I want to spend a few minutes tonight looking at this verse, even dissecting it a little bit, to bring it into an applicable understanding for all of us. Because when we read words like “preach,” and we do not have a life calling to stand in a pulpit like myself, we can sometimes shrink back from such verses, and try and slide out from under any responsibility to live out what those verses declare. But I want us to look at this verse tonight, and see that we all have a responsibility to proclaim the good news. And I want to continue to apply this to evangelism, or winning the lost to Christ. I want us to do this a few words at a time.
“For though I preach the gospel…” Let’s look at two words: 1. Preach. 2. Gospel. First, the word “preach” means “to announce, to proclaim, to declare, or to herald.” When you look up the English version of the word, “preach” not only means to sermonize, or lecture, but it also means to talk, to speak, to address someone. And so the word “preach,” while it definitely is applicable to those who stand in churches, or tents, or wherever, and proclaim the Gospel, it is also applicable to all of those who have the ability to communicate with other people.
Now, I’ve talked somewhat in the past about the sin of silence. And we talked about how that what you proclaim, and the passion with which you do it, is dependent upon what you perceive. If you perceive the spiritual plight of men, that they are dying, and going to hell, then that will affect what you proclaim and how you proclaim it. Romans 10:14 says, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” One thing is certain: Words unspoken cannot be heard. And if hearing is a prerequisite for believing, then we must understand that preaching - talking and speaking - the word, is a prerequisite for hearing. People will not hear without a preacher. So, we must preach - talk, speak, proclaim.
Secondly, Paul tells us what we must “preach,” and that is “the gospel.” The word “gospel” means “good news.” The first word tells us what we are to do - talk, speak - and the second tells us what should be coming from our mouths. *Not condemnation. Not judgmental attitudes. We are to preach the gospel, the good news. I have heard people say, “We need to make the gospel good news again.” No we don’t. The gospel IS good news. So if what’s being shared isn’t good news, then it isn’t the gospel. There is no way the gospel cannot be good news. That is it’s very core and meaning. It is good news!
So, we have to tell the good news of salvation from our sins. The good news of grace. The good news of God’s love. The good news of God’s forgiveness. The good news of the way of escaping the wrath of God. *It isn’t enough to tell someone they’re dying and going to hell. We do them a great disservice and injustice, and we do the kingdom harm, if all we proclaim is the punishment that awaits sinners, without telling sinners how they can be pardoned and become saints. *I don’t know about you, but I am living proof that God can take nothing, and make something; He can make a sinner into a saint, and a chump into his child. That’s good news for me, and that’s the message we have to get to the world!
Listen to me: Being a witness is not so much about knowing the Word of God (though we need that), as it is knowing the WORK of God that has occurred in your life! You don’t have to have a theological degree to be a witness. You don’t need a PHD to share the good news of Jesus Christ. *A PHD is like the curl in a pig’s tail: A little more fancy, but no more pig!
But then Paul goes on and says, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of.” That means “I have nothing to boast and brag about.” Paul tells us here the attitude that must accompany the proclaiming of good news. It is to be an attitude of humility, and not haughtiness. It’s not to be done in pride, arrogance, or self-importance. *I have about got sick listening to some Christians brag about what they’ve done, and how they’ve worked, and what they think they’ve accomplished. Jesus said that when we do things to be seen by men, to have something to brag about, then we already have our reward for doing it. We need to remember that we have nothing to glory of. Nothing is anymore of a turnoff than a proud preacher and a boastful believer.
Paul said that we are to do all that we do for the glory of God. That it is to bring recognition, praise, and adoration to Him, and not to ourselves. We need to remember that we are not implored by God to build our ministries, but we are called to build His kingdom. We are to be servants in His kingdom, not kings of our own kingdom. And then Paul proceeds to tell us that our motivation is not to be pride, but purpose.
“For necessity is laid upon me.” That word “necessity” not only means “requirement, obligation, or duty.” The word denotes that there is a need, a purpose, for us to preach the gospel. I can think of three (3) purposes or needs: 1. The Plight Of Mankind - Unless we preach the gospel, millions of human beings will spend eternity in hell. Therefore, the plight of humankind gives us purpose in preaching the gospel, in sharing the good news. When we realize that eternal destinies hinge on our proclamations, we will not refrain from sharing the way of salvation with unbelievers. I know that we care, but we have to care enough to share.
2. The Perpetual Existence Of The Church - The Church cannot survive without winning people to Christ. Just as a family line cannot be carried on without giving birth to children, the Church will not survive and live on without seeing people born again. That has to be the great passion of the Church, not only to win them, but to raise them into being disciples, and perpetual followers of Christ. *I don’t want confessions without conversions. People being transformed by the mighty power of God. I don’t want frolickers (players), but followers. We must have that if we are to survive.
But Paul gives us the third purpose, that we really need to understand: 3. The Punishment Of The Un-preaching. In the OT, there are no less than 7 Hebrew words used for the word “woe.” All of them basically mean “grief, pain, misery, and sorrow.” And they are connected to various situations and circumstances. But the NT is very interesting. There is but one word used in the NT, all of the uses of the word being in connection with some type of punishment or judgment.
Jesus used the word often in regards to un-repentance and rebelliousness. Matthew 11:21, because they repented not, He said, “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you would have been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” Jesus also pronounced many “woe’s” unto the scribes and Pharisees. Matthew 23 contains 8 separate “woe’s” to those groups, and there are several more “woe’s” throughout the four Gospels.
Then there are 6 times the word is used in the book of Revelation. And all of them are related to the judgments that will come upon the earth. Understanding this NT theme makes Paul’s words hear very intriguing. He says, “For necessity is laid upon me; yea…” The word “yea” here is interjected by Paul to mean that what he is about to say is greater than what he just said. “Yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” That word does not just mean “sadness or anguish.” It means “judgment, punishment, and doom.”
And isn’t it something that Paul didn’t say, “Woe be unto others if I preach not…” That’s what we say, isn’t it? That other people are going to die and suffer wrath without hearing the words of salvation? And that’s true. But Paul said, “The greater woe is unto ME, if I preach not the gospel.” Paul said he would be doomed if he didn’t preach the gospel. That’s passion. That’s priority. That’s purpose. Paul understood the consequences for not sharing the gospel - not just for unbelievers, but for silent saints. It’s our calling, our commission, our charge. *A three-open prayer: 1. Open the door. 2. Open their heart. 3. Open my mouth.
