"More Food Sir?"

        
         The single most correctable problem that our nation faces is the Sunday sermon... or the failure to preach Christ when we gather together for worship on the Lord's Day! We are overall a malnourished church and the nation reflects our feebleness. Most readers would probably disagree, "Our pastor preaches Jesus Christ every week" they might say, but is it because they have experienced one and only one paradigm for the Sunday sermon from today's evangelicalism and consequently judge everything upon this grid. Should God move upon the shepherds in these pulpits... then the news media, atheists, liberals and all those who cringe at the name of Jesus Christ will have no recourse but to sit and watch as a nation reverts in an awesome display of humility and reverence to the One who blessed it from before its very beginning. The following are parts of two  posts from the past on this topic:

More Food Sir.....November 15, 2009

         The following is a paragraph from Charles Dickens Oliver Twist where the boys who lived at the workhouse were issued three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week, and a half a roll on Sundays. The boys cast lots and Oliver was chosen to ask for a second portion of food. Here are Dickens words: The evening arrived; the boys took their place. The master, in his cook's uniform stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over the short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered themselves, and winked at Oliver; while his neighbors nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity: 'Please sir, I want some more food.' There have been times, in the past, when I have gone up to a pastor after the sermon and essentially said the same thing, More food sir?

Take The Grapefruit Test......June 19, 2011

         I'm a person of habits....to an alarming degree. I would never put my right boot on first! What kind of crazy lunatic would do that? I was in a quandary the other day after work. My routine is to take my seat behind the wheel and peel an orange while offering some thoughts of thanksgiving after the days work. I enjoy an orange every day on my ride home. This particular day, Wednesday I believe it was, I reached in my bag only to find a grapefruit! I had mistaken the orange...orange, for the orange grapefruit in the fridge. What to do? Do I drive for twenty minutes in disarray having no orange slices to put in my mouth.....or do I peel the grapefruit and put the grapefruit slices in my mouth? I opt for the latter for both oranges and grapefruits are citrus fruits. Technically I was in keeping with my habit but my face was contorted, and eyes watering the entire trip home.
         Are you a person of habits also. You may have gone to this particular church you belong to for so long that every hymnbook in the sanctuary must have your DNA on it. You sit in this certain pew and say hello to the same six people and give a thirteen word statement about the weather to the pastor on the way out every week. Why would anyone leave a church where everything is so.....non-threatening? What I am insinuating here is that you MAY need to look for another church. Try this test. Take a Tupperware container of grapefruit slices to church with you and eat one every time our redemption through the blood of Christ is mentioned. If you leave with a full container it may be time to reassess your church membership. If someone calls for the EMTs during the service....well, as Roseanne Rosannadanna would say..."Never Mind."