Opus 2026-057: Monday Pulpit: Why Listen?

As I’m pondering the last sermon I heard I’m wondering how someone can keep saying the same basic thing over and over again without digging any deeper?  This thought came as I was praying for the pastor and that his preparation would be spirit filled, spirit lead, and show his prayer and meditation.  He’s a man who loves the word.  He loves to proclaim what he calls the gospel.  What that means is that every Sunday sermon could be pretty much boiled down to, “turn or burn.”

We have a fair number of spiritual people who listen to this week after week and have no complaints.  I’m not going to make an issue of it because he has a high view of scripture and he is a faithful man of God.  But again, I asked myself why do people seem to enjoy this?

On the positive side it could be because they believe that there are unsaved sinners in the crowd and those unsafe sinners need to hear the gospel.  That’s probably a safe assumption, but those unsaved sinners have heard the same gospel a hundred times and it has not moved their needle.

My cynical side tells me that the reason they’re quite content just listening to a “turn or burn” sermon is because they have already turned, feel they’re not going to burn, and really don’t want to be pushed any further.

I don’t actually think that’s where they would be if they were challenged.  I think if they were challenged to grow deeper, to witness more effectively, to exercise the gifts of the Spirit, to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit, they would respond.  Sincere people operate that way.  When they hear “turn or burn”, the examine the proposition and decide they’re good.  Case over.  Now let’s go to lunch

One of the weaknesses of the church today is this residue of eternal security that makes us think just because we made a decision and God moved in our lives that everything is secure from then on.  I hope they’re right.  I know they’re not.

homo unius libri