Bible Study Seattle

Dr. R. L. Hymbers, Jr. has a great line about most modern preaching:

“The titles of modern “sermons” sound like articles in the Reader’s Digest – full of fluff and pablum – with nothing in them to disturb an unconverted church member – or catch the attention of a lost college student who might be in a service. These little “Reader’s Digest” sermons, given to soothe the elderly ladies and not ruffle any feathers, are killing real Christianity!”

Now, he’s a little on the fire & brimstone side, but there’s a lot of truth in that statement.  Churches have a conflict of interest, as do most businesses.  Churches are in the business of staying in business, truth comes second.  This proves that the true church is massively smaller than the apparent church of today.  If the truth were fully preached, most church members would quit, but some non church people would be converted.  If it’s true that the true church numbers merely 144,000 across 2,000 years, that’s a very small  number indeed.  Of course those of the household of faith who do not make the bride probably number many millions and millions.  There are more bridesmaids in a wedding than brides.  So also, there were many more Levites assisting in worship than actual priests making sacrifices.  Remember God’s instruction to Gideon:

“Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.  The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’  Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”  So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.”  Judges 7:1-8