There's a quote out there along the lines of, "A text out of context is merely a pretext". I've also known of one particular pentecostal preacher in describing his sermons as, "Being like baloney, you can cut 'em off anywhere".
In my brief 45 years on the planet, I've had the privlege of hearing men who were gifted expositors and/or powerful, passionate orators. Others, like Dr. J. Vernon McGee, were able to deliver timeless biblical truth with the ease of a grandfather speaking to his grandchildren. But then there were others, unforgettable ones, who's sermons have stuck in my mind like gum in the treads of my sneakers.
We who would presume to proclaim the word of God in homily or lesson form should never approach this in a careless or casual way. I say "we" because the the preceeding video made me pause for self-examination. James, Christ's younger stepbrother gives us a clear caution in his epistle when he reminded those who would take up the mantle of homilist or teacher of a "more stringent judgment".
No comments:
Post a Comment