It seems like many Christians hear the Word but they don’t put it into practice. Hearing the Word is not enough, you may say you know the Word but if you don’t live the Word then it hasn’t affected your life and all you have is head knowledge. There are many people walking around with head knowledge, but until what they have heard gets from the head to the heart it will never change their lives, it is just something they have heard.
There are jails and prisons filled with people that have heard what they shouldn’t do but they are in prison for doing the very same things. What was their problem? It was just head knowledge and didn’t affect their behavior. There is a difference between hearing and doing. Jesus said this to the seven churches in Revelations, “He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” How many people didn’t have ears at the time?
What Jesus said was very important and He wanted the believers in the churches to pay close attention and to act on what He said, not to just hear it but to put it into practice.
To the church of Ephesus Jesus said in Revelation 2:4,5, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
To the church of Smyrna Jesus said in Revelation 2:10,11, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”
There were promises for all seven churches if they would listen and act on what Jesus said, but if not there would be consequences. Most people have selective hearing, hearing only what they want to hear. This is one of the reasons I can’t stand it when preachers make jokes or try to make people laugh while they are preaching. It is hard enough to get people to listen to the Word without getting their minds on something they shouldn’t be on. As far as I am concerned entertaining while preaching will breed shallow Christians. Jesus told stories (Parables) but I don’t think what He said was for entertainment purposes, no, I think what Jesus preached was profitable for doctrine, for reprove, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-5, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
We are in the end times and we need to get serious about the Word. Preaching and teaching the truth is essential while people will still listen. Watered down sermons and entertainment need to cease and we need to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to the believer as well as the non-believer. Preaching was a very serious thing to Jesus, Paul and others preachers in Jesus’ day. Many preachers today seem to bow down to the god of popularity to their shame.
Don’t think that I am against being happy and joyful, but there is a place for everything and there is plenty of entertainment around if that is what you are looking for. If you have the joy of the Lord you don’t have to be entertained while hearing the Word. Besides if a non-believer is in your meeting he needs the conviction of the Holy Spirit so that he will be broken over his sin and repent, he doesn’t need to be entertained, all that will accomplish is hindering the work of the Holy Spirit in the person’s life.
I believe every preacher or teacher will be accountable for watered down preaching and teaching. The Word says this in Jeremiah 23:29, “Is not my word like as a fire saith the Lord: and like a hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces.” It also says in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goeth forth from my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the things whereto I sent it.” So if God’s Word is true, and it is, why do we have to add anything to it like telling half-truths, jokes or entertainment? People need to hear the truth and the Lord needs to have free reign in our churches so un-believers will be saved and believers will repent and the works of the Holy Spirit will be accomplished, praise the Lord. This is something to think very rationally and prayerfully about. God bless and have a great day!!
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