Is there a Preacher in the house??

Focal Scripture:

Romans 10:14–15 CSB

14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Intro:

The Preacher and His Duty:

Cultural Trends:

1. Preaching is the only thing the matters on Sunday Morning

2. So as not to offend we won’t have a preached message, but a “Talk” or a gospel conversation

Bible Study Objectives

It is important that we derive our understanding of the importance of preaching from the word of God.

We are going to take a panoramic look at some OT & NT passages to ascertain what God feels about the Preaching and its place in the life of a believer.

We also want to destroy false notions about its role in the life of our church.

OT introduction of Gospel Heralds

Enoch: Most of us know him as the one who walk with God in Genesis 5:21-24

Genesis 5:21–24 CSB

21 Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah. 22 And after he fathered Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 23 So Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.

(v.21-24) What a glorious exit. Can you imagine seeing Jesus is just walking away bodily from this present world into the supernatural world. The information on Enoch in the Bible is scant, but lets take a look at scripture from Jesus brother Jude 12-15:

Jude 12–15 CSB

12 These people are dangerous reefs at your love feasts as they eat with you without reverence. They are shepherds who only look after themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn—fruitless, twice dead and uprooted. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever. 14 It was about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied: “Look! The Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all the ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things ungodly sinners have said against him.”

(v.12-13) Jude tells us about these shepherds who are like waterless clouds, dangerous reefs at your love feast, twice dead and uprooted. Jude gives several metaphorical examples of these preachers/shepherds who preach for their own glory and not for the glory of God. Then in (v.14) he gives us some details about what Enoch was doing before he was translated to God.

(v.14) Notice he says Enoch “Prophesied” this tells us early in creation’s history God began to call messenger to “Speak his truth” Look at Enoch prophesy “Look! The Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones to execute judgement on all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all the ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all then harsh things ungodly sinners have said against him” This is a prophecy about the second coming of Christ, which Enoch never saw, but must soon come to pass.

Noah-The Builder of the Ark

2 Peter 2:4–5 CSB

4 For if God didn’t spare the angels who sinned but cast them into hell and delivered them in chains of utter darkness to be kept for judgment; 5 and if he didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when he brought the flood on the world of the ungodly;

(v.4) Peter talks about the Angels that sinned during the time of Noah.

(v.5) In this verse He talks about protecting Noah, then Peter calls him “a preacher of righteousness” very interesting distinction or title by Peter.

a. Preacher-kurusso-That is a proclaimer/or herald. A city herald is one who would come an announce good and bad news at a city square. He would announce when foreign invaders are coming to attack, and he would announce when victory was won....Paul Revere.

-The Bible borrows this wonderful word to give us tangible understanding about the role of a preacher. Just as a city herald comes to announce good news of great importance, and bad news of great importance to keep the city residence informed it is the preachers job to keep the people inform of Spiritual Matters that have serious implications.

What do you think Noah Message was?

Moses: Israel’s first recognized prophet

Exodus 33:1–5 CSB

1 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go up from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your offspring. 2 I will send an angel ahead of you and will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up with you because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.” 4 When the people heard this bad news, they mourned and didn’t put on their jewelry. 5 For the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.”

(v.1) “The Lord spoke to Moses” (v.4) Moses then told the people what he said “4 When the people heard this bad news, they mourned and didn’t put on their jewelry.”

(v.5) “For the Lord said to Moses” “Tell the Israelites”

What was the prophet’s message?

Only what was authorized by the Lord.

A sermon/message from God: Only what has been authorized by the Lord.

Samuel:Prophet during the time of the judges

1 Samuel 3:1–10 CSB

1 The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread. 2 One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his usual place. 3 Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was located. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Once again the Lord called, “Samuel!” Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

(v.1-10) Samuel as a young boy being trained by Eli begins to hear the voice of the Lord. The Lord calls him three times on the third time he is warned by Eli the Lord is calling him and that he is too listen to him and follow everything he tells him to do.

Ezra: For a time point of view he is the one of the last prophets of God before the intertestamental period:

Nehemiah 8:1–6 CSB

1 all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. 4 The scribe Ezra stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they knelt low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

(v.1-6) Notice this scene yall. This scene is after the Walls of Jerusalem had been repaired due to Nebbie burning them down.

