You can have alternate texts for use in different situations. You can list in the back of your field-service Bible several groupings of texts, each group comprising your notes for a sermon.

STARTING YOUR SERMON

9. What suggestion is given for coping with common excuses?

⁹ Many persons go from door to door for a variety of purposes, and when the bell rings the householder is often somewhat annoyed by the interruption and comes to the door determined to dismiss you quick. She has several stock excuses, but probably does not settle on one until she has taken a quick look and listened and jumped to a conclusion about you. Then she will break in with one. You have heard them often and may be able to refute them very logically, but after she has said it she is likely to stick to it, pride not letting her back down on it. If you could foresee the excuse and refute it before she voices it her pride would not be involved and she might hear you out. Perhaps after a very brief introduction of yourself you might abruptly say, before she has selected one of the common excuses: “You know, when we call at the door some people immediately say, . . .” and state one of these excuses. It may not be the one she would have used this time, but very likely she has often used it and may be taken aback momentarily when you cite it. She may be a bit curious about your next words dealing with this excuse she sometimes uses. Make them good, catchy, to hold her interest, and perhaps she will hear your sermon through.

10. How might you deal with the statement, “I don’t need anything today”?

¹⁰ After briefly stating why you are calling, you might say: “You know, when we call like this some persons say, ‘Oh, I don’t need anything today.’ But listen to what Jesus said about those who say they need nothing: ‘You say: “I am rich and have acquired riches and do not need anything at all,” but you do not know you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind and naked.’ He didn’t mean they are literally, of course, for that would have been obvious to them. He meant that in a spiritual way they were in this destitute condition.” Then, after using Revelation 3:17 (NW) to cope with the excuse, you use two or three additional texts to complete your sermon. You might use Amos 8:11 to show that the spiritual famine is widespread and that despite the existence of many churches the people are not being spiritually fed, though many think they are. Read Matthew 5:3 to show that those conscious of their spiritual need will be satisfied. At this point you might present the literature offer and state that these publications provide spiritual food, and prove it to them by having a specific paragraph picked out to read, one that contains a particularly tasty point of information.

11, 12. How might you use in your sermon and refute the excuse, “I’m busy”?

¹¹ Another example: “So often when we call people tell us they’re busy. It’s good to be busy, because God hates idlers. But we shouldn’t be so busy with lesser matters that we refuse time to the more important things. One time Jesus was at the home of two sisters. Mary was listening to him explain the truth of God, and Martha complained because she was not helping with housework. Here’s the account: ‘Martha, on the other hand, was distracted with attending to many duties. So, she came near and said: “Master, does it not matter to you that my sister has left me alone to attend to things? Tell her, therefore, to join in helping me.” In answer the Master said to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and disturbed about many things. A few things, though, are needed, or just one. For her part, Mary chose the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Jehovah and Jesus speak to us through the Bible. If we won’t listen to them, why expect them ever to listen to us when we get in trouble and cry out to them for help?”—Luke 10:40-42, NW.

¹² Or one might say this: “Some come to the door and say they’re too busy; but you know, if I offered them a hundred dollars they wouldn’t be too busy to accept it. Yet listen to what the Bible says: ‘Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding, for the gain from it is better than gain from silver and its profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.’ If they aren’t too busy to take money, surely they shouldn’t be too busy to take in knowledge that leads to everlasting life.”—Prov. 3:13-18, RS.

13. How could you refute the excuse, “I’m not interested”?

¹³ After saying that many tell you, before finding out why you are there, that they are not interested, you might continue: “But do you know what the Bible says about people who answer before they hear a matter? Listen: ‘If one gives answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.’” You would not want to use this after a householder says he is not interested. It would be too blunt then; it would be like calling him foolish and shameful. But if you raise this point first you can use the text above, Proverbs 18:13 (RS), because you are applying it to other people that do this, not to the one you are addressing. The same is true of the following example.

