Break Me Off

TThe first Sunday of the month means many believers will observe Jesus’ command to partake of his body and blood to commemorate his suffering and sacrifice.

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you.  For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:17-20).

I have one question. How many of you shared the same elements? Churches have gone from the communal partaking of the bread and cup in the same manner it has adopted the individualistic values of Western culture. Prepackaged synthetic wafers and a shot of diluted grape drink have replaced the loaf and chalice. What’s really being celebrated?

This realization did not strike me until my first experience of the Eucharist by intinction as a seminarian. The celebrant held a whole loaf high, broke it, and served each participant a piece. Another celebrant held a chalice of wine in which each participant dipped their portion. For the first time, I truly felt part of something not only immensely beyond my comprehension, but also in solidarity with those engaging the observance with me. True to form, I cried like a baby and was in good company of others who shared those feelings.

It was a wonderful way to initiate those of us who were entering a new phase of life filled with mystery of how God would form us anew and use us to advance the redemption of the world. The broken bread was a stark reminder that Jesus gave himself to be persecuted and killed at the hands of men. What sacrifices would we endure? The potency of the wine conveyed the power of his blood to forgive sin—ours as well as those of the world.  The wine itself was a surprise because quite some time had passed since churches in my denomination at the time had replaced it with grape juice. Now it’s been reduced to Kool-Aid in the same manner the gospel has been watered-down.

I left the service realizing “it’s not about me and I’m not in this alone.” God certainly requires us to become broken bread and poured-out wine for the world and the gift keeps on giving. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you (Philippians 2:17). 

Upon graduation, I had an even higher experience with the Lord’s Supper during a Benedictine Experience in which participants submit themselves to monastic order for a period of time. We lived communally, worshipped seven times a day, and celebrated the Eucharist daily. The difference was we actually drank from the same cup, which my mother locked in my brain at an early age never to do with anyone. I found myself thinking of creative ways to avoid partaking in this part of the rite. The first time the chalice was passed to me, a calm came over my spirit and I sipped.  Immediately, I felt closer to my brothers and sisters sharing the experience. The rest of the week was nothing short of transformative and nobody caught typhoid fever.

Self-reflection is another important component of approaching the extension of this grace. The Apostle Paul warned the church at Corinth

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.  For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.  (I Corinthians 11:27-29).

To the credit of my upbringing, we had love feasts the day before the first Sunday to reflect on our sins, repent, and restore relationships. They took the form of conversations over a shared meal with all of the candor of a family reunion. Surely, some things are better confessed to God privately, but we could at least approach the chancel rail with a clear conscience as the pastor issued the collect: 

Ye who do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbors, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with faith, and make your humble confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling.

The General Confession helped us to acknowledge that we do not merit the sacrifice or sacrament in Wayne and Garth fashion. “We’re not worthy, we’re not worthy! We’re scum!”  Wholesaling of the gospel has resulted in mechanical routinization of what should be a personalized and reflective moment.

Preparing and providing the elements was also once a ministry unto itself in mainline churches. Members baked bread, carefully selected the wine, and dressed the table with expert care and reverence. Self-service Communion instills a sense of entitlement to the grace being offered. Christ gave his life; they didn’t take it.

Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”  Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above (John 19:10b-11a).

As you partake of what has been broken for you, receive the power that transforms you into the sacrifice that breeds new life.

Keeping it Real

There is a common retort when people in the hood feel caught with a Hobson's choice: "I ain't gotta do nothing but stay black and die." Well glory be to God that we are not bound by either.  First of all, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Scratch off death. Secondly, God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). Natural affinities and cultural affiliations must be secondary to identification with Christ. Off with the blackness.

One of my pet peeves is when race is given primacy over faith. As a result, any practice is considered acceptable in the church if it has roots in Africa or a descendant thereof. If Farrakhan says Jesus was just a prophet, pastors fall in line and let him proclaim it from their pulpits.

No one denying the divinity of Christ has any business feeding his sheep. Period. Shame on any pastor who allows them to do so. I remember being seduced by Farrakhan's rhetoric when he used to visit my college campus. He had me worked up until he got to the part about Jesus. He never came out and said it directly, but would lead excitable coeds astray if they were willing to go the distance with his brand of Nationalism. Pastors also need to check so-called Christian ministers who do not affirm the trinity regardless of how many spectators (and $$$) their visits attract. 

More recently Negroes hearing of African traditions of throwing money at the altar go wild, pulling money out their wallets with reckless abandon, and fling it at the preacher. Have they not that God is a not a God of chaos, but of order (I Corinthians 14:33)?

