Why Preaching Matters (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

The message you're about to hear why preaching matters from first Thessalonians 2 13 was preached at the

Redeemer Bible Fellowship in Central Point, Oregon on February 2nd 2025 Unfortunately due to technical issues the audio quality is less than ideal

There is also a couple of minutes where the video dies and restarts. We apologize and pray the content is still a blessing to you

What have we followed we thank you for the gift of the Lord save you thank you for give you another opportunity to come and to hear your word and to be encouraged and challenged and Shades are molded by it to be fretted as we come to this passage.

We come to this theme this morning The importance of preacher work. We ask that even as preaching is happening.

This room would be a work Opening eyes and preparing our hearts to receive all that you have for us

All in all is I have to pray for another area church I want to take this morning to pray for the church. I was at this weekend down,

Texas Heritage Reform Church Thank you for past the long past Matt your leadership there.

Thanks for your blessing What a bit issue of your word there and this weekend their conference We just pray for that congregation follow just tremendous opportunities being in a college town

Thank you for your goodness to them and two churches coming together successfully to merge as one

Thank you for just the love and the unity I got to see firsthand there It's camaraderie gospel ministry between their two pastors

Friend bless the work there Pray for all the OCQ who is preaching the word then this body, but he would know your blessing is

Your word goes forth in the power of his word. You pray that for them river your blessing here now comes your word

And we ask you Jesus name and for his sick, you know Please be seeker.

I'm beginning to wonder if preaching itself should be shouldn't be mostly a bandage After all the best parts of the

New Testament are the stories the ones Jesus told and the ones about him

I read that on Friday morning jury. Some people follow me on social media. I had yet again another terrible cow experience um

I in my frustration. I texted blow up Friday They can't tell me the united airlines and then I realized you know, this happens with every airline just maybe

I'm wrong but Uh, I was preparing this message and I was looking else and so and I came across that quote

I just meant if you're wondering that doesn't sound like filthy. Well, it wasn't But this was a blogger actually a rather popular blogger.

So I did a little thing. He was basically saying Essentially preaching is boring. You can't we get rid of It was another article

I read this was a different author now you're having a different part of what But the author was making the point that maybe we would be better served if we just got rid of preaching entirely

This is what they had to say quote I read another uh, excuse me

So I read this article just what they said quote do less talking and show more short videos

Or have someone get up someone else gets up in the middle In the middle to share an example of how they applied a particular teaching

We should this is another point They make question whether exegetical bible teaching is as important as bible application to life and ministry and adjust accordingly

Instead of a 30 -minute sermon have two or three 15 -minute spots one bible teaching one practical skills by someone other than the pastor who has those gifts and one testimony or reports for ministry group

Is another alternative they had cut the sermons of 15 to 20 minutes And then divide the congregation to small groups to discuss how they will use this teaching to do the mission of god

It was another thing They said divide the congregation into groups and have them discuss and report back with the pastor doing impromptu teaching via comments

And there's the vital reputation they gave do more teaching in smaller groups in particular Practical ministry teaching can be done in the different ministry teams.

This was a conclusion to the article that they gave in summary Maybe use sermons and they actually highlighted the word me

Maybe use sermons where you have a visiting teacher who has something original and worthwhile to say to the needs of the congregation

And is only visiting for a short time But avoid them sermons as much as possible for day in day out teaching and deciding

I've got one more So this is the third author Quote Although effective in passion preaching is occasionally able

To stir some hearts and bring some response. This is quite rare Preaching rarely brings long -term change in individual lives

The average church attender hears a sermon week amounting to about 2500 sermons over a 50 -year church life

Actually 2600 but doesn't mean better than that. Uh Yet they typically

Can't remember many of those sermons and would number on one hand those sermons which had had significant impact on their lives

From my limited experience the most effective way to bring change to lives is not through listening to sermons

But through participative Biden study in a mutually encouraging and challenging And a few more but I will spare you the torture of what

I had on Friday morning sitting in Denver airport What are we to make of sentiments like that Is preaching really an outmoded relic of a era that has been and gone

Do we need to get rid of this what i'm doing right now? Someone standing up front opening the bible daring to say

I know what this book means Do we need to get rid of that and replace it with something else? Well, obviously you've been at redeemer for a minute

I'm going to use a phrase that I know Americans don't use. It's a very distinctly british phrase I think all of those people could go do

It But we say that backward what we leave is I think you guys have a serious vision go take a hike like yeah

Go take a hike. Go do you I'm sorry. I asked a question.

It was interesting I'm glad you said I can be very petty when I You know one thing

I did those with all these articles No one quotations was fiction Not one

You're not afraid of it. I think I say all the time the bible was conspicuous by its absence

Amazing why you be having your message on why preaching man says well We infest us with all usbr and regular service will resume next week

But as we were in remember our last message chapter 4 verses 11 through 16.

I'll go to verses 12 and 13 And I as some of you know, you didn't know this.

How do you do this? I go back and listen to the sermons and so I went back and I was listening so I was like Especially the internet will pay off.

