The Preeminence of Preaching

The Preeminence of Preaching

Text: Numbers 16:41-50 (KJV)

41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. 42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

We have been in a long series on The Power of a Praying Church for the past 5 weeks. I would like to take a brake from this series to talk to you about another aspect of the early church. Prayer is vital to the church this morning; but I want us to take time this morning to think about the the most important function if the Church. Preaching.

(1 Co 1:17-21)

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Romans 10:12-15 (KJV)

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

* The preacher has the most important job in all the world this morning! * More important that presidents and kings!

* More important that the physician or surgeon!

* More important than generals or ambassadors!

* More important than scientists or philosophers!

Like Aaron in our text this morning,

* Preachers are standing in pulpits all round the world this morning-

Standing between the dead and the living!

What can we say about preaching?

* Preaching is teaching with a passionate tear in the eye.

* Preaching is truth set on fire!

* Preaching is the fire in the pulpit that melts the ice in the pew!

* Preaching is the Holy Spirit’s amplifier!

* Preaching is Doctrine clothed in excitement!

The Bible says “Preaching is the power of God unto Salvation!

* Preaching is the heartbeat of the church!

* Preaching is loves smile!

* Preaching is sin’s greatest enemy!

* Preaching is doubts demise!

* Preaching is fear’s failure!

The Bible says “Preaching is the power of God unto Salvation!

* Preaching is depression’s death!

* Preaching is faith’s food!

* Preaching is the mender of broken relationships!

* Preaching is the healer of broken hearts!

* Preaching is the restorer of lost dreams!

The Bible says “Preaching is the power of God unto Salvation!

* Preaching is Hell’s greatest enemy!

* Preaching is the sinner’s best friend!

* Preaching saved the entire city of Nineveh!

* Preaching turned the Judean wilderness into a baptizing revival!

* Preaching ignited the fire on the day of Pentecost!

The Bible says “Preaching is the power of God unto Salvation!

John Wesley said “I just myself on fire and folks come to watch me as I burn”

Richard Baxter said “I preach as if I might not ever preach again, as a dying man to dying men”

John Newton said “Preaching is breaking the hard heart, and then healing the broken one.”

Abraham Lincoln said “When I hear a man preaching, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees.”

The Bible says “Preaching is the power of God unto Salvation!

I. The preacher’s message is the most important message in all the world!

A. The preacher’s message medicine for dying people!

John 3:14-15 (KJV)

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Mark 2:16-17 (KJV)

16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

B. The preacher’s message is a life preserver for drowning men!

2 Peter 2:4-6 (KJV)

4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

2 Peter 3:5-10 (KJV)

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

C. The preacher’s message is a lighthouse warning about the imminent danger of Sin!

2 Peter 3:9-10 (KJV)

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Quote: Martyn Lloyd Jones- This affluent society in which we are living is drugging people and making them feel all is well with them. They have better wages, better houses, better cars, every gadget desirable in the home; life is satisfactory and all seems to be well; and because of that people have ceased to think and to face the real problems. They are content with the superficial ease and satisfaction, and that militates against a true and radical understanding of their actual condition…

There is the pleasure mania, and television and radio bringing their influence right into the home. All these things persuade men that all is well; they give him a temporary feelings of happiness; and so he assumes that all is well and stops thinking. The result is that he does not realize his true position and then face it.

* The preacher shouts and screams to the top of his lungs warning people that they are about to perish!

* Wake up from your pleasure induced sleep! You are about to slip away into eternity and a fiery judgment! * You are about to crash into jagged rocks of sin and sink to your eternal doom!

*Illustration of the Lighthouse Keeper

The story is told of a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline and who received his new supply of oil once a month to keep the light burning. Not being far from shore, he had frequent guests. One night a woman from the village begged some oil to keep her family warm. Another time a father asked for some to use in his lamp. Another needed some to lubricate a wheel. Since all the requests seemed legitimate, the lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone and granted them all.

Toward the end of the month he noticed that the supply of oil was very low. Soon, it was gone, and the beacon light went out. That night several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, the man was very repentant. To his excuses and pleading their reply was: "You were given the oil for one purpose -- to keep that light burning!"

* Our Churches, quietly, over the last few decades, have been giving less and less importance to preaching, and slowly replacing preaching with other things in the name of meeting peoples ‘felt needs’- preaching a “social gospel”; holding seminars on everything you can imagine; preaching a false gospel of individual happiness, and I am afraid the light has now gone out!

* Souls are being dashed on the rocks of sin’s destruction, while the Church has light go out like the five virgins that had no oil! No wonder Jesus told the Church of Laodicea:

Revelation 3:15-20 (KJV)

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 1 Timothy 5:20 (KJV)

20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 (KJV)

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

1 Timothy 1:18-19 (KJV)

18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

II. Preaching is the most important thing in the church.

Illustration of Jackie-boy Hyles and the only time his daddy ever came to church.

* He called the preacher and told him his drunkard daddy was coming to church on Sunday. * When he got to church the preacher announced that there would be no preaching that night, but instead the was a cantata.

* Jackie-boy watched in horror as his lost dad slept through the service.

* Jack Hyles father never went to church again, died a drunkard, and went to a Devil’s Hell.

A. The preaching is second to nothing.

Acts 6:1-4 (KJV)

1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

* The church for centuries has been slowly turning its back on preaching and turning to singing, films, programs, counseling, parties, testimonies- anything but preaching!

* I have heard people say “We had such a good service; the preacher didn’t even get to preach!” SHAME ON YOU!

B. Preaching is the arm that aims the sword.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

C. Preaching is the medicine that enables the cure for the sin sick Church!

Jack Hyles said, in his book ‘Teaching on Preaching’ “The preaching on Sunday is not only a time of administering the proper medicine, but it also a time of diagnosing so that the wise pastor can write the proper prescription for the following Sunday.”

* There are times when individual counseling with church members is necessary, but the most effective way to deal with the problems of individuals in the church is preaching!

D. Martyn Lloyd Jones in his book ‘Preaching and Preachers’ said: “My contention is that if the Gospel is truly preached, in a most astonishing manner it can be so applied by the Spirit to these individual cases and problems that they are dealt with without the preacher knowing them at all.”

III. Preaching is the Power of God revealed on earth.

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing? words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not

stand? in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Co 1:17-21)

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

A. The preacher represents the authority of God.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (KJV)

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 (KJV)

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.

B. Preaching displays the Power of God.

(1 Co 1:17-21) 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

* When the religious rulers of Jesus day asked him for a sign, he refered them to tow preachers Noah, and Jonah.

Matthew 12:38-41 (KJV)

38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Matthew 24:3 (KJV)

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Matthew 24:37-39 (KJV)

37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

IV. There are some things that Preaching is not:

A. Preaching is not Entertainment.

B. Preaching is not lecturing.

C. Preaching is not Showmanship.

D. Preaching is not Professionalism.

D. Preaching is not lording, but is leading.

1 Peter 5:1-4 (KJV)

1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.