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I remember hearing a preacher say, "Birds in L.A. don't sing; they cough."
He proves his point too much. It is obvious he is Scottish, which is not synonymous with Reformed. He sets up his point by explaining (after a fashion) what Scots are like, and why we should be like them. His point is very correct with respect to telling stories (humorous or not) instead of preaching the text. But it is not true that preaching is devoid of humor - the Bible is full of humor in the sense of mockery of those who rebel against God, showing the foolishness of sin, etc.
One obvious and classic example:
And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
(1 Kings 18:27 ESV)
Was Elijah a bad "Johnny Carson" preacher? I think not. In fact, the entire episode is hilarious.
If he is talking about the Baalites, then absolutely he is correct. But I would think that true Israelites would have guffawed at the statement in 1 Ki 18:27He proves his point too much. It is obvious he is Scottish, which is not synonymous with Reformed. He sets up his point by explaining (after a fashion) what Scots are like, and why we should be like them. His point is very correct with respect to telling stories (humorous or not) instead of preaching the text. But it is not true that preaching is devoid of humor - the Bible is full of humor in the sense of mockery of those who rebel against God, showing the foolishness of sin, etc.
One obvious and classic example:
And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
(1 Kings 18:27 ESV)
Was Elijah a bad "Johnny Carson" preacher? I think not. In fact, the entire episode is hilarious.
Fred, thanks for your comment. What did you think of Dr Murray's remark concerning that passage: "I can’t see many people laughing on Mount Carmel." (p. 336)? To my mind, that seems a bit hard to believe.
If he is talking about the Baalites, then absolutely he is correct. But I would think that true Israelites would have guffawed at the statement in 1 Ki 18:27
One of the things I appreciate about Lloyd-Jones book Preaching and Preachers (actually a set of lectures turned into a book) is the reminder that the work of preaching is serious business.
Sometimes a piece of humor in a sermon has made the message itself more memorable, and made the point stick. I one time heard a preacher say that you ask most people what they think Samson looked like they almost always describe a Jewish Arnold Schwarzeneggar. I remember the main points of the message and why it fit so well, so it was profitable. Another man, who is a very serious preacher, talking about being in a church where maybe half are converted and half are converted made the remark, "I suppose the Lord could give me great grace if I have to look at the butts of the goats for a while." (He might have said "deal," but that is how I heard it). It was very difficult to not laugh when I heard that, but in no way did it break the power in his message, and I'd say the line contains a sermon in itself. Sobering night.
I agree! I actually believe the best sermon ever preached, by the world's greatest preacher, includes irony that's meant to be humorous. See Matthew 6:27, for example.
I've heard sermons that use humor needlessly, such as beginning with a joke that has nothing whatsoever to do with the sermon. But I also think it can be quite helpful.
Take, for example, my pastor's sermon on the account of poor Eutychus (whose name ironically means Lucky). His main take-home point was that, even with Eutychus being restored after his accident, the focus in Luke's account was on the worship of God. It was a part of his series on Acts, and we happened to be in this text on what the world calls "Super Bowl Sunday." He began by saying, "Well, today's the big day, isn't it? It's the day when millions in our nation and even around the world have been anticipating all week long. Today, gatherings will take place in public buildings, and in homes, and even outdoors. Families and friends and sometimes even complete strangers are going to come together, and they will eat, and they will drink, and they're going to focus their attention upon that one compelling event. I'm speaking of course about the corporate gathering of God's people on the Lord's Day for the worship and commemoration of Christ's death in the Lord's Supper. What'd you think I was talking about?" We all laughed.
Another time, my pastor was talking about how we can have this idea that there are two types of lost sinners, "mostly dead" and "really dead." He likened it to, if he were preaching and had a heart attack, we would just need to go get the defibrillator. But if he were preaching and his head exploded (kaboom!), "we wouldn't be getting the defibrillator." His point was that all lost sinners are of the "exploded head variety."
Now, the overall tenor of my pastor's ministry is not humorous. But he does use humor to make a valid point. And he knows there are times it shouldn't be used. So I think it's more complex than saying, "A sermon should not include a joke."