In Curtis C. Thomas's work, Practical Wisdom for Pastors, he gives this quote which I received elsewhere, but it greatly encouraged and challenged me this morning...If we ever get to the point where our message is rounded off so that we avoid a particular passage, a needed subject, a pointed rebuke or biblical command for fear that we are going to offend and thereby run off a member, then we have begun to fear men rather than striving to please our Master. That’s a temptation into which Satan wants us to fall. He wants people leaving after our messages very comfortable, soothed, and feeling good about us. But sometimes, in order for us to be faithful, some people will leave the message not feeling very good about us. The truth should comfort the hurting but also unsettle the comfortable.Blessings to you. I pray that we would all preach endeavoring to "comfort the hurting but also to unsettle the comfortable." And I think that we have more comfortable people in the pews today than ever before...