Let me just remind you it was all seven days ago first Timothy chapter 4 and verses 13 to 14

Actually 13 and 50 excuse me So verse 30 remember what paul says until I come he tells timothy give your attention to public reading exhortation and teaching

Verse 50 practice these things be committed to them remember my son lastly literally be in them

So they can profess the evidence to all as I was listening to the message asking him I was reflecting on these verses

I was like I might need to take an extra week here I kind of drilled down on this.

But why does paul tell timothy? to Give attention to this.

Why does paul tell timothy that he's to practice these things? He is to be literally in them absorbed by them

If I can put it real simply like I have a whole speech there why does preaching matter

Let me just i'll tell you from what I think about this once you wrap up me saying you should go I have to think that the preacher was one of the most critical things in the life of a church

And quite frankly, I I I wish I could care less I really wish

I could care less what modern people think About this god -ordained work of preaching is what?

Preaching matters Preaching has mattered since jesus got the earth. You ever thought about this?

Are you ready a few weeks though about? Jesus constantly says

I need to go to all these other villages and preach because that is why I came There's a lot of arrogance to think that you know better than jesus

Preaching has mattered since jesus was on the earth Actually when you trace the history of god's people every time a major move of god's spirits happen

We tend to use the sort of single term revival to speak of that reality Every time reviving breaks out whether on a mass scale or even on a localized scale in god's sovereign goodness and purpose

Every time that happens, you know, I have you know, it's somewhere in the mix not too far Preaching of oha

From the day of kansas to the day of the period since every time the spirit of god has done a word in the people

Of god reviving them that has happened because the word was being preached

So preaching matters. It's matters since jesus on the earth has mattered since the Beginning of the church and i'll love you even more today

Yes, we may not be in a day of revival Maybe the day of trouble and challenge, but if anything that was preaching all the more important doesn't it?

Quite frankly when I read someone say that preaching should be abandoned. I think it's their opinion that should be about Who Because if we are truly honest

When the bible of this book that we say is the word of god If we're honest preaching matters

Now I just so happened to think paul would agree. I think paul agreed that preaching matters

But enough is a great deal actually And since preaching matters

I want to show you that paul would agree with us david by bringing you to just one verse First Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13, so Have that verse open in front of you.

That's basically what we're learning to come with this morning Now we're parachuting into verse thessalonians.

So for a moment, I need to build out the context just a little bit The church in thessalonica might be the clumsiest

To a perfect church we have in the new testament. Of course, we all know there is no such thing as a perfect church What's the lingo?

Um, there is no perfect church And if you join it, it won't be perfect anymore So the reality is that there is no perfect church

But as far as we can tell the church in thessalonica is probably the least problematic of all of them

There's no major heresy that's Being accepted by the congregation Like church in galatia or the church in coloste

There's no major lapse in christian living like cedar the corinthians over and over and over again There are no divisions in the body like even a church like philipi, which is actually not that bad either

But philipi has a two ladies at least who were on the same page As far as you can tell

The church at thessalonica didn't have a whole lots of problems They were a great church they were a young church

In fact, they were incredibly young when paul has to abruptly leave them And paul recognizes that though he can't be present with them.

He can still disciple them through his writing So he writes them this letter and as you come to first thessalonians chapter two

Really starting in chapter one paul is thanking god for the evidences of grace He's seen in them and he's also going down memory lane a little bit.

Did you catch that as we're reading chapter two? And he's going down memory lane and reminding them of when he was with them the kind of ministry that he conducted

Initially if I said I can have his challenges he says as much He goes on the contrary when he had previously suffered and were treated out racially in philipi as you know

We're emboldened by our god to speak the gospel of god to you in spite of great opposition

So he's honest this is you know, we had a rough go of it like it wasn't all um, shall we say

Sunshine and roses. It wasn't all pleasant ministry. It was kind of challenging He said but nonetheless if power spirit of you were emboldened to preach the gospels

He made god was gracious and gave his blessing to that preaching So as a result he could be thankful That's why he starts verse 13 this is why we constantly thank god

The fact that the word had come to them in the power of the spirit and in the blessing of god He could say as a result of that brothers and I am thankful for you

But he's thankful for something in particular in this verse And I want to unpack the thing that he's thankful for this morning

Because as we unpack his reason for being thankful he's going to as it were drop some gems for us about the ministry of the word the public ministry of the word

And why that public ministry matters? Paul clearly says that he faced a lot of opposition in his desire to minister the word of god

And it's interesting that I would argue that those of us who would be faithful in the public ministry of the word We face the same opposition in our day in the face of so much opposition to preaching

Why should you be convinced? that preaching matters This morning

I want to do something a little bit different from my usual style of preaching Normally as you guys know, I give you a big idea up front and then we unpack that big idea

What I'm going to do is I'm going to flip it. I'm going to give you the big idea at the end What i'm going to do is i'm going to look at this verse.

I'm going to follow paul's logic in the verse And at the end i'll give you the big idea.

