We Need A Lesson on That! By David McClister (http://www.palmettochurchofchrist.org/)
It is not unusual at all for someone to come to me and say,
"David, we need a lesson on _____" or words to that
effect. I appreciate the suggestions, even if I do not always
act on them. It is always good to get a glimpse of how other Christians
see and evaluate the needs of the congregation. Sometimes others
can see things that I cannot, or can offer an idea for how to
address a problem that is much better than what I had planned.
Sometimes, however, such requests reveal something else. Sometimes
I get the "we need a sermon on _____" speech because
one person in the church is dissatisfied with something, or thinks
that some brother or sister has sinned, but he/she is either too
afraid or unwilling to go to the brother or sister about it personally,
or to go to the elders, or to confront the problem himself.
Again, I appreciate suggestions about sermons this church needs
to hear (and again, I appreciate them even when I disagree with
them and choose not to act on them). But there are several things
that sometimes come with this that are just downright incorrect.
First, if this church has a problem that is widespread enough
to warrant a sermon focused specifically on that issue and addressed
to the whole church, then that concern needs to go to the elders
first. Let's please get this one thing straight: the preacher
does not "run" the church. The preacher at this congregation
is not a pastor, and it is unscriptural to think of him or treat
him in that way. If you think that the church here has a serious
spiritual deficiency (that is, more than what is normal for any
church that is trying to please God and is growing in faith and
service), then talk to the elders about it. It is their job to
lead us to the solution.
Second, if you are going to say "we need a lesson on ____"
because you think it will apply directly and specifically to some
person in the church who is not measuring up as a Christian, then
you should go right now and read Matthew 18:15-17. That text spells
out in detail what to do if you know that a brother or sister
has sinned. Jesus gave no alternate procedure, including "go
tell the preacher to preach a sermon on it." Do not expect
the preacher to cooperate with you if you are not going to follow
Matthew 15:15-17. The preacher is not anyone's attack dog. Don't
expect to say, "sick 'em" and have the preacher jump
into the pulpit and chew someone up for you. Furthermore, there
is no room in the Lord's church for the spirit that revels in
seeing another Christian rebuked by the Sunday morning sermon.
Third, I can tell you from several years of experience that addressing
a problem from the pulpit usually does not solve the problem.
It is not useless, but it is not some magic wand either. It helps,
and it makes the problem more public, but solving problems in
the Lord's church is not just a simple matter of preaching a lesson
on something. Teaching the truth about how we should live is part
of the solution, but please don't be so naïve to think that
if the preacher preaches a "good lesson" (which in this
case usually means fireworks in the pulpit) on the subject, then
those who are causing the problem will immediately change, and
the problem will then cease instantly. It just doesn't happen
that way.
Fourth, don't ever make such a request because you are having
a disagreement with someone else and you are trying to recruit
the preacher to be on "your side." The preacher is not
as dumb as he looks and can usually figure out quite quickly when
he is being dragged into a petty squabble. Most preachers I know
will not cater to such things. Any preacher worthy of the job
will only stand where the truth of God's word is on the subject,
so don't expect him to stand with you unless you are standing
with the truth.
Fifth, make sure your request actually involves something that
the Bible addresses. That is, do not expect the preacher to preach
on things that are not matters discussed in Scripture. If the
preacher cannot (honestly) find a Bible text that deals with the
subject, then he has no right to be preaching on that subject,
and you should not ask him to do so. I've had people ask me to
preach on "why mothers should take unruly kids out of the
assembly" or "why it is good to say 'thank you'"
or "why we need to take better care of the church building
and not leave it so messy." Maybe these are practical matters
that some people could use some help with, but they certainly
do not warrant a sermon on them.
In this same vein, do not ask the preacher to demand or enforce
specific applications of Bible truths that are not themselves
commanded in the Bible. That is, do not ask the preacher to demand
of the church more than God's word demands of them. Do not confuse
a truth from God's word with the particular ways we choose to
apply or practice those truths. Do not expect the preacher to
stick up for our traditions (that is, the traditional practices
we have invented and that are products of our culture); his loyalty
lies elsewhere.
