New sermon idea: Pulpit Condescension

This a.m. at the Jefferson Area Men's Bible Study (JAMBS)---this group really does exist, but not by this name (write me if interested)---we discussed Mt 5:8,

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Heart includes intellect, will and emotions. If these be impure, the person cannot see God, neither in eternity, nor all about him everywhere. We who have been made clean in Christ have new eyes to see God at work in us and all about us in nature, and one day we will see him in heaven.

What Vance said is, "Atheists CANNOT understand what we are saying. This needs to be part of our message to them." His reasoning was good. The point was, if we speak to them as though we expected them to accept our apologetics, as if we expected them to understand and agree, then we fail to relate to them the real spiritual Gospel. We must speak as to spiritually blind people, yes, even in a condescending tone. This unpleasant tone is the same as that used by Jesus, when for example he says to the Pharisees, "You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel." Pride is the hallmark of the unbeliever. We need more than ever not to stroke their pride with pleasantries.

If they cannot understand the message, what should we aim to do? We must plant the seed, sowing generously. And if we plow the ground a little first, as by making the hearer mad, well that will allow at least some of the seed to germinate, by God's grace.

One thing the emerging church does well is make people comfortable with the gospel. I'm convinced it is the wrong approach with Pharisees and other proud folks. The prophets heaped insult upon insult to the hearers. John the Baptist was very direct about sins, e.g. the sins of Herod and his mistress. What are we doing trying to make our churches more friendly and sensetive? We have demons to slay!

So the sermon idea is not really a text but a tone. Whatever message I preach, it needs this "edge", this spiritual hoe with which to plow the hard-packed ground. The "edge" is that tone God gave to Isaiah,

"Go and tell this people: Be ever hearing but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving."

Let's call it, bluntness about the spiritual depravity of the listeners. They will merely see this as condescension or rudeness; but when God speaks thus, it is designed to make them spiritually aroused, mad if you will, enough to either act upon the Word or further reject it.

"Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes."

This was God's exhortation to Isaiah. Now I think I see why and how this is the only way to get through to the proud American also. For until they see how impure their intellect, they cannot begin to see God, nor comprehend the things of God.

God in heaven, raise up preachers, prophets like Isaiah, who can at least make people mad, that is, somehow stir them to think honestly about why they reject your Son, love evil, hate truth and harden their hearts. Lord, make me pure, that I may see you, see your hand at work, see your Spirit poured out, and see the glorious faces of many who will come to faith in your blessed Son Jesus. AMEN

Rivers of living water

I think what most of my friends and I want in life is to be used by God to bless others. When others are thankful for me and my life, it is about the most satisfying thing I could hope for---to be remembered the way I remember my grandma, or parents, or my Bible teacher David Baik, and my pastors Dr. Samuel Lee and Sarah Barry.

Why is being used so blessed? For one thing, it is what Jesus promised. He said,

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. [Jn 7:38]

How does God turn one man who believes in Jesus into the source for a stream? My mentor writes so beautifully, saying, "You can see God using some lives, but ... you do not seem to be of any use." It really hits home. Yet I know it is true that Jesus promised, "Whoever believes in me..." would be living water to others. A stream flows and cares not where its water flows. The stream cannot control where the water goes, except that it goes out. God is the Source. We are just the spring, the opening where His great supply breaks out from the depths onto the surface.

OC adds, "God rarely allows a soul to see how great a blessing he is." This must be a blessing also, to keep us from becoming conceited, saying, "I saved 20 souls today! God must really be pleased with me. I feel good about myself." Perhaps this is the special struggle for ministers. How risky it is for God to use one in any great way. I know I would be unbearable if I were to hvae a growing church with many disciples. I'm already unbearable with a one-family church and only 2 or 3 disciples.

But there is hope. A stream doesn't stop. It gathers in a pool about the spring, then overflows and goes somewhere, watering the ground as it goes, supplying water to those who are thirsty, and making any land more beautiful. What is more, it gathers together with other streams, flowing from different believers, and becomes a great river. This is why united prayer is so important. May God move us to pray together and work together for one another, lending our streams to theirs, till God may be glorified.

Till Jesus may be glorified---this was the point. John knew it and came to it in v.39.

"By this [streams of living water] he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not ben given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."

The Spirit was poured out after Jesus was glorified. And the purpose was to continue to glorify Jesus. There, then, is HOW that living water flows, from whence it comes: it streams from us as glory given to Jesus. If we work miracles, we do it for the glory of Jesus Christ alone. If we save souls, preach powerfully, write or argue persuasively, serve others, encourage, or whatever we do, if we "do it all for the glory of God", we will flow as a stream of living water, and His power will flow from us into the lives of others.

Sometimes the river flows slowly. The Rivanna which flows near my house is hardly moving by late summer. But behold it in the early spring, or during a tropical storm, and this little raging river will take your breath away! Such revivals are short term. But may God send even a small storm of revival. In the words of Robert Murray M'Cheyne,

Might not the Christian ministers and people of Scotland, while separated in body, in this manner maintain union in prayer, and so the cloud of blessing, that is now like a man's hand, might spread over the whole sky, and bring times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord?

Father, send us revival as we flow with your glory and praise, especially as we unite in prayer for the Holy Spirit. IJNA