Authorised
Puritan Board Freshman
Review my \"Sermon\"?
We yesterday read "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift for English; and, as you might know, "A Modest Proposal" is some of the best satire which exists in English. for homework, our teacher told us to write our own satire. So I wrote one in the form of a sermon, similar to one I heard on TBN. :bigsmile:
Any thoughts? My mother told me it was rather laborious to read.
"Treasure in Heaven
A sermon most gloriously and humbly composed by
Rev. A.C. upon the date of 7 Jan, 2005.
Great and Manifold have been the blessings of God upon his
chosen church, that we should be the recipients of all
heavenly favour given to us in Christ. Yet, dear church, we
so often reflect on the things of lesser importance, such as
our future heavenly home or eternal salvation, rather than
to be satisfied with our material gains in this earthly plane.
For how can we know of the blessings of God and the hope
of heaven if God had not immensely blessed us with wealth
and prosperity? For how does God give hope of treasure in
heaven if we have not our treasure also in earth? Does the
favour of God rest upon those who beg scrounge, who are
so openly and obviously in sin that their very outside
countenance is as their wicked soul? No, I say, for God
states in Deuteronomy that His true followers have been
placed upon earth, have been made part of the upper third,
that we might be a help to petulant sinners who yet remain
under God´s curse, ergo, in the lesser two thirds. For do
they not read the scripture which states that Abraham
believed god, and by faith he was justified? Yet did Abraham
become as the poor, unregenerate soul? No, for he himself
was made the owner of the Lord´s "œcattle on a thousand
hills," the possessor of the greatest wealth upon the earth
at that time. And why? Because just Abraham was the least
of sinners. For those that would cavil and say that the
measure of our wealth is not the true indicator of our state
in the life after death do err, not knowing the scriptures
which say that God has given his children every spiritual
blessing. For what blessing can be more spiritual than
getting wealth for the purpose of our satisfaction in God,
and to help the poor, which the Lord states that we always
have with us? Do we not also read that it is more blessed to
give than receive? Therefore, how much more is it for God to
give, and we to receive? Wherefore the scripture also
states that whatsoever shall be bound on earth shall be
bound in heaven. So if therefore the celestial kingdom is a
reflection of the terrestrial kingdom, the greater our riches in
heaven, the greater upon earth. I think not that this point
be extended further, seeing as I have so soundly confuted
any opposition to this most happy doctrine. Yet I come now
to my second point which is that if God has been pleased to
bless us with our most deserved wealth, seeing that we
ourselves can choose our eternal destiny in lieu of His
sovereignty, we ought to bless the church by giving most
generously to its ministers. For we know verily that those
who tithe not abase themselves and thereby damn their
own souls to perdition. God has need of money, and has
also chosen his ministers to convey this wealth; for how can
a man go to God except it be through the church? Do you
not know that as the coin drops into the wooden chest, a
soul flies to its heavenly rest? Therefore, as it is so plainly
stated in the words of the third chapter of Malachi, we out to
bring our tithes into my storehouse, that I might be plentiful
in harvest. Does not our Lord also say, then, that when we
are in torment, no one shall not leave until the uttermost
farthing be paid? Let us hear the conclusion of the matter.
We who in abundance have wealth do also have the
gloriousness of God shining upon us, that we might use
those things which abound in our purses to bless the work
of God´s minister, without which there is no salvation.
In Nomine Domini. Amen. "
[Edited on 9-1-2005 by Authorised]
We yesterday read "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift for English; and, as you might know, "A Modest Proposal" is some of the best satire which exists in English. for homework, our teacher told us to write our own satire. So I wrote one in the form of a sermon, similar to one I heard on TBN. :bigsmile:
Any thoughts? My mother told me it was rather laborious to read.
"Treasure in Heaven
A sermon most gloriously and humbly composed by
Rev. A.C. upon the date of 7 Jan, 2005.
Great and Manifold have been the blessings of God upon his
chosen church, that we should be the recipients of all
heavenly favour given to us in Christ. Yet, dear church, we
so often reflect on the things of lesser importance, such as
our future heavenly home or eternal salvation, rather than
to be satisfied with our material gains in this earthly plane.
For how can we know of the blessings of God and the hope
of heaven if God had not immensely blessed us with wealth
and prosperity? For how does God give hope of treasure in
heaven if we have not our treasure also in earth? Does the
favour of God rest upon those who beg scrounge, who are
so openly and obviously in sin that their very outside
countenance is as their wicked soul? No, I say, for God
states in Deuteronomy that His true followers have been
placed upon earth, have been made part of the upper third,
that we might be a help to petulant sinners who yet remain
under God´s curse, ergo, in the lesser two thirds. For do
they not read the scripture which states that Abraham
believed god, and by faith he was justified? Yet did Abraham
become as the poor, unregenerate soul? No, for he himself
was made the owner of the Lord´s "œcattle on a thousand
hills," the possessor of the greatest wealth upon the earth
at that time. And why? Because just Abraham was the least
of sinners. For those that would cavil and say that the
measure of our wealth is not the true indicator of our state
in the life after death do err, not knowing the scriptures
which say that God has given his children every spiritual
blessing. For what blessing can be more spiritual than
getting wealth for the purpose of our satisfaction in God,
and to help the poor, which the Lord states that we always
have with us? Do we not also read that it is more blessed to
give than receive? Therefore, how much more is it for God to
give, and we to receive? Wherefore the scripture also
states that whatsoever shall be bound on earth shall be
bound in heaven. So if therefore the celestial kingdom is a
reflection of the terrestrial kingdom, the greater our riches in
heaven, the greater upon earth. I think not that this point
be extended further, seeing as I have so soundly confuted
any opposition to this most happy doctrine. Yet I come now
to my second point which is that if God has been pleased to
bless us with our most deserved wealth, seeing that we
ourselves can choose our eternal destiny in lieu of His
sovereignty, we ought to bless the church by giving most
generously to its ministers. For we know verily that those
who tithe not abase themselves and thereby damn their
own souls to perdition. God has need of money, and has
also chosen his ministers to convey this wealth; for how can
a man go to God except it be through the church? Do you
not know that as the coin drops into the wooden chest, a
soul flies to its heavenly rest? Therefore, as it is so plainly
stated in the words of the third chapter of Malachi, we out to
bring our tithes into my storehouse, that I might be plentiful
in harvest. Does not our Lord also say, then, that when we
are in torment, no one shall not leave until the uttermost
farthing be paid? Let us hear the conclusion of the matter.
We who in abundance have wealth do also have the
gloriousness of God shining upon us, that we might use
those things which abound in our purses to bless the work
of God´s minister, without which there is no salvation.
In Nomine Domini. Amen. "
[Edited on 9-1-2005 by Authorised]