Any preacher will tell you that one of the hardest parts of the
job of preaching is figuring out what the local church with which
he works needs to hear the most. Preachers must be balanced in
their selection of texts and topics so as to preach the whole
counsel of God, but they must also address concerns that are specific
to the local church. I have found that picking and presenting
the right lesson at the right time and in the right way is a very
difficult thing, and often requires wisdom I do not yet have.
For this reason I always appreciate suggestions from others in
this regard, for others often possess wisdom I do not. But, like
everything else, this can be abused. I have written this article
not to discourage others from offering their insights concerning
what this church may need to learn from God's word, but to set
such suggestions in their proper role and to discourage the improper
use of what is a good thing.
What Matters Most? by W. Frank Walton (wfwalton@juno.com)
"Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which
so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand
of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
From The Biblical Illustrator I saw this illustration about
discerning what really matters. In the Jules Verne's novel, The
Mysterious Island, he tells of five men who escaped a Civil War
prison by hijacking a hot air balloon. As they rise into the air,
they realize the wind is carrying them over the ocean, and they
are powerless to stop it. Watching their homeland disappear on
the horizon, they wonder how much longer the balloon can stay
aloft.
The hours pass and the surface of the ocean draws gradually closer.
Since they had no way to heat the air for it to rise in the balloon,
the men decide they must cast some weight overboard. Shoes, overcoats
and weapons that they worked so hard to collect for the escape
are reluctantly discarded. The anxious aviators feel their balloon
rise. Yet, it is only temporary. They slowly descend again and
draw dangerously close to the waves. Then, they had to toss their
food. They realize it is better to be high and hungry than to
drown on a full belly!
Unfortunately, lightening their load helps only for a short time.
The craft again floats downward and threatens to crash into the
sea. One man has an idea: they can tie the ropes that hold the
passenger car to themselves. Then, they could cut away the basket
beneath them. As they sever the very thing they had been standing
on, it drops into the ocean and the balloon rises again. In the
nick of time, they spot land! When they drift close enough to
the island, the five men jump into the water and swim to safety
on the island.
They had lived, when they otherwise might have perished, because
they were able to discern the difference between what really was
needed and what was not. The necessities they once thought they
couldn't live without, in that critical situation, were really
the very weights that almost cost them their lives.
Christians must learn to not let the "trivial many crowd
out the vital few." In fact, the only thing that any of us
will carry from this life is our character we have developed,
in following Christ, by the thoughts we think, the attitudes we
harbor, the words we say and the deeds we do. Every physical thing
-- our homes, our cars, our clothes, our fuurniture, our bank,
our workplace, etc. - will be burned up (2 Pet 3:10-13)! We won't
even take any pictures of them as souvenirs to show each other
in heaven! Our physical blessings can become our curse if we are
consumed with them and "choke out" our primary relationship
with our Creator (Mark 4:18-19). It is God's eternal purpose to
train and transform our character into the image of Jesus Christ,
so we're fitted for eternal glory (Rom 8:29-30, Eph 2:4-10, Titus
2:11-14). This pursuit is what matters most in this life.
So, in our journey to eternity, we must know what to ignore, what
to sins to shun, what to hold lightly, when to let go, and how
to always keep our eyes focused foremost on our Lord, who ever
beckons us onward and upward to Himself in our heavenly home (Phil
3:13-14, Matt 6:33, Lk 10:41-42). Jesus our example gained nothing
great this world offers; yet He gained everything God offers (Phil
2:5-11). So, when we're frustrated and stressed out, we must ask
ourselves, "What difference will this make in eternity?"
In the end, preparing ourselves by faith for that inevitable interview
with our Creator is the true purpose of life. Everything else
in this world is ultimately like arranging deck chairs on the
Titanic.
JULY MONTHLY BIBLE READING: Exodus
GOSPEL MEETING: Alan Irwin will be presenting a series of sermons each evening July 14-19, Sunday at 6:00 PM, each weeknight at 7:00 PM.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
BIBLE INSIGHT is published for the members of, and visitors to,
the Church of Christ at Beverly Shores, Leesburg, Florida, USA.
Carey Dillinger is the editor. He can be reached at the church
address or via e-mail: dillinc@yahoo.com