A tennis professional was giving a lesson to a new student of the game. After watching the student take several swings at the tennis ball, he began to suggest ways in which the strokes might be improved. But each time a suggestion was made, the student would interrupt with his own version of what was wrong and how to correct it. After several such interruptions, the Pro began to nod his head in agreement. When the lesson ended, a woman who had been watching asked the Pro: “Why did you go along with that arrogant man’s stupid suggestions?” The old “Pro” smiled and replied, “I learned a long time ago that it is a waste of time to try to sell answers to a person who just wants to buy echoes.”
On several occasions, I have read and reread my call to ministry from 2 Timothy 4:1-5: “ 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage— with great patience and careful instruction.
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
Some pastors, to their shame, have made the same decision as the Tennis Pro. They are preaching echoes to people who just want their ears tickled with what they want to hear, rather than offering the answers people need to hear by preaching God’s truth. There are two things I committed to from the outset of my ministry (i.e., No one comes to hear my opinion—they come to hear God’s Word; and We always speak Jesus—not echoes).
While we may not want to identify or name the enemy— the enemy is no less real. We like to spend more time speaking of green pastures and still waters, but the truth is, we are in a war.
The enemy is very real, very dangerous, and very capable. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul tells us: “ 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” The enemy is NOT flesh and blood and it is NOT people. The enemy IS Satan—Lucifer— Beelzebub—the Devil. He is the Adversary, the tempter, the murderer, the liar, the serpent, a prowling lion, and the god of this age. If you do not know who your enemy is, you will lose. If you spend all your time and effort fighting the wrong enemy—you will be defenseless when the real enemy shows up!
SEEK FIRST is not just a cool church slogan—it is God’s Command! When we think we can be victorious in our own strength, we are in grave danger. Victory ONLY comes through the power of almighty God. When we think we can win on our own (when we stop being obedient) we put ourselves at great risk. Victory is found in peace. Peace only comes when the battle is over and Jesus transforms lives at the point of salvation. That’s why we speak Jesus!
Always in His Service, Pastor Ron Fellowship Church of the Nazarene