Tell me what you see in the scene?

The people woke themselves up for church

The people came with a thirst for God’s word, rather than coming to church just to check a box

Ezra read for the word for 6 hours

“The people were focused on the word and not if Popeyes was going to have fresh chicken after church ended.

The people revered the word(they stood up when he read)

Tell something; In verse (v.4) Ezra stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Do you think this is descriptive or prescriptive of God’s desire in a church?

It is descriptive. Because we know Jesus preached indian style on the floor, Jesus preached on the backside of mountain, Jesus preached from a boat.

The principles that is prescriptive is not so much the elevation of the pulpit, but the seriousness of the message and its importance to the spiritual health of the congregation.

Intertestamental Period

In know that Nehemiah, Ezra are in the middle of the OT but time wise they close out the OT along with the last book Malachi. Malachi is the last prophet before 400 years of silence.

why did God shut it down for 400 years? with the punishment being no Prophets

At least four reasons are found in Malachi

Chapter 1: Bringing raggedy sacrifices to the temple

Chapter 2: Idolatry

Chapter 2: Blatant disrespect for Marriage

Chapter 3: Failure to tithe in support of the nation

Let me give you one more:

Luke 13:34 CSB

34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

(v.34) The children of Israel grew to disdain the preached word, unless it agreed with what they wanted listen to Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 23:16–17 CSB

16 This is what the Lord of Armies says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are deluding you. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the Lord’s mouth. 17 They keep on saying to those who despise me, ‘The Lord has spoken: You will have peace.’ They have said to everyone who follows the stubbornness of his heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’ ”

As a punishment for their sins God literally shut down all preaching. Many false prophets arouse during this time, but nothing from God.

Can you imagine not hearing from the Lord for the rest of your life?

Listen to a writer’s quote during this 400 years of silence:

So it looks as if the prophetic voice was silent. In fact, one writer out of this period, writing a book other than scripture, refers to this time. Let me read the quote so I don’t misquote him. He refers to this period as “the worst of any since the day the prophets ceased to appear among them.” So even in that time, they were recognizing that the prophetic voice had come to a close for some reason in this period of time.

NT Transition:

Who was the first prophet to show up?

John the Baptist:

Matthew 11:9–11 CSB

9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. 11 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

(v.9-11) Does it make sense to you now after studying about the Intertestamental period why John was able to produce such a large following. The people were so thirsty for the word when John came on the scene.

Jesus

Matthew 3(Jesus is Baptized)

Matthew 4(Jesus is tempted by Satan)

Notice Matthew 4:17:

Matthew 4:17 CSB

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

What do you see in this verse?

Jesus life mission was preaching the gospel

Seeing that our Lord’s life was always ordered properly this tells us preaching was the central focus of his life.

What was the essence of Jesus message?

The essence is the message of a prophet: Warning(Repent), Proclamation(The kingdom of heaven is come near)

The Preacher’s sermon must be balanced with Warning, Rebuke, Exhortation(Encouragement), and Proclamation(He is coming back again; Today is the day of Salvation)

preaching: this word means to proclaim. it has the same nuance of the OT word for preaching.

Paul: The Preacher Extraordinaire to the Gentiles. Lets back now and exegete Romans 10:14-15

Romans 10:13–15 CSB

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Less walk this text through:

a. The Message: “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

b. The Mess: three rhetorical question

How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in?

And how can they believe without hearing about him?

And how can they hear without a preacher?

Paul asks three question to get to the his conclusion. If didn’t realize Paul is preaching a message in these rhetorical questions. He is answering this question:

Is the sermon really that important? If you want to build a church you better have a great worship leader.

Notice the final verse:

(v.15) “as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” Paul is quoting an OT verse this comes out of IS 52:7:

Isaiah 52:7 CSB

7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

What do you think he means here about the feet of the herald?

Conclusion Final Objectives:

The Importance of the word- Was it made clear the centrality the word should play in the our lives individually and corporately

What did we learn of the centrality of preaching in the OT & NT

What false notions did we destroy about the role of preaching in 2020. Singing & Music don’t have to fight with the sermon worship in song is meant to compliment the sermon. The Sermon is the Central Part of the worship services.