THE IMPORTANCE OF PREACHING
Last week I read an article in
a religious periodical which made this statement: "Preaching is not to be
the sum total of the activity nor even necessarily the most important aspect of
the assembly." The article went on to suggest that one of the greatest
problems in our churches is that we spend too much time preaching. What
nonsense!
Our Lord's last
great command was this - "Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel." This was Paul's dying charge to Timothy - "Preach the
Word." And preaching was the one business of the great apostle's life. He
wrote, "Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel." God never called
anyone to discuss the gospel, to debate the gospel, or to refine the gospel.
But He does call men, whom He has gifted and qualified for the work, to preach
the gospel. And He sends them forth into
the world for this one purpose. And He gives but one reason for doing so -
"It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe."
Beloved, this is the one business of God's servants.
And it is not only the primary purpose for our assemblies, it is the only
purpose. The local church is to be a sounding board for the gospel of Christ,
nothing more and nothing less. Not all of God's saints are gifted for
preaching, but they all are engaged in the work. By their love, their prayers,
and their generosity, they hold up the hands of God's servants.
I say this is the one purpose
of the church with good reason - Preaching is the means of salvation.
"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Preaching
is the means of edification. God gives His church pastors according to His own
heart, "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ." And preaching is the means of
sanctification, "sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth."
Well is it
written, "How beautiful (greatly desired) are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things." God save us from
those who would turn aside His church from this great work. Let us press on, as
the Lord enables us, Preaching The Gospel To Every Creature.