When we look at the ministry of Jesus, we often see a loving or kind-hearted Jesus saying, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28–30)
But Jesus also got angry. He also rebuked or reprimanded others. In Matthew 21:12-13, we see Jesus going into the temple, overthrowing the tables of the moneychangers and casting them that sold and bought in the temple out. In Matthew 12: 34, Jesus called the pharisees a brood of vipers. In Matthew 23 Jesus called them whitewashed tombs, looking beautiful on the outside but full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean on the inside. To Peter Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23)
Unfortunately, though we all want to be like Jesus, we often lack the boldness and authority Jesus had.
We do not want to talk about sin because we may offend people. We do not want to talk about holiness, because some church members may get upset. We do want to set the standard, because some may think we are setting the bar too high. We would rather not speak of those living an ungodly or unholy life, because they may leave the church. We often stay quiet because we do not want to lose those paying huge tithes. We rather preach people pleasing sermons because church growth is often more important than spiritual growth.
Today I want to encourage every minister not to let the possible reactions of the assembly determine what you are preaching. Instead, let us be bold and preach the whole council of God. Let us not become an audience-focused, truth-denying, Holy-Spirit-quenching, Jesus-defying church because we want to please an audience, not offend or fill the church but let us proclaim Jesus Christ crucified, following the example He set.