Jump Start # 2852

2 Corinthians 10:10 “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and speech is contemptible.”

Paul was really getting nailed by his critics in this second letter to the Corinthians. Unimpressive. Contemptible. Other translations use the words: weak, no account, amounts to nothing. Words sting. They have a way to sticking to us. We tend to forget compliments but always hold on to the complaints.

And, when it comes to preaching, the worst thing that can be said is that the sermon stinks. One may not like the sound of the preacher’s voice, but if he can deliver God’s word in a passionate and practical way, we overlook that. We may not like the outfit the preacher wears. Look beyond that. What’s he saying. But when the Corinthians said his speech was of no account, contemptible, that hurts.

When one does things in the public, although he wants everyone to like him, he must have some thick skin. These days, every politician that runs for office, goes through the grinder of public criticism. It’s so bad, most wouldn’t want it. Mean things can be said about the candidates position, his family, and his character. It can be brutal.

But it’s not just politicians that have to endure this. In our climate today, many Christians are looked at through the microscope of judgment by family and co-workers. Every action, every word, every detail is analyzed, scrutinized, criticized and brought before the judges of condemnation. It can be brutal. Some have quit their jobs simply because they could not take all the things being said about them.

So, how do we deal with criticism?

First, take it to the Lord in prayer. Whenever we are hurt, we need the Lord’s help. Prayer will help us to stay in our place. It will keep us from lashing out and making things worse. God knows. God knows whether Paul was impressive or unimpressive. It was the Holy Spirit that was inspiring Paul to preach. So, to say his speech is contemptible is really an attack upon God and reveals how little his critics knew.

Second, often silence is the best response. Solomon tells us that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Knowing those times is essential. What doesn’t work is for you to counter attack. That’s the way wars begin. One side sends missiles. The other side sends more back. In verbal discussions, the issue at hand is lost in all the missiles that are launch to destroy the opponents character. We must remember when Jesus was reviled, He uttered no threats in return. He put His trust in the God.

Third, consider what is said. Often critics say things in a mean and hateful way. However, what they say, might be true. Look through your soul. Is it possible? Are they seeing things that you fail to see? If so, change. If so, do better. But also, remember, just because someone says something doesn’t mean that it is true. Some can say things loudly and forcibly but that doesn’t mean they are right. Paul’s critics weren’t right. I doubt Paul could preach like Apollos. Paul is never called an eloquent man. Most today would probably like to hear Apollos more than Paul. However, this wasn’t a contest. This isn’t the VOICE where the best one wins. God had chosen Paul for what He was doing. To think that Paul wasn’t up to that task questions the judgment of God. God is never wrong.

Fourth, there is a tendency when criticized to give up, toss in the towel and quit. This happens to many young preachers. This happens to us in our engagement in the kingdom. Someone doesn’t like a class we taught. So, our reaction is, “I’ll never teach again.” Someone does like some food you took to a family. The immediate thought is, “I’ll stop taking food.” Critics may be wanting you to quit more than anything else. Where would we be today, had Paul run home because the Corinthians thought he was unimpressive? Paul didn’t quit. He left us an example to follow. Stay with what you know is right and keep doing it. Our focus must be on trying to please the Lord more than trying to get everyone to like us. Everyone who has been on a public stage, whether a school play, a politician giving a speech, a singer preforming, a preacher preaching, has had those who did not like them. The first record company that heard the Beatles, wasn’t impressed. The statement was, “Guitar groups are on the way out.” Hang in there in spite of what the critics say.

Finally, we must be careful that we are not the ones saying “Unimpressive” to Paul. Some things should not be said. The goal if you are going to critique or criticize is to build up and make better, not destroy. The words you choose, the tone of your voice, and when and where you do this can make all the difference in the world. Put yourself into the golden rule. How would you want someone to address you?

