100 Sermons

I'm reading a book by Richard Lischer called, "The Preacher King". It is subtitled, "Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Word that Moved America". It is a book concentrating on the preaching of Dr. King. I have a book analysis and presentation to do in my seminar late in November - I chose this book to read and analyze. I have only begun to read the book, but one startling fact has already jumped out at me. According to Lischer, Dr. King "preached, refined, altered, and re-preached a small canon of sermons, fewer than one hundred". Fewer than 100! (in my first year as a senior pastor I preached that many or more; one on Sunday morning, one on Sunday night, and a few special events in-between). Imagine, fewer than 100.
One of the "gifts" I posses is the "gift" every passionate preacher seems to have - it's called the "gift of continuation". If asked, I can preach on and on and on. But every Sunday I would try and come in with a new sermon. Imagine only preaching less than 100 sermons (remember, Dr. King spent the majority of his ministry traveling around to other churches and leading other congregations in his reconciliation agenda - many of these sermons were repreached quite effectively in various settings). Less than 100 sermons in which to change a society and change a world.
With 100 sermons Dr. King moved a country, won a Nobel Peace Prize, confronted Presidents, Governors, and racist local politicians who would attempt to stifle his voice and snuff out his life. In less than 100 sermons Dr. King pierced the conscience of a nation so bereft of moral fiber that it would look the other way as their neighbors lived in squalor and without the basic human rights guaranteed them under the Constitution and the Bible. In less than 100 sermons Dr. King changed the world. Think of it.
Over the course of 31 years in pastoral ministry I have preached thousands of sermons. Yet, the world has not been affected with nearly the same force as Dr. King's 100 messages. And I am reminded of a great Biblical truth: It is not quantity that makes the ministry but the depth, heart, passion, integrity, and truth of the message that changes society. The truth is that God was changing the world and Dr. King spoke to that change and helped pave the way for what God was doing (or about to do).
You know, it's not about the number of lessons or sermons or prayers or mission trips or ministry experiences we do - it's about God. It's about the God who takes a barren womb and makes it into the seed of many nations; who takes a simple shepherds staff and makes it into a snake and back again; who takes a shepherd boy and makes him into a King; who takes a prostitute and makes her into a hero; who takes a loaf and makes it into a feast; who takes a persecutor of the faith and makes him into a missionary; who takes a virgin, impregnates her before she is wed and calls her blessed; who takes a cross of shame and makes it into a symbol of hope; who takes a grave and makes it into an empty tomb; who takes a broken life and transforms it into the stuff of eternity. If that is the kind of God you are (and He is!) can it surprise anyone that all it took was a less than 100 sermons for one man to change a world?