While attending college many years ago, I worked at a small congregation in Sardis, Tennessee. This church had around forty members and they faithfully endured my early attempts at preaching. One of the special things about the building there and especially the pulpit is a plaque that was attached to the pulpit that could only be seen by the preacher during church services. The plaque read,
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” John 12:21.
The purpose of the plaque was to remind the speaker that the Christians had not gathered that day to hear the eloquence or education of the preacher. Life stories and funny jokes were not to be the focus of the sermon either. The church needed to hear the story of Jesus. The Messiah who came to this world to show us how to live and to relate to his fellow man. The Son of God who endured loneliness, poverty, and rejection, all the while never losing faith in God. The one who died on the cross so that you and I may have forgiveness from our sins.
Our congregation needs to always focus on Jesus. We need to show people his teachings, his example, and his love. Each one of us needs to show the love and compassion of Jesus in our marriages, in the work place, and even in our churches. Remember that each day we are to be Christian light to this dark world.
