In 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached a famous sermon with the title, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." In great detail Edwards spoke of the wrath people rightly faced when they confronted the judgment of a God who was angry at the way the people had failed to do what they were called to do. While many people understand only this much about that famous sermon, and hold it up as an example of the worst sort of preaching meant to terrify those who hear what is said, the sermon itself is actually quite pastoral. Once Edwards established the implications of the human behavior of his followers, and the rather gruesome rewards this behavior had earned at the coming judgment before God, he turned his attention to what he described as the door of mercy which Christ opens wide so that all can co…