Let’s be honest. Most people don’t think of preaching as a dangerous occupation—not when you consider serving in the armed forces, law enforcement, fire fighting. It doesn’t even compare to underwater welding (which is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world!). It doesn’t even compare to being a lobsterman!
But there are times when a sermon is fraught with danger. We have seen incidences, haven’t we? We can call the names. Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King, Jr—individuals whose sermons cost them their lives.
For the rest of us however, it isn’t our physical lives as much as our occupational lives, our financial lives, our spiritual lives that are often threatened. Even for those of us who don’t preach, but have relationships that are threatened whenever we dare hold up the gospel.
Jesus knew what that was like!