The big idea will make sense because you've been able to follow paul's logic So for this morning, we're going to flip the usual order of things

I'll give you my big idea at the end not the beginning So you have to really create your dick and listen a little bit this morning

Because it might just hit you up when where you weren't expecting For the rest of our time this morning.

I want you to very simply follow paul's inspired logic as to why

As we learn why preaching matters paul has a logic in this one verse that if you follow it carefully it should

Ask it's not just asking me. It should answer the question. Why does preaching matter?

There are a few steps in this logic step number one by symbol one God preaching excuse me is god using men to speak

That's a good place. We'll start preaching is god using men to speak So again, look at the verse

This is why we constantly thank god because when you receive the word of god that you heard from us

You welcome it not as a human message, but as it truly is a word of god, which also works effectively in you who believe

This is you receive the word of god that you heard from us That's an interesting way to put that I mean paul was a human being.

He was a maverick like you and I God did not send an angel god did not cause subdue celestial event to rapist our soldiers.

You know god use a very Ordinary means to get his word to his people He used a man

And so that all came with some sort of special spiritual language to kind of get his message But no, he's just talking regular grief that they would have understood

There was a humanity to this if you will there was an earthiness to this God was using

And in lots of ways the special man paul was very very special. I don't agree that But he is a man god didn't send.

No, I said he didn't send, you know, heaven's version of super math, basically No, he just said

I'm not one of the great things about preaching one of the

Interesting things one of the unusual things about this thing of preaching is that it is god using men to speak

I mean think about it for a moment. Have you ever thought about the audacity of this thing? We do call preach it I mean think about it for a moment

I know many of us will be in church for a long time and so we'll have church break and I haven't teached for a moment Try and think

I could do it christian for a second Go to maybe you should try it as a speed.

I'll learn Go to those are non -christian that you know well and tell them

At least once a week. I believe that god speaks through a man from his word chances are

He he or she might think you're crazy like do we need to go get the guys from the funny farm for you?

Well, then what do you mean? Wait, well Chris just let's presume first of all the person you're speaking to actually believes god exists

Let's just assume somebody at some sense believes that god exists May not be the god of battle.

Let's just presume we're talking to a non -christian I believe that at least once a week.

I hear god speak through a man It sounds insane doesn't it now put yourself in for a spin let's say

I went up to somebody I said I believe that every time I if I study the passage and I've done the

Depending on the spirit to give life to help you understand the book that he gave every time I stand up I believe i'm speaking for god

Hell would be the audacity level just goes up about like a hundred on that coin I mean it's not by the height of audacity

But it's pretty close for any human being to get a point of those people say these are god's words to you

But here's the thing. That's the claim the bible makes about those who preach god's word

In fact this passage i'm waiting to see turn to it would be first peter chapter four First peter chapter four

So we're in verses so you'll hit second thessalonians one and two timothy You'll hit titus you'll hit philemon.

You'll hit hebrews. You'll hit james and then you'll hit first peter first peter chapter four first peter chapter four

Peter was talking to the church about how it should conduct itself as an end time people

And in verse 10 get with me that's then Peter says just as each one has received a gift

Use it the gift gifts There's a reference to an assignment a place of ministry as each one has received a assignment a place of ministry a gift

Use it to serve others as good stewards of the very grace of god But look at verse 11 he says if anyone speaks

Let it be as one who speaks God's words

As I said before i'm a kjb, baby. Oh, I got me I love how the kj's bible puts this verse in verse 11

First of uh first p of 4 11 of the kj's verse says if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of god

That picture of the oracle of god when peter used that language his audience knew exactly what that was Because there was a very famous person in the ancient near east book the oracle at delphi

She had what was known as the serpent spirit And actually we now know that she was basically like on an astrotrip 24 7

Now visually they would actually have fumes of All we now know to be homogenous that would basically induce her into the state pretty much all day yet But this woman the oracle at delphi she was known as the one who spoke the very words of the gods

In fact military generals would go to delphi and try to get an answer. Are we going to win this thing?

How should we do this? She was that big a deal and peter pulls that language and says listen, um, forget delphi

Anywhere that the word of god is being preached the person who preaches to preach like they are being god's oracle

But again, it's peter isn't saying if god speaks he says if any man speaks

He should speak as the oracle of god calvin comments on this he says let him reverently in god's fear and in sincerity

Perform the charge committed to him regarding himself as engaged in god's work and as ministering god's work and not his

God has been pleased to bring his word. We'll talk more about this in just a moment.

He's been pleased to bring his word to people through people And it should be a humbling reality beyond works for myself or for any faithful preacher that we

Get to be god's means of getting his work to his people

Preaching is god using men to speak And as god uses men to speak it produces a particular kind of response.