Don't get me started with the syncretic teachings of celebrity spiritualists that babes in faith soak up like sponges. Everything that feels good is not good for you. Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil (I Thessalonians 5:20-22). Hold every teaching in the light of the gospel. If it fails that test, it's got to go. I don't care who is delivering the message or what their complexion is.

Christ is sufficient for faith with no additives, fillers, or substitutes. There is no need to pick up a Koran, perform any unbiblical rituals, or watch Oprah to become enlightened. There is also no need to have your intelligence insulted by bad theology that is nowhere to be found in bible or to tolerate all manner of malfeasance and tomfoolery because the preacher’s robe is adorned with kente cloth.

As we close another Black History Month, I implore you to keep it real with the One who has brought us this far by faith. It was the risen Christ who affirmed the humanity of slaves and empowered blacks throughout the Diaspora to transcend their plight. How is it that we have gotten so weak in our realization of the redemption? If you keep it real with him, he'll keep it real with you.  Continue to fall for the okeydoke and you will keep getting what you have gotten.

One of my darkest seasons came as I was being oppressed in the black church for not succumbing to sexual harassment and social control. I was caught in the trap of thinking that I needed not only to align myself with those with whom I shared culture and history, but also to protect my oppressors because they too were the victim of oppression. In hindsight, it was classic Stockholm syndrome. No one has the right to oppress anyone. Jesus said "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50). When a community breaks faith with you, it’s time to bounce.

I recall as clear as day the moment God called me out of my all black denomination while attending seminary in Atlanta and led me to a all white congregation that I had passed many days without a second glance. I didn't have much expectation of the experience. These old white people in Georgia can't be holy. Look at what they did to Martin Luther King. 


However, my soul was nurtured back to health by a preacher who broke the bread fresh like he was breaking it off just for me.  I was also skeptical of the members motives for accepting me, not recognizing Jesus enrobed in differently-hued flesh. When I returned to DC after graduation, it was like I had been to spiritual detox.

America has made great strides in racial integration in my lifetime. Unfortunately, the church has not led the way. How diverse is your congregation? Blacks do not have a lock on the gospel, though some would like to lead you to believe such. And no, the white man’s religion is not holier. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. (John 4:23). That, my friends, is real!

The Agony of de Feet

It is very telling how one of the things Jesus explicitly told us to do is the one thing that almost never gets done in the church.

“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.  Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (John 13:13-17).

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus knelt down and washed his disciples’ feet. These were dusty, crusty, don’t bathe every day, walk everywhere in sandals, first century-Palestinian feet. He even washed the feet of the one who was going to betray him immediately afterwards.

Footwashing is a real act of humility. The first time I had it done to me was on Maundy Thursday during my first post-seminary church. The pastor had already impressed this skeptic to no end, then he got down after service, along with the ministerial staff, and washed his parishioners’ feet. Even those who were conspiring to have the bishop transfer him received the sacrament. That had to be transformational on both ends.

Yes, I called it a sacrament, although the institutional church has conspired to exclude it from our routine practice. A sacrament is defined as a visible sign of an inward grace, especially one of the solemn Christian rites considered to have been instituted by Jesus Christ. The Protestant church considers only baptism and the Eucharist as fitting that standard. Those are two occasions that attract significantly more attendees to worship. The Catholic Church includes several other rites that do not have a biblical mandate because business is business.

The level of exposure footwashing produced was unprecedented for me. I had no time to get a pedicure or to bathe to ensure my dogs wouldn’t offend the pastor. Fortunately, my piggies were polished and I had not done much walking that day. Therefore, I was not terribly self-conscious. But I began praying for the ministers' sake about what they might experience with others. 

This occurred following an evening service. For the most part, the worshippers came straight from work and were thus not freshly showered. Not only that, we had homeless members of the congregation with cracked heels and overgrown toe nails that no rational person would volunteer to approach. It’s rare to observe high-ranking officials worshipping alongside the forsaken of society, even more so that they receive the same consideration. James would have been proud for he wrote:

If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”  have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you? (James 2:3-6a).

That’s what makes this act so astounding. Jesus—God incarnate—performed what is considered the lowliest of tasks. John the Baptist described Jesus as “He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie”(John 2:27). In some early Christian societies, footwashing was considered a prerequisite for service—ancient day hazing, if you will. How different would our communities of faith be if we returned to humility and sacrifice as the central focus of our relationship with God and one another?

Martin Luther criticized religious leaders of his day for washing feet, but demanding greater acts of humility in return from others. Not only do religious leaders not wash feet today, they typically prefer to be elevated above those they serve rather than relate to them as Christ did his disciples. Ironically, the Greek word diakoneo, which  is translated “to minister,” means “to serve” or “to be an attendant.”

