Preaching to Preachers about Preaching

Text:

Jeremiah 1:4–10 (KJV 1900)

4 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

7 But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

9 Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

Introduction:

-We must understand that the job of the preacher is to:

a. To root out- To eliminate every part of something that shouldn’t be there.

b. To pull down- The verb sense means to pluck out hair.

c. To destroy- Means something very similar to the previous ones

d. To throw down- Also means something very similar to the previous but in direct relation to idols

e. To build- The is the process that occurs once you have eliminated the negative things from your life.

f. To plant- Like removing the roots of the bad things on your life ; you must replant something good that will take root in your life.

-The ratio of bad to good in the job of a preacher is 2:1. We must purpose to eliminate the bad before we plant the good.

I. The Heart of the Preacher

The first person we must take a look at is ourselves. If we are dirty vessels we are disqualified.

Psalm 51

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.

1  Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:

According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

3  For I acknowledge my transgressions:

And my sin is ever before me.

4  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in thy sight:

That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,

And be clear when thou judgest.

5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;

And in sin did my mother conceive me.

6  Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:

And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8  Make me to hear joy and gladness;

That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9  Hide thy face from my sins,

And blot out all mine iniquities.

10  Create in me a clean heart, O God;

And renew a right spirit within me.

11  Cast me not away from thy presence;

And take not thy holy spirit from me.

12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

And uphold me with thy free spirit.

13  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

And sinners shall be converted unto thee.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ps 51.

-David first had to eliminate the bad and be serious about eliminating it before he taught the transgressors their ways and before any sinners could be converted.

A. The Prayer Life

-The prayer life is the spiritual thermometer of the christian life. Your prayer life is not your time to preach ; It’s your time to enter the throne room and talk to God.

1  Give ear to my words, O Lord,

Consider my meditation.

2  Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:

For unto thee will I pray.

3  My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord;

In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ps 5:1–3.

-We are not to direct our prayer toward men.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Heb 4:15–16.

-Our pubic prayer must backed up with allot of personal prayer.

B. The Intake of Scripture

1 Timothy 6:3–5 (KJV 1900)

3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

-The bible says that if you don’t consent to scripture it is better that you don’t preach at all.

C. A Servants Mindset

-Your job in ministry is to serve “Let all esteem others better than themselves” You should have the heart of a servant. Jeremiah’s first response to God’s calling was a spirit of humility. Preachers relly to much on themselves.

II. The Heart of the People

-You have to be at a certain state spiritually to be able to even consider the hearts of the people your preaching.

A. Lawgiver not You

-It is not your job to judge the people or even focus on their sin. That is God’s job.

James 4:12 (KJV 1900)

12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

-You should rely on God to determine what will come out of your mouth not based on what you think the condition of the people are.

B. Conviction not You

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 16:7–11.

-The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. It is not your job because God has an ultimate plan for what you are going to say. He already knows how He will work in the crowd you will be speaking to.

III. The Heart of God

-The most important being you can dwell upon, the most important place you can spend your time is in the heart of God. Our job is to know God and be like Him and allow him to guide our words and ultimately our path.

A. A Perfect Example

-God is the perfect example for us. His words in the bible already provide the perfect message that we could possibly preach. Maybe we spend to much time speaking our own words and not the words of God Himself that He gave us in his word.

B. A Reliable Source

The Word of God is infallible it has proven to be true over time. Why would we choose to give our own opinions and dwell on politics. Why would we disgrace the pulpit with such insignificant things. Especially when we have the word of God.