So again, look at verse 13 This is why we constantly thank god because when you received

As you received he says see which translations will say as you accepted the word of god as it

That you heard from us. You welcomed it not as a humanness, but as it truly is the word of god

Which also works effectively you believe? I would have zero in on that word received because I think that's the second part of paul's logic

So the first part of paul's logic is that god is using man to speak his second part of his logic

Preaching comes with god's authority That preaching comes with god's authority. I get that from this word received

It's actually a fairly important word in your new testament In fact, you hear me use it every sunday

So first previous chapter 11 when we come to the lord's table For I received from the lord what

I also passed on to you same word In fact paul uses it explicitly for the gospel message itself

So same as the first group through this chapter 15 verse 3 for I pass on to you as most important what

I also Received say what? This word received carries this idea of formally accepting a message as carrying authority formally with accepting a message as authoritative

Paul says that when the thessalonians heard Him preach They didn't just hear it at paul was preaching

They realized if paul was the human instrument, but there was somebody backing paul's words

Paul didn't just come with a bear sharing. You'll sometimes it is you've been in michigan You probably have people with days like i'm gonna preach.

I'm just going to share I want to be gracious and say okay, I guess we all use language differently.

All right, let me look into harsh about that But there is a sense in which preaching is not a bear sharing

I said this last week that our culture struggles with authority Especially when somebody else has to be authority

We saw it just this week. That was yeah, and I had a lot of free time unexpected free time thursday or friday sitting in denver airport

And so what do you do when you have time to kill and I know even me who likes reading I can only read so much at home after a while.

I need to give my brain a break So, what do you do if you mean you scroll twitter Like ray bastion of wisdom common sense

Codex yeah, it's codex Well, I bought it. Um So i'm on twitter Actually, no, it's with yesterday.

This was yes So i'm on twitter I don't see a video Some of you may be soldiers those of you who are very politically aware no trans lady soldiers

A group of senators either senses or promise or how it's we get much, you know Okay, a few representatives and say, um, they go up to the offices of the department of education

And demand to be let in I guess. Um I forget what that guy did.

It's he's called the one that's been to that fast everybody for wasting money. Um, Anyway, uh,

I guess they were doing work in there and they closed the doors and not let anybody in And so these folks woke up and of course cameras are there because you know, they always take the camera off I guess

And I wouldn't watch it. I'm just laughing. I thought it was hilarious Is one guy comes out?

and they basically like, um sent I forget that he Maxine walters, that's it. So I was barking at this poor guy

Like let us in like you're repeating us or doing official duty. They were doing official duty.

They just wanted to go in I hear the bottle dangler. This guy didn't look at all that like It was my average height average build

And he just tapped it. It's like sorry i'ma let you in like you don't have authority to be

I walk away and you know representative waters thought she was gonna clatter says show me your id Well, I had it so pulls it out.

Of course. He's just kind of she died. She swats it away seamless But the guy just stands there unmoved

Why can't the guy stand there unmoved Because he has authority he himself maybe wasn't that impressive

But he was given an assignment to show nobody get seen

And the authority that came with the assignment meant that sorry Represented senator man from the now care.

You're not coming in That was I applaud him for his use right through his authority

He didn't try to physically handle anyone he tried to get aggressive we just stood there and said i'm gonna let you in But why would they think that they can bully this man?

Basically and you why because as they saw it He has the law of orator. Could it be?

So think back to those quotes I started Could it be that our culture struggles often with the idea of preaching because we don't like the idea of authority

Could it be that we struggle with preaching because this idea that I can't just choose to listen or not listen to this

Is a struggle for us If I came back to those quotes from uh, I started our time with this morning

Did you pick up on the current that kind of connected all of them? Maybe he missed it.

Let me make a big words. Listen In all of those quotes preaching was viewed either as having only human authority

Or no real authority at all That's why one of the authors could say well, most people most people could have one have the sermons that truly move them

Using a larger than my heart How many meals have you eaten in your life How are you?

How many how many meals have you used in your life you probably caught a camel Do you remember every meal you've eaten?

I mean, I remember some because they were terrible. Um, I remember some because they were really good

I was in love yesterday afternoon It's a barbecue place. I wasn't feeling too great.

So I didn't eat too much But the meal I didn't eat was excellent, I'm very repentant of that I'm going to the shepherd's conference in less than a month

That's my favorite chinese place on the planet These are meals you remember but do

I remember every single meal? Can I tell you what I ate two days ago? No Can I tell you what

I ate two weeks ago? No. Two months? No. Two years ago? No Have every one of those meals had an effect on me for good or for bad

Did the effects depend on whether it was memorable or like no Food does what food does

In fairness, I think I'm thinking maybe a little harsh at the beginning on those thoughts Maybe a little because actually

Their comments make some sense If there's a big if their comments make some sense if you believe

That you and your thoughts as an individual Are basically equal to any other person around it

If there is no external authority who gives Backing to anybody's thoughts all our thoughts are just that our thoughts.

Well Why why would I want to come to church and listen to somebody else?

Tell me what they think the bible means Yeah Start to think by the logic of it and it starts to make some sense

Why not skip this and just have the spiritual equivalent of a focus group? Why don't get rid of the whole listening to a one man to explain the bible and just have a nice say

Uncontroversial discussion that you can take or leave I mean, why wouldn't he do that?

