Joel Osteen Substance Sermon

(Original Entry from HOD-Wordpress - 2007-10-31 11:00:00 pm)

Category - Christianity, Religiousness

I received an E-Mail a couple of days ago that was a forward by a well-meaning party attempting to convey information of utmost importance to their circle of Christian friends about a party that either they did not enjoy or rather did not understand. In this E-Mail, there was an accusation that Scripture was not being used or that the premise upon which the sermon was being build was not Scripturally founded and was therefore not solid. There was even a stray sly remark about the pastor's demeanor and the supposed happiness being so abundant as to not be an act.

This writing is being laid down to correct some items in this E-Mail and the claims thereof. I will not address the supposed demeanor of the pastor here, because the face he puts on for the public is his business and counted as a fortunate stance for a positive atmosphere. I will, however, address the Biblical stance being accused of by the parties in question concerning the pastor as Scriptural stance and Truth is the business charge of everyone.

Just for reference, here is the jest of the E-Mail that I received:

Subject: For Joel Osteen, Theology is Optional
Link Ref: http://www.crosswalk.com/news/commentary/11557558/print/

This only validates my feeling for Joel Osteen since the first time I saw him on tv.  He never 
opens a bible or quotes a scripture or discusses God...it's always that stupid fake smile and 
telling people to feel good about themselves.  How can literally thousands of people sit there 
and listen to that earthly manure week after week.  Does no one ever stop to ponder eternity 
and a need for salvation?  His daddy would turn over in his grave as he preached God's Word.  
My inner spirit flinches everytime we stop to hear him on tv...just checking to see if for one 
time he just might mention God's Word or quote scripture.  Ugh!!  This man needs prayer and 
salvation as well as a reality check. 

[EOT]

There was an observation listed in that E-Mail concerning the lack of Scripture or Scriptural references used in the sermons. Just as a testament to that observation, I watched the very next sermon on television and listed the Scriptures and Scriptural references used. The results were indeed surprising as they did not at all match up to the E-Mail observation.

The sermon being viewed for this article was “Joel Osteen: #364 - Living the Abundant Life.” Here is what I found. During the first 10 minutes, of which the first 3 minutes is Introduction and usually a joke the pastor received, there were three hard references to scripture and nine Scriptural inferences concerning exemplifying stories pertinent to the subject matter at hand. These are listed here:

Ps 35:27
Prov. 13:22
Ps 133:2
Ps 23:5 - David: my cup runs over
John 10:10 - Jesus: live an abundant life
Job 36:11; Rom 1:5; John 14:15 - Obedience, then faith, lead to prosperity
Num 24:11; Num 33:56; II Sam 19:18; etc. - We will never rise higher than our own thinking
Ps 35:27 - G-D takes pleasure in prospering you
Gen 28:20; Gen 32:1; Ex 13:17-18 - G-D never asks for that which there is not already a way
Col 1:10; John 6:27 - Work unto G-D and not unto people
I Sam 16:7; Ps 5:9; Job 38:1-3 - Sloppy on outside equals sloppy on inside
Luke 15:11-24 - Prodigal Son story 

So, if we are counting 12 references in 7 minutes, that is approximately one reference every minute and 40 seconds. So what happened to the lack of Scriptural references that were supposedly so blatantly missing? What I am finding here is that Pastor Osteen takes the Word that should already be known by those who should be in it and studying it for themselves and helps them put it together in real life circumstances.

The rest of the sermon continues with the following:

Deut. 28:1-2 with reference to the blessings through v.11
Deut. Reference to the 7th year release of Hebrew slaves, debt, and land
II Cor. 1:20
Deut. 30:15-16 - Setting life limits with spoken words
Ps. 37:4; Prov. 13:12; Col. 1:9 - The faithful have filled the desires of their heart
Ps 23 - David: goodness, mercy, favor follow all the days of my life
Prov. 3:4; Dan 1:9 - G-D takes pleasure in favoring me
Rom. 5:19; Rom. 6:16; II Chron. 7:15; Heb. 5:8 - Obedience is Key to seeing G-D's blessings
I Kings 17:1-7 - Elijah and the raven bringing bread
Prov. 14:19 - In obedience, G-D makes even enemies increase His people
I Kings 17:13 - Elijah and the last cake
Job 5:20; Ezek. 12:16; Amos 8:11; Rom 8:35 - Stay in faith and famine will end
Deut. 28:2 - Blessings overtake those in obedience
Deut. 28:3-12 - Blessed in the city, country, going out, coming in, etc.

I want to remind those reading the references in rebuttal on this writing that we are told in Phil. 4:6 that our requests for things desired should be directed towards G-D alone. We are also told in Phil 4:8 that we are to think on good and positive things, not negative things which tear down a man. In addition, we are instructed in I Tim. 1:3 to not teach other doctrines (a reteaching of Torah, Exod. 20:3) which Pastor Osteen does not. As well, I Tim. 4:7 tells us to refuse profane tales (a reteaching of Torah, Lev. 19:16) which the person trying to nail Pastor Osteen down on something seems to be doing here as well as the person forwarding the reference in an email with their own comments of accusation.

Even further, Yeshuah stated in Matthew 12:30 that those who are not with Him are against Him; Pastor Osteen is clearly with him, so why is his name being drudged through the mud by supposed Believers? And for the ultimate reference as to our actions to be coupled with Phil 4:8, how about Deut. 30:19 and the admonition to choose life and blessings, which Pastor Osteen is clearly doing in all things?

May I also remind some of those who may not remember or even know, that the first chapter of the Talmud gives charge that it is the responsibility of the Elders to convey the principles of Torah Law and not the letter, but even further rather to never to have to pen the Law so as to exclude everything that is not penned. Because once Law is penned, exclusions occur and death is brought forth by those exclusions.

In conclusion, it is the premise of this teaching that a man does not have to be so strong in the Word according to himself to be very strong in the Word for others. Obviously, those who do not hear the Word in the teachings of Pastor Joel Osteen have also not read and studied the word for themselves. This speaks not to the weakness of the faith or teaching of Pastor Osteen, but quite the contrary to the weakness and lack of the understanding and wisdom of the hearers of the message and the time and faith they have put into their own lives and the study of the Word.