Let Us Go and Preach

One day St. Francis of Assisi said to one of the young monks at the Portiuncula, “Let us go down to the town and preach!” The novice, delighted at being singled out to be the companion of Francis, obeyed with alacrity. They passed through the principal streets, turned down many of the byways and alleys, made their way into the suburbs, and at great length returned by a circuitous route to the monastery gate. As they approached it, the younger man reminded Francis of his original intention.

“You have forgotten, Father, that we went to the town to preach!”

“My son,” Francis replied, “we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We have been seen by many; our behavior has been closely watched; it was thus that we preached our morning sermon. It is of no use, my son, to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk.”*

Note the writing above the door entrances coming into the sanctuary: “Enter to Worship, Depart to Serve

It is said,

Most of us spend too much time with people, too little with God.

When have we worshiped? For some, it is when people have raised their hands or clapped joyfully. For others, when they have contributed to inspired singing or heard a powerful sermon. For still others, when the service has moved smoothly without any hitches in the sound system, the ushering, or the music.

“But worship meant coming to God on his terms and encountering him.”(Changing Lives through Preaching and Worship: 30 strategies for Powerful Communications, Marshall Shelley)

2.λατρεύω, to serve, esp. for hire, but also of service with or without pay. To render service to God, esp. with reference to sacrifice; hence, to worship.

(NKJV) 10Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

10Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

3.διακονέω, to serve, render service, wait upon, to do any one a service, to help, to minister to any one in anything. ,

(NKJV) 2There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

2There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

(NKJV) 26If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

26If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

How can we lay hold of such a new and living faith—lay hold of the living God in our lives? This great passage tells us.

1. Let us draw near God (v.22) 1. We must have a "true heart." 2. We must have "full assurance of faith." 3. We must have hearts and bodies perfectly cleansed and washed. (, , , )

preparation is necessary in order to approach Him. This means genuine, sincere, honest, meaningful, and without hypocrisy. A true heart involves an attitude of gladness, freedom, and enthusiasm (Marvin Vincent. Word Studies In The New Testament, Vol. 4, p.501).

Thought 2. Too many people have divided loyalties. They do not have the full assurance of faith—full assurance that Jesus Christ is absolutely sufficient to present them perfect before God.

The point 3 is this: before we approach God, we must be cleansed of sin and its guilt—cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" ().

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded" ().

"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works" ().

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth" ().

2. Let us hold fast our profession of faith (v.23). (1) that Jesus Christ is his Savior from sin and death, (2) Jesus Christ is the risen Lord

hold fast our profession without wavering. A person who makes a true profession in Christ believes two things: Note: God keeps His Word

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" ().

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" ().

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" ().

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" ().

"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" ().

3. Let us stir up one another: to love and to do good works (v.24). (, , , )

3. Let us stir up one another: to love and to do good works (v.24).

It means to give attention to; to fix our attention upon; to give continuous care; to watch over. Why? To make sure none of us are slacking up

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" ().

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" ().

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you" ().

"Let love be without dissimulation [hypocrisy]. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" ().

4. Let us not forsake worshipping together (v.25). • for worship • for prayer • for the study of God's Word • for ministry and witnessing (, , , , , , , , , )

duty is to assemble together and never to forsake our assembling, not even to neglect it for a brief time.

This is the meaning of this exhortation. Believers are to assemble together...

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" ().

"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart" ().

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the lord for ever" ().

"lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth" ().

"One thing have I desired of the lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the lord, and to enquire in his temple" ().

"Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple" ().

"My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God....Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee" (, ).

"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness" ().

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the lord" ().

Let Us Go and Preach!

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