Preach it brother!

One of the greatness weakness of the church of our days is the preaching of the gospel. 95% of believers have never won a soul for Christ.

As a result, the churches are decreasing in attendance and membership. All want to see their church growing, but how is going to grow if we do not preach the gospel? Real church growth happens when souls are saved, not when people comes to church!

In his letter to the Romans, Paul, the great evangelist, gives us five reasons why we must preach the gospel.

Five reasons why we must preach the gospel:

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We find the first reason in verse 5a

We’re called to preach it.

“we have received grace and apostleship...” 5a

God does not save us to make us a decoration in His church. He saves us to make us useful in His hands.

With His grace also comes a calling to apostleship, to be his envoys, his messengers.

The job of the apostles may be summarized in the words of the calling to His first disciples:

Matthew 4:18–19 NASB95

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Jesus came to preach the gospel and to give His life as a ransom for many. To His disciples, he said, “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” ()

His calling to preach the gospel is not exclusive for pastors, evangelists, or leaders, but a call to all who believe in Him.

Have you believed in Him? Are you preaching the gospel?

That verse also gives us a second reason:

We preach it if we love Jesus.

“...to bring about the obedience of faith… for His name’s sake” 5b

When we are in love, we want to tell everyone about our beloved one.

It is sad to see so many Christians claiming that they love Jesus, but never speaking about Him.

I tell everyone about my wife because I love her, I tell about my children because I love them. I carry pictures of them on my phone to show them to others because I love them.

Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. The first time He asked him: “Do you love me more than these?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (phileo) you”. Jesus, then, said, “Tend my lambs”. The second time He asked him and received the same answer, Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep”. On the third time, Jesus used the word He heard from Peter, “Do you “phileo” me?” Peter basically answered saying, “You know my heart, you know that I “phileo” you.” Jesus then said, “Tend my sheep.”

That’s the problem with those many Christians: They claim to love Him when, in reality, they just like Him. If they would love Him, they would not stop talking about Him.

The third reason is found in verse 9a

We serve God when we preach it.

“For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son,” 9a

When Jesus told the disciples that they would receive the Spirit, He did not tell them “so you can teach Sunday School or as ushers, deacons, in the music, in the kitchen...”. I am not saying that doing those things is not good, but He said, “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost of the earth.” ()

We serve God as His witnesses when we preach the good news of salvation by faith in His Son.

No one gets saved because we serve in other different ministries in the church. People get saved when we serve God in “the preaching of the gospel of His Son”.

Illust. Conversion of an atheist due to the question of poor lady (500 Ilust, # 252) “Sir, do you love our blessed Savior?”

If God’s wish is that “no one perish but for all to come to repentance”, is it not logical to think that serving Him in the area of the preaching of the gospel is more pleasant to Him than serving in any other area?

If those reasons are not enough, he gives us another one:

Preaching the gospel is our duty.

“I am under obligation...” 14a

The word used means “one who is obligated to do something”.

Preaching the gospel is an obligation to Christ who loved us.

1 Corinthians 9:16–17 NASB95

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

1 cor

Another version reads “I am a debtor”.

It is a debt of gratitude for the love we have received from our Lord.

It is His love that motivates us, that impulses us to preach it. That’s what Paul meant when he wrote to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 5:14 NASB95

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3218 Love Makes Obedience

Love makes obedience a thing of joy!

To do the will of one we like to please

Is never hardship, though it tax our strength;

Each privilege of service love will seize!

Love makes us loyal, glad to do or go,

And eager to defend a name or cause;

Love takes the drudgery from common work,

And asks no rich reward or great applause.

Love gives us satisfaction in our task,

And wealth in learning lessons of the heart;

Love sheds a light of glory on our toil

And makes us humbly glad to have a part.

Love makes us choose to do the will of God,

To run His errands and proclaim His truth;

It gives our hearts an eager, lilting song;

Our feet are shod with tireless wings of youth!

Jesus told His disciples, “if you love me, keep my commandments”. One of those commandments is “Go and preach the gospel to all creatures”. Love makes obedience!

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3218 Love Makes Obedience

Love makes obedience a thing of joy!

To do the will of one we like to please

Is never hardship, though it tax our strength;

Each privilege of service love will seize!

Love makes us loyal, glad to do or go,

And eager to defend a name or cause;

Love takes the drudgery from common work,

And asks no rich reward or great applause.

Love gives us satisfaction in our task,

And wealth in learning lessons of the heart;

Love sheds a light of glory on our toil

And makes us humbly glad to have a part.

Love makes us choose to do the will of God,

To run His errands and proclaim His truth;

It gives our hearts an eager, lilting song;

Our feet are shod with tireless wings of youth!

Paul was eager to fulfill his duty, he was hungry for souls. (v. 15)

Are you also eager? Do you acknowledge your obligation?

We preach it because it’s not something to be ashamed of.

v. 16-17

One of the main reasons why many believer do not preach the gospel is shame. There is not reason to be ashamed of. We should be ashamed of not preaching it! We should be ashamed of our sins, not of the gospel!

How can we be ashamed of it if it is the power of God for salvation?

That power that reaches without discrimination, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, old and young, educated and uneducated.

The gospel is the mean God uses to bring people to faith in Christ.

How can we be ashamed of the gospel if God, thru it, reveals His righteousness?

If we can talk about football, fashions, or politics, we can also talk about Jesus.

Let’s get rid of the indifference and coldness, of the apathy, of the lack of compassion for the lost, and let’s start preaching the gospel.

Commit yourself to do your best to preach the gospel at least once every week.