Earl
faithfully
sat down on
the pew that
he had come
to know as
“his seat.”
Throughout
all the
years, he
always sat
in the
middle row,
left of
center. It
was the
church that
he and his
wife, Betty
had attended
for decades.
Previously a
deacon, he
currently
enjoyed
being a lay
member and
felt no
pressure to
serve (as he
did in his
former
role). No
more
teaching
Sunday
school as in
years past.
Earl was
enjoying his
“golden
years,”
satisfied
with being a
non-participant
in the
church.
His family’s
involvement
with First
Christian
goes way
back, since
its
inception in
the
mid-1880s.
His
great-great-grandparents
were
founders and
back in the
1980s, Earl
was honored
in their
place in the
Centennial
Celebration.
Going
forward in
time, today
it’s a
routine
Sunday
morning.
“Now on the
fourth
stanza let’s
all stand,”
said the
music
director.
An offering
was taken
and prayer
requests
were spoken.
“Pastor, I
have an
“unspoken.”
My sister’s
husband’s
been down in
the back.”
The requests
continued.
Then the
senior
pastor led
the
congregation
in prayer.
“Finally,”
Earl
muttered
under his
breath to
his wife, as
the pastor
finished his
prayer with
an, “Amen.”
Earl looked
at his
watch. His
mind drifted
to Wall
Street.
Wonder if my
blue
chippers are
okay…Did I
remember to
tell the
guys I would
be late for
golf today?
I forgot to
call the
landscapers…
Then from
the pulpit
came the
introduction
that brought
Earl’s mind
back to the
time at
hand.
“Everyone,
I’m so
excited to
share this
young pastor
with all of
you today.
I’ve heard
great things
about his
ministry and
I know we
are all in
for a
special
treat
today.”
“Oh boy,”
Earl
whispered as
he leaned
over to his
wife. “This
young man is
still wet
behind the
ears, can’t
be a day
over 40,
maybe not
even 30.”
“Shh,” Betty
scolded.
Stepping to
the pulpit
and
embracing
the church’s
senior
pastor, the
guest pastor
placed his
Bible on the
pulpit and
opened it.
“Wow, what a
great honor
it is to be
here today
and to be
able to
share with
you an
urgent
message
which the
Lord has
laid on my
heart. A
message I
know is for
just such a
time as
this. Thank
you for this
invitation,
and the
opportunity
to be here
with you.
Earl sat
restlessly,
having heard
it all in
his many
years—positioning
himself for
some secret
“shut eye”
during the
sermon. Over
the years he
has
perfected
his trade.
He
opens his
Bible,
places it to
his left
just between
himself and
the end of
the pew, and
then he
leans on the
shoulder of
the pew and
rests. It
looks like
he’s
reading, but
in
actuality,
he’s able to
close his
eyes and
doze off.
“If we may,
let’s get
ready to
hear the
Word of the
Lord.
Heavenly
Father, we
come before
your
presence
with great
reverence as
we are about
to open up
your Word.
And knowing
you have
said that
your words
are ‘spirit
and life’ we
ask today,
on this day,
that your
words will
pierce the
souls
of each one
here,
including
myself—with
a new and
great
urgency to
be ready for
your Son’s
soon return,
in Jesus’
name. And
all God’s
people
said?”
“AMEN.”
“I want you
all to all
please turn
in your
Bibles to
Matthew
7:21-23.”
A bristling
sound rushed
through the
congregation
as the
people
opened their
Bibles.
Earl, still
awake
followed
suit.
The young
pastor spoke
boldly with
conviction,
“Not
everyone who
says to me,
‘Lord, Lord,
shall enter
the kingdom
of heaven,
but he who
does the
will of my
Father in
heaven. Many
will say to
me in that
day, Lord,
have we not
prophesied
in your
name, cast
out demons
in your
name, and
done many
wonders in
your name?
And then I
will declare
to them, I
never knew
you; depart
from me, you
who practice
lawlessness!’”
The
impassioned
pastor
finished
reading the
verses.
Stepping out
from behind
the pulpit
standing
closer to
the
congregation,
he continued
to preach
his sermon.
“All across
this great
nation,
people have
come to
churches
just like
this one for
years. They
have gone
through the
motions.
Sunday after
Sunday
attending
church
services and
choir
practice --
followed by
business
meetings,
Wednesday
night prayer
meetings…and
many revival
gatherings.
Some are
committed to
the Lord
serving Him
and for
others all
of it is
nothing more
than a
religious
duty void of
a real
born-again
relationship
with God.
