A Vision of Preaching

The third in A Biblical Vision series is the vision of Preaching.

 

Expository preaching is essential for the teaching of Biblical doctrines and thus to know the Lord.  The call to sound and Biblical preaching and teaching are abundant in Scripture.  But the first question of preaching is to ask - whose Word is it?  And then, will it be preached in truth faithfully?

 

Ge.15:1, "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."

- The first time God gives his Word to Abram He also gives him a promise.  The promise is that God is his shield, his Defender, and that his reward would be great.

 

Ex.19:5-6, 18-19, "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation ... Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire.  The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kin, and the whole mountain trembled greatly."

- Just before God gave the people the Law, He calls them into a covenant relationship, to be a holy nation to Him.  Mt. Sinai trembled greatly when God gave the people His Word.

 

Ne.8:4,5-6, "And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose ... And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.  And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands.  And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground."

- Ezra and the people of God were extremely grateful to be back from exile and in Jerusalem.  They were grateful to be reading the Law of God, the Word of God that could preserve them and keep them close to God.

 

Ps.119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules."

- The Psalmist describes the Word of God as a lamp and a light.  The light is a metaphor for truth, and teachers and preachers must declare God's truth for the church to know the Light of Christ in the darkness of this world.

 

Is.1:1-2, "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me."

- God's people have historically broken God’s Word.  But we must receive it as a gift from our heavenly Father who cares for us like children.

 

Je.2:4-5, "Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel.  Thus says the LORD: What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?"

- The Word of God came with authority, which is often spoken as, "Thus says the Lord".  Even more, it came with strict warnings and admonishing, for disregarding the Word of God has serious consequences.

 

Mt.4:16-17, "(T)he people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death on them a light has dawned.  From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

- The preaching that Jesus gave in His ministry was the Word of Light!  He came to bring light to those dwelling in darkness, to all of us.  He commands us to repent, to turn from the darkness to God, Who is the Light.  

 

Mt.16:6, 11-12, "Jesus said to them, Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees ... How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?  Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

- Jesus teaches His disciples to see with Spiritual understanding, and not in a mundane or secularistic way.  Beware the leaven that infiltrates the Word of God and corrupts it with man's traditions.

 

Mk.1:38-39, "And he said to them, Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.  And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons."

- Jesus came to preach the Word of God and He preached in the Jewish synagogues, to His own people first, to free them from the bonds of sin.

 

Lk.4:43-44, "(B)ut he said to them, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.  And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

- Jesus came to preach the good news of the kingdom of God.  This is a Spiritual kingdom with a theocentric focus and purpose of preaching.

 

Ac.20:26-27, "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God."

- Paul bids farewell to the elders of Ephesus and charges them to preach the whole counsel of God.  It is imperative for Spiritual life to preach all of the Word, and to not teach contemporary trends or agendas.

 

2Co.4:5-6, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

- One of the imperatives of Biblical preaching is to center it upon Christ and not man.

 

1Ti.1:3, "As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith."

- Paul expressly warns Timothy and all pastors to not teach or preach any other doctrine but that which was given by the Lord.  This is still true today, as the Word of God does not change.

 

2Pe.1:19-20, "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation."

- Peter warns his audience that we do well to pay attention to the prophetic Word that is fully confirmed.  This Word is a lamp shining in a dark place, it gives us light for eternal life.

 

2Pe.2:1-2, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring destructive heresies, even denying the Master who brought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed."

- Peter warns against false teachers who blaspheme the way of truth and follow their own sensuality.

 

Ja.3:1, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

- James warns of the judgment that comes upon those who teach as they have great influence upon the family of faith in the church.

 

The office of pastor and preacher must be taken very seriously so as to always remain true to the Word of God because it is the Word from God.  It is God's Word and not our own and we must preach it theocentrically, with a God-centered perspective, and not with personal agendas.  This is essential for the true faith to grow in godliness to become Christ-like.