I was listening to my sermon introduction from Sunday yesterday and something stood out. I would like to clarify something, particularly in light of my "Holy Spirit Trump Card" post. I truly did feel led by the Spirit to preach on the specific parable of the unmerciful servant. Allow me to explain myself.Since I'm not going verse by verse through a particular book in the bible like I normally do, I've been preaching through the parables. So I've limited myself to choosing from those parables. Since I'm not going to re-preach the same parable, and there are several similar parables, that leaves a select number to choose from. Within that pool, I looked at a few parables but kept finding myself strangely drawn to the parable of the unmerciful servant. So I said that I "felt led" by the Spirit to preach that passage. I believe that God was leading me to preach that passage. I didn't just open up the bible, close my eyes, and see where my finger landed.
The reason I feel the need to explain myself is because "feeling led" is WAY different than saying, "God told me to say this to you, and you cannot question it!" I'm not a prophet, and I don't think you're one either. However if you say, "I feel led," then we can talk. Maybe you're right, maybe not; that's why we have community. Maybe the Spirit didn't lead me to this passage specifically. But I certainly didn't want to preach on this difficult passage and pleaded with God for wisdom, and that he would not allow any personal hidden agenda to get in the way. And since he plainly states in James 1 that he gives wisdom generously to those who ask, I'll believe He led me to this passage. Of course with the full awareness that I can be mistaken. Yet its no different than all of us being led each day to figure out when to speak, when to shut up, when to share the actual content of gospel, when to just listen, when to hug, when to speak boldly, etc...
Regardless, God's word is useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training in righteousness. So if I were wrong, certainly there would be no harm, no foul.
4 comments:
Geoff, your post is amusing. I must admit that at the time you said you "felt led" I noted that that is not a phrase usually spoken in Reformed fellowships. I wasn't troubled by it, mind you, and understood perfectly what you meant. Having spent considerable time in the past worshiping with those of a Charismatic persuasion, I was not troubled by your statement.
Gail,
Thanks for your response and for not being troubled by my statement! Richard Pratt, one of my favorite professors in seminary said that "Pentecostals/Baptists make the best Presbyterians."
So I guess you're in the avant garde, eh?
There are a good number of reformed continuationists out there, and we would not have been bothered by your statement.
:)
Alex,
Yes there are, and God bless them. I'm not really one of them, but will not be dogmatic about the issue.
But as further evidence of God's leading, Randy preached a sermon on reconciliation (which I had no idea, even though he's just been walking through Romans) a week after I felt led to preach on the parable of the unmerciful servant. Apparently they went together like the Tampa Bay Rays and First Place.
So I have great confidence that God did lead me to that passage.
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