Varied Reactions

After quoting a letter praising one of the sermons of Brownlow North, his biographer goes on to say, “Strange to say, the sermon which awoke such a strain of thanksgiving … and brought her sweet note of gratitude, awoke bitter opposition in another breast and brought an angry and rude letter ….” The same sermon, but a different reaction.

When Jesus healed the man with a withered hand (Mk 3), I am sure that the man himself and all his friends rejoiced. But the Pharisees went out and held counsel with the Herodians how to destroy Jesus (Mk 3:6). The Apostle Paul had a close friendship with the Christians in Galatia, until some false teachers came in and made them suspicious of him. Having been told by the new teachers that they could save themselves by good works, they reacted in anger when Paul reiterated the Gospel to them. He was forced to ask, “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal 4:16)

Good preaching does not always receive a good reaction. Speaking of the generation that wandered in the wilderness, the Hebrew writer says, “the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Heb 4:2, KJV). Does the word meet with faith in us? If it does not, the best sermons in the world will do no good.

Sometimes a preacher misspeaks or speaks unclearly. But let us always remember that our reaction to what is said is our reaction. If we think that we have heard something terrible, while others have a different reaction, maybe we misheard, misunderstood, or misapplied what was said. Or maybe the message simply was not received and mixed with faith in our hearts.

The same sunshine will melt butter and harden clay. The same teaching that causes rejoicing in the heart of the penitent sinner, draws an angry reaction from one determined to go on in sin. The reaction of our heart toward a given teaching is not entirely the result of that teaching. The state of our heart contributes considerably to the overall result. That is why preparatory prayer is so important before worship or Bible study. Sin must be confessed. The heart must be prepared to receive the message.

When the Bible is expounded, our reaction may tell more about the state of our heart than it does about the quality of the delivery. A cold indifferent response indicates a cold indifferent heart. An angry response …. A warm and joyous response ….