The Easy Sermon Resolution
The other day I was listening to a preacher close a sermon about pain. The sermon talked about the pain and struggles of this life. In typical African American style, the preacher closed the sermon with a “celebration.” Here the preacher resolved the pain by pointing to being “hooked-up.”
The preacher then looked through the congregation and talked about someone who lost a child, but now they have 2. Someone who lost a job, but now they have a better job. There was someone who got diagnosed with a disease, but there was a misdiagnoses. And then the close came with “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
Too Quick a Jump to the Gravy
The first problem I felt however was that there was a too quick jump to the gravy. A jump that didn’t take into account the necessity of experiencing pain. The emotional release will be forced or superficial if the fullness of the pain is not experienced.
One of the things that a sermon can do is help to model correct thinking. Correct thinking would not limit the need to experience pain. Sometimes our people think and/or act as if it is a sign of lack of faith to grieve. Whether one has been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease or has experienced the loss of a loved one, grief and pain are necessary and needed. Some of us may even question God, all of this is needed. We cannot in our preaching make people believe that they will not experience pain in this life.
Joy Tied to Good outcome
Another problem I felt was that the experience of joy was tied to a good outcome in this world. The one who lost a child now has two. Setting aside the problematic and incorrect thought that one child could replace another, the joy comes from a good out come down here. The person should be happy because they got a better job. They should be happy because they got hooked up down here.
We live in an era where the Christian life is about getting hooked up. The only problem is that we don’t always get hooked up down here. Ask Paul who never had the thorn in his flesh taken away, even though he greatly desired it taken. Ask Zacherias who died between the porch and the alter. Ask John the Baptist who’s head was on the plate in a banquet.
The simple fact of the matter is that sometimes Grandma will die. Sometimes we will lose our job. Sometimes bad things will happen. We cannot in our preaching give the impression that good will always win in the end “down here.” Sometimes the wicked prosper and the righteous languish. Sometimes the fornicating pastor gets the big church and the faithful one gets fired from his modest one. Yes it is true, you may not get that house. It is not guaranteed to you.
Importance of Incarnation
The realities of this thought makes the incarnation even more important. Jesus didn’t sidestep the pains of this life to live in a lap of luxury. Jesus came and lived amongst the poor. Then Jesus died and even felt betrayed by God which wrenched from his lips the cry “My God My God Why?”
The good news is not that we do not have to have pain. The good news is that Jesus is there with us in the pain. The good news is that Jesus helps us to endure the pain. And the Good news, yes, is that Jesus overcame the worst that life can give and now offers that to us. Yes we will have pain in this world, but we have someone to walk with us, talk with us, and to tell us that we are his own. Yes we will have pain in this world, Jesus has overcome the world. And yes, “weeping may endure for a night…but joy comes in the morning.”
Related posts:
