Laughing Ourselves to Hell
E.A. Johnston warns against the dangerous trend of prioritizing entertainment over the solemn preaching of hell and salvation in the church.
In "Laughing Ourselves to Hell," E.A. Johnston challenges the modern church's tendency to prioritize entertainment over the solemn preaching of the gospel. He contrasts contemporary practices with the serious messages of historic preachers and emphasizes the eternal reality of hell. Johnston calls pastors to return to preaching the blood of Christ and warning sinners about judgment rather than seeking applause and laughter.
Full Transcript
I was in a Baptist church where the church service let off with a Hollywood video. The content was banal and offensive, yet the church laughed. The music minister laughed.
The pastor laughed. The congregation laughed because they were embarrassed. I don't know why a visiting preacher feels he has to tell a joke to warm up his audience before he begins his message.
I'll never forget the big famous pastor who visited a church where I was a member, and who told one stale joke after another. And this man made the comment, he said, At my church in California, we would rather laugh than cry. Can you imagine, friends, Jonathan Edwards or David Brainerd warming up their congregations with jokes and funny stories? Why have we settled for such nonsense in our churches today? Is it because we'd rather be entertained ourselves? Why are we laughing ourselves to hell today? Hell is no laughing matter.
I can assure you, friends, that no one is laughing in hell at this moment. The eternal misery of the damned is no laughing matter. Maybe we should tell folks about hell in a future day judgment instead of telling them jokes and funny stories.
Maybe we should rather preach up the blood and the cross and tell folks about a blood-stained savior who died so sinners could live. No, we want laughs. Too many pastors today want acceptance, acknowledgement, and even applause.
They long to hear someone say, I sure enjoyed your message today, pastor. After all, aren't folks supposed to enjoy themselves in church today? That's the trouble. That's what it's all about, man being made happy.
I'm afraid more preachers today think of themselves as late-night TV talk show hosts whose job is to entertain their listeners. But while we play our silly games, the world waits and souls perish into a crisis eternity while we laugh ourselves to hell when we should be warning sinners not to go there.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Problem of Entertainment in the Church
- Church services ending with trivial videos
- Pastors telling jokes to warm up audiences
- Congregations laughing out of embarrassment
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II. Historical Contrast with Past Preachers
- Jonathan Edwards and David Brainerd's solemn preaching
- The shift from serious messages to entertainment
- The desire for acceptance and applause among modern pastors
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III. The Reality of Hell
- Hell is no laughing matter
- The eternal misery of the damned
- The need to warn sinners about judgment
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IV. Call to Preach the Gospel Seriously
- Preach the blood and the cross
- Warn sinners instead of entertaining
- Focus on salvation rather than happiness
Key Quotes
“Hell is no laughing matter.” — E.A. Johnston
“No one is laughing in hell at this moment.” — E.A. Johnston
“While we play our silly games, the world waits and souls perish into a crisis eternity.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Evaluate whether your church experience prioritizes entertainment over the gospel message.
- Encourage pastors to preach with solemnity about sin, judgment, and salvation.
- Take seriously the reality of hell and the urgency of warning others.