Well, here's why you can't Because god has designed his word to come from people and when his word is coming from people it comes with his authority

So you see this in the ministry of jesus remember end of the sermon of the mouth Matthew 7 29. It says that uh, the people were astonished at his teaching

You were amazed at his teaching why because he was teaching like one who had authority

And not like their scraps Now I can hear one of these both to say. Hold on. Hold on thing.

I think my pain You sir, I know jesus, of course jesus had authority he's the son of god

Okay Tactics 315 pauses proclaim these things encourage and rebuke with all authority

Let no one disregard Where does the preacher's authority come from?

Does it come from the fact that he went to the right school? Does it come because he's connected to the right people?

Does he have authority because he has a winning personality and he can you know bend people to his will

Can I put it to you that actually biblical authority comes cashless from knowing god and from knowing his word you see

The preached word has no authority in itself The preached word only has authority when it is mediating god's word

Or when it is mediating god's word. Do you notice? Well how paul describes his preaching twice in this verse again?

Look at the verse This is why we constantly thank god because when you receive the word of god that you heard from us

You welcome this as not as a human message, but as it truly is the word of god, which also works effectively in you who believe two times paul refers to his preaching as The word of your heart.

That's the third Step to paul's logic here That preaching is now the y point of brackets here a form of the word of god

Preaching is a form of the word of god Now that on the surface might sound like a very prodigious theme

So for a moment, I need to take a step back and ask the question when the bible uses this phrase the word of god What does that phrase actually mean?

Actually, the bible uses the word of god in three senses And all three of them are important So there is the incarnate word the word made flesh the lord jesus

So john's gospel many of us love john's gospel John one one in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was

Jovalti the word became flesh and dwelt among us We observe his glory the glory of the one and only son from the father full of grace and truth in john's first letter

He says this first one one one three three what we What was from the beginning what we have heard what we've seen with our eyes

What we have observed and touched with our hands concerning the word of life and the word of life is a reference to the lord jesus

Jesus is the incarnate word of god incarnate is the fact we are saying in flesh that he is the

Very personal revelation of who god is and what god is doing. Why because he himself is god

So the bible used the word of god it could use the word of god in the sense of the incarnate word the lord jesus

But that's not the only way the free word of god is used There is the inspired word of god as well.

Well, that's the scriptures So psalm 119 105

Your word god's word is a lap for my feet and a life for my part in the context of psalm 119

That's referring to the written law of god Jesus himself said remember matthew 4 4

Man must not live or run alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of god

John 10 fletch about jesus arguing the virus reports again But john said 35 and it says if he god called those to whom the word of god came

God and he tells what the word of god is and the scripture cannot be broken He equates the word of god with the scriptures

So, yes, there is the incarnate word the lord jesus, but there is also the inspired word there's a fancier term of helo

Jesus the inscripturated word The word of god as it is written down Now most of us a good evangelical people when we say the word of god.

We typically in this sense and rightfully so years ago though people who tried to be uh,

I had to pull a theological gave a slight of hand and uh say well The bible never calls itself the word of god.

It only calls jesus the word of god No, that doesn't matter We just made a large basis where the written word of god is in the equal the word of john

So there is the carnet word the lord jesus. There is the inspired word in the scriptures But there's a third sense in which the bible speaks of the word of god and that's the sense in our passage here

There is the instrumental word The instrumental word which is the preaching of god's word

Now when we use this term instrumental this is not a phrase that's unique to me This is a reformation term for what is happening in the preaching of god's word what we say is instrumental

It is the way it is the means by which God works

Here's the one right here. In fact, this is a really excellent resource Preaching as the primary media grace.

The author's name is julia santi I was published by a company called broken wolf w h a r at highly recommended

In his book fisher's private means of grace. He says this well the preaching of the word of god is the Instrumental word.

It is the odd going means to which god Effectually speaks to his people we can understand the word instrumental as another word for means or way

This does not mean that preaching is equal to the bible The bible as he says is inspired and without error

So let's not take what i'm saying Too far The bible is inspired.

I preach he is not in fact The bible is inerrant, but she is not inert the bible

Carries its own authority because it's directly derived from god What i bought for you my preaching has is secondary if not tertiary to the fact that god battle really spoke

So no, we're not saying the preaching of the word of god is the word of god We are not saying that equal to the bible again

Mr. Santiago continues the bible is inspired and without error preaching is merely illuminated and is made up But in first thessalonians 2 13

Call says that when the preaching of the word is in accordance with the inspired word

It carries the same authority and power as the inspired To use the language of our reformation forefathers.

The preaching of the word of god is designed by one to be a means of grace

Here's how they explain this that the spirit of god makes the this is from the uh, the baptist cat's giving it says the spirit of god makes the reading but especially the preaching of the word an

Effective means of convincing and converting citizens and of building them up in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation

That is human men Speak god's word with his authority that has

True divine authority and in a sense it is the word of god

It is an instrumental means of god speaking to his people Years ago,

I went to this. I mentioned who is the shepherd's confidence years ago What was it with me my first or second shepherd's comments?

