Jeremiah had
a problem. God gave him a message for His people, which he was taking
faithfully to them. Those people were
hearing it, but not the way they needed to listen. "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together
about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other,
‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ My people come to you,
as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not
put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their
hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than
one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well,
for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. “When all this
comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among
them.” (Ezekiel 33:30-33, NIV) Jeremiah
had become a diversion, regarded as an entertainer.
Is going to church
just a weekly diversion? Is your pastor’s message a kind of entertainment? Do you evaluate the sermon based on how often
you laughed, or if you cried? Do you listen to him (or her) like you listen to
a love song on the radio, just for the emotional content of the moment?
From
life-long experience, (It’s been my privilege to preach thousands of time) I
can tell you that going for the quick audience response is very tempting. When
the congregation laughs at my story, it feels good. When they’re drawn to tears
by a compelling tale of human interest, I love it! But, drama can never replace
solid teaching. Entertaining stories can never take the place of a real message
from the Lord. My point is not to excuse boring preaching or poor communication
skills. I’m asking each of us to examine what we expect in a message and to
pray for understanding. Jesus says, “Anyone
with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to
the churches." (Revelation 2:29, NLT)
The Word
gives this charge to preachers even as it warns us about going for the cheap,
quick emotional response. "Preach
the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and
encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come
when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own
desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what
their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth
and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:2-4, NIV)
Hear the
Word! Hunger for it. Love it. Encourage your pastor to preach the Word! Don’t turn
him into an entertainer, demanding laughs and clever speeches. Pray that he
will be a prophet, a person whose heard from God and who is filled with the
courage to say, “this is what the Lord
says…”
There is
great reward when we receive the Word. May we live in the promise.
“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and
stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing
seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces
fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send
it.
You will
live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song, and
the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns,
cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These
events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting
sign of his power and love.” (Isaiah
55:10-13, NLT)
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