaceful meadow, with the sun shining down on us and the smell of wildflowers in the air. He then proceeded to describe in detail what he imagined the scene would look like, using rich imagery and figurative language. He spoke about how we would feel peaceful and content in this safe place, free from all our troubles and worries.
He went on to explain that this is how God feels when we turn to Him in prayer, and how He longs to be our refuge and strength. He used Psalm 23 as his primary text, but he also referenced several other passages throughout his sermon. He did an excellent job of connecting the dots for his listeners, and I could tell that he had put a lot of thought into how he was going to present the material.
3. 0 Analysis of the Speech Contents
The main point of Pastor Mark’s sermon was that God is our refuge and strength, and we can always find peace in Him. His use of imagery and figurative language helped to bring this point to life for his listeners. I thought he did an especially good job of painting a picture of what it would be like to feel completely safe and secure in God’s presence.
He also did a great job of using Scripture to support his message. He didn’t just randomly pick out verses that sounded good; he actually took the time to talk about what each verse meant and how it related to the overall theme of his sermon. I appreciated that he didn’t try to force anything, but rather let the Bible speak for itself.
4. 0 Conclusion
Overall, I thought Pastor Mark’s sermon was very successful. His use of vivid imagery and biblical truth helped bring his message to life for his listeners. I could tell that he had put a lot of thought into his delivery, and it paid off! I left feeling encouraged and challenged, which is exactly what I want from a good sermon.