Unimpressive…I’ve seen movies that were not very impressive to me. I know I have preached many sermons that were not impressive. The goal in preaching is not to be impressive, but to lead people to Jesus. The goal is to connect to the Lord. Maybe those Corinthians started with the wrong expectations. Maybe the fault wasn’t with Paul, but with them. It may well be that God wasn’t very impressed with those Corinthian critics.

Sure is something to think about…

Roger

Jump Start # 2325

2 Corinthians 10:10 “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible.”

I’ve been on the road a lot lately preaching. I’ve met all kinds of wonderful people and many I have never known before. Some are our Jump Start readers. They were delighted to put a face to the one who writes these every day. They were so kind and many shared with me that they have saved so many of the Jump Starts and refer back to them over and over. The words I hear all the time are, “You can never stop writing.” There are days, several days, when I think we’ve just about reached the bottom of the barrel. But for now, onward we go.

It is interesting putting a face to a voice or to writing. I’ve heard guys on the radio, and when you see them in person, it’s not the image that you had in your mind. The same goes for those who write. For me, I preach a lot and I write a lot. Folks tell me that I write like I preach and I preach like I write. I guess I don’t know any other way of doing it, than this way.

Now, in our verse today, the Corinthians put a face and a voice with the letters that Paul had sent to them.

Our verse is the raw truth of how some felt about Paul. Those that said it meant for those words to sting. His letters, especially 1 Corinthians, packed a punch. He warned about those who denied the resurrection. He told the church to remove the immoral man from among them. He blistered them about abusing spiritual gifts. He was firm about the Lord’s supper. Paul had thumbed them pretty hard about their divisions and lack of unity. In their words, “his letters are weighty and strong.” However, when Paul came to Corinth, his image didn’t fit what they had imagined from the letters. They claimed he was “unimpressive” and his speech “contemptible.” His presence, they thought, wasn’t like he wrote.

• The ESV says his speech was “no account.”
• The NIV is even more blunt. It states his speech “amounts to nothing.”

In the world of preaching, there are many things that are said to a preacher. Some may not like the tie. Some may point out that his shirt needs ironing. Sound may say he talks too loud, or too fast. Those things generally do not stick with a preacher very much. But to say that his sermon “amounts to nothing,” now, that cuts to the core. That’s what this is all about. If the preaching was weak, shallow, empty, it reflects beyond the preacher’s ability, but to his work ethic, his study habits and even to his faith. These wicked Corinthians had been stung by Paul’s letter. Now they were throwing jabs back. Attack the messenger is much easier than it is to change your ways.

Now some lessons:

First, because folks say that his message is nothing, doesn’t mean that they were right. They had an agenda. They were trying to turn things on Paul. It was their hopes to deflect what he had said about them by questioning his ability. Sometimes a guy will give a Wednesday night invitation once every three months. And he begins to think that he knows all there is to know about preaching. Be careful.

Second, the truth is, some of us are better at writing than preaching a sermon and others are better at teaching a class than these other things. We like to compare. We rank the best teams, the best vacation spots, the best places to eat and our favorite preachers. The presentation of a sermon may be flawless, but if the sermon didn’t move me, change me, teach me, what value was it? God has given all of us our own unique voices. Personally, I don’t like mine. I don’t like listening to myself on the internet. I hear too many mistakes and I wish I used different words and I find myself being a speech teacher and not a listener to God’s word. We can do that. We can catch all the mistakes and miss the sermon. We can be so critical that the sermon doesn’t help us. I know some preachers that just do not like to write. That doesn’t make them a bad preacher. It’s not their gift. Others can talk to someone so easily and get that person into a Bible study. We remember that Apollos came to Corinth. We remember that Apollos is defined as one who was mighty in the Scriptures and an eloquent man. I expect side by side, many would rather hear Apollos than Paul. We need to stop comparing. Each preacher is uniquely gifted and we need to honor him for that.