Being among the called, I must struggle with what God requires of me. Responding to the call must not be reduced to a set of tasks. Rather, it is a change in disposition, identity, and world view. No form of service is beneath me when it comes to God’s reconciling work in the world. However, I am not yet ready to be great as I still have not washed any feet and am in no hurry to do so. 

A Dream Diminished

Another year has come where we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday. I remember the day always being significant as a child. Television stations aired footage of his speeches the Civil Rights struggle for the better part of the day. Stevie Wonder composed a song expressing outrage at those who fought against a day of observance for his contributions. We had programs in the schools and churches expressing our thanks. It was a pretty big deal. The significance of Martin Luther King’s life was not lost on me. Being an age he never lived to see makes it all the more poignant.

This year marks the 30^th anniversary of the first march to make Martin Luther King’s birthday a federal holiday and the 25^th anniversary of its observance. We have gotten so comfortable that school children now view him as a mythical figure with merely great oratorical skills.

I cringe a bit every time I hear the famous sound bites from his “I Have a Dream” speech. It’s not because of anything inherently wrong with the speech. It was pure genius. My discomfort is because America had reduced him to a spiritual Rodney King beckoning us to “all just get along.” He was interested in greater things than having white people like black people.

If the Negro is to be free, he must move down into the inner resources of his own soul and sign, with a pen and ink of self-asserted manhood, his own Emancipation Proclamation. Don’t let anybody take your manhood.

The heart of Martin Luther King’s mission can be summarized in the following quote from him:

The Christian religion must not be concerned only with saving the individual soul, but also dealing with the social evils that corrupt the soul.

His mission was more prophetic and profound that anyone could have imagined at the time. This was a man who clearly heard the voice of the Lord cry out over the land in the way of Isaiah saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then he said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8).  As with the prophet Isaiah, God does not address Martin Luther King in particular. The Lord announced over the entire land that the dehumanization of His children had to stop. Martin Luther King responded, as did thousands more.

God prepared him of head and heart to lead the movement. The dexterity and depth of his speeches and writings demonstrate that he did not have a vanity doctoral degree. Martin Luther King was a thinker par excellence. He addressed social evils beyond racism, examining them with keen sociological, economic, and theological insight. His speeches on structural poverty and the Vietnam War cut to the bone and marrow of American ills.

The messages resonated in the hearts of many of all races not just because the brother had game. They struck so deeply because he was truly one of God’s anointed messengers.  That’s the nature of real prophecy. It stops you in your tracks, calls you to repentance, and compels you to pursue God’s will in earth as it is in heaven.  

It’s amazing how woefully absent the footage of the Civil Rights movement is in the media today. The images of peaceful marchers being beaten brutally by officers of the law were partly responsible for bringing global shame to America.

The courage that it took for men, women, and children to rise to the challenge with their dignity intact is astounding. Martin Luther King expressed the core of his method as:

Nonviolent resistance has two sides. The non-violent resister not only avoids not only external physical violence, but he avoids internal violence of spirit. He not only refuses to shoot his opponent, but he refuses to hate him. He stands with understanding and good will at all times.

America doesn’t like its ugly past. Not only that, it has not truly repented. Repentance has three characteristics: recognition of sin (woe is me), restoration from sin (your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven), and retreat from sin ("Here am I. Send me!").

Don’t get me wrong, America has made great strides in improving its racist heritage. However, it’s a far cry from genuine repentance. Case in point: a group of newly-elected members of legislators read from the Constitution during the opening of the 112^th Congress claiming to want to honor the nation’s roots. However, they conveniently omitted the section considering slaves three-fifths of a person.

Unfortunately, prophecy moves God’s enemies to steal, kill, and destroy all means of promoting the advancement of God’s will. Like prophets of old, Martin Luther King was murdered. His blood still cries out from the land proclaiming the inherent worth of all God’s children that cannot be denied. 

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

What would happen if we were subjected to an annual spiritual review similar to a performance review on our jobs? Would we be kicked out of the church for dereliction of duty or placed in remedial classes for not applying ourselves? Most of us would be able to pass marginally because we have the routine down, but are not challenging ourselves to attain new heights in the Lord. Is that good enough for God? Thus says the LORD:

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.  (Revelation 3:15-16).

God not only reviews us constantly, God also urges and empowers us to corrective action by the Holy Spirit.

What are God’s performance standards?

