I just wanted to remind everyone again about the importance of preaching in the life of an individual Christian and in our life together (Matthew 11:1-6 [show]Matthew 11:1-6
[11:1]When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
[2]Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples [3]and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" [4]And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: [5]the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers(1) are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. [6]And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [11:5] 'Leprosy' was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
; Matthew 28:18-20 [show]Matthew 28:18-20
[18]And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19]Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in(1) the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20]teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [28:19] Or 'into'
; Luke 24:44-51 [show]Luke 24:44-51
[44]Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." [45]Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, [46]and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, [47]and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [48]You are witnesses of these things. [49]And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
[50]Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. [51]While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. (ESV); 2 Timothy 4:1-4 [show]2 Timothy 4:1-4
[4:1]I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2]preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. [3]For the time is coming when people will not endure sound(1) teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4]and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [4:3] Or 'healthy'
; Acts 10:34-42 [show]Acts 10:34-42
[34]So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, [35]but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. [36]As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), [37]you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: [38]how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. [39]And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, [40]but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, [41]not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. [42]And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. (ESV);1 Corinthians 1:17-31 [show]1 Corinthians 1:17-31
[17]For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
[18]For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19]For it is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
[20]Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21]For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22]For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23]but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24]but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25]For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
[26]For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,(1) not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27]But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28]God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29]so that no human being(2) might boast in the presence of God. [30]And because of him(3) you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, [31]so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [1:26] Greek 'according to the flesh'
2. [1:29] Greek 'no flesh'
3. [1:30] Greek 'And from him'
; Romans 10:1-17 [show]Romans 10:1-17
[10:1]Brothers,(1) my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. [2]For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. [3]For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. [4]For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.(2)
[5]For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. [6]But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) [7]or "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). [8]But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); [9]because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10]For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. [11]For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." [12]For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. [13]For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
[14]How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?(3) And how are they to hear without someone preaching? [15]And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" [16]But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" [17]So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [10:1] Or 'Brothers and sisters'
2. [10:4] Or 'end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified'
3. [10:14] Or 'him whom they have never heard'
). Preaching is an essential means by which God has chosen to make Jesus Christ known and liberate us from our natural desire to put our trust in false idols (i.e self, wealth, power, prestige etc). You will get the most out of your relationship with Jesus Christ and become a more faithful disciple when you do the following:
- Pray that God would lead you to hunger and thirst for the things of God: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation– if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:2-3 [show]1 Peter 2:2-3
[2]Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-- [3]if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (ESV)).
- Strive to apply your life to the scriptures by meditating and acting on the text in the days before the sermon.
- Talk and pray with others about the text and the sermon after church.
- Get in the habit of seeking answers to any questions that are triggered by the text. When in doubt just give me a call!
- Hold me (and all preachers) accountable to keep the sermon Christ centered and Cross focused. Ask yourself…and ask me….How does this sermon draw us to acknowledge the centrality of Jesus Christ? Who is driving the important verbs in this sermon .. God or humans? Does this sermon celebrate God’s grace or human effort? What does this sermon reveal about our sin that requires redemption? What does this sermon reveal about God that provides redemption? How does this sermon highlight the centrality of Christ’s death and resurrection for salvation? Are you being invited to respond in a way that points others to the glory God revealed in Jesus Christ and brings blessings to the lost and the needy?
I am striving to be ever more faithful in my preaching and teaching so your feedback is essential. I would encourage you to tell me what questions you would like addressed in sermons. If you have any ideas for sermon series (books of Bible, themes, or topics) please let me know. I also want to encourage you to give me negative feedback if you think it is warranted, especially when you think I have said something confusing or contrary to what you see elsewhere in Bible. Remember, I’m a sinful human in need of redemption and I love doing what I have been called to do, so it’s natural that I might get a little defensive, but I’m a "big boy" who is dependent upon God’s grace and by God’s grace I will get over it!
