A Warning to Preachers

There are many other bad habits. Many a solemn message has been utterly spoiled by a silly joke which was intended to illustrate, but which was entirely out of keeping with the occasion and hindered the work of the Holy Spirit. Many men of God are caught in this snare. A sense of pure humor is surely an endowment of the Almighty, but we need to be most careful and watch, lest the bounds of sobriety and propriety be overrun. Nobody wants to cultivate long-faced Christians. But “Be sober, be vigilant,” with regard to so-called humor, “because your adversary the devil, walketh about… seeking whom he may devour.”* (1 Peter 5:8)

Resist him, man of God! Resist the devil’s “funny” interpolations in your sermons. Sacrifice popularity, if that is what makes you popular. “Preach the word,”* (2 Timothy 4:2) not jokes and funny stories with a dash of religion. Then the Holy Spirit will seal every word you say, giving it the increase in due season (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

We should not merely deplore these things, but recognize their source, resist them, and thus remove from Satan a formidable weapon.