Jump Start # 3350
Psalms 16:8 “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
It started out as a poem written by S.K. Wheatlake (1856-1939) that was later put into a hymn. It’s a song that I have never heard sung before in worship. It was written during a time of great controversy. I first saw the words framed in an old church building long ago. The song is entitled, “Preacher on the Fence.”
Here are the words:
- From out the millions of the earth God often calls a man,
To preach the Word and for the truth to take a loyal stand.
‘Tis sad to see him shun his cross, nor stand in its defense,
Between the fields of right and wrong,
A preacher on the fence.
- Before him are the souls of men, destined for heav’n or hell,
An open Bible in his hand, and yet he dare not tell
All of the truth that’s written there, he feareth an offense,
The shame of heav’n, the joy of hell,
A preacher on the fence.
- Most surely God has called that man to battle for the right,
‘Tis his to ferret out the wrong and turn on us the light.
And yet he dare not tell the facts, he fears the consequences;
The most disgusting thing on earth,
A preacher on the fence.
- If he should stand up for the wrong, the right he’d not defend
If he should stand up for the right, the wrong he would offend;
His mouth is closed, he cannot speak for freedom or against;
Great God, deliver us from him,
That preacher on the fence.
- His better judgment, common sense, they pull him to the right,
Behold him grip the top-most rail, and hang with all his might;
His love of praise, it holds him fast, keeps him from going hence;
He’s in a most unpleasant plight,
That preacher on the fence.
- But soon both sides will find him out, and brand him as a fraud,
A coward he, who dare not please the devil or his God;
His sacerdotal robes, they’s all a miserable pretense,
And men of zeal will do their best,
To club him off the fence.
CHORUS:
Come down, come down,
come down from the fence and preach the Gospel as it is,
and take the consequence;
Come down come down,
Come down from off the fence,
Your duty’s plain, you can’t remain,
A preacher on the fence.
Can you imagine that song being led on a Sunday morning? What a message! It’s time for convictions. Our passage ends with “I shall not be shaken,” or moved. Paul told the Galatians that he would not give in to the false brethren for even an hour. Our culture is running freely through too many churches today. Fear of being called out, fear of hurting feelings, fear of consequences has led many to sit on the fence of compromise.
The sound voice of Biblical truth must ring clearly through our hearts and our message today. This is not a call to be rude, unkind or ugly. But, neither is it time to put a basket over our light. Identity, gender, purpose have all been determined by God.
It’s time to get off the fence. It’s time to stand with God. It’s time to be unmoved by the blowing cries of a godless nation.
Get off the fence…and preach the word of God!
Roger