I went so I got to hear my ian murray speak If you know, um, christian marley's ian marley's kind of unmatched in that and he spoke very neatly

You know you marley he has pretty crippling our practice So when he walks he looks incredibly stiff be at that time

So he doesn't move when he literally stands in one place I remember he said a line that has been burned into my memory.

He said preaching Is not men discussing the back He said preaching is god teaching his work men

Preaching is not been discussing but preaching is god teaching the bike through meth

Preaching is the instrumental word in the sense that it is the means that god uses to build up his people both in their salvation and in their sanctification

So the fact actually that's the fourth point in bull's logic, uh this morning so we've seen

The preaching and just briefly real quickly. So we're all the same page point number one

Preaching is god using might speak Point number two preaching comes with god's authority

Point number three preaching is a form of the word of god. This is the instrumental word of god.

Everyone still followed me so far There's a fourth part to pause logic here

Very simple preaching is god's means of getting spiritual things done Preaching is god's means of getting spiritual things done.

So again, look at our verse versus louise This is why we constantly thank god because when you receive the word of god that you heard from us

You welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is the word of god in that instrumental sense

But know how he goes on to describe this word Which also works effectively in you who believe

Preaching is god means of getting spiritual things done those quotes that I read to you this morning, they

Again I want to be more gracious and I maybe wasn't to start this In all of them, you can hear there was this desire to see people mature and grow

I want to be fair. I think being fair is a good christian virtue to have some others I want to be fair and say the people who are saying this

Genuinely want to help people Like they're not going out of their way to be intentionally harmful to people

They're seeking to actually help people the problem is

And this assumption is not unique to them Here's the problem. I think their problem is they assume that the bible in and of itself doesn't help people

That the word of god in and of itself doesn't help people that the preached word doesn't help

That you need something else That can help people But here's the thing when you read the bible

Actually, we talked about this a few weeks ago We talked about what it means to be able to teach your mind with the whole thing of how god works through his word

Actually if you want to know how god gets things done It's like as a human being or you want to get something done

I live by a dictum. Maybe not the best dictum to be really honest, but I live by My dictum is this conversations don't solve things solving things solve things

I don't need to have endless conversation. You need to have as much conversation as we need to know what to do

And then don't do it If I could do something with no conversation, that's even better A lot of things to I can't be here just talking all the time

But here's the thing that's because I'm a human being my words don't carry power, but god does God doesn't have to lift a single finger to do anything.

How do you know that you live in a world that he's called into existence? All he had to do was say some stuff

And hundreds of millions of galaxies were created all he had to do was to speak

The father of seven psalms was the son of day three That all the earth be in praise of y 'all your wife because he spoke

And it came to be guess what? Every time god speaks things are happening including in the preaching of his word

So in the preaching of god's word he saves his people romans chapter 10 is the great text that talks about this

Romans 10 14 to 70 how then can they call on him? They have not believed in and after they believe without hearing about him

And how can they hear without a preacher and how can they preach on this?

They are sent as it is written. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news verse 70 so Faith comes from what is her?

Well, how do you hear? Generally speaking through people saying god's word

So faith comes with what is heard or what is heard comes through the message literally the word about christ

So god saves his people through his word he sanctifies them through his word So john chapter 17 verse 70 jesus prayed to the father what

I like to call the real lord's prayer No disrespect to mathematics. It's a wonderful prayer.

It's just i'll call that pattern prayer or the disciples prayer John, circuit 70s is sanctify them by the truth

Your word is truth So when we were here a few years ago when

I preached to the first teacher I'm a first piece to you too Like you born your first desire the pure milk of the word so that by it

By the pure love of the word you may grow up into your salvation Or saves through his word he sanctifies through his word he equips his people he supplies his people what they need through his word

So again, you all get imaginal people you all heard second tivity 360 and 17 before All scripture is inspired by god that he breathed out by god and it's profitable for teaching for rebuking for correcting for treating a righteousness

So that the man of god may be complete equipped supply for every good work

As the bible is taught accurately and in the power of the spirit The preached word becomes the tool it becomes the chisel

I hope some of the seasons we get it really badly that it becomes the chisel out of which christ's likeness is fought

This is not just public speaking happening But the very word of god coming to men for their salvation and their sanctification as all puts it this word actually works

It works effectively In the hearts and in the lives of god's people

That is why it's a dangerous thing. I find this trend increasingly more disturbing the more the years go by The neglect of the preached word in the life of god's people is a tragedy an utter and complete tragedy

It's sad when the people in the pew reject it, but you know, it's even sadder for me It's sad when the person who should be behind the pulpit rejects it

It's sad when somebody who quite frankly should know better It's the equivalent of Gareth coming to me

We made dinner because it isn't there a favor now he was like three years from me all the evening It's fun.

Um It's not but It would be against it. We made him hit.

Let's say it's no number three one. No, actually And then he turns around and says candy

Please Candy And I the parent knows the sorry kid you caught in candy

See here no big deal It's a hershey's kiss and another one and another one

Most of you look at the coffee you're the pair But somebody you're supposed to see No You gotta eat fast, which usually is large if you like Wait, you get my point with that illustration

That is a tragedy it's a tragedy where those who are supposed to be the prognost It just we read it even in this passage.

