Sermon B: 3 S Lent: 1 Cor 1:22

For the third Sunday in Lent, the three readings for Church Year B are Exodus 20:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 and John 2:13-25. The text chosen on which to preach is 1 Corinthians 1:22, "For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom."

The most important part of the sermon is to make sure that Law and the Gospel reach the target audience. For a radio program the target audience is usually those who would best appreciate what is being said. For a cooking program, the target audience are cooks; for a landscapping program, the target audience are gardeners and so forth. But what is the primary target audience for a religious program of either sermon or Bible class?

Most preachers would suggest that the target audience are the specific individuals in the congregation or the listening audience. However, such a view would mean that the message needs to be used that best reaches that audience. According to verse 22 of 1 Corinthians, Jews are best reached if you can persuade by a sign, a miracle, or some evidence. And Grentiles are best reached if you persuade them by reason or logic. However, it is clear from this verse that such a means of persuasion cannot work with Christianity. For it is impossible to persuade an unbeliever by a sign or reason since what Christians believe offers no evidence and is totally unreasonable!

As the Bible reveals, even were someone to rise from the dead, no one would be persuaded. And even if the wisest of philosophers used reason and logic to the best of his ability, no unbeliever would be persuaded. Why? Because the message of Christianity is foolishness to those who are perishing (verse 18). Then, who is the primary target audience of the preacher. Our answer will surprise you.

The primary target audience is not human--the primary target audience is the Holy Spirit! What does that mean? Glad you asked. As host of Law and Gospel on radio station AM 850 KFUO for over a dozen years, the question is asked as to how many people I have converted. The answer is always the same--none! Conversion is not our job--it is the work of the Holy Spirit. If converting people made a preacher successful, then Jesus was the worst preacher of all time unable to persuade even His own hometown. Yet the Father still considered Him as One in Whom He was well pleased. How so?

Because the success of the witness is not in the results but in the proper use of the means of grace. Jesus was successful always regardless of the response on the part of listeners but because He clearly and accurately spoke the Word of God. Today our message needs to be stated in such a way that the Holy Spirit can make use of the Word of God in creating a new heart and renewing a right spirit. God does not work through false doctrine.

It is not that the listener is never a target audience. It is just that the listeners are secondary targets. First get the Word straight and then use that part of the Word of God which best touches the lives and problems of the listener. That is, to a listener at a funeral, use the Gospel promises dealing with the sure hope of those who trust in Jesus Christ. To a listener at a wedding, use the Gospel promises that deal with Jesus Christ as the third person in every marriage and the promises He brings to such a covenant.

While the temporal realm may properly use evidence and reason to persuade, in the realm of Christianity the only sure means of salvation is the pure Word of God and the proper use of the Sacraments. In fact, those are not only the proper tools for the Holy Spirit to convert, they also are where the Church in its mission truly exists.