He has told you, O man, what is good;

         And what does the LORD require of you

         But to do justice, to love kindness,

         And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

What amuses me in scripture is that whenever people find themselves at the judgment, they are utterly astounded at their final destination. Will we marvel at the grace extended to the homeless and crackheads we looked down on as church goers and evan-publicans find themselves in hell with all their self-righteousness?

"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.

"All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'

 "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

 "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'

"Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'

"Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'

"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:31-46).

The big money question is: Who is checking up on you?

The typical pastor has not a clue about the disposition of the spirit of their congregants, but they can testify to church attendance, lifestyle, and financial contributions.  Rare is the eulogy where the spiritual leader can honestly attest to the quality of the spirit of the deceased and bless the memory of it. Usually, it’s more like a generic speech with a blank with “insert name here” printed under it at defined intervals. In the same manner, denominational leaders assess congregations on their membership rolls, finances, and activities. These are not God’s performance metrics.

I challenge you to maintain three relationships: one with a spiritual leader who guides you in the way, another with a peer with whom you share similar challenges, and one with a person growing in the faith who you disciple.  This is not about people being all in each other’s business. These relationships are to be accountable to one another, bear one another’s burdens, and being the stewards of God’s love that we are all called to be. Check in regularly with each to ensure you don’t find yourself in shock when that great day comes. Your eschatological fate is non-negotiable.

Theologian Martin Heidegger postulates that there is only one sin and that is not living life authentically. We all have something God requires of us personally. Let’s not complicate the simple with meaningless resolutions.  Losing weight is fine, but it won’t get you in or keep you out of heaven. Do you worship with the object of your faith in spirit and in truth? Do you know and heed His word? Is there another vocation you should be engaging? Are you in love and charity with your neighbor?

I remember being in graduate school in North Carolina the first time I heard a sermon that shocked my consciousness. Critical sermons were typically directed at people other than those in the pews. Down south, they give up the fire and brimstone freely. That day I realized if I met my end right then, I was going to hell. It was terrifying in the moment, but I didn’t change course right away. Thank God for sufficient life remaining to get on the path of righteousness.

Each New Year is an opportunity for a renewed relationship with God.  Let us seriously examine our spiritual direction, devotion, and disposition to develop a plan for doing better continuously. There is always room for improvement for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Do not greet the next year in the same form that you entered this one or you might find yourself short when He comes again.

Seasonal Madness

The granddaddy of all ironies is that one of the cheeriest days of the year commemorates the event that should rock us to our core. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1:14).  Why would a holy and wholly other god, with no beginning and no end, enshroud himself in temporality to be in relationship with people who would not only be ungrateful, but also reject him? What kind of love is this that perfection would enter, not just imperfection, but a hot mess of a world and suffer the indignity of being killed by lesser beings.

How do we celebrate the eternal entering into temporality? With gross materialism and wanton feasts. Human nature is not receptive to the radical change that the gospel requires. Indulging the flesh makes it even less so. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. (Galatians 5:17). Yes, we have a rationale for everything. We exchange gifts to honor the gesture of the three wise men to the newborn savior. But have gold, frankincense and myrrh ever been among the top sellers?

Being a management consultant by trade, one of my favorite episodes of Seinfeld is when upstart comedian Kenny Bania mistakenly takes George’s work presentation on risk management and presents it on stage in his standup act. Kenny later relayed to Jerry that he killed the crowd with his routine.

Risk management in the real world is just as funny. It is a business practice based on eliminating or mitigating threats to planned events or desirable outcomes when in fact there is more in the world beyond our control than vice versa.

Jesus’ birth presented the greatest threat to human history. Simeon told Mary: This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too (Luke 2:34-35). The world did not bake cookies and sing songs when Jesus was born. It hated him from beginning to end.

King Herod and all Jerusalem were disturbed upon learning of Jesus’ birth.  He sent the magi to Bethlehem find the baby so he could supposedly worship him.  God was way ahead of Herod because the magi received a vision not to inform the King of Jesus’ whereabouts.  When he realized he had been outwitted, Herod ordered the execution of all toddler and baby boys in and around Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary had to lay low in Egypt with little Jesus until Herod died.

Upon beginning his earthly ministry, Jesus posed a threat to the religious establishment and the political world order.  The priests did not sit idly as he abolished the Israelite ritualistic system, which was their bread and butter. Neither did earthly kings who wondered what threat this King of the Jews posed to their reign.

  

He warned his disciples in John 15:18, If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. He was ridiculed for his claims even as he hung on the cross.  One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)

In the same way, Jesus is a threat to our natural beings and any plans of our own. I can testify that I had no desire to be a minister and quite frankly enjoyed my carnal ways prior to him disrupting my life.  Acceptance of the grace he gives so freely changed my orientation away from a worldly perspective to things eternal. That has made me more enemies than I ever expected—both inside and outside the church.

