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  PREACH IT SERIOUSLY
  by Arthur Vess
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Summary: Arthur Vess emphasizes the importance of serious preaching that
focuses on holiness and spiritual truth rather than entertainment.

Topics: "Sermon Preparation", "Holy Living"
Scripture References: Proverbs 14:9, Ecclesiastes 7:3, 1 Corinthians 1:18, James 4:8, 1 Peter 1:16

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DESCRIPTION
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Arthur Vess emphasizes the importance of preaching with seriousness and
eternal significance, rather than focusing on amusing or entertaining
the congregation. He highlights the danger of neglecting the spiritual
hunger of souls by resorting to jokes and light-heartedness in the
pulpit, which can leave individuals feeling disappointed and starved for
truth. Vess stresses the need for sanity and seriousness in delivering
the message of holiness, cautioning against using humor as a substitute
for the weighty matters of salvation and sanctification. He challenges
preachers to prioritize the impartation of a holy nature and the
deliverance from sin over mere entertainment, especially in a world that
is increasingly distracted by amusement and entertainment.

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CONTENT
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Preach it seriously, not as a joke, but as a serious eternal issue.
There is too much chaff inour modern pulpits. Many try to tickle and
amuse people rather than bless them. If we are blessed,we do not need to
be amused and entertained. It is all right to be cheerful, but not
chaffy. They saidthat Jesus often wept but never laughed. How could He?
A young man was seriously affected by anevangelist's message, and went
over to the parsonage after the service to inquire more about thetruth;
but the pastor and evangelist cracked jokes and cut up so much that the
hungry soul wentaway grieved, disappointed and starved, wondering if
there was anything to it after all. No onewas ever saved or sanctified
in a jocular mood.

We must be sane and serious.

There may be anoccasional use of wit to embarrass the adversary, but
holiness is not a joke. Some cowards in thepulpit crack a joke and
explode their occasional denunciations of the world. Many, or most, of
ourmodern once-holiness preachers vie with each other in keeping their
hearers laughing and roaring with fun. Is this why the "glory has
departed?" The world stresses amusement and entertainment,while the
world is lost, and communism is rushing in on us. They want to forget
their sins and sorrows. They need deliverance from slavery of sin, and
the impartation of a holy nature so thatthey can live a holy, happy life
free from all sinful strife. Only miserable people have to beamused and
entertained.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/arthur-vess/preach-it-seriously/
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