Saturday 17 August 2013

Opening of a Recent Sermon


Imagine this conversation. Two chapel-goers meet on the street..

“How are you getting on with your minister these days?”

“Very well indeed. He’s lovely – such a kind man, a great listener, and a great preacher too. He’s wonderful considering the problems he has at home.”

“Oh, what problems would they be?”

“Well, his wife is no credit to him.”

“She doesn’t help him much in his ministry then?”

“I’ll say she doesn’t! It’s worse than that.”

“Oh, is she not a Christian?”

“Far from it! She’s an absolute disgrace. To put it bluntly, she’s nothing but a common tart. She goes out at night and he’s got no idea where she is. She’s left him a few times and gone off with another man. There are three children in the manse, but nobody’s sure whether they’re his or not. Needless to say, they’re no credit to him either. They’re completely out of control.”

“Hasn’t he ever thought of a divorce?”

“Well, he has threatened it, but every time she comes back crying on his shoulder he forgives her and they patch it up somehow. I think he’d be far better off without her. But there you are, love is blind I suppose.”

“It must be very embarrassing for him in his ministry. How does he cope? I suppose he keeps quiet about it.”

“Oh no, quite the reverse – he often preaches about it. He says his marriage has taught him a lot about God.”

“Preaches about it! Well, I’ve heard it all  now. I can’t imagine my church putting up with that. We’d have been looking for another minister long ago.”

“But we wouldn’t want any other minister. We love our Mr Hosea.”