Probably My Least Favorite Sermon of All Time
I play in our church’s worship band as often as my schedule allows. Our only weekly rehearsal starts at 7:00 a.m. Sundays, just over two hours before the first service, so it means rising early the weeks I play.
As I was getting ready one morning about a year ago, I tuned the small TV in our bathroom to a popular TV preacher and heard part of a sermon that I would characterize as maybe my least favorite of all time. He was wrapping up by admonishing his congregation to live out their faith in some very specific ways. Here is my recollection of his comments:
“Every Christian should be reading their Bible every day.”
“If you’re not regularly talking about Jesus, I have to wonder how much you really love him.” “Parents, it’s great that you bring your kids to church, but that’s not enough. When you get home, you should discuss the sermon over Sunday dinner to help them see how to apply it in their lives.”
“I wouldn’t even thing about putting my kids to bed without praying a prayer like this over them.” And he outlined a lofty prayer that covered all the key aspects of their lives.
I WANT TO BE 100% CLEAR! These are all admirable actions and should be encouraged. Who can argue with any of them? My problem was with the tone of his message and the fact that his sermons typically end with similar admonitions.
I’m definitely not Jesus’ most faithful disciple by any stretch, but I do my honest best to walk with him and honor him every day. So, how do I fare with this minister’s checklist?
Read my Bible every day? Well, I’m probably three or four times a week – So, I guess I’m guilty.
Talk about Jesus? – I do pretty well here, but I certainly miss opportunities – This one is probably OK.
Process the sermon with the kids? – They’re both grown now, but when they were young, we were spotty at best about doing this – So, not so much.
Praying a galaxy-scraping prayer over the kids every night at bedtime? – Can’t check that box either.
So, I guess my score is:
Guilty
Decent
Guilty
Guilty
All that in just 10 minutes. Wow! I can’t wait to tune in next week so I can get beaten up again.
Again, I take no issue with these instructions. They are all important. And there is clearly a role for periodically highlighting God’s standards and reminding us where we fall short. But is it healthy to get a steady diet of messages teaching that God is probably highly disappointed in me and that I need to get much more serious about my relationship with him?
I have known many people who were raised in this type of legalistic environment, and the impact of the constant haranguing can be (at best) discouraging or (at worst) highly destructive. Many people who grew up being constantly scolded like this believe God has an ugly scowl on his face whenever he thinks about them. And many others, convinced that they will never be good enough, simply walk away from the faith altogether.
Isn’t this type of performance-based message the very thing that irked Jesus about the Pharisees? Although he certainly never compromised on God’s standards, he focused on God’s love and grace. Doesn’t his emphasis explain why, although the religious establishment despised him, the prostitutes, tax collectors and other outcasts flocked to him?
Does God care about my behavior? Of course! Should I be striving to better reflect his character more completely and live a more holy life? Of course! But why am I doing it? Is it to earn God’s favor so he won’t punish me for my shortcomings, or is it to reflect my gratitude for what he’s already done and continues to do in my life? And isn’t a focus on God’s grace far more attractive to outsiders than a message of “do’s and don’ts”?