Some Reflections on Preaching
By
Jackie M. Stearsman

There are times when we need to call attention to the purpose of the Florida School of Preaching. As the name indicates, preaching is our priority. However, anyone wishing to study the Bible is welcome to attend and take classes. But our primary goal is to prepare men to preach and to encourage preaching.

Examples

When we review the concept of preaching from a Bible perspective, we may learn much. We are informed that some of the greatest Bible characters are classified as preachers.

(1) Noah was a preacher. “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a PREACHER of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly” (2 Pet. 2:5 KJV, emphasis added in quotes).

(2) The wise man, King Solomon, was a preacher. “The words of the PREACHER, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the PREACHER, vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:1-2). “I the PREACHER was king over Israel in Jerusalem” (Eccl. 1:12).

(3) The Prophet Jonah was a preacher. “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and PREACH unto it the preaching that I bid thee” (Jonah 3:2). “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the PREACHING of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here” (Matt. 12:41).

(4) John the baptizer was a preacher. “In those days came John the Baptist, PREACHING in the wilderness of Judaea, (Matt. 3:1).

(5) Jesus the Christ was a preacher. “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and PREACHING the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matt. 4:23). “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and PREACHING the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matt. 9:35).

(6) Jesus chose and prepared the Twelve Apostles to be preachers. “And as ye go, PREACH, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 10:7). “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and PREACH the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15, See also Matt. 28:18-20).

(7) Paul classified himself as a teacher, an apostle, and a preacher. “Whereunto I am appointed a PREACHER, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles” (2 Tim. 1:11).

What do these examples suggest to you? Are there any ideas about preaching that may need refining in your thoughts? Do these examples suggest to you that preaching is important? May we learn anything about preaching from these great preachers?

Lessons

I would like to suggest the following lessons on preaching and preachers for our serious reflection.

(1) The message God authorizes to be preached is more important than the messenger. Noah was not a perfect man, but he preached the message God wanted preached. He needed the grace of God as do all, and his failures must never be used as a license to sin or do wrong.

This is certainly indicated by the life of the preacher Solomon and Jonah. Even the great apostle Peter needed correcting, but his inspired message from God did not need correcting. Paul rebuked Peter because his life did not conform to the doctrine/teaching given to him by God (Gal. 2:11-14).

(2) Not all will obey. Only the immediate family of Noah profited from his preaching. Preachers today must be willing to preach in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2). The reaction of the audience to the truth taught must not be the primary motive in our preaching. It is easy for some to find fault with the messenger (or even kill the messenger) when the problem lies with the recipient of the message.

(3) Some may be surprised by the response. We might think that the most blessed would be more likely to receive the message, but this is not always true. We may think that the most educated would likely be the best prospect, but Paul shows that this is far from the truth (1 Cor. 1:18ff.).

While the plan of the Lord was to take the message to the Jews first, He knew that many would reject the gospel and that the Gentile were to be taught. Many of the Jews rejected the gospel preached by Paul, while many of the Gentiles accepted it, and this caused jealousy among the Jews.

(4) We may need to overcome our own prejudices in order to preach the gospel. Jonah did not appreciate his assignment to Nineveh. Peter had a problem with his fellowship among the Jews and Gentiles.

The Pharisees could not reconcile their ideas with Jesus’ association with Publicans and sinners. Jesus told them that those they considered the outcast of society would enter the kingdom before the self-righteous Pharisee (Matt. 21:31-32).

(5) From the examples cited above, we must understand that preaching may cost us dearly. It cost John the baptizer his life (Matt. 14:1-12). It cost Jesus to die upon the cross. A study of the life of Paul will reveal how much he suffered for the cause of preaching. Read carefully Second Corinthians 11:23-33. If secular history is correct, Paul also paid with his life for preaching the gospel. It was common knowledge that many of the prophets paid dearly for the “crime” of preaching the truth and teaching the people (Matt. 23:29-36).

(6) Preaching that is profitable proclaims the whole counsel of God–reproving, rebuking, exhorting with long suffering. Preaching must be done both privately and publicly. The examples above will underscore these vital points.

Preaching Is Indispensable

In living the Christian life, there are many duties and obligations we must shoulder. Some duties are shared with non-Christians. We list a few of these in order to show the distinct obligation placed upon us to preach the gospel. We must take seriously the duty of preaching.

Christians are to be benevolent, but benevolence may be carried on by the civil state and other social organizations.

Christians are to provide recreation for their children and for the individual Christian’s health and well being (1 Tim. 4:8). However, there are many organizations that provide recreation programs that we may participate in that do not even involve Christians to fund or participate in the same.

Education is needed if we are to understand and teach the truths of the Bible. However, secular society provides education, and we may choose to develop educational facilities that provide a moral environment patterned after the precepts of the Bible for educating our young. Education is primarily a duty of the home. The civil state in most countries recognizes the need for educating at least some of its constituents.

HOWEVER, when we consider the subject of preaching we are considering an item that falls squarely upon the church and can not be passed on to other institutions. The home may be unstable and not always qualify to train preachers. The civil state is not under the obligation to train preachers.

When we think of preachers and preaching, we must place a priority in developing and encouraging preachers to preach the truths of God.

The words of Paul to Timothy must be a part of our philosophy and Christian education. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).

Do we take seriously this admonition from Paul? To whom do you think Paul placed this duty? Help us prepare men to preach the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?