Radio And Tv Preachers
Radio And Tv Preachers
When you hear preachers on the radio or television have you noticed how
much of their time is spent trying to get you to send them some sort of
contribution? I try to judge this effort we make by what I hear from
other religious programs. I am really amazed, at times, how much
commercialism is engaged in by those who claim to be preaching the
gospel of Christ. More about that in today's broadcast, but first let
me mention some other matters.
The West End Church of Christ presents these fifteen minute lessons
every Sunday. We have only one reason for doing it -- we want to preach
the truth of God's word without being restricted by human doctrines,
creeds, and wisdom. That is why we repeatedly ask anyone who listens to
communicate with us if you do not agree with what we teach on this
program. This is not done out of a spirit of dare, or challenge, but in
sincerity and in the interest of being absolutely right about the most
important issue of this life and of eternity.
We also want to invite you to attend our services. Bible study begins
at 9 a.m., just under an hour from now and we have classes for all ages
in which the Bible is discussed and made relevant to living in this
world today. At 10 this morning we assemble to worship -- we honor God
in the reading and teaching of His word, several prayers, gospel songs,
giving of our means, and partaking of the sacred memorial feast of the
Lord's Supper. Tonight we assemble for worship at 6 p.m.
When you hear such things as, "We want to send you this book, written by
Dr. Theologious. It is a book that will change your life. For a
donation of just $19.95 we will send you the book by return mail. If
you have a Visa card, just call us at (and they give some phone number)
and charge it to your account." Or the same is done with a number of
products produced by religionists. From necklaces, to the tears of
Jesus, to scraps of cloths (from angels, no less) that someone says are
magic cures for various diseases, you can have nearly anything by just
sending in a donation. There is very little difference that I see in
asking for a donation for a book, or selling the thing outright. I
suppose one underlying reason for asking for donations is to avoid
paying taxes on the sale. But nevertheless, it borders on crass
commercialism in religion. When you hear, "We must hear from you today
--- go to your phone right now and call me -- I must hear from you," do
you ever get the queasy uneasiness that comes from suspicion? I confess
that I do. I am suspicious that such statements reflect more of a
veiled request for money than anything else.
Several years ago I listened to a female "evangelist" hawk her wares
over the television station. She was one who had magic powers enabling
her to be God's means of curing incurable diseases. She was a female
"faith healer." She offered "free" a set of the "actual tears of Jesus
Christ -- absolutely free." Being interested, and somewhat curious, and
admittedly a little skeptical, I sent in for the free tears of Jesus.
What I received was just one "tear," however. And it vaguely resembled
a plain and very cheap guitar or mandolin pick rather than a tear from
anyone. It was just a flat little piece of plastic in the form of a
tear drop. It was cardinal red and looked like a tear, but I must say
it did not live up to its billing. The enclosed instructions said that
if I held it near an ache or pain the pain would be immediately removed.
I kept it for quite a while and if it ever did anything other than serve
as a guitar pick, I am unaware of it. I don't know what ever happened
to this alleged tear of Jesus, but I do not remember a single ache or
pain being removed. However, for the next few years I received no less
than a hundred letters and cards from this lady evangelist asking me to
support her ministry, to keep her on the air, so that she could
distribute more of these "magic tears of Jesus." I believe it was all a
hoax, a fake, and a fraud.
The same is true of all radio and tv preachers who say, "For everyone
who sends us a contribution of one hundred dollars this week, we will
send you -- and then follows a long list of things from sanctified
handkerchiefs to pamphlets, books, cookbooks, jewelry and you name it.
Such is an ungodly, unscriptural and deceitful practice. It shows
clearly that some are using religion, which is non-taxable under the
non-profit organization status churches have, as a means of competing
with commercial businesses. Some businessmen complain about the unfair
competition they have thrust on them by this evil practice. After all,
they must pay taxes on the merchandise they offer to the public, but
religious enterprises can hide under the non-profit organization status.
By the way, "non-profit" does not mean they make no money -- they amass
millions of dollars. It simply means that the shareholders do not
receive a stipend from the money taken in. That is not true of most of
the prominent so-called "Television Ministries."
I have said all that to say this: When people use items of a religious
nature, for financial gain, be they true or false, they are desecrating
the things of God Almighty. When people preach false doctrines, they
desecrate and corrupt God's truth. When men use the truth as a means
of gaining money, they are doing precisely what our Lord Jesus Christ
condemned. Listen to this passage from the New Testament. "And the
Jews Passover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in
the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of
money sitting: And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove
them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out
the changer's money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that
sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house
of merchandise" (John 2:13-16). That may not sound much like the lowly
Nazarene, the loving Savior, the meek and mild Jesus, but it is a
divinely inspired report.
