I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy, by relatively peripheral insights that take on far too much weight. Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the center, we are not far removed from idolatry. (D.A. Carson, The Cross and Christian Ministry)
"I can forgive the preacher almost anything if he gives me a sense of God." Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
What a GREAT reminder. We can become so drawn to what he calls the peripheral. Thanks.
Okay, so I saw this tonight, Christmas Eve, and I had to share it with you. Consider this to be my Christmas gift to you:
A guy I know went to the local Moralistic Therapeutic Megachurchianity Christmas Eve Service. He had a sticker on his shirt afterward that declared, “I am the reason for the season.” His pastor gave it to the congregation to remind them that “shopping and presents isn’t the reason for the season. Jesus came for you. You are the reason for the season.”
I could not think of a better example of Anthropocentric Preaching!
Merry Christmas