“Just for a Moment”

Translated from a rubric of De Saambinder

A Jewish sermon

You probably know what a trial sermon is. A student presents a meditation upon a text which may or may not have been given him. This is for the Curatorium to make a judgment regarding his knowledge of the subject. You can well imagine that this creates much tension. It is necessary that we, as ministers, continually realize that this was the beginning of our stumbling upon the pathway to the pulpit. Deeply serious matters are considered in such a meditation. Taken as a whole, the procedure is somewhat unnatural and artificial, but this is a given with the necessary preparation for the office. Every minister has his own recollections of these occasions, twice upon the completion of the second year, and once at the conclusion of the fourth year of the study. Sometimes it can also take place at other times. I wish to share with you one recollection which a brother who has passed away shared with me.

For more than forty years Rev. A.F. Honkoop (1921-2008) was chairman of the Curatorium. In this position he has meant a great deal to our denomination. He has seen many ministers enter the denomination. To be honest with you, I was always afraid of him. Happily, that changed in later years into a hearty brotherly bond. I had deep respect for his sermons and his gifts of discernment. Here is an example as to how Rev. Honkoop served the congregations. He carried the congregations upon his heart and in his inner closet.

It was after one of these trial sermons that he said to a student in a friendly manner, “You have said some nice things, and the composition was good ...” You can well imagine that when you hear this some of the tension lessens, and you think to yourself, “Well, that is encouraging ...” We will not write any more about the pride in the human heart. Subsequently, Rev. Honkoop looked at the student with his penetrating look. Suddenly, he said raising his voice, “But will you promise never to preach a sermon like that again?” The student, for whom the remarks were intended, stood as nailed to the floor.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Well, that was a Jewish sermon,” he stated curtly.

“A Jewish sermon?”

“Yes, it contained nothing or almost nothing of Jesus. The Jews also like such sermons, but not I, and God’s true people do not like it either. Such a sermon is terribly poor, do you understand me? How do I now come to this Saviour is what you must bring forth and preach out of the text.”

There you stand as a student preacher with the nice things you may have said and with the good composition but now, a poor, Jewish sermon. It was because the Mediator did not form the core and climax of the sermon, and that is why it could no longer be preached in this manner. Because of respect it was also not used.

What a practical lesson, for both instruction and humiliation, yet it is a positive and good recollection.

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