Sermons

Today, I heard a sermon from a pastor who is leaving in 7 weeks. He said this repeatedly followed by "I can say anything I want. I'm leaving." I am not part of his congregation. I have no idea why he is leaving. I do know that there has been some turmoil since he's been there. I don't know what over. Not that any of that matters. But his point was well taken, at least by me.

We like to blame the pastor when a church drops members, loses attendees on Sundays, or runs into financial difficulty. But it isn't the pastor's fault. His point was that if we all do our part proclaiming Jesus Christ as our savior and bearing the cross we were instructed to carry, the church would be alive, dynamic and growing. When we get too comfortable, when we get too complacent, when we want to be coddled, we ourselves are the reason the church dies a little. We are not called to ease. We are called to serve. God would provide the pastor/shepherd that church needs.

But how many of us allow our pastors to call us on the carpet? How many of us expect and want to feel convicted on Sunday mornings? They are supposed to do that. According to scripture, they are supposed to reprove us, rebuke us, call us out of our comfort zones to proclaim Christ by our actions, daily.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want or think I need to leave each worship service with bruises from being reprimanded for my inaction, or mis-action, or selfishness. Pastors also need to preach healing, teach scripture, and call for confession and forgiveness. But pastors are doing all of us a dis-service when they do not hit us between the eyes for not bearing each other, loving the unlovable amongst us, not feeding the hungry, or not washing the feet of our enemies (by forgiving their sins).

I hope that I am able to accept the rebuke and move to the place closer to where Christ calls me.

Dear Jesus, protect pastors from our selfish need to only hear the feel-good stuff of the Bible and Your ministry. Bring me into a place of reproof and reprimand as I need it. Open my eyes and ears to accept it with grace and with action to proclaim You in the manner You deserve. Amen.

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