Do you know this is that full despise itself as being a father and a mother to these Christians? Look at him

I mean years ago doing a preaching training and this was the text they gave me, you know

I never lost his observation So that the first seven

Paul says although we could have been a burden as christ's apostles instead We were gentle among them as a nurse literally the word in greek is a nursing mother nurtures her own children

So paul says I was nurturing here in the world you like a nursing mother is with their child predominant of verse 11

He also says as you know like a father with his own children We courage comforted include each one of you

To a worthy of god who calls you into his own kingdom Paul says that in his ministry of the word that there was a motherly aspect to it.

There was a nurture had a care Concern for them and those who are fatherly aspect. There was a discipline.

There was an Encouragement a comfort and imploring that key alongside that ministry of the water

Of the way though it is very simple those who Stand behind the sacred desk receive to proclaim god's word as opposed to function in exactly the same way why because that is how spiritual things get done and again, it is a tragedy an

Incredible tragedy beyond life when those who should be essentially the spiritual parents under the great heavenly father aren't

Raising the kids. Well So When rather than giving them the solid food of god's word, they are giving them funyun basically

Add those visibly for many seconds. Who eats this stuff? It's terrible

Who is giving them a business? If you're giving them a business repair, that's that's terrible

We love but how many churches? In this city in this region on this coast

In this country around the world are basically substituting

The strong solid food of god's work for the spiritual equivalent of twinkies and fun eggs

And then you wonder why why is the church is such a mess? Like why is it just sick all the time like In the computer world,

I believe they still have the same garbage eat garbage out I'll probably show you my big idea right here

When you take all four points of bull's logic here that preaching is

God speaking that when you take into account that preaching holds you both authority

That preaching is a full of the word of god And that preaching is god's means of getting spiritual things done in life.

Why does preaching matter? Well Maybe give you that big idea. Did I look what it don't slide?

Oh great. We'll say I'll say it a few times so you can write it down preaching is god's chosen vehicle for getting his powerful word

To the hearts and minds of his people for their spiritual good. That's why preaching matters Preaching is god's chosen vehicle

For getting his powerful word to the hearts and minds of his people for their spiritual good preaching

He acts of somebody standing up and declaring heralding the word of god is god's chosen vehicle for getting his powerful word

To the hearts and minds of his people for their spiritual good

Almost i'm preaching is god's chosen vehicle for getting his powerful word to the hearts and minds of his people for their spiritual good

This is why preaching matters this is why paul can tell timothy That you're to give your attention to this

This is why he can say you want to practice these things and be committed to them because actually

These are matters quite frankly your life and death I love what paul says in first corinthians taking notes.

First corinthians 1 18 Paul reminds the corinthians who are a little bit obsessed with personalities and with the wisdom of man

First corinthians 1 18 he says for the word of the cross The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but it is the power of god to us who are being saved

Verse 21 he says for since in god's wisdom the world did not know god through wisdom God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached

So paul can say 1 corinthians 1 23 We preach christ crucified

That is god's chosen means of getting his powerful word into the hearts and minds of his people for their spiritual good

So no, we cannot and we should not get rid of preaching and frankly, it's the death wish To even think that Again, I told you that this flowed out looking at verses 13 and 15 again

Before this was worth timothy's time and effort because Catch this god's very work in and through his people was and i'm gonna argue even more so today is at stake

Where the preached word is concerned? If preaching is

Important, I think we can understand that preaching is important if this is true

If preaching matters because again preaching is god's chosen vehicle for getting his powerful word to the hearts and minds of his people for Their spiritual good if that is true.

Let me just leave us a few thoughts and we'll beat up How should we respond to preaching

How should we respond to preaching? How should we respond to preaching?

I have three thoughts Number one come to preaching remembering that christ is speaking in the preaching mode

One of the verses that transformed my view of preaching many years ago was ephesians chapter 4 verses 20 and 21

Very few of our english translations get this right. Unfortunately, even the bible translation. I own christian standard bible

It's not christian standard bible which translates these words, but this is not how you came to know christ Paul is not a christian. He's not a christian. He's not a christian. He's not a christian Gentiles and lays out how they then he says but this is not how you came to know christ

Assuming you now if you got csb in front of you. It says assuming you heard about him

Here's the thing in the original language, he doesn't say about it It says assuming you heard him.

I think actually the new reagan standard that you go on. There's a saying about him Well someone who got a new reagan standard check that for you

Either that or the legacy standard bible actually just translates heard him It says assuming you heard him because that's what it says in the original language

Did someone check that? Does it actually say that? Okay, let me know paul doesn't say you heard about a person called jesus

Paul said no, no, no, you heard it How do I know that that's a right translation because he goes on and says and were taught by him

Hold on the church in ephesus starts about 15 to 20 years after the events of jesus life How on earth could they have heard jesus?

