Preaching the Bible: Tickling Ears or Proclaiming Truth?
This evening I will be one of five people at Pomerado Christian Church to meet to consider what could/should be preached at the church next month. I always enjoy a debate but, I believe that preaching God’s Word is much more important than opinions. Neither is it a question of what will tickle the ears of the majority so that they will return to the church frequently. Of course every church wants to boost attendance, but if that were a church’s only purpose it would resort to becoming a center of entertainment to draw in the crowds. My earnest question is what are the key elements that the Bible alerts us to regarding preaching the Word of God?
My response to this question will be incomplete: too little time and too little knowledge! I will simply present a few Biblical truths for consideration. I would appreciate others’ contributions to this post to add to what I write.
John F. MacArthur Explains that Preaching is not about Pleasing Men
John F. MacArthur’s book “Our Sufficiency in Christ” brings up many important points. He reminds the reader that preaching in the New Testament is not about pleasing men and winning them over. MacArthur writes: “When Peter preached at Pentecost, people were cut to the heart (Acts 2:37-41). He didn’t undertake to win them over. He didn’t try to charm them, entertain them, or make them feel good. He made no effort to engineer a positive response; he just proclaimed the truth. That’s the only methodology that the Holy Spirit uses. Those who employ any other technique are operating on their own.”
The Preacher should Explain the Terrible Nature of our Sin
In Romans 1:16 Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel”. If preachers avoid teaching much of the Word of God it may be because they believe that it might be offputing or offensive. However if we soften the Word of God to please our culture we are unlikely to clearly proclaim why we need salvation. God’s gift of grace is a wonderful message and easy to receive, but it is incomplete and makes no sense if the preacher does not also explain the terrible nature of our sin which needs to be repented, and our dark, miserable status if we have no relationship with Christ.
God gives to us and we give back to Him
The Bible is full of covenants. We can’t earn the right to be forgiven but we do have a role to play beyond merrily opening our mouths like baby birds to receive the delicious spiritual food that God gives us. Surely good preaching must teach God’s grace but it should also clarify that there are two sides to a covenant: God gives us His Spirit, an eternity in Heaven, forgiveness…., and we give Him our lives and we surrender our wills, as an act of worship and sacrifice. We can no longer be the same when we become children of the living God. At the beginning of the twelfth chapter of Romans, Paul preaches: “And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice- the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
We are God’s Holy Ambassadors on a Mission
God does not want us to be fat, immobile baby birds that sit waiting for the next word of encouragement. We have not been set free from the kingdom of darkness to look from a distance into the kingdom of light. God calls us to be his holy ambassadors to be filled with His love and His light to penetrate into the kingdom of darkness, to help rescue others and to radiantly declare Christ’s presence.
Preaching must wholeheartedly teach the whole Word of God to prepare men and women to leave behind all remnants of the darkness and sinful living and to live Holy, Christ like lives.
A Definition of the Word of God
The Word is to encourage us and to uplift God’s people but it is not just a tonic to keep us pepped up as we either shudder in a dark world or feel naively separated from it, clutching our tickets to Heaven. 2 Timothy 3:16 explains that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is profitable for “instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, (and) for training in righteousness (in Holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose and action.) Verse 17 adds that the purpose of the Word of God is that “the man of God may be complete and proficient and thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Preachers must administer the Word of God powerfully to Change Lives
I believe that the role of the preacher is to apply God’s Word to our lives to result in dramatic spiritual change as we become more like Jesus. As we are naturally sinful and foolish and stubborn, we need more than a word of encouragement, or the sharing of some benign truths. The Word of God is described as a sword(Hebrews 4:12) for good reason. It needs to penetrate deep within us to prompt significant change. If preachers teach God’s Word faithfully they will be like expert doctors diagnosing and removing life threatening disease. I would not want my doctor to humor me rather than to honestly deal with my medical condition. Similarly, preachers, please do not avoid the Gospel truth and deprive people of the opportunity to meet with the risen Christ. Poorly diagnosed patients often die prematurely. People who sit in churches where the truth is withheld, may die in their sin and never receive the healing and refreshing forgiveness that they so desperately need.
