Not Encouraging

NOT ENCOURAGING

A young couple, very much in love, were getting married in church. However, the bride was very nervous about the big occasion and so the preacher chose one verse that he felt would be a great encouragement to them. The verse was 1 John 4:18 which says: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear."

The preacher asked the best man to read it during the ceremony. The preacher did not know the best man was not a regular churchgoer and did not know the difference between the Gospel of John and the First Letter of John.

During the service the best man introduced the reading by saying that the preacher felt this was a very good verse for the bride and that he would say more about it later in the service and then read John 4:18, which says:

"The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband."

The preacher wanted to encourage the couple. His attempt went very wrong.

(From a sermon by Davon Huss, I Am Bound for the Promised Land, 2/21/2011)