Well, they didn't hear jesus not in the physical sense, but they heard jesus before came and preached Again the actual work

I recommended preaching his private means of grace Past sentient hands by saying this christ is our all -sufficient prophet priestly king and is present and active

So we must come prepared to hear from christ by his spirit when we enter corporate worship christ is especially present

And he is speaking to you so come to preaching remembering that Christ is speaking in a preaching moment

And if that is true that follows on that we should come to preaching prepare to hear christ speaking

If I can make a some more personal point, I haven't heard this many one king So i'm not talking about our church in particular just in jeff

Often you hear people complain about how preaching isn't very good You know, you've been around trust.

No, no, you you'll hear people say that that guy that guy preaching isn't very good And sometimes

I can be honest. There is some truth to that complaint No, appreciate faffet in some are less by masking topic and others avoid that I guess

Sometimes it's truth. So the complaint this guy's heartbreak But you know,

I've come to realize the longer i've been doing this Sometimes yes, the preacher didn't prepare as you should or the preacher is just not

Gifted in a sense we use that term But sometimes let's just be honest it's not really the preacher's fault

Either partially or entirely Sometimes although that the preacher isn't very good is that the heroes aren't very good

Except the hero has to come prepare As you all know,

I'm a massive fan of puritans I think they were firstly the bravest generation of christians since the apostles Um, you can find them in life you want or lose you can find a life you want

One of the things I love about puritans Was how much time they gave?

And how much of their writing they devoted to encouraging their people in how to listen to preaching well

And they're very critical with it, too I forget which one of them it was but there's one of them basically tells his audience

Go to bed early in the night If you're tired, you're not going to listen.

Well Now we can get hyper spiritualist. Well god can use it even if the person isn't paying attention

Yes, but god has kind of designed a world where if you are tired, you generally don't listen And again, the puritans just puritan preacher get which one this is

Go to bed tonight before though early But let's let's get back to who's this real woman

If you say we should come prepare to hear christ speaking the preaching or Or have you prayed the night before for the preaching of the word you're going to hear?

Have you read the text before hand Once you hear have you done all you can to minimize being distracted?

I attended a church for a number of years It's very old school church And I always remember there was always

We used to have some churches still do this a prelude to the service Somebody would start playing about five minutes before the service began

And at that point everyone do you need to get your seats? Even if you're not like praying

You need this a physical five minutes just to prepare for what we're about to do

I didn't even try to you lost out of church especially Like I said drutians were masters of this and frankly, there are some modern resources out there

I recommend in one this video set up by chris brash If you haven't read that it's a really great resource

But we need to come to the preaching moment prepared Because again, sometimes it may not be the

Inaffectedness of the preacher. It's the ineffectiveness of the air. Oh, I broke a guard for that too. He was five Remember what?

He was 5 11 also he was about jesus be how much more to say But it's hard for me to speak because you are slow of hearing.

He literally says You should come to preaching had to hear christ speak

Early in violence come to preach and seeking to obey christ as he speaks

Which comes preaching seeking to obey hearts as he speaks

And taking the baptist neil myer cox is one of the authors of the what became known as the 1689 london baptist convention affair

He pushed the message at the start of the new church, uh, that you still read your life or biblical elders and deacons

In that sermon he as he's rounding to a close He wants to encourage this newly formed congregation in the basically encouraging their minister

And then the samedi says this called the ministry of the word Can never be effectual to the saving of your souls

If you be not sincere in obedience under the ministry of the word

I love neil myer cox but I like bible better and james chapter one tells us is let us not just be hearers of the word but doers of it

And again, it's a very legalistic way to read that I don't think that's what james getting james getting at What's the primary thing you will hear the word you believe it

John 6 29 This is the work of god That you believe on the one he has said

As we come to the preached word we come not with skepticism. We don't come as critics of the world

We come as humble hearers of them And we come seeking to believe what god is telling us in that word

Not uncritically, of course at 1711 paul preached the bereans and the bereans examined what he said and saw if these things were so But once you've seen these things also

That's why in argument or expositional preaching We will have the same source material. You can check me in real time

See is he actually being true to the passage as that is happening as we see.

Yes. This is the word of god He'd be faithfully preached Beginning with the act of faith and say

I believe what god has said lord help my unbelief where there is Out of that will flow works of obedience love of preaching matters

Preaching matters because ultimately god matters Preaching matters because god's people matter

Preaching matters because once again preaching is god's chosen vehicle forgetting his powerful word to the hearts and minds of his people

For their spiritual good Men lord help us that we would heed the preaching of his word

Not just seriously, but joyfully and humble Trust these spirits easy of all our lives.

Heavenly father. We are Thankful again that you have given us your word We have your word in the scriptures, but we also have your word in its instrumental voice who asks us to preach to us lord

Father help us that we would be Those who receive your word

Knowing that it is able to save our souls Father make us more attentive to the hearing of your word

Father help us that we would prepare that we would turn up the soil of our hearts ready to receive the seed of lord

Above all as we hear that word may we respond in faith May we respond resting on and receiving your promise as we hear your word

Okay, father we thank you that another way in which we see your word is in this table that we come to Be with us now as we joyfully pull up the seats at your table and have you feed us once again