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Preach God’s Word
When we open our Bibles, we find God’s called out one, has been assigned to be a Kingdom of Kings
and Priests, to our Lord God and Father! Christ has constituted His Church a Kingdom and its individual
members His priest teachers and ambassadors, to be a member of the Kingdom oF God.
The Apostle Peter tells us, we are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood! “.... you are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, a holy Nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2: 9 NKJ). That marvelous light in Rev 5:10
says, “Has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
There are many people in the world today that have their own opinions on what kind of ministering they
desire, but the real question - should be what kind of ministering does God require?
There are many in the religious world who are not that concerned about or wanting to know how God
wants things done. We live in a time where people just want to feel good about the message they hear and they
don't want to hear how they need to change things in their lives to be right with God. Of course, this is not a
new problem because this idea has always been around. For instance notice what Isaiah 30: 8 tells us. “Now
go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever: that
this is a rebellious lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; who say to the seers, "do not
see," and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, Prophesy deceits. Get
out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us" (Isaiah 30: 8 - 11).
These people would rather have lies told them than God’s word of truth! This is the same problem that
many are guilty of today.
We also have example of this in the New Testament, which comes as a warning to Timothy from Paul.
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His
appearing and His Kingdom: preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort,
with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine, but
according to their own desires, because they have Itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and
they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim 4:1 - 5). Again as we read in verses
3 and 4, sometimes people don't want God's truth taught, instead they want the preacher to preach sermons that
will tickle their ears, even if what they are preaching will lead many down the wide road that leads to destruction.
When watching some religious T.V. programs, I’ve noticed street corner Christians need to learn to stop
telling their pastors what they desire to hear preached, instead they need to pray and find out what God wants
their preacher to preach.
A great place to begin is by reading First and Second Timothy, because Paul gives a great deal of
instruction to Timothy on what he should speak and how he should live his life, by what he ministers on. The
first thing we see Paul telling Timothy in those verses we just read was to preach the Word of God, because it
will convince, rebuke and exhort them to stay the course with God's doctrine. God's word should be the main
thing that is taught. Ministers and teachers who get up and tell stories and only briefly mention any scriptures
are certainly not preaching the Word of God .
When preachers do it their way instead of God's way, it causes congregations to lose respect for God’s
Word and it opens the door for false doctrines to enter in. This is why Paul warns Timothy, that if God’s Word
is not taught then people will go off course.
In fact, Paul tells Timothy, at lest 12 times in his letters, for him to keep the doctrine and teach other to
keep the doctrine of God. 1 Tim 4: 6, God gives His called ministers, teachers and ambassadors some edifying
advise. “If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the
words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.”
A good minister is one that instructs the brethren with the word of God. When this is done, this will help
equip the called with what they need to hear and not necessarily what they want to hear. God wants His ordained
ministry and teachers to convict people of their sin through His word, so their hearts will be pricked and they
will realize that they need to repent and change their ways. Change their bad habits, this is not something that
a ministers enjoys doing, But if he is preaching the whole council of God, he will preach on topics that will
eventually touch everyone, because we all have our different weaknesses and strengths, and God's word covers
them all, as we read in Second Peter one , “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and
Jesus our Lord. as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to Life and godliness, through the
knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2).
Paul gives a great example of this in, 2 Corinthians 7: starting with verse 8, “For even if I made you sorry
with my letter, I do not regret it; Though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry,
though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.
For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow
produces repentance leading to Salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For
observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: what carefulness it wrought in you, what clearing
of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you
proved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Cor 7: 8 - 11).
Notice, Paul took no personal satisfaction in pointing out the sin these people were guilty of, but, at the
same time he also rejoiced knowing that the words he said, which came from God caused these people to wake
up and repent and that is the same attitude that all preachers and teachers and ambassadors for God = should
have.
Another thing we can learn about doctrinal teaching is that it should be spoken in such a way that
everyone can understand what you are talking about. Some evangelist like to show how intelligent they are their
speaking will be full of difficult terms and terminology that most people cannot follow or understand. I’m sure
we have all heard these type of preachers that could speak beautifully smooth things, by bloviating! But the
problem was they kept speaking over everyone's head and they would get lost in his message, because he used
so many useless words that most had not ever heard of and he used them as if everyone understood them. God
doesn't want His word preached this way because He wants people to understand what His word is saying and
He wants it to be clear and plain.
How many times have you heard a sermon preached where the preacher sounds more like a politician
than a preacher? I think I am at times guilty of that! There has been sermons that I have listened to where the
sermon had a clear title, but the subject spoken of was so disorganized that by the time the preacher got
finished with his sermon I did not have a clue what it was about. Just like a politician who says a lot, but yet
says nothing. Again this is not the kind of sermon that God wants for His called disciples. This kind of
preaching is so confusing and undefined that it doesn't do anybody any good and will cause you to walk away
feeling empty. God wants His preachers, teachers and ambassadors to preach the word – speak the truth and
to do it plainly – with clearly .
Another thing we learn about God's doctrine is that it is to be taught with love and out going concern
for all. If a ministers main goal is to belittle and make people feel low and discouraged, then they have the
wrong teaching attitude.
God wants teachers who have out going concern for His called people and who wants them to be on the
right path with God’s truth. They should not gloat in the sins of others, but pray for their help they need. When
a minister speak out of love for a person's eternal life, he is going to do his best to reach that person at their level
– just as Paul did. “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the
more; and to the jews I became as a jew, that I might win jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law,
that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without
law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became
as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you” (1 Cor 9: 19 - 23).
