August 11, 2015
Diving In
The pastor told worshippers
about the importance of getting into the Word of God. “We often say it is all
about love, but dive into God’s Word, find the truth.” The pastor threw out
multiple passages of Scripture to support the message; however, the rapidly
fired references left absolutely no time to look up the Scripture. Rather than diving
into the Word with him, all we could do was float along on the surface of
message. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what
it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do
what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and,
after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:22-24 NIV).
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Gail;
-----I received my new book in the mail yesterday. I like a book that gives sufficient references. This book , though, is full of references. After every seventy pages or so are three or four hundred reference notes. To read this book while checking out all of its references would consume the greater portion of the rest of my life.
-----Char has been sprinkling resumes around the valley. She’s been collecting work experience a little here and a little there. So she, too, has been adding to the list of her references. I often wonder how many of those references actually get checked. A good personnel manager is going to check those of the final few job candidates. The rest doubtlessly go without contact. There just isn’t enough time to check them all.
-----But that doesn’t mean the references listed on all the resumes not making the final few were feckless. The mere presence of references gives some assurance that the candidate is presenting himself at least somewhat honestly. Each reference given is an opportunity for the personnel manager to check the applicant’s honesty. The applicant can risk that possibility and lie anyway. My guess is that some do. But for the most part, references offer more, but not complete, assurance of a résumé’s integrity by just being presented.
-----I think the same towards any book I read. But when it comes to Scriptural references in a sermon, this concept looses a bit of steam in the chill of widespread abuse and misuse of God’s Word. Whether it is in a book or a sermon, whenever I’m given a Scriptural reference, I’m wondering not only what that particular Scripture says, but from what context does it draw which nuance, and how does this nuance fit amongst other Scriptural concepts rubbing elbows with the same topic. It is not enough for me to just know how a Scripture fit’s the preacher’s current gig in a pulpit.
-----There’s really more to consider in confirming references than any sermon can make time available. So usually I just treat references during a sermon like the personnel manager treats references in that intimidatingly high stack of resumes. If the preacher’s particular concept to which the reference applies is important, I will do the research when the sermon is finished, unless the sermon is otherwise boring. In such case I start forthwith.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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