So We Preach

SO WE PREACH!

I Corinthians 15:11

These days many churches have differing ideas as to what is of paramount importance. Some put a great deal of focus on the “worship experience”. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on aesthetics, whether it be smoke machines & light shows, stained-glass windows & chandeliers, or something in between. Some have worship bands, praise teams & loud amplifiers; others have pipe organs & orchestras, and some have pianos & traditional choirs. Regardless of the style, a staggering number of assemblies are convinced that music is what matters most. (This would be a time to point out that music does not always equal worship!)

In the modern church, great emphasis is also placed on events (and in some cases blatant gimmicks) that are designed to draw a crowd. Much time, effort, and expense is spent on certain programs that are intended to attract and entertain people of all ages. Some churches offer book clubs, work out classes, childcare, senior adult activities, soft ball teams, pickle ball tournaments and much more. Tragically, with all of this “activity” quite often the proclamation of the Gospel and Christian discipleship is nowhere to be found. It is heartbreaking to know that in this “age of progress”, the passionate heralding of the Gospel and proper exposition of the scriptures has taken a back seat to things that have no eternal value.

If you ask the average churchgoer what they are looking for in a church, preaching is a subject that is often at the bottom of their list, (if it is even mentioned at all). When the subject of preaching is brought up, the focus is usually on the delivery rather than content. People say that they are looking for preaching that is engaging, inspiring or entertaining. Engaging, inspiring and entertaining preaching is great, as long as it is biblical, uncompromising, and convicting.

John MacArthur said, “Our calling as gospel ministers is to preach the truth, confront sin, and call all men to repentance and obedience to the gospel - the good news that achieves soul conversion and saves sinners from eternal wrath”.

Countless men are standing in pulpits across the land as we speak claiming to be God called ministers of the Gospel, yet Christ is rarely if ever mentioned. In their so-called preaching, holiness is a subject that is avoided, repentance is never called for, obedience is presented as an option, and the true Gospel is never presented. However, ample time is spent on politics, social issues, and current events. Many seek to address how to achieve your hopes and dreams or how to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. Essentially these motivational speeches disguised as sermons are focused on “how to live your best life now”. (I clearly borrowed that phrase from of today’s worst offenders.)

C.H Spurgeon said, “It must not be tolerated that Christ should be unknown through our silence, and sinners unwarned through our negligence.”

The Apostle Paul said in the beginning of this letter to the Christians at Corinth, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:21-25)

With all of their obvious flaws, the Corinthians had heard and received the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the first 10 verses of this chapter Paul has reminded them of the fact they had responded accordingly to the message that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (v4-5). The gospel that Paul preached, and the Corinthians received is the message that the world desperately needs to hear today.

In verses 5-7 Paul references the many people who saw the Lord Jesus after He victoriously rose from the Tomb on Resurrection Sunday. Then in verses 8-10 he shares his testimony concerning own his personal encounter with the Risen Christ. He says “last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”.