No Pomp and Stance Jeremiah! Sequel 2
Today! April 15, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI, makes his arrival in the states. Vatican’s pomp and stance is going to be meticulously displayed.
No pomp and circumstance for Pastor Jeremiah. He was slaughtered by a sound byte. I heard the entire sermon because you can’t form an intelligent opinion on a sound byte. To rely on sound reasoning, you have to understand the whole conclusion of the matter. Pastor Wright’s message was taken out of context and content.
However, as I compare the YouTube version of Pastor Jeremiah’s rhetoric, words rang like Prophet Jeremiah in the Book of Jeremiah. There are striking similarities between the prophet, and the pastor. Both, men grapple a moment of defeat as cultures of their time, adamantly resented messages of Divine retribution. And just like the people Prophet Jeremiah dealt with; Americans as well, wanna’ hear “God Bless America” more so, from a pious dispensation then from a merciful disposition.
Pastor Jeremiah literally preached the same message that Prophet Jeremiah preached. When Prophet Jeremiah delivered his unkindly message, his life was endangered. Prophet Jeremiah cried about adversaries that wanted to destroy him. In my mother’s vernacular, “he put down some crying.” The Prophet had to face the nation and tell the household of Israel of an inevitable punishment, and the people hated him for it. Prophet Jeremiah was despised because of his unpopular message.
Henceforth; Prophet Jeremiah’s only option was to render what GOD commanded. Chapter 1:7; “where I send you, you will go, whatever I tell you, you will say.” Poor Jeremiah, had to tolerate stone-faces and hard-heartedness, and was told by GOD,” be not afraid of their faces, or I will confound you.” Jeremiah was bound to the task and lived his life as an outcast. No pomp and stance for Prophet Jeremiah. An entire culture shunned him; priests and pastors alike; politicians, and the common people. Sounds familiar?
As I engaged in the Book of Jeremiah; a verse caught my attention. In chapter 2:14, a rhetorical question is presented to Jeremiah; “Why are the Israelis acting like slaves?” Interesting question proposed to Jeremiah. This passage affirms that God doesn’t create souls to enslave on plantations. The Book of Jeremiah portrays Jeremiah as the weeping prophet who lamented Lamentations before GOD. Jeremiah’s bitter assignment was to preach GOD’s judgment. “He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying.” When revelation comes, its Sunday morning, can I get an Amen!
My imagination pictures Prophet Jeremiah in the Book of Jeremiah watching in amazement the ‘wonders of pomp n stance’. Jeremiah weeps and bellows, “Pomp and Stance! Ain’t no pomp and stance when the Word of Truth lands. You gets’ nothing; no pope mobile, bat mobile; black mobile, no kinda bill cause they outcast you from your money. A Book of Lamentations is what you get when truth comes on the stand.” No Pomp and Stance for neither the Prophet nor the Pastor. Come; let’s watch the video, “No Pomp and Stance Jeremiah.”
