PREACHING

-Introduction

-This morning we will conclude our series of lessons regarding God’s pattern for worship.

-Hopefully, this series of lessons has reminded us of the importance of our worship

  and the significance of it.

            -It truly is an opportunity and a privilege to offer our worship to God.

            -To be pleasing and acceptable in His sight, it needs to be in the manner He

              has prescribed.

-John 4:24

            -To be pleasing to God, our worship must be “in spirit and in truth.”

            -Yes, we must incorporate the proper components of worship, but we must also

              do so with the proper attitude, focus and devotion.

-Hopefully, this series of lessons has reminded us of these things and re-affirmed them

  in our hearts and minds.

-To conclude this series of lessons, we’ll address the topic of preaching.

-Must Be Pleasing to God

-It is important to realize that our worship is ultimately directed to God.  However, we

  are the ones that benefit from it.

            -Lord’s Supper - “in remembrance of me” - God doesn’t need to be reminded of the

             sacrifice of Jesus - we do.  It helps to maintain our focus and motivation.

            -We teach and admonish one another in our songs.

            -Our giving is to be done with purpose.  Such purpose should make us mindful of

              the blessings God has afforded us.  It should also remind us of the significance of

              the work of the church which we are contributing to in both money and effort.

            -Prayer - Last week we addressed the importance and privilege of prayer.  “There is

              always a blessing, a blessing