This morning I turned on the TV and listened to a holiness preacher rant on and on as he does every morning about rooting out sin from our lives. Even when I was a high school kid, I used to listen to these preachers yell at their parishioners with the shrillest of voices. I know…. Sometimes we need to be yelled at. But, how people can listen to this stuff Sunday after Sunday, I will never understand. These loud-mouths never give it a rest as if by thunder and lighting they can scare the hell out of their parishioners in order to make them pure.
They claim that it is the Holy Ghost Who moves them and speaks through them. “Whore mongering! Cursing! Drinking! Lying!” The percussion of it all repeats like an ear-worm long after the preacher sits down: “Get rid of all the sinnin’ and get yourselves ready for eternity. You could die any minute!”
There is something good about this way of inciting change in a person’s soul. But, where is the Gospel? Repent, yes. But lets then hear the good tidings of great joy that was proclaimed by the angel to the shepherds.
There has got to be room for sinners to move toward holiness. What about grace? Amazing grace?
I remember a young Lutheran minister who related to a small interdenominational ministerial group that he found himself fed-up with his parishioners. They sat there, he said, each Sunday listening to what he knew was good, positive sermon material each week and he couldn’t raise an ounce of enthusiasm out of them.
So, he decided to see what would happened if he raised his voice and threatened them will hell-fire one Sunday. When the Sunday arrived, he yelled at them and told them that they were vicious sinners and there was only one reason they were not falling into the fiery pit by now. “Jesus Christ stands in front of you and shields you from the wrath of God!”
They loved it. One farmer’s response:”Great sermon, pastor.” And, from an elderly lady: “We found your sermon exciting, young man.” Another regular said: “That was a really fine message today, thanks!’
My minister friend laughed when he told us what had happened and asked : “Why do people want to be yelled at?” We all looked at each other. The question hung in the air like the gritty smell of smoke after a gun shot.
Maybe, that’s it! The heat of fire and brimstone stays with those who experience it.
And, if it’s a cleansing fire, Christ’s new baptism of water and the Holy Spirit may just get its chance to work.
I have never preached fire and brimstone. But, maybe… next Sunday….