Third, some things should never be said. Paul in our verse today, is quoting what he heard. Those things should never have been said. They do not do any good and they only hurt. This was the intention of the Corinthians. They wanted to slam Paul. Today, we ought to just keep our mouths quite. Like Thumper’s mother, in the Disney cartoon Bambi, “if you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” I’ve had people say to me, “You’re not my favorite preacher.” I’m speechless. What am I supposed to say? Should I say, “Well, you’re not my favorite Christian.” Our jobs is not to be everyone’s favorite. Ours is to preach the word of God. Sometimes that means stepping on toes. Sometimes that means putting the message right on your front porch.

Fourth, preaching is about persuading. It’s using God’s word to convince you that you need to change, do better, step it up, become more committed and more engaged in the kingdom work. A good sermon is one that helped me get closer to the Lord. A good sermon may have tanned my hide and made me feel guilty, but if that leads me to walking closer to the Lord, then it was good. A good sermon ought to drive out the selfishness and the excuses out of me. A good sermon makes a better me. Some preachers are slow and very calculated. They, like an attorney in a courtroom, build up evidence and reason and in the conclusion they leave no doubt about what we ought to be doing. Others shoot straight for the heart. Plain, clear and bold. Some preachers simply talk. Others shout. Some tell a story that weaves through the Scriptures. Some connect dots from the O.T. to the N.T. Some are very practical, leaving no doubt as to what we ought to do. And, in all of this, we ought to see that just as people are different, so are preachers. There isn’t one style or one way. You may like one style more than another. One method may connect with you more than another. But that doesn’t mean someone who is preaching God’s word in a different style is wrong. Not at all.

Finally, had these sour Corinthians had their way, Paul would leave them alone. Yet, if that happened, they would not be walking with the Lord very much longer. Sin in their hearts and in their minds was ripping them apart. They needed Paul. What he wrote and what he preached was the very medicine that would keep them from falling apart. His words would keep them close to the Lord. Without Paul, they would have been lost. Sometimes what we need to hear isn’t fun and games. There is a time to be serious. There is a time to be silent and listen. There is a time for correction, improving and changing. God’s word would do that, if they would only allow Paul to preach it.

His preaching amounts to nothing. That typically is something said by someone whose life is amounting to nothing. They’d rather have Satan than Jesus. They would rather follow their way than God’s way. They aren’t about to change and their pride leads them to attacking God’s messenger. They had no problem attacking God’s chosen apostle. Shame on them and shame on us when we stand in their shadows and do not support those who give their hearts and their lives to trying to save us eternally.

Keep it up preacher. Some days your sermons fly out of the ball park. Other days you may feel like you struck out. Keep at it. Keep at it. And, keep at it. I love those who preach. They are my heroes.

Roger

Jump Start # 2211

2 Corinthians 10:10 “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible.”

I was talking with a preacher friend the other day about what I call the “performance of preaching.” Some preachers have a natural gift and knack at public speaking. They are so smooth, comfortable and they can capture an audience immediately. But it seems that sometimes we are more enthralled with the way a guy preachers than what he actually says. Style tends to win over substance. Some preachers have much depth and insight, but they don’t shine as much on the presentation aspect and as a result they are not popular, even though they have much we can learn from. And those with great presentations, often do not have much to say, but people flock to hear them. Substance and performance.

This is really nothing new to our times. Our verse today is a quote about how people viewed Paul’s preaching. His presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible. The ESV is more brutal: “his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is of no account.” Wow! Critical, cutting and hurtful. Those words were intended to hurt and I expect they may have. In contrast, the Bible describes Apollos as “an eloquent man,” “mighty in the Scriptures,” and, “fervent in the spirit” (Acts 18:24). And, to make matters worse for Paul, Apollos had preached at Corinth. It’s easy to see which one they would have liked the most. It’s easy to see who would have been their favorite. Eloquence tends to win over “no account.”

Every church wants to fill the pulpit with someone that is passionate and good. However, many a good preacher may be overlooked and passed on because his presentation isn’t as captivating as others. Performance vs. substance.

