You’ve heard jokes that speak of Christians doing all kinds of bad things. Let’s consider a few of those popular jokes about “Christians”. One is: “A preacher was completing a sermon about self-control. With great expression he said, ‘If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river.’ With even greater emphasis he said, ‘And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river.’ Finally, he said, ‘And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river.’ He sat down. The song leader then stood very cautiously and announced with a smile, ‘For our closing song, we shall sing Shall We Gather at the River." Another popular joke is: “One bright, beautiful Sunday morning, everyone in town wakes up early and goes to their local assembly. Before the service starts, the townspeople sit in their pews and talk about their lives and their families. Suddenly, at the lectern, Satan appears! Everyone starts screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in their determined efforts to get away from Evil Incarnate. Soon, everyone is evacuated from the building except for one man, who sat calmly in his pew, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God's ultimate enemy is in his presence. This confuses Satan a bit. Satan walks up to the man and says, ‘Hey, don't you know who I am?’ The man says, ‘Yep, sure do.’ Satan says, ‘Well, aren't you afraid of me?’ The man says, ‘Nope, sure ain't.’ Satan, perturbed, says, ‘And why aren't you afraid of me?’ The man says, ‘Well, I've been married to your sister for 25 years." Another frequented joke is: “The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again. After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her mother and whispered, ‘If he gets loose, will he hurt us?" It’s not funny how the above jokes really do contain a lot of truth to them. For example, consider how some will hear the sinfulness of consumption of alcohol and laugh about it while they later take a drink. While some may not be bold enough to stand and lead “Shall We Gather at the River” after the preacher talks about dumping whiskey in the river, they sure do roll their eyes and giggle when alcohol is condemned from the pulpit. I recall talking with Jackie Holmes here locally about his drinking of alcohol. He just thought it was a laughing matter. The same is true when others talked with Jackie. God says: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20: 1). People that think alcohol is a laughing matter are fools. Solomon had it right when he wrote: “It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom” (Proverbs 10:23). Folks, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is sinful according to the Lord our God (I Peter 4:3). It is also sinful to distribute alcohol to others (Habakkuk 2:15). We should not even look upon alcohol in its intoxicating form (Proverbs 23:29-35). Those who consume alcohol will be among the many who will not have Heaven as their eternal home (Galatians 5:19-21). That is no laughing matter! As the man who feels his wife is Satan’s sister, many live in dysfunctional marriages. The man will joke about his wife and show his disrespect of her to others. Women do the same thing and think it is funny to trash their husbands. Marriage is a relationship where two become one (Matthew 19:5). If you’re husband or wife is worthy of your disrespect what does that say about you who joined yourself to that “other half”? The husband is supposed to honor his wife (I Peter 3:7). Likewise, the wife is supposed to show honor to her husband (Ephesians 5:33). It is no laughing matter when the marriage relationship becomes a mockery! Have you, like the little girl in the joke, ever joked about how the preacher looked like he was going to jump down and attack you? I know that some have had similar statements about my preaching. However, have you ever considered that the perception of an attack on you really has nothing to do with the preacher and everything to do with your guilty conscience? No one in the body of Christ would feel like they are under attack if a preacher dug in and got fired up while preaching about baptism being for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). However, as brother Julian Leathers often says, some don’t like it when the preacher goes from preaching to meddling. Consider the preaching of Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem. Jesus was very pointed in His teaching about the rejection of the truth at the hands of the Jews. However, those who accepted the truth would have no offense. Notice this: “And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet” (Matthew 21:45-46). If your life is wrong you ought to be thankful that someone will try to preach the truth and get you to Heaven. Someone's guilty conscience mocking preaching is not a laughing matter! Jesus said: “… Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep” (Luke 6:25). Living in sin is not funny. The consequence of sin is eternal damnation (Matthew 25:31-46 and Revelation 21:8). Thus, when we hear or read the Gospel and the exposing of sin, let’s rejoice that God has granted unto each of us another day to get it right (II Peter 3:9-10)! |
| Volume VII ~ Issue XXXIV ~ May 20th, 2007 |
Words of Truth Weekly - Online Edition
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What must one do to be saved (Acts 2:37)? Hear and believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16 & Romans 10:17),
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
| Edited by: Brian A. Yeager |
| When Jokes Are More Applicable Than You Think By: Brian A. Yeager |
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| People Really Do Mock the Preaching of the Truth |
| People Really do Think That Failed Marriages Are a Laughing Matter |
| When the Preacher Looks Like a Chained Pit-Bull to You |
| Conclusion |