Those in the temple who were selling sheep and oxen to accommodate those
who came to offer sacrifices under the Old Law were the prototype of
today's TV evangelist who has a whole long list of things for you to
receive, after you "donate" to his work. The TV and radio evangelist
who is continually trying to raise money is no different than those
Jesus unceremoniously expelled from the temple. Picture in your mind
the scene Jesus saw. The court of the Gentiles had become a stockyard,
filled with cattle, sheep, and pigeons. There were also money changers
who changed foreign currency into the Jewish shekel for a nominal fee.
William Hendricksen graphically writes, "There was the stench and the
filth, the bleating and the lowing of animals, destined for sacrifice.
It is true, in the abstract, that each worshipper was allowed to bring
to the temple an animal of his own selection. But let him try it! In
all likelihood it would not be approved by the judges, the privileged
venders who filled the money chests of Annas!" (New Testament
Commentary, The Gospel of John, page 122). In all, it was something
Jesus knew had to be changed.
Jesus made a small scourge, a whip of sorts, from pieces of cord. He
emptied the courtyard of the temple in a matter of minutes. Think about
this for a minute. When you see some artist's conception of Jesus He is
usually pictured as a very handsome (one might say pretty) fair skinned
person with soft eyes and smooth features. His hands do not resemble
those of a carpenter and his physique is certainly not that of a strong
man. But there was apparently little, if any resistance to Him. What
resistance there even may have been was ineffective. Some people cannot
possibly think of Jesus Christ raising His hand against a person, much
less a whip. But notice the language carefully -- "He made a scourge of
small cords, and He drove them all out of the temple." All of them were
expelled -- beasts and man. He overturned the tables of money changers
and vehemently said, "Take these things hence; make not My Father's
house an house of merchandise." Who would have argued with Him at that
point?
Those of our day who continually make religion a profitable financial
enterprise are not one whit different than those who made the house of
God a house of merchandise. Listen once more. Paul wrote to Titus
warning him of some men who were "teaching things which they ought not,
for filthy lucre's (money) sake" (Titus 1:11). Money has more power
over some preachers than does the word of God. Money causes some men to
preach things that are soothing and pleasant to the hearer's ear. Paul
also said, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have
itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers" (II Timothy
4:3). Where there is an ear to itch, there is some "evangelist" or
"preacher" who will scratch it. This is why the problem over error and
false doctrine continues nearly unabated.
There is no place in the Lord's work or the Lord's church or the Lord's
heaven for those who turn religion in to a degrading and commercial
enterprise. I urge everyone who hears this to think seriously about it
-- the next time you hear some preacher trying to save his ministry by
your cash, check, money order, or Visa Card, just say a great big
healthy NO. Most of those who clamor for money and more money could
really help many more people if they would send money to poor of this
world rather than making merchandise of them.
And another evil associated with this commercialization of religion is
that you won't hear what to do to be saved on such commercial
enterprises. TV and radio preachers who bombard the audience with that
"We need to hear from you...we are going off the air if we don't hear
from you" tripe do not tell people what the Bible says one must do to go
to heaven. You know I am right. There is only one place one may hear
what to do to be saved and go be with God in eternity -- that is in the
word of God. That sacred revelation tells sinners to believe fully in
Christ as the Son of God (John 8:24), to repent of every wickedness and
sin (Acts 17:30) and on a confession of faith in Christ to be immersed
in water, into the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit, for the remission of sins (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38).
Friends, you just don't hear that from modern day TV and radio preachers
who continue asking for donations -- do you? I urge you to take only
your Bible, for it alone can show you the truth of God.
If you have a question about any of these things that have been said --
please contact us. Our mailing address is West End Church of Christ,
1609 Parkside Drive, Bowling Green, Ky. 42101. If you would like our
free paper, "The Voice of West End," mailed to you twice a month, or any
kind of Bible study materials, we will try to help you. Well, thank you
again -- we appreciate the opportunity to come to you each Sunday. Till
next Sunday at 8 a.m., may your ways be God's ways, and may His face
shine upon you and give you peace. Goodbye and God bless you.
Radio Sermon No 23
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Lyrics, Chords Tabs Rated
Children's NT Studies
