Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a comedian and a preacher? I must say sometimes there is little. Comedians and comic actors are there to make us laugh, enjoy the time. Sometimes they have a great insight on life and can open our eyes to our flaws in society using humor to get the job done. I am not speaking about the immoral or obscene that many comedians speak but those who really can make us laugh...at us! When comedians use obscenities to show us our faults, my mind comes to God: "Fools mock at sin..." (Prov. 14:9) It is bad enough to engage in it but it's even worse to think it is funny!
But that's not my point. When we go to God's word and read God's expectations of preachers, preachers are not to be comedians! A preacher is to be sincere and sober minded in his teaching/preaching. Paul exhorted Timothy to "be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (II Tim. 4:5) The preacher is to be an example in their conduct and speech for other believers (I Tim. 4:12). A preacher is to take pains in their preaching so the brethren will see your progress, while paying close attention to yourself and your teaching so we will ensure salvation for us and those who hear (I Tim. 4:15-16). Too many preachers seem to work hard at entertaining! They want the people to like them and use their wit to get every one's attention. I am not saying that sometimes something funny comes up to make a point, but it seems too many are focused on the comedian entertainment and God is secondary.
When one reads of the OT prophets that preached, they weren't comedians! They rejoiced when rejoicing was in order but their preaching wasn't in patterns of a comedian. Sin is far too serious and people can be easily led down a path of insincerity and lack of conviction just from being funny. Those prophets had a message from God and they had to express that message to keep God's people on track or get them to turn their lives around. It wasn't "The Temple Comedic Hour!"
Listen, thirty minutes of rolling-in-the isle material and some biblical passage sprinkled in with a few serious stories of morals is not preaching the word of God!! It will not take much and the listeners become shallow, hollow shells and opens their lives to listening to anything because it is more than they are presently getting. There is too much "cotton candy" and not enough seriousness of God. People need God and need to be confronted with God. Comedians cannot provide that. Paul warned Timothy, "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires." (II Tim. 4:2-3)
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a preacher and a sour, belligerent, tedious quoter of Bible with little application? (You figure that one out!)
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