Preached At
A sister in Christ recently wrote me concerning a lesson that I preached a while back at another congregation. I preached from Jer. 6:16: “Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you shall find rest for your souls.” But they said `We will not walk in it.'” Application was made during the sermon to a number of errors that are current among both the religious world and among brethren. I pointed out that those who have turned aside to these various myths are like those of Jeremiah's day who refuse to walk in the ways of God, but the faithful must be like Jeremiah, and keep on sounding out the warning regardless of the rejection of it by the worldly. “And I set watchmen over you, saying, `Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, `We will not listen.'” (Jer. 6:17)
The sister that wrote me is not among those who object to such preaching, rather she and her house expect and demand it. She reports that some there were “discontented” with such preaching and labeled me a “watchdog” for preaching a lesson that pointedly dealt with real problems. Sadly, such a reaction is common among some and such name-calling is no longer a surprise.
But even this good sister, who is unfortunately all too well versed in the ways of those that are drifting by having seen them up close, was surprised by the attitude of one of those who is progressing onward. She reports that one weak member “voiced a complaint about you which I have added to my list of most ludicrous “religious” statements. After hearing your sermon, a Christian actually said, “I am so tired of being preached at every time I go to church.” Just thought you'd like to know!”
I am glad this sister reported this. This statement by a weak member is very instructive. From this statement, I know that:
1.) I am not the only one preaching these things. When there is a general drift towards unfaithfulness, we often think that we are alone in fighting it. When so many, even of our dear friends, have turned aside from the pure gospel and true doctrine of Christ, we can become discouraged like Elijah was. “Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:14) Yet there are, and ever will be, that “7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18) Among the faithful is the local preacher where I visited who was giving this weak member a regular dose of Bible preaching “every time” they went to church.
It is sobering to think of the damage that I might have to this good man and his work if I had gone into his congregation and offered support and comfort to the drifting brethren. The weak could have used my sermon as a weapon against him. “See, Jay doesn't agree with you,” they could have said. Or, “Why can't you preaching by more `positive' like Jay's was.” Rather than upholding this man's hands in a difficult situation, if I had done less than preach the “whole counsel of God” it would have been a knife in his back.
2.) My preaching was clear enough that those who didn't agree at least understood. I did not convince that member of the rightness of my Biblical exhortations that day, but they knew that they were being exhorted. We've certainly all heard sermons that didn't give us a clue as to what to make of them or what to do with the information presented. I once heard a notable preacher preach the same sermon two Sundays in a row (at different places) and I didn't understand it either time. It has been said, “Pointless Preaching is Pointless.” This is true. No, I didn't convince the drifting member that day, but the sermon pointed out our differences in terms clear enough to be easily understood. Those who teach error have a vested interest in obscuring things. Those who preach truth do so with clarity.
3.) Those who are in error, or drifting towards it, don't like that fact pointed out. The weak member is “tired” of preaching that deals with their problems. But this is how any gospel that calls men to repentance must be. At least I didn't “frighten them” as Paul did when he told Felix that his life did not conform to the gospel standard. As Paul was “discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.” (Acts 24:25) Evidently the Galatian brethren didn't like Paul pointing out their error either. “Have I therefore become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16) Today when people don't like the preaching of truth they often want to change preachers or change congregations to get away from it. What they are really doing is trading away the truth in favor of error. “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie...” (Rom. 1:25) We should instead, “Buy truth and sell it not.” (Prov. 23:23)
4.) The same preaching that is “at” the weak is an encouragement to the faithful. The weak thought I was preaching “at” them. (I wonder whom they thought I should have been preaching “at” instead.) But the faithful must have surely thought that my preaching of truth was “for” or “with” them.
Consider the very pointed preaching done in Acts 15. Those who taught the circumcision in Antioch were quickly met and staunchly opposed. The preachers of truth had a “had great dissension and debate with them.” (vs. 2) Did they and their supporters think that they were being preached “at”? When this doctrine was examined in Jerusalem there was “much debate,” then two apostles, a prophet and an elder each spoke against it. (vss. 7-21) A letter refuting their doctrine was written to the Antioch church. An apostle and three prophets carried it there. This letter was then read to the congregation and the result was “they rejoiced because of its encouragement.” (vs. 31) The faithful were greatly encouraged because they rejoiced in the truth. But don't you think that those who sided with the circumcision felt preached “at”? If they didn't feel that way after the letter, they surely must have felt that way after two prophets “encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.” (vs. 32) How would the weak have felt if another visiting preacher had gotten up right behind me and preached “at” them too? But like those in Antioch, I think the faithful would have been even more encouraged by such preaching.
5.) We must always preach the word. The truth is out of season in many hearts so they do not want to hear it. The only solution is to follow the exhortation of the apostle to the preacher: “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim. 2:2-4) This is as clear and “at” the point as our teaching must be.