One of the most valuable classes I took in Seminary was my preaching course. I once mentioned this to my professor and he reminded me that the preaching course should be the most valuable course a seminarian takes, if he takes the preaching course last. The reason for this is simple. We spend three years learning what the Bible says and then we spend our final year learning how to say what the Bible says. My training has led me to believe that expository preaching is the best model for preaching. Alistair Begg has the best definition of expository preaching from his work, “Preaching for God’s Glory.” He defines expository preaching as: “Unfolding the text of Scripture in such a way that makes contact with the listeners world while exalting Christ and confronting them with the need for action.” I want to faithfully unfold the texteach week and preach the word, sharing what the Bible says in a way that can be directly applied to our lives each day.
The biggest lesson I have learned in the last thirteen years of ministry is that our churches are filled with people who are hurting. My preaching professor in seminary drilled this phrase into my head: “Remember, you are preaching to hurting people.” Those seven words help shape every sermon I preach. Of course, I want to be faithful to preach the Word. I am called to present the gospel, to share how we can come to faith in Christ. I am called to lead our people to the Word, exposit the word and show what was meant when it was originally written so we can see what it means today. I am called to shine the light on Jesus so listeners can see Him. But as I craft my sermon I am always mindful that many people who will hear my sermon are hurting. They are confused by an untimely illness, befuddled by an unexpected death, crushed by a broken relationship or hurt by the backstabbing of a friend. People are hurting….and people who are hurting need to see Jesus. We all need to see how Bible speaks to them in the midst of our pain.
This stands in stark contrast to the modern prosperity gospel, which promotes the idea that God wants to heal our every ailment and bless us with a never-ending income. The one who preaches a prosperity gospel does so promising that hope can be found in health and in wealth. I stand opposed to the prosperity gospel because I believe hope cannot be found in something that is fleeting. Of course we want to be healthy–we hope to be healthy, and perhaps God will bless us with health. But eventually our health will give way to disease and disease will give way to death. Hope in health is fleeting. Hope in wealth is not much different. God might bless us with incredible wealth, but wealth is also a fleeting hope.
Those who have fallen prey to the prosperity gospel might walk into the church hurting. They may have been told to have more faith and may perhaps have even been accused of not having enough faith. When I preach, I’m preaching to the hurting person who needs hope. The hope I share is the hope of the gospel. It is the hope that God loves them and has a plan for their life. That plan might include suffering. That plan might include pain. That plan might include brokenness. It might include hurt. So how do we help people who are suffering, hurting and broken? The only way we know how. We point them to the only one who can help, Jesus Christ, our Hope in life and death.
Remember, we are preaching to people who are hurting.
And Jesus, our Hope in life and death, is the only one who can see us through this painful life.
To God be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done.
To God be the Glory, Great Things He Will Do.
See you Sunday,
Brian