Preacher Envy; Acts 2

May the mumbling commence!

Have you ever heard of preacher envy?  Well, it would be easy for almost any modern day preacher to envy the understanding and response that Peter received.  Read from Acts 2 the end of Peter’s sermon and the dialogue that followed:

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." 

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call."  With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Verses 36-41)

Peter preached to the people.  Peter did not pull any punches.  Peter charged them with crucifying the Christ.  Preachers today rarely point out the short comings of their parishioners.  In fact, preachers today rarely preach on any difficult topics for fear of backlash.

Despite – or maybe because of – not pulling any punches, Peter saw understanding dawn on those he preached to.  They were cut to the heart, and they asked the question, “What shall we do?”

And Peter answered their question – not pausing to consider whether or not this question was rhetorical.  Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.  The message of John and many of the prophets who came before him!  Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit will be yours.  It’s a promise that extends to us – most of us who are far from the Jewish heritage.  A promise that extends to us because we have heard and answered the call from the Lord.

Have you heard and answered that call?  If you haven’t I urge you to find a church family to help nurture you in Christian living – a church that can help you hear and heed the call of Christ in your life.  Enter a new life, and rejoice!  Leave behind the corrupt life that many Americans are living.

I pray for a response to the churches’ preachers that will mirror the response of thousands coming to Christ.  This is my prayer because just as the promise of salvation and the Holy Spirit is ours for the claiming so is the charge of crucifying Christ still at our feet – whether we recognize this charge or not.  Every time we sin and fall short of what God would want us to do we become complicit in the crucifixion of Christ – who died for our sins, past and present and future.

Our complicity is a hard lesson to learn, but the hard lesson might yet bear fruit.  Let us act as God would want us to act.  Let us follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  Let us reach out to people more vulnerable than we are.  Let us reach out to them as equals.  Let us build relationships so that we can be frank with the situation that each man, woman, and child stands in before God.  Let us say, “I am in need of a Savior.  I have found the Savior.  Let me show you the way.”

As we do this, we will find our way even closer into the heart of Christ.  The journey will change us as much or more than those lives that we touch.  That is why ministry for the Lord is so beautiful!

So, no more preacher envy!  No more church envy!  Let us live the lives Christ would have us live and celebrate the results whenever and however they manifest themselves.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out