Mt 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
This verse emphasized the important of understanding the preaching of the Kingdom. A lot of preachers today make noises that made no meaning to anybody. Their preaching are fondles because, the preaching were not meant to exalt Christ. The preaching that do not make Christ its centre will be “catcheth away”.
The other time, I heard a man called Joel Osteen. All I could remember of his preaching was Victoria his wife. The gate of heaven will not open to me because I knew the name of Victoria. Only Jesus, Jesus only.
There are other preachers that are confused. They do not preach Victoria but they preach money. The understanding of the technicality of money does not imply the understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven.
There are those that their preachings were not aimed at anything. If the scientists perform experiments without goals, our lives will be in misery. Look at the effort and the resources devoted to launching a satellite into orbit. Preacher’s messages are supposed to launch a weakling sinner beyond the orbit. They are supposed to be launched not just beyond the orbit but beyond the galaxies and the Milky Way. Oh, that message can not be an idle senseless message.
The messages must be directed to a course. They must not be described as unidentified flying object (UFO). Just flying aimlessly in the air.
Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Any preaching short of this is a wasted moment, wasted effort, wasted attempt and wasted resources.
What use is a preaching if it is meant to be eaten by the birds of the air? What use is a man’s labour if it will not achieve an objective?
In this parable, only the seeds by the way side attract a peculiar attention. This is because, Jesus said “they did not understand the message”. The one by the rock, or by the thorns do not merit the same considerations as the one by the way side.
If they do not understand, whose fault is that? Of course when a man speaks with “dark sayings”, who will understand his message?
Lu 7:32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
But they needed to speak the language that meets the circumstances. Market place is not a place for dancing or mourning, it is a place of selling and buying. Church is not a place for selling and buying, it is the gate of heaven. If you speak a language that does not portray the essence of the gathering, they will not response to the message preaching. If the “gate to my Father’s house” is not in the discussion, it might be a message encouraging the throng to go through the windows.
Saturday, September 15, 2007