Wednesday, December 27, 2000
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Wednesday, December 27, 2000 |
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The 'offensive' Word of God By REV JOHN HATCHER Who wants to be a millionaire? A million hands and more are raised across American? Now, who wants to be offended? Two million hands are raised across America! People are standing in line to be offended. Especially by men of God standing in the pulpits. I gather there are genuine Christians (yes, genuine) who are always on standby to hear and receive any nuance of offenseeven by accidentcoming from the pulpit. The result: hop to another church where Brother Pastor there never offended anyone in his entire life. Only to wait a while and receive another offense. Then, hop to another church. Much of the statistical new member growth reported in our Fayette area churches is from church hoppers. I don't know a pastor who has not had his fare share. Webster defines offense, in the sense of our conversation, as "the state of being insulted or morally outraged at the slightest criticism." I remember so well when we served a church in southern California. As I was leaving an Albertson's food store, I looked at and greeted a young man waiting in his car at the store's front curb. You would have thought I had cursed his mother, father, brothers, and sisters. He gave me a full blast of invective. I apparently offended him by speaking to him and acknowledging his presence. People are just waiting for offense. Let me draw your attention to the chief offender of all times: Jesus Christ. It seems he had made a visit to his boyhood home in Nazareth. He taught in Nazareth's synagogues. The folks asked one another, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? . . . And they took offense."(Matthew 13:53f). Just what offended them? His powerful teaching? His astonishing preaching? His infinite wisdom? His miraculous results? No, it was their familiarity with Jesus. They just could not swallow the fact that a hometown boy was highly successful in his line of business. Their offense was so great that it translated into faithlessness that translated into the sick folks remaining sick (the Scripture says, "And he (Jesus) did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. "(v.58). Now, just how many churches are powerless because Sister So-and- Go and Brother Blow-and-Go are always taking an offense? For instance, the preacher proclaims the Gospel for all people. An African-American couple show up at All White Baptist Church. Do we hear rejoicing within those walls? Are not the folks happy that the song they sang as children has come to fruition ("Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world.") Oh no! Offense raises its ugly head. Or another for instance. Someone gets offended because the preacher proclaims a commitment to the bride of Christ, the church. Anytime, anyone proclaims the unadulterated Word of God, folks will be offended. But, really, would it not be totally refreshing to have church without the fear of offense in the back of your sermon? Some preacher shout "Amen."
Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville.
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