Here are a few thoughts:

First, all preachers need to continue to improve. They need to listen and watch other preachers. They need to read books about preaching. The man who does not try to get better soon becomes stale and stuck. Athletes are always trying to step it up in their game. The same ought to go for preachers. Not only should preachers listen to others, but they need to listen to themselves. We can come across as tired, cranky and out of touch if we are not careful. Look at the illustrations that you use. Are they dated? Look at what your sermon is trying to accomplish. You are trying to persuade people, not teach a college lecture. Don’t be a showoff nor try to impress people with your knowledge. Remember, God is in the audience.

Second, realize that preaching is an extension of one’s personality, experiences and knowledge. We are not going to be the same. And, more so, we are not in competition. We are on the same side. I love hearing men preach well. It makes me want to bring my A-game. We are all on this side of the kingdom doing the best that we can. When people hear my son Jordan preach, they teasingly say, “He’s better than you are.” I agree. No argument there. I’m glad and I want that. Two preachers can take the same text of Scripture and one will pull things out that most of us have never seen. The other will lay in so plainly on our front porch, that we can’t miss what it’s about. Different approaches. Different styles. Both very useful and helpful.

Many congregations are moving to a two preacher arrangement. Two men who preach each week. One in the morning and the other in the evening. Two different styles and often brought by two different generations of experience. Don’t compare one with the other. Don’t have your favorite and certainly do not stay home and skip services because my favorite isn’t preaching then. Support them both. You will learn from both. You will be helped by both.

Third, preacher egos can complicate things. The preacher has an ego. His work, his life is preaching. When someone says what was said to Paul, your preaching isn’t very good, it hurts. Tell mama, that the dinner she cooked isn’t very good and let’s go out to eat next time. Her feelings will be crushed. Tell some child that the stick figure picture that they drew for you is terrible and further, toss it in the trash, and the child will run the other way in tears. Tell your doctor that he’s a butcher and a quack and you’ll get an earful about the years it took to get him where he is at. Insensitive brethren who tend to be spiritual bullies, who like to run the church as if it is their place, have ruined many preachers by their thoughtless words. I remember years ago, standing beside a well known preacher who had preached for us that night. He was good. He’s one of my favorites and a dear friend. As people walked by, someone said, “I sure wish we could have preaching like that here all the time.” Yep. I was standing right there. I heard that. I started to think, maybe it’s time to pack my bags and hit the road. The preacher turned to me and in his kindness said, “they say the same thing every time we have a guest preacher back home.” With a wink and a pat on my back, he helped me.

Fourth, let’s be honest, the audience can be fickle. We love stories. But weeks later, the stories don’t do much for us. It’s the meat and bones of the Bible that builds our faith and helps us through the storms. When trouble comes, it’s not the stories that we turn to, but the word of God. What some may call stale and boring, others will say is incredible. Most preachers experience this every week. Someone will pass by and think the sermon was so-so. The next person will proclaim it’s one of the best sermons he’s heard in his entire life. They both heard the same sermon. How could that be? It’s more than the presentation, it’s hitting the needs of the person in the pew and where the person in the pew is at.

Those that excel so naturally at presentation must make sure they are saying something. Put some substance into your lessons. Those that have a way of finding great substance, work on improving your presentation.

The purpose of the sermon is to help me spiritually. It is to bring me to Christ. It is to help build that spiritual foundation. The sermon ought to answer questions, drive out fear and worry and challenge me to do more and do better. How we get there through the sermon is a work of art. Some slave long and hard at writing a sermon. Some can do it quickly and easily. Sermons are crafted like a writer putting together a story or a musician writing a song. There’s no one correct way to go about it other than opening up God’s word and thinking.

Our preachers are just one way God helps us on our journey. Thank them. Support them. Encourage them. And, realize we have different talents and abilities. And, be thankful that we are all on the same side, trying to win this battle against Satan.

