Monday, May 5, 2008

The desire for effective preaching

Preaching is one of the mysteries that I have yet to figure out. How does one that is imperfect deliver the gospel without flaw or blemish that it might be understood by the listener, who is imperfect themselves, that they may gain the privilege of entering into an eternity with God?

I understand the fact of scripture that it is the Holy Spirit that leads us or mankind to all truth. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” - John 16:13. The amazing thing is that God chooses to use ordinary people like you and I as funnels or vehicles of His word to a lost and hurting world. Many times when I leave the pulpit after a Sunday morning service, I begin to analyze the message and beat myself with questions “Why did you say such and such, or why didn’t you do or say this or that” as if I was the one that God was counting on to deliver a perfect message so all would come to the full knowledge of Christ that very day.

I realize more and more as I grow in Christ that it is God that exposes the truth to mankind. It is the condition of a man’s heart that causes him to reject or accept the truth of God’s word when it is delivered. It is not my responsibility to change a heart; that is the Lords doing. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do the” - Ezekiel 36:26, 27.

A great description of this concern is addressed by the late Oswald Chambers in his devotional writings “Never sympathize with a soul who finds it difficult to get to God; God is not to blame. It is not for us to find out the reason why it is difficult, but so to present the truth of God that the Spirit of God will show what is wrong. The great sterling test in preaching is that it brings everyone to judgment. The Spirit of God locates each one to himself. If Jesus ever gave us a command He could not enable us to fulfill, He would be a liar; and if we make our inability a barrier to obedience, it means we are telling God there is something He has not taken into account. Every element of self-reliance must be slain by the power of God. Complete weakness and dependence will always be the occasion for the Spirit of God to manifest His power.”[1]

It could not be spoken more clearly. Every element of self-reliance must be slain by the power of God by the preacher and the receiver of the Word. Preachers must depend solely and completely on the Holy Spirit to guide one to Christ through the preaching of the word. It is this awesome thought that brings into focus the blessing of grace, for grace is the power of God that enables one to follow the Lord and do as He says. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” - John 1:12.

It remains my eternal desire as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ that I remain faithful to the calling in which I have been called, and that is to proclaim the good news that is found in the pages of scripture. I realize that the message is a spiritual one and cannot be accomplished without the help of the Holy Spirit; therefore, it is my duty and desire, and should be of every minister of the gospel; to spend time in the presence of a Holy God who enables us to hear and see clearly His message for His people today.

[1]Chambers, Oswald: My Utmost for His Highest: Selections for the Year. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 1993, c1935, S. May 5

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