Now Paul is not saying that he would engage in sinful activates to reach these people, but that he would
relate with them and come down to their level so that he might get them to listen to the gospel – God’s good
news of His soon coming kingdom to earth.
Again this shows how a teacher of God’s word should preach with love and discernment for the newly
called and for the older called brethren. God wants preachers, teachers and ambassadors who speak clearly the
whole council of God, from Geneses to Revelation, leaving out the traditions of men!
Another thing we learn about what kind of ministering God wants, He wants ministering servants to teach
things that please Him and not man. Now this can be a challenging task for some who have been called, because
some are afraid to speak from God’s instruction book – the whole truth, especially if they are concerned about
losing their job and their pay checks.
Others have fear of offending someone so they will tread in Gods' word lightly, so they don't offend. The
first thing a called servant need to realize, is that if they offend someone while speaking the truth, they didn't
offend them, God's Word did!! Preachers, teachers and ambassadors need to realize that we are vessel for
God's word and if we don't preach or teach it than we are neglecting our duty.
Notice what Paul says about this in Galations 1, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him
who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble
you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel
to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if
anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now
persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond servant of
Christ. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal
1: 6 - 12).
Paul emphasizes twice that there is only one doctrine and we must not teach another. But he also is
teaching us that God' s word cannot be watered down to please people. This is an area that all preachers,
teachers and ambassadors need to understand.
We are not to preach to people for the sole purpose of being pleasing to them, instead we must be bold
and teach the word of God just as Jesus told His disciples in Matthew, where we are told to speak in the light.
“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And
do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart
from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more
value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10: 27 - 31).
We can see that His disciples took this advice to heart, because when Peter and John were arrested for
preaching about Jesus the Christ, the jews threaten them but they said, “Whether it is right in the sight of God
to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”
(Act 4: 19 - 20). “Then Peter and the other disciples answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than
men” (Acts 5:29). This is the attitude that every preacher, teacher and ambassador should have.
We have to learn to set aside our own personal thoughts and desires and simply speak the truth. We
should never avoid speaking against things that we ourselves are struggling with. I can tell you there has been
sermons that I have given that probably stepped harder on my toes than it did anybody else.
The ministry and teachers must not avoid talking about those things that are difficult for people to hear.
It is very tempting to avoid difficult and controversial topics that affect many people in one way or another. I
can tell you when I give a sermon like this it make’s me uneasy – because I certainly don't enjoy ministering on
difficult controversial topics, but its necessary if all God's word is going to be preached. 1 Peter 4: 11, is our
instructions on that! “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as
with the ability which God, Supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom
belong the glory and the dominion forever and Ever. Amen.” How can we follow what Peter has said here if
we are not willing to speak all of God's word? You cannot! That's why it's so important for all of God's word
to be preached and taught from His word and it should not be mixed with false doctrine.
One last point I want to make is about “What kind of preaching God wants?” He wants those who speak
His word to live by what they speak, because they are to be an example of holy living as Paul told Timothy. “Let
no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in
purity” (1 Tim 4:12).
If the minister preaching isn't living his life according to God's word, yet he teaches others that they must
then they are no better than the pharisees of Jesus time, because that is exactly what they were guilty of. In
Matthew 23, there we find a example of what I am saying. “Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his
disciples, saying: "the scribes and the pharisees sit in moses' [civil] seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to
observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and Do Not do. For they bind
heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with
one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and
enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the Synagogues,
greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, rabbi' (Matthew 23: 1 - 7).
It’s not going to take long before people figure out if the minister is living by his preaching and teaching.
When they do, his words become less effective. If he isn't living by them then people are going to start to think
that they don't have to live by them either. That is why it is important that ministers, teachers and ambassadors
practice what they say.
I read a story that illustrates this and it goes like this, “A minister presented a sermon on honesty and
on the next day he took the bus to get to his office. He paid the fare, and the bus driver gave him back too much
Change. During the rest of the journey the minister was rationalizing how God had provided him some extra
money he needed for the week. But, he just couldn't live with himself, so before he got off the bus he said to the
driver, "You've made a mistake. You've given me too much change." and he preceded to give him back the extra
money. The driver smiled and said, “there was No mistake. I was at your church yesterday and heard you preach
on honesty, so I decided to see if you practiced what you Preached."
If this minister had not been honest, then this man would have lost respect for this pastor And he would
either stop going to church or stop listening to what this man had to say. Since he was honest and practiced what
he preached this bus driver would have gained a deeper respect for the pastor and would learn from him that he
does practice what he preaches and teaches and that he should do the same.
This is not just a lesson for preachers, teachers, and ambassadors — it is also a lesson for every one of
God’s called, because in one way or another we are all representing Hod in our daily lives. And if we call
ourselves Christians, then we must also be willing to live Christ like, so that we can all be good examples to
those around us and people can see that we are practicing what we preach and teach.
Recapping, the kind of preaching and teaching that God wants, is teaching that comes from His Word
and He want all of His word taught. He wants it taught with clarity and by people who are motivated and have
His Holy Spirit showing true out going concern. He wants teaching that is pleasing to Him and that is not
watered down to please others. And finally, He wants those who teach His word to live by it, so to be good
examples to others. ☜
James Russell