I am really used to receive criticism, so what did last week critique so disturbing?
I concluded that what really offended me was something like: "your message was very confusing, wordy, and the congregation was not apt to digest it".
So, why this critique really offended me?
Because, I take myself as a great professor that can clarify the Bible to the congregation. Surely, I see myself as much better prepared than other teachers and I really mean it.
However, am I responsible to make the audience understand the Bible?
The Bible is not simple. I make some effort to clarify it, but am I doing right?
The book of Mark is full of mysteries and ends with a great question: what happened to Jesus body? (the resurrection was added to Mark).
The gospel says that Jesus was talking to parables so that they hear and do not understand; so that they do not convert. Very strange a statement like that in the gospel...
It is in Matthew 13:14-15:
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
If it is all true to Jesus, why on earth should I teach about the Bible in a clear way so that all congregation listens, repents and has a new life? I would like to, but I am not responsible to it. I do not see Jesus thinking like that.
Jesus attracts some people and repels other people, He saves and He condemns.
In conclusion, I am not so responsible to convert people and, I am not so responsible to clarify the message. Perhaps, a great human effort to clarify the sermon may damage the gospel and take away its beauty. There are a lot of mysteries in God's Word. Perhaps, if only I could motivate the congregation to search for answers in the Bible, to dig in its mysteries... then I would have preached well.
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