To
the carnal
eye, if
someone was
to be that
faithful,
diligent,
pious, and
dedicated,
you would
think it
would be
safe to
assume that
those
persons, or
any person
for that
matter—with
such
devotion to
their
church—would
be ‘saved’
from the
wrath to
come. But
that is why
I’m here
today,
because it’s
obvious
after
reading
these
passages,
it’s never
safe to
assume. I’m
sure you’ve
all heard
why they say
it’s bad to
assume?”
The visiting
preacher
coaxes and a
few giggles
assure the
answer.
“Here, in
these verses
our Lord and
Savior gave
us a strong
warning. He
said there
will be
those who
will stand
before Him
and even
call Him,
‘Lord’ but
in response
He will say,
‘Who are
you?’ But
they will
say, ‘Lord
I’ve done
this or I’ve
done that in
your name. I
went to
church. I
was a
deacon. I’ve
been to
hundreds if
not
thousands of
services. I
gave
thousands of
dollars to
the church.
I taught
Sunday
school.’ The
excuses will
keep
coming…I, I,
I.
He
will look to
these people
and say,
‘Depart from
me I NEVER
KNEW YOU.’”
Earl, who
would
usually be
asleep by
now, quickly
realizes
that this
sermon is
not the
norm. This
is not a
sermon he
will be able
sleep
through. He
straightens
himself up.
This young
whippersnapper
better watch
it, he
thinks to
himself.
Doesn’t he
realize just
who
he is
preaching
too?
The young
pastor walks
back behind
the pulpit
taking a
drink of
water, then,
slowly looks
around the
room.
“To my eye,
you all look
like very
godly
people.
You’re here
in church
when so many
don’t even
bother. It
would be
easy for me
to assume
that
everyone’s
okay with
the Lord,
but…”
His voice
began to
slightly
quiver.
“I know the
reason God
has put this
message on
my heart.
The reason
is because
there are
some here
today that
aren’t okay.
Therefore, I
beg you all
to listen.
Please, hear
the heart of
this
message. I
have not
come, nor
did Jesus
send me here
to condemn
you, but
rather to
urge you to
make sure
you’re not
just
‘playing
church.’
That you
haven’t
lived your
lives in a
way that
when you
stand before
Jesus, He
will look at
you and say,
‘Depart from
me I never
knew you.’”
Earl’s
temper was
being
stoked. “Who
is this
guy?” he
asked,
nudging his
wife.
“Honey,
quiet,” his
wife
whispered.
“Well,
he’d better
change his
tune. I
don’t need
to hear this
type of
message,”
Earl
replied.
Meanwhile
the
determined
pastor
continued
preaching
with great
passion.
Begging and
pleading he
warned the
congregation,
“People,
please make
yourselves
ready.
Jesus’
coming is
even at the
door.”
Many eyes in
the
congregation
showed a
sincere
brokenness.
When the
altar call
came, many
responded
and ran to
the altar
crying out,
“Jesus, save
me.”
But not
Earl, he
stormed to
the back of
the church,
grumbling
the entire
way, glaring
at the
pastor to
alert him
that he was
not happy.
Putting on
his coat and
hat, he left
in a huff.
Betty
cautioned,
“Earl please
calm down,
slow down,
you are all
worked up.”
All
afternoon
the only
thing Earl
could think
about was
how he was
going to go
to the young
pastor’s
house, and
sternly let
him know in
no uncertain
terms there
would never
to be that
type of
speaking
again at
First
Christian
Church!
It
was finally
bedtime and
Earl was
still
fuming. He
made himself
comfortable
on his bed,
Wall Street
Journal in
hand. But he
had to get
one more
thing off
his chest
before he
could read
his paper.
“Honey, it
reeked of
legalism…that
holier than
thou
preaching
has no place
at First
Christian
Church. My
granddaddy
would be
rolling in
his grave.
Turn it to
KY3, will
you, Betty?
I want to
hear the
weather
report for
tomorrow.
BREAKING
NEWS!
Reports are
coming in
from all
over the
Ozarks that
hundreds if
not
thousands of
peoplehave
just
disappeared.
“Betty?”
Earl reached
out in
desperation
to elbow his
wife.
She was not
there! She
had been
caught up to
meet Jesus
in the air.
Earl
grabbed his
chest and
fell to his
knees. At
8:30 p.m.
central
standard
time, a
shout had
gone out...“COME
UP HERE!”
Earl wasnow
praying, but
it was too
late.
He was NOT
READY!
Footnote:
This is
the sixth in
my series of
short
stories, Preludes to the Rapture collection. Please feel free to download
the stories
as formatted
and use them
as
witnessing
material.
Tim Cameron
timcameron@centurytel.net