Which Scripture Did You Preach About For You Trial Sermon?

By trial sermon, you mean the first sermon we ever preached or the first sermon before a particular congregation?

 

It was too long ago and I was too nervous to remember the 1st one exactly. It had to do with privileges given and withdrawn and the topic was inspired by the way the church had abused the pastor and since I was leaving the next day for college I felt bold enough to approach the subject. Both he and I were vindicated by the way.

My first sermon at any church varies and depends on what I feel led to do.

 

I preached on Absolute Surrender, a sermon that I have adapted and used throughout my ministry. The first time I preached it was approx. 20 minutes. . . The same sermon runs about 45 minutes now.

P.S. - I am an Evangelist, so I tend to re-use some sermons as God leads. One of the benefits of traveling.

 

I preached on the Pharisee and the Publican at the local rescue mission and it lasted about 20 mintues. That was 36 years ago, and I trust things have improved over 30 years of pastoral ministry and expository preaching. Ask my wife about my preaching, she has heard more of it than anyone else.

I do have a tape of the second message I preached (about a month after the first), but I have not gotten up the courage to listen to it.

 

My first sermon was at a summer resort. The people rented the use of a schoolhouse. There was a portable lectern placed on the desk. I was a student at Bible college at the time (Baptist Union, UK).
I had prepared the perfect sermon and could be read in 25 minutes. I can't remember the text, nor much about the sermon...it was in 1946...
What I do remember, is that the sermon was complete in less than five minutes and I was left standing there, staring the people down wondering what to do next. It was then I had serious considerations about my calling.
Remember the portale lectern? When I turned to pick up the hymnal, I found myself with both hands firmly gripping this lectern and nothing but space between it and the floor.
Turning to the people, I dropped the lectern to the floor, announced the hymn and we had an early dinner that Sunday.
The people were kind enough not to laugh at me, and even invited me back to preach another Sunday. The Lord does exceeding more than we can ever expect.
Thankfully, God takes the simple things of this world to confound the learned. I will say this, I have since learned to master that little space in the pulpit.
God bless any new ministers who may receive a little encouragement from this story,,,not all pulpit experience goes as planned.

Jim

 

Usually, when I get to preach, it has to do with missions, so my references are the ones like the great commission, beautiful are the feet of, how shall they hear, Acts 1:8, etc, etc.