In an interview one of our deceased comedians emphasized how dependent he was on his audience and its applause without which his performance wouldn´t do justice to his talented stage appearance.  He said what any actor would agree with.

I was told that once in Norway the Norwegians didn´t understand his sense of humor, so he went disappointed home.

On the church stage we sense the same flavor.  The stagey preacher oftentimes seems to be the performer that is very audience conscious, cracks some funny jokes “to break the ice” expecting the church to laugh, which it politely does, and his success as a preacher is secured.

That makes God´s preacher a rarity.  He will not be popular.  He would often be despised, criticized, misunderstood, and yet “speak in the sight of God in Christ” and “of sincerity as from God”  (2 Cor. 2:17) like the prophets of old.  It´s kill or cure.

“Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets!”  (Mich.2:6)  portraying pretty much what a man with a message is up against in this age.  A woman in our home fellowship said, “We´ve come here to talk. Preaching we get in the church (building).”

I was grieved, but one day in my closet prayer I was reminded of 2 Tim. 4:2, “Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season…” and privately I shared that with the dear woman.  She was very sweet about it and acknowledged the job God had entrusted me.  But not all do that. The apostle warns us about such people with “itching ears”.

O, our platform is not a stagey one.  We take our platform with us wherever we go to “the common people” wherever they are which our Lord did and which He still does through His true followers.

Dec. 15, 2013 – jn