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No related posts.
Just a couple of related thoughts:
1) I have read a number of studies that say that few people can remember sermons. Within three days most of what they heard is forgotten. Within a week, few people can recall anything of what was said.
2) An elderly gentleman I knew said that he sat through thousands of sermons and didn’t remember much except a few funny stories. He said the sermons he remembered were not the ones that were preached, but the ones that were lived out in people’s lives.
Sadly many sermons are unmemorable, perhaps because lots of preachers avoid teaching the whole counsel of God. Funny stories are enjoyable and make you feel good for a while but they don’t tend to impact us. When I have heard a message that applies Biblical truth to my life it can be like a sword cutting through and getting my attention to such an extent that I seek God, His forgiveness and His help as I change to be more like Him.
I believe that there is tremendous potential if the Word of God is preached and the Holy Spirit is directing the hearer as well as the speaker. I also agree that Christians lives should be a powerful message as they demonstrate Christ in them. 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 explains that a Christian should be an “epistle of Christ”, a letter demonstrating the love of Christ ” written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”
I want to hear challenging sermons that encourage us to reflect Jesus and to become the sort of people who will attract people to Jesus.
Don’t mean to antagonize or insult. But remind me again what Jesus said about women. I for one would prefer His approach and spirit regarding women than some others, even the Apostle Paul’s. Maybe the Holy Spirit just shouldn’t whisper His call to women
Warm regards, David
Thank you for your comments. I am not sure exactly what you mean. I would be grateful if you would further explain your points of view regarding women.
My comments here may not be what you are looking for, but hopefully they will help someone:
I try to maintain a Biblical view regarding the role of women.
I believe that Jesus’ words to women shows His high opinion of them. Apostle Paul does not approve of women teaching men in the church service. The challenge is to use my God given gifts but at the same time, to heed Paul’s warning… a challenge!
I believe that women are able to speak truth and be involved in Bible discussion with men. I believe that there are women prophets (like Deborah) who can powerfully apply the Word of God for the edification of the church.
I am careful to address women in my blog, hence its name “WomenRespond.com.” I ask my husband to check every post to ensure that he agrees with it . I am aware that as a woman I should submit to my husband and not be the overall leader of the church. I can receive delegated leadership to bless the church with my gifts.
I see the submission bit as positive as it stops me from charging ahead of the church. It encourages me to seek others’ counsel and wisdom.
I notice that the Holy Spirit is especially eager to whisper His truth to women. The challenge is to gently encourage men and women to listen to and to see where the Spirit is leading. Part of my role is to encourage men and women to apply the Bible to our lives. I am not coming up with anything new, I am simply encouraged by Jesus to help others to take Him more seriously. We all need to receive the challenge to repent, to believe and to change, so that we can radiate Jesus’ love in this challenging world.
Jesus revealed Himself first to the women after He rose from the dead. He told them to tell the disciples- men. I think that women are more inclined to believe, but they are to help men rather than dominate them. I suppose that God knows that it works best that way and that women need love and protection while men need respect.
I am thrilled to be a woman of God, the inheritor of every spiritual blessing (Eph 1) and with the protection of working under the covering and protection of my husband and a male pastor.
May God bless you as you serve Him.
Sian,
It is clear that your blog is by a woman, for women, but I also enjoy reading it, and appreciate your many good posts.
Accordingly, I am surprised by David’s comments. I regularly follow a number of Christian blogs, and have read many thousands of comments, but find his the most impertinent to date. Why would anyone suggest what he thinks the Holy Spirit should and should not do? If one thinks he has the authority to suggest such a thing, and thinks he has been given that authority by the Scripture, can we trust anything that person has to say regarding what the Scripture has to say?
If someone thinks a woman should not have a blog for the benefit of women, then should one not avoid such a blog? Why would one even enter?
I suspect David was trying to “hijack” your blog and turn the topic to a controversial topic of his choosing. Since you moderate comments, perhaps you might consider making it your policy not to publish obviously “off-topic” comments, and comments that are an obvious attempt to “hijack” the blog.
My wife and I encourage you to keep up the good work, not only on this blog, but with the many people in this community.