The Sermon!

[The following story was passed on to me, having been clipped from a Morro Bay, CA. bulletin.]

HIS NAME IS JOHN

His name is John. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students, but are not sure how to go about it. One day John decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt and wild hair. The service has already started and so John starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat.

By now people are looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. John gets closer and closer to the pulpit and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church.)

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward John. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, a three-piece suit, and a pocket watch. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly.

He walks with a cane and as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves, "You can't blame him for what he's going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?"

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The people are thinking, "The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do." And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits down next to John and worships with him.

When the minister gains control he says, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."

(Author unknown)
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What made Paul such a great teacher? I think part of it may have been the possession of the same type of spirit as the elderly deacon in the above story. There was great CONSISTENCY between Paul's PREACHING and his DAILY LIFE. That is why he was able to write to the Philippian brethren. . .

"What you have LEARNED and RECEIVED and HEARD and SEEN in me --PRACTICE THESE THINGS, and the God of peace will be with you." ( Philippians 4:9 ESV)

The learning, receiving, hearing, and seeing attached to the life of Paul were CONSISTENT enough to be an example worthy of note. In a powerful way these worked together to cause others to remember the truth Paul taught. It didn't matter what aspect of his life was being viewed (verbal, written, or activity) there was CONSISTENCY. That alone provides A POWERFUL SERMON to draw others to God. But the key to this having been the manner of Paul's life was his constant view toward Christ -- the greatest example of CONSISTENCY of all. That is why Paul also stated. . .

"Be imitators of me, AS I am of Christ." ( 1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV)

May we give serious consideration to the type of SERMON OUR LIFE IS SHOWING. CONSISTENCY will reveal the genuineness of our faith in God's Way.

Have a great day BEING THE SERMON THIS WORLD NEEDS!
Carl

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[This focus was originally sent 02/06/1999 (Edited some with passages changed to ESV)]

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See other teEn-MAIL on Consistency