Today’s question: WHY AREN’T YOU PREACHING?
This question is not intended to be confrontational, nor critical. I simply want you to examine your christianity to determine if you are living it in a manner pleasing to our Lord Jesus and in accordance with New Testament teaching and precedent. If you should be preaching and you’re not preaching, something is terribly wrong. Remember, “the judgement seat of Christ” is approaching.
When a born-again, blood-washed saint (YOU are a born-again, blood-washed saint!) tries to determine the will of God he (she) looks for New Testament precedents. Right? So let’s look….
Lord Jesus preached. The twelve preached, the seventy preached, as did Mark, Luke, Philip (the evangelist), Stephen, Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Apollos, Timothy, Titus, James and many more. Paul: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1Cor.11:1) How could the Corinthians imitate Paul if they didn’t preach? And if the Corinthians were supposed to preach, shouldn’t you be preaching? I challenge you to search for one christian in the entire New Testament that was forbidden or discouraged by Lord Jesus or by other christians to preach.
Ephesians 4:11: “He Himself [the Lord Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” These are all preachers. This may surprise you, but you are included in Ephesians 4:11. The word “some” does not mean that some christians are excluded. And the word “some” cannot be interpreted “a few”. No, no, no! A careful reading from Ephesians 4:6 to Ephesians 4:16 reveals that “growth of the body” results from “the WHOLE body, joined and knit together by what EVERY joint supplies, according to the effective working by which EVERY part does its share.” So…. can you see yourself in Ephesians 4:11?
(NOTE: Before going further, I invite you to visit MY LIBRARY OF BOOKS, ARTICLES AND VIDEOS at www.larryjones.ca)
Now let’s look at 1st Corinthians 14:26 (NLT): “When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach [preach], another will tell [preach] some special revelation God has given, one will speak [preach] in tongues, and another will interpret [preach] what is said.” This is group participation. Can you see yourself in 1st Corinthians 14:26? (Pastor whoever says, “When we meet together, a worship leader will lead in song for 22 minutes, then tithes and offerings will be collected, then I will preach, giving a special revelation from God. Please be generous, quiet, and attentive.”)
Still not convinced that you brother, you sister, are called by God to preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified”? I suggest you consider 1st Corinthians 14: 39: “Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy [preach].” And Colossians 3:16: “Teaching [preaching] and admonishing [preaching to] one another.” And Hebrews 5:12: “By this time you ought to be teachers [preachers].” And Hebrews 3:13: “Exhort [preach to] one another daily.” And Hebrews 10:25: “Exhorting [preaching to] one another.”
So back to my question, “Why aren’t you preaching?” Please consider my answer to my question. And please comment, telling me (and others) if you agree or disagree. Okay?
You have been taught that you are NOT to preach. I know, I know, you are quick to respond that your Pastor Whoever NEVER said you are not to preach. No, he never has and never will. But consider the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “To not speak is to speak.” Don’t only consider what the man you call “Pastor” says but what he doesn’t say. If he doesn’t say you are called by the Lord Jesus Christ to preach Bible truths, he is actually saying you are NOT so called. (“To not speak is to speak.”) If Pastor Whoever thought you are called and qualified and responsible to preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” to the world Jesus died for and to His precious church he would certainly be declaring it repeatedly. Wouldn’t he?
His refusal to NOT so declare should arouse suspicion regarding his motive. I conclude his motive is thus: If everybody were a preacher he would lose his special status…. his denominational certificate would no longer impress…. he could be pressured to share the powerful pulpit…. his (non-Biblical) salary could be at risk.
So I say to you, my brother and sister in Christ, the same words Paul said to Timothy: “Preach the word!” What “word” was Paul referring to? Obviously, the same word he preached, the same word Christ preached, the same word the other New Testament writers preached. WARNING: Don’t preach “commandments of men”. (Jesus: “In vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”) Don’t preach the old covenant. (Hebrews 8:6: “He [Jesus] is also Mediator of a better covenant.”) Don’t preach religion. (A human ‘authority’ that has created its own set of doctrines.) I say again, “Preach the word!”, “Preach the word!”, “Preach the word!”
Facebook (and other social media outlets) can be your platform, your ‘pulpit’. By redirecting donations from your institutional church (and from what Jesus called, “treasures on earth”) to FB advertising, for example, you can reach most countries from your residence! The potential is enormous! You can easily redirect (not hundreds but) thousands of people from ghastly hell to wondrous heaven.
So I ask again…. “WHY AREN’T YOU PREACHING?”