Sermon for Saturday
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:43
Prominent US editor and journalist Herbert Bayard Swope said ‘I can’t give you as sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure-try to please everybody all the time.’ It sounds like he’s talking about politicians, doesn’t it? People who try to sit on both sides of an issue to appeal to everybody in their audience usually end up in trouble with both sides. They are like the Jewish leaders in our text who were impressed with Jesus’ words and miracles, but were afraid to let the people around them know. They had fallen into the snare known as the fear of man. Too many Christians are all too familiar with that snare.
There is another old saying that if you have never been misunderstood, you have never stood for anything. The idea is that if you take a firm and public stand on an important issue, you will have opponents and objecters. If you don’t want opponents and objecters, just agree with everybody around you. The people you agree with will praise you for being so smart. If they happen to be wrong, it doesn’t matter, they have you to support their flawed position. This was the case of the Jewish leaders who wanted to accept the Galilean’s teaching, but who knew that this was very unpopular with the important folk. The praise of the Galilean was not as important to them as the praise of their peers. This is a dangerous approach. We need to guard ourselves against it today, even though it seems to be a popular approach in the world.
We know people who are attracted to our Assemblies; they appreciate the truth, the Biblical pattern, the faithfulness to the Word of God. But they remain in their denominations because to leave would offend family and friends, and sever ties with other people who they want to please. Even within our Assemblies are cliques and unofficial fellowships that sometimes wander a little further from the truth than they should. But those involved remain, because of the praise they receive from their peers.
The praise of men is fleeting and fickle. Those who seek it are selling themselves short. The praise of God is eternal and precious. Those who seek it are wise and well rewarded. – Jim MacIntosh