Unfortunately, this appears to be the version of the Bible most frequently used in evangelical sermon preparation:
While it's not a new idea (Consider Thomas Jefferson's efforts in creating The Jefferson Bible), it's still a bad idea. We need to seek - and pastors need to preach - the WHOLE counsel of God.
And sadly, that doesn't seem to be happening in too many places these days. Too often, sermon series are designed to make the church "relevant" to "seekers" and center around their needs. The great need of our day - and every day - is for a clear, unfiltered, unedited proclamation of ALL of God's Word. I don't know how you can do that apart from a regular, systematic, verse-by-verse exposition of the text.
I know that most people would rather have a good, energetic, up-beat, practical, positive sermon (it goes well with the rest of the weekly show). God's children, however, long for the Word. All of it. ESPECIALLY where it points out our error - because we want to be like Jesus and we know we've got a long way to go. And those who are the children of the Devil (John 8, especially vs. 42-44) desperately need to hear the same thing - it is their only hope. After all,
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."(Romans 10:17)Ironically, unless things change, the drive to be "relevant" and the avoidance of a pattern in the church of clear, searching exposition and application of the whole counsel of God will likely be the very thing that dooms America to the post-Christian, secular wasteland of History.
Do you study the "erasable bible?" Consider the question next time when we cover another of Jesus' ignored commandments.
5 comments:
Unfortunately, the erasable Bible is what a lot of people want to hear these days. Itchy what?
Speak up Jazzy, I can't hear you! :)
The more I read church history, the more our situation sounds familiar, and the more I long for God to step in and change our direction as a church.
For now, we'll keep pressing on individually...
Ah, Wes, my friend...You do have an ability to find the dynamic, cutting edge videos! I know I've been gone for a long time. I doubt you've actually missed me. Busy summer. Vacation. Etc. I'm not sure I'm really back. I'm trying to decide if my blogging time is really worth it. Anyway, we're having a great time going through Mark over here at Shiloh. You and your's all always welcome here for a Sunday or a weekend! I'd love to have you do some music for us too!
Dave
you give them too much credit...they're not reading their bible, they wait for the pastor to hand out talk notes and that's it for the week.
no need to erase because they never go anywhere.
Refreshing to hear, but rare. The Visible church is the temple today, but Christ insisted, of the days just prior to the end, "not one stone would be left on another, all would be torn down." Of course, we are God's temple, but it has wood, hay and stubble as well as living stones. What you refer to is nothing short of wht 2 Thess. says about the "man of sin (satan) taking his seat in the temple. God also tells us the people "have put their abominations in My house", but also "I will profane My temple. So the instrument of destruction (a man's enemies will be those of his own household) will be from within the church itself, not "out there" in the world, and a divided house cannot stand. With the "abomination that makes desoate" seen where it ought not be thes days for sure, I believe, the (visible) church is done, for judgment begins at the house of God (Peter), and He is at the very gates".... Dave: JDWright@optonlinenet
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