Roger

Jump Start # 2010

2 Corinthians 10:10 “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible.”

I’ve been working on ‘The Notebook.’ The ‘Notebook’ is what we give to young interns who come to study and be mentored as preachers. It is a collection of articles about preaching. All kinds of stuff and advice. Some from my writings but mostly from others. Just about everything you can think of that has to do with preaching is found in ‘The Notebook.’ What about preachers and money? There are articles about that. What about funerals? Got articles on that. What about writing sermons? Tons on that. How to capture ideas, where to start, how to finish. ‘The Notebook’ is actually three notebooks now. There is so much stuff. There are things that a preacher will use the rest of his career. The Notebook needed some TLC. Articles were out of place and not organized. So, I got it looking good now.

Working on the Notebook brought me to our verse today. There is a section in the Notebook about handling criticism. For the young preacher, the critics are like the lion’s den. Some take pleasure at putting the preacher’s feet to the fire. They turn a study of the Bible, that we commonly call, Bible class, into stump the preacher hour. They like to be cute by asking uncomfortable, controversial and hard questions. They really don’t care what the correct answer is, they enjoy seeing a young preacher squirm under the pressure. Shame on such people. They wouldn’t like it if the roles were changed. Instead of being helpful, they are being hurtful and worse, I wonder what God thinks of their stinky attitude and behavior?

But our verse pulls the curtain back to some of the things Paul faced. His second letter to the Corinthians reveals many problems he faced with critics. Our verse today is one. Paul quotes what they were saying about him. His letters are strong. That probably implies what was said in 1 Corinthians. However, his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.

The NIV uses the expression, “his speaking amounts to nothing.”

Here are some things we learn from this:

First, every public figure has critics. The President has his share. The governor has his. The CEO has his. The school teacher has critics, usually parents. The college professor does. As a new semester approaches, students talk. They will say, “You don’t want that guy for History 101.” Critics. Leading the church as shepherds do, comes with critics. Even the guy who controls the thermostat in the church building has critics. “It’s too cold in here,” is said loudly enough for him to hear, while someone else declares, “I’m burning up.” The preacher has his share of critics as well. The sermon is too long. The sermon didn’t have enough verses. The preacher talks too fast. The preacher looks funny. I don’t like his hair cut. I don’t like his shoes. I don’t like his glasses. You’d think we were picking out a puppy at the pet store.

Second, not every critic is right nor even understands what he is talking about. Just because someone criticizes, doesn’t mean that they are right nor a person ought to change what they are doing. An honest heart will listen to the criticism and then make evaluations. Maybe adjustments need to be made. Maybe it’s just one person and everyone else thinks things are fine. Maybe they are way out in left field and they don’t have a clue what they are talking about. We use the expression, “Back seat driver” and “arm chair quarterback” to describe those who love to criticize but often do not have a clue. There on a Saturday afternoon, a guy watching the game on TV, and starts screaming at the coach and the players for something he sees is wrong. However this same guy who is watching the game, couldn’t make his high school team, never played college ball, and really doesn’t understand the ins and outs of pro sports other than what he sees on TV. From where he sits, on his couch, he knows just what needs to be done to win the game. Does he really?

Third, critics need to understand, unless they give a lot of thought and prayer, which most don’t, before they speak, their words, right or wrong as they may be, can hurt someone deeply. Compliments are quickly forgotten, but the criticisms are remembered, sometimes for a lifetime. This is why there are lists of famous criticisms that were wrong. Walt Disney was told he couldn’t draw. The Beatles were told that guitar music was on the way out. Most famous writers, could paper the walls of their homes with rejection letters from publishers. The critics have led some to quit. In the church, the fear of critics keeps some from serving as elders. The critics have led some young men to give up preaching. Giving tips and pointers, especially from someone who understands and has done what the person is doing, can be very helpful, if given with love and kindness and the intention to make a person better. But too often, critics like to slap cheap shots at a person, and the tone and the manner is destructive. God will remember how we treated others. There may be a long line of folks who are in trouble with Heaven because of their cruel, sharp and ugly comments that they have made to others.