14. What is frequently said in lands of plenty, and how can it be handled?

¹⁴ In some materialistic countries where people have plenty they brush you off by saying they are satisfied. “You know, some people refuse to listen and say, ‘Oh, I’m getting along all right; I’m satisfied.’ Well, God is not interested in people who are satisfied. He’s interested in those who are dissatisfied. Long ago he marked some for preservation, saying: ‘Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.’ Today Jehovah is interested in those who love righteousness, and such ones certainly are not satisfied with the corrupt, wicked conditions in the earth today. What decent person could be satisfied with these rotten conditions? They want clean government, an end to immorality, a halt of hypocrisy. They would also like health and life for themselves and their families, for all lovers of righteousness. The present evil conditions make them sigh and groan and long for something better.” After this use of Ezekiel 9:4 (RS), you might use Matthew 5:4 to show these mourning ones will be comforted, that now their desire for spiritual food will be supplied by God, and in the new world of righteousness all their desires will be met by Jehovah, using Psalm 145:16 and Revelation 21:4 to establish these points.

15. What further suggestions are given?

¹⁵ You might even raise common religious reactions, such as: “Sometimes persons say to us, ‘I believe if I am sincere God will save me; that’s all he requires of me, just to do what I think is right.’ But that isn’t what the Bible says: ‘There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.’” Thereafter you might use such texts as Galatians 1:8 and John 17:3 to show we must follow truth, not human ideas of what is right. In the above refutation of this sincerity excuse, Proverbs 14:12 (RS) was used. You might use with equal fittingness such texts as John 16:2, Acts 26:9 or Romans 10:2, 3. There is much variety we can get in our sermons. Think of excuses used, of common religious objections, of anything that might catch interest, then ferret out a quick rebuttal, preferably a scripture, as that will get you into your Bible sermon quickly. The above examples are to show possibilities, not necessarily to be used by you. Work out definite approaches and develop points with scriptures that suit you, that please you, that make you enthusiastic so you can deliver your sermon with personal enthusiasm and conviction. What has been said about the doorstep sermon also applies to the back-call sermon. The only difference is that you may use one or two more scriptures and enlarge on them a bit more. The same counsel given about delivery and mental outlines of doorstep sermons applies to the longer backcall sermon inside the house.

16. What shall we now do?

¹⁶ Let us do our utmost to be approved ministers of Jehovah God, diligently studying his Word to get from it the acceptable sacrifices of praise, the unblemished bullocks and fruits of lips devoted to him. Meditate on his truth, going over it in your mind, shaping it for public presentation, putting it in the best form so that it will appeal to the yet-scattered other sheep, so that it cannot be overturned by opposition from goats. Present it with graciousness, mildness, tactfulness and with the symbolic salt ordained to accompany our spiritual sacrifices of praise. Then they will be words that are loyal and true and faithful to Jehovah, words of permanence, words with preserving power for those who hear them and accept them and obey them. With such sacrificial words we shall never be guilty of making Jehovah’s table contemptible. We shall be privileged to pass out from it Jehovah’s feast of fat things for all people of good will in all nations.

Children Respond to Discipline

● A mother writes regarding her efforts at training four children: “I thought I had tried everything, as the saying goes, to make my children behave, still they were rebellious and antagonistic in our everyday relations. I had been a witness of Jehovah for five years, but my husband was violently opposed and I was forbidden to read any of the Watch Tower publications to the children. When it was stressed that it was the parents’ responsibility to see that children had daily Bible instruction I decided to set aside time for daily Bible reading. This raised a howl of protest from my boys, ages 7, 5 and 3, as it always seemed to come at their most enjoyable time. After the account of creation they lost interest and the howls grew louder as I turned off the television every night and announced it was time for Bible reading. Many times I sat with the Bible in one hand and the rod of correction in the other. However, day by day the antagonism eased and now, three years later, they not only are willing listeners but ask to have the Bible read and take part in reading and even want me to quiz them on what we have read. The effects of this habit have truly been far-reaching. Not only are they getting a good knowledge of what is in the Bible, but our family relationships have greatly improved and the need for discipline has lessened. And it has also helped to bring them to the top of their classes at school, the result of the practice of reading aloud and sounding out difficult words.”