There's a mystery, a sermon has gone missing and no one has noticed. Has it been stolen and no one has missed it (possibly, but by who?). Is it being deliberately hidden for fear of consequences (my suspicions run deep here)? Is it simply redundant in this age of individualism (I think some parts may have been lost to this deception)?
I don't remember many sermons, but that's not a problem. Sermons are there to stimulate my thinking, to help me internalize new understanding, to grow awareness of who and what I am, and that's more important than remembering 30 minutes of someone talking. Of all sermons I would say that nearly everyone of them has fallen into some combination of these categories:
This missing sermon is the dark sheep of the family, one we don't like to talk about, its the sermon of instruction. Its an awkward creature and wears a strong mantle of authority; a big and imposing figure that makes people react and makes its presence felt ... you might like it or hate it, but you can't ignore it. The sermon of instruction is the one where leadership say "this is what we are going to do, this is where we're going, and you there in the pews, you need to do the following, and we in the leadership expect this of you". It's a sermon where authority is exercised, and its exciting but very dangerous, in multiple ways. First, its obviously dangerous because the leadership may have got their ideas all mixed up and be pulling/pushing in the wrong direction. Second, its dangerous because there's a line that could be crossed which leads to abuse of power. Third, there are some who love being told what to do, and so will follow unthinkingly. Fourth, leadership can easily grow an unrealistic ego when they see some people follow. But danger is a necessity in a tool of effectiveness. A sharp knife is dangerous, yet you need one to cut bread. Electricity is dangerous, but you need it to run a motor. The Spirit is dangerous because he'll usually turn things upside down, but you need that to avoid atrophy, stagnation, and death. The leaders of today, as a generalization, seem to have bought into the ideas of "I must only encourage for fear of offence", or "I must grow the peoples intellect", or "I must fight against change to preserve what we've always had", or "I know what I'm doing and people must obey", or "let's just all be a nice jolly family". The sermon of instruction is all and none of these. The sermon of instruction is one that does not compel but leaves the choice in the hearts and minds of the hearer. Its a message of direction with no promise of safety, but a promise of joy. Its an invitation that says "by the authority vested in me, this is where I'm going because that's where God is going, and I want you to come with me." And most of all its a message of consequence. So we fear it, for ourselves and for the responsibility it carries. We hide it because in this age committing politically incorrect offence is the unpardonable culture sin. And for our own comfort we argue that society is beyond this, for are we not empowered individuals who will lead ourselves, thank you very much? Yet the hunger to be led remains, however much we strive for individualism. We know deep down we are not all competent. And so some churches leverage this through legalistic cultures (such as saying woman may not teach, and we'll tell you who and when you can marry) which grows a body of believers who live on the edge of emotional abuse (no names here, but there are plenty of examples, some very recent). Can we all please play detective? Let's find that missing sermon, let's open the box, pick it up, dust it off, and say to God "What instruction will it carry this time?". The prophets of old lived the sermon of instruction, Jesus embodied the sermon of instruction, and the apostles all preached the sermon of instruction, and they all led by example in following God's instruction. Each of us, you and I, all carry some measure of authority, whether it be the authority to speak from the front or authority to talk to our neighbour. Each of us need to find our sermon of instruction, learn to hold this dangerous tool, and speak it out. In this age we need it more than ever.
1 Comment
nancy
13/10/2014 01:12:21 am
a good thought provoking blog.
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Probably the best therapy is to express yourself. Why do you think psychiatrists make you lie on the couch and talk, while all they do is murmur "hmmm", "uhuh", or "go on"? Archives
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