T.v. Preaching Success

I mentioned  my kidney stone incident in an earlier post.  That happened on a Sunday Morning.  I still intended to try to make it to worship, but it just wasn’t happening.

Brenda suggested catching a sermon on t.v.  I have never been a big fan of that because it is hard to know WHO you are hearing.   As a cynical skeptic, I don’t trust the exegesis of those I don’t know.

But, what did we have to lose?

So, our first preacher to see was SC.   He used the Foundational Testament story about the birth of Perez in Genesis 38.  Fair enough, I am a FT kind of guy.  My view is that the Gospel is in the FT, it’s just in a simpler, clearer form.   All the FT saints were saved by Grace, based on the COMING sacrifice (in fact Scripture explains that the Christ was crucified BEFORE the foundation of the world).  All FT saints were saved based on G^d’s grace, exactly as we are saved.  Recall G^d is independent of time and space.

So here's the sermon text:

Genesis 38:²⁷ When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. ²⁸ As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, “This one came out first.” ²⁹ But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez (Perez means breaking out.^{) 30} Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out. And he was named Zerah."

The preacher used the name “breakout” to motivate the crowd to “breakout” to success, happiness, wealth, etc.  He encouraged the mob to hold their hand over their head and pronounce a “Yes” over their life.

I don’t want to pass judgment, as that preacher will stand before the L^rd, along with the rest of us; but I will go out on a limb and say, I don’t think that is the point of that story in Genesis.

Fortunately, the next guy, Angus, had a Scripturally-based message, and it was good.  The next guy was back to “positive thinking”, prosperity and success in the “Reigning as Kings”, ministry.

The pattern suggests that successful t.v. ministry may require a health and wealth approach.  I know there are still some good t.v. ministries, they just appear to be a minority.

I never knew Scripture was so interested in making us wealthy. In fact, I always thought the opposite was more the case.  "For every 10 men who can withstand poverty, only one can withstand wealth."

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.  (Matt 6:24)

That verse doesn't seem all that popular on t.v.  Go figure.