I can't understand the outrage. What in the world is wrong with Christians who complain about this demand for their sermons? Such a subpoena should be a cause of rejoicing, not dismay.
I would to God that someone would subpoena all my sermons. I am not embarrassed about what I have said from the pulpit. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" (Romans 1:16). I preach "Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2), and work hard to present "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). Nothing I have said in my sermons (there are a couple on YouTube), or written here on this blog, is meant to be private communication that must be shielded by law from nosy people. Good heavens - the whole point of preaching is that it is meant to be public. The more people who hear it, the better. The sorrow of any true servant of God is not that too many people listen to his message, but too few!
A preacher who believes what he says to be important and true wants everyone to hear it - friend and foe alike. I believe that those who feel differently have no business in the pulpit.
"But," someone might ask, "what if turning over my sermons to government authorities results in persecution?"
So much the better! Remember in Whose steps you walk. Jesus' preaching resulted in crucifixion. And his apostles, when they preached his gospel and were beaten for it, "rejoiced that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus" (Acts 5:41).
Preachers, make your sermons public or do not preach them. If those messages are ever demanded of you, give thanks to God, comply, and rejoice.
Great article Paul. But it does present a conundrum. On the one hand, we always want to be bold with the Gospel, speak the truth of God's Word, be God's spokespersons to a lost and dying world. On the other hand, it feels somewhat wrong to aid in the demise of the church with it's liberties as we know it, or to surrender them any sooner than is required. I know we're not guaranteed these freedoms by God and we've been blessed to have them this long. And I'm also aware that it may well be that God will allow persecution here in America to purify His church. In fact, I'm expecting it. But even the apostle Paul exercised what rights he did have in demanding that the Roman centurion who was about to flog him (Acts 22) refrain since he was a Roman citizen. And when the Jews trumped up charges against him and wanted him killed, he appealed to Caesar (Act.25). Maybe that prolonged his freedom to speak and to write more of the Gospel than had he not spoken up. But obviously, when push came to shove, Paul was fearless in his presentation of the Gospel, preaching the Good News to the very man (on earth) who held his fate in his hands. In regards to turning over our messages when their sole intent was to thwart the Gospel, he might have made them buy the CD.
ReplyDeleteVery well said, Steve! I like your point about Paul taking full advantage of his legal rights as a citizen. I would do that too to avoid getting beaten or thrown in prison. But to avoid handing over sermons? Hmm, not so sure about that. It's hard to answer the "What-Would-(Saint)-Paul-Do?" question, but I would guess that, just as Paul rejoiced that the gospel was preached - whether from false motives or true (Philippians 1:18) - so also he would rejoice that the gospel was heard, even though the initial motives might be hostile. Who knows? Maybe even the most severe opponent might have a change of heart. Paul certainly did!
DeleteDo you have one on women and their role in a worshiping community?
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't, Sarah. But if I did, it would pretty much be an amalgamation of the views of such august individuals as Donald Carson, Wayne Grudem, John Piper, FF Bruce, Donald Cole, and Stephen Hawthorne.
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