We are told today that we live in a Postmodern world.
What is the place of the sermon in such a world, and how does it affect how we listen to the sermon?
Put simply: In Modernism, you focused on the objective truth of the message:
Is it true? I believe it. Is it false? I don’t believe it.
In Postmodernism, with its emphasis on what I feel is true, the focus shifts to your feelings about the message, and therefore, inevitably, the messenger himself:
Do I like him? I believe it. Am I irritated by him? I don’t believe it.
There has always been something artificial about this dividing line in history between the Age of Modernism and the Age of Postmodernism.
As far back as the 1st century A.D. Jesus had to contend with Postmodernist Pharisees and lawyers who rejected His message because they were annoyed with Him; Jesus likened them to “children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep.’” (Luke 7:30-34)
Paul also warned against those that “will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers” (2 Timothy 4:3).
On the other hand today, in this Postmodern world, even an unbeliever will make statements that betray his belief in some absolute, objective truth, eg. “Child sexual abuse is wrong – this is true.”
And especially the sincere Christian believes in, and is concerned to get at, objective truth.
The truth is that most throughout history, as well as most of us today, have always sat somewhere in the spectrum between Modernism and Postmodernism when it comes to listening to sermons. This is not all bad: after all, good communication is about 
relationship, as well as content.
But the prevailing culture of Postmodernism means that we are much more ready today to assess the message by feelings (what Paul calls, our “own desires”) than by whether or not it is objectively true.
This has helped create the present phenomenon of the celebrity preacher who appeals to the crowd; added to which, it is now easier than ever to access one’s “favourite preacher” on the internet.
A WORD TO HEARERS
Focus on the message, not the man. Your relationship with the preacher (if he is your pastor) is important; and he may irritate you at times, but this is a product of any personal relationship – just as the celebrity preacher (with whom you have no personal relationship) no doubt irritates some in his home (?) congregation at times.
But try and not let that affect how you hear; it is a mark of maturity to focus on what God is 
saying to you in the message rather than on some things that may irritate you about the messenger.
To focus primarily on feelings is a mark of immaturity (note Jesus’ reference to “children” in Luke 7:32 above, and Paul’s reference to “itching ears”).
Also, unlike the celebrity preacher, a good pastor works to know his flock, and will seek to preach what will be helpful to each one in particular.
A WORD TO PREACHERS
Focus on the truth, and on your people – not on being the greatest orator.
As a pastor, it is just as important to know your people, as to know the truth. It has been well said that good preaching demands that we give as much attention to exegeting our people as we do to exegeting the text. This means we must spend time getting to know our people. Trevor Wax, in one article, commented:
I believe Scripture views preaching as the central purpose of those who shepherd God’s church. But “primary” does not mean “only.” Pastors have a variety of biblical responsibilities. Neglect of other pastoral duties can lead to a lackluster pulpit presence – no matter how well the pastor may understand the text he is preaching…
True sermon preparation does not end when the pastor has successfully exegeted the text. True sermon preparation includes the efforts of faithful pastors to exegete their churches too…
In order to faithfully exegete our church, we must know our people. The church is not a 
preaching station where individual Christians show up once a week to hear great oratory. The church is a community of believers who live together under the lordship of Christ. The preacher’s role in this community is to know the Scriptures and his people well enough to discern (through the power of the Holy Spirit) how best to exhort them faithfully and biblically…
If we are to preach effectively, we must spend time with our people, understanding how best to use the Word to train them, rebuke them, correct them, and comfort them.
A pastor is to care for the souls of his people. If they know you care, you will get an open door into their ears and hearts, to be able to communicate what is for their own good, even if it does irritate them initially sometimes.
The celebrity internet preacher (who has no personal relationship with his audience) can perform without being a pastor; but you can’t be a preacher in a local congregation without being a pastor.
As John Appleby points out (in his book, “…to tell the Truth” ch 7) simply firing ideas at people on the one hand, or even tailoring your message to a “target group” on the other, will not communicate.
As a preacher/pastor, you must build relationships.
“God, give us pastors:
– who love the Word and love their people
– who know the Word and know their people
– who live in the Word and live among their people.” (Trevor Wax)