Looking at what the Corinthians were saying, I am thankful that Paul had the backbone, faith and determination to not let them destroy his spirit. ‘His speaking amounts to nothing,’ is what they said. Really?

My first thought is, how many of them ever preached? Paul wasn’t a showman. This wasn’t a stand up comedy routine. What were they expecting, to be entertained?

Next, what Paul was saying, preaching, was the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. Maybe it wasn’t impressive because the Corinthians weren’t interested in spiritual things. Maybe they said these things because Paul was stepping on their toes. Maybe they said these things because they wanted a pat on the back rather than being told that they needed to repent. Preaching God’s word is impressive. It’s impressive to God. That’s why He has always used preachers. Noah was a preacher. The prophets were preachers. The apostles were preachers. Even Jesus was a preacher. Forgiveness from sins is not impressive? Heaven, not impressive? Being adopted by God, not impressive? What’s really not impressive are these Corinthians.

Also, the Corinthians may be been more impressed with the performance than the message. Was he passionate enough? Did his voice tone change? Did he use amazing stories? Did they listen to what Paul said? Did they hear the message? We can be so impressed or turned off because of the package, that we forget the substance within. It’s the message, not the messenger, that God is moved by.

Most today wouldn’t think too much of John the baptist. Look how he dressed. That would be enough of a turn off that people wouldn’t pay attention. Then Paul. He even admitted later, “…even if I am unskilled in speech” (11:6). I wonder how many would listen to him today? Would churches invite him for a meeting or would folks pass on him because, “He’s boring.” We may have become more impressed with the delivery than we are the message. We need to think about that.

Critics. Be careful how you say things. Preacher, keep preaching the best you can. We need you. Don’t let the critics get to you. Take a moment to catch your breath. Say a prayer. Then, get back at it. Preach the word. Preach it in season and out of season. The out of season times may come with criticism, but that’s ok. You are doing God’s work.

Roger

Jump Start # 1834

2 Corinthians 10:10 “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”

The critics were on the loose in Corinth. They were wagging their tongues and not thinking with their heads. Jab after jab, they were trying to discredit Paul. They were on him because he was not one of the “original” apostles. Our verse is yet another powerful punch to Paul’s reputation. The way he writes and the way he is in presence are not the same. To be blunt, he’s “unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” Other translations are more blunt. They say, “his speech amounts to nothing.” All of this was being said to claim that Paul was a coward. Far away, in a letter, he seems bold and confident, but face to face, he backs down and is yellow. All of this was being done to distort and take away from what Paul had written to the brethren. These critics were chipping away at the accomplishments that Paul had made among the brethren. The critics were jealous of Paul. Did this have an impact? It did. Much of 2 Corinthians becomes a defense of those attacks against him. Earlier in the book Paul admits that he was depressed.

Paul puts his life’s story up for all to see. He is ashamed of nothing as an apostle. His work speaks for itself. The critics have nothing to compare. His love for the Lord, his amazing work shows that these false brethren were wrong in what they were saying.

All of this brings us to a couple of important thoughts:

First, anyone can poke jabs at someone else. Just saying things doesn’t make it so. Even though these things were false, they hurt. Our words hurt. The old expression about sticks and stones and words never hurting is not true. Our words cut deeply. Some can be ruined by the words of others. It is said that the amazing singer, Karen Carpenter, who died from heart failure as a result of anorexia, was deeply bothered by a newspaper critic who claimed she was fat. That crushed her and stuck with her. Words hurt. We can say things in haste, in anger and without thinking that we really do not mean. We can hear just part of the story and assume we know everything. The words of a parent, a teacher, a mentor, a critic and even a fellow Christian can shape and change a person for the worse. This was exactly what these false brethren were doing in Corinth. They couldn’t touch Paul’s message, so they attacked the messenger. They ridiculed him. They made false claims about him. All of this was done so the Corinthian Christians would stop listening to Paul. The same still happens today. It may be a co-worker. It may come from a family member. They do not know enough about the Bible to counter your message. What you say may be so factual and right that there is no room for arguing, at least not with the message. So, instead, they start picking apart your life. They try to show that you are not what you claim to be. They look for inconsistencies in your life so they can add the hypocrite label on you. You are watched like a hawk. Every word, every action—just to show that you are “not such a great Christian.”

These things hurt. They always do. One must remain faithful to the Lord. One must not allow the critics to change you. In some settings, the atmosphere can become so toxic and hostile that you may have to leave. But with Paul as an example, we must remember that what we are doing is right and true. It’s easier for those who do not agree to attack the messenger than it is for them to change their lives. They may even know that you are right, but they won’t admit that nor will they do much about that.

We remember that the Lord suffered, leaving an example for us to follow. Peter reminds us that Jesus committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. He uttered no threats. He did not revile in return. He kept entrusting Himself to God. That’s what we must do.

Second, what is impressive to critics is often shallow, showy and of little value. Naaman had this concept. He was expecting a grand show in his healing. He arrived at the prophets house with “horses and chariots.” He brought a lot of people. This was going to be impressive. Instead, the prophet didn’t even see him. A servant came. A servant. And the message the servant brought was to go down to the Jordan River and dip seven times. That’s not impressive. That’s rather embarrassing. Naaman was furious.

Folks get furious today. They go to church looking for a show. They want lights, sound, comedy, skits, food, and a whole lot of fun. Fill the house with this kind of show. But when a gospel preacher shows up, he preaches the word of God. It’s a sermon. It’s not impressive. There is no smoke. There is no lasers. The preacher wants the audience to think. They don’t want to think. He wants them to look at their lives. They don’t want to look at their lives. The preacher talks about Jesus and commitment. The audience doesn’t want that. So, they leave. They leave unimpressed. They leave and many will never come back.

I felt this way yesterday. I preached a funeral for one of our members. She was a dear lady. She was faithful to the core. Her family are not believers. Our folks came. It was great to see them. They are so encouraging and helpful. As I was trying to show what great faith this woman had, the thought came to me about our verse today. For her family, they didn’t know the difference between a prophet, priest or a Disney prince. It was probably the first time some of them ever heard Bible verses being read. The thought of your eternal destiny probably never entered their minds. I’m sure they walked away thinking, “this wasn’t very impressive.” I walked away wondering who will be called when it’s their funeral?

Impressive—we must be careful that we do not judge a sermon based upon the “Wow” factor. Earlier this week, I got to hear one of my heroes preach. He’s old. He’s well in his 80’s. He stumbled a couple of times in his thoughts and speech, but what he said was so amazing. He made the sermon on the mount come alive. He just stood there through his sermon. No powerpoint. No flashy stuff. For the world, how boring and how dull. The world would not be impressed. But to those of faith, this was the master craftsman who truly understood the Lord. It was amazing. It was impressive. It filled hearts. It gave hope.

We must be careful about what draws us and impresses us spiritually. There are just a few occasions when Jesus marveled. A few people really caused Jesus to pause and notice. And each time it was the same thing. It was faith. Jesus was impressed with faith. A Gentile woman who only asked for the crumbs of miracles to help her demon possessed daughter. A Roman soldier who felt unworthy for Jesus to come to his house, wanted the Lord to heal his crippled servant. Faith. Impressive faith.

The critics of Corinth were not impressed with Paul. God was. We must not fall for Satan’s attempt for us to only look at the outside of the package, while dismissing the inside. Impressed with what is said. Impressed with faithfulness. Impressed with God. The critics of Corinth were so fixed on Paul that they failed to see Christ in his life and in his message. The critics are the ones’ who stand unimpressed by Heaven.

There are lessons to be learned in this.

Roger