This is the time of year when families gather from near and far, but Jesus’ presence calls us to loosen natural ties.  For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:50).  

If no other time of the year we get along, it can be while we celebrate his birth, right?

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn

   “‘a man against his father,

   a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

   a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ (Matthew 10:34-36)

Jesus did not come that we might all get along. When relationships must change for his sake, there can be momentary distress, but it leads to everlasting joy.

To manage the risk that Jesus’ presence brings, so many have dulled their receptors to maintain an uninterrupted and indulgent existence. It can take the form of overconsumption, excessive activity, or even good religious form. Seasons come and seasons go without eternity breaking into temporality, with flesh fighting the indwelling of spirit with all it can muster. During the season commemorating his birth, otherworldliness seems more appropriate to focus believers on his continued presence in the world.

This is not a sentimental holiday. Move beyond the presents of today, to his presence that compels you to the abundant life his coming secured. Sin made it necessary for God to become one of us. His doing so gives us power over sin and the inauthentic life that it breeds. It’s not enough to be touched by his spirit. Unless you open your heart to receive the fullness of the promise, you will always be left wanting and despising those who do. Dare to give up the life you have planned for yourself to embrace the existence that makes you one with him and free from the fear of losing anything.

Talking Loud, but Saying Nothing

Growing up in Washington DC exposed me to some of the best preaching a little black woman could handle. The standard was high as the nation’s capital has always had the highest concentration of educated professionals. The same was true with preachers. During that era, it was the rule rather than the exception that preachers were trained formally in their craft. Not only were they seminary graduates, a significant portion of them had earned doctoral degrees. I’m not talking about the garden variety of vanity degrees produced by diploma mills. They had real PhDs or the equivalent which qualified them to teach in academia.

If I was not sitting under the voice of Chocolate City’s own prophets, I also had the privilege to hear the best preaching from around the world at black America’s cathedral, Rankin Chapel on the campus of Howard University. The Washington National Cathedral also provided a platform for the most compelling voices from around the world. I was spoiled rotten and didn't even know it.

Coming of age on the heels Civil Rights era, there was much to prophesy about.  Martin Luther King proclaimed a message that was now bearing fruit. America was still experiencing the growing pains of integration and those long denied finally felt like this was the Promised Land. The people had lots to relate to in God’s deliverance of His children in scripture. However, there was also a warning to be delivered about being too satisfied.

Great sermons are now few and far between. How we got to the present state boggles my mind. It seems to be a direct correlation to the advancement of the institutionalization of faith and the proliferation of media outlets. Are we stretching our preachers too thin? Has proclamation become merely transactional? Do we even care? I cannot count the number of times in my life that I have left a service feeling motivated and amused, yet malnourished.  Being the creature of habit that the church counts on us to be, I return without thinking about it.

Upon looking further, I realize this is not a new phenomenon. Writers have noted it through the centuries. As a matter of fact, the problem goes all the way back to prophets of old. In scripture, prophets are not received warmly—to put it mildly—if they foretold something that included rebuke or news unfavorable to the listeners. Tradition holds, and Jesus confirms in Luke 11:47, that they were murdered.  Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them.

If it is God’s nature to reveal the disconnects between His people and their Creator, how have preachers become celebrities today? Could it be that a lot of what's proclaimed is void of prophecy? Jesus’ close followers even complained about the unappealing nature of his teaching. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (John 6:60).

The most significant role of a preacher is to stand in the gap between the people and God and say what thus sayeth the Lord. It is not to empathize with the people. Oswald Chambers said "You cannot intercede if you do not believe in the reality of the Redemption; you will turn intercession into futile sympathy with human beings which will only increase their submissive content to being out of touch with God."

The preacher is just making noise when he or she ceases to speak for God and becomes one of “them.”  That is another reason that the character of the preacher is important. Scripture makes it clear that sin separates from God. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear (Isaiah 59:2). If the preacher is living foul, how can he or she hear clearly from God consistently enough to provide righteous leadership? Notice that Jesus never makes way for excuses in his teaching. He keeps the standard for both discipleship and leadership high, while committing his Spirit as our power to be the light of the world.

We as listeners must open ourselves to receive what God is imparting to us through the proclamation of the word and the redemptive purpose for it in our own lives. Not only that, we must also discern and test whether God is saying anything through the individuals to whom we lend our ears. Listen for how the preacher has wrestled with the text with intellectual and spiritual rigor, in addition to how that struggle has manifested itself the preacher’s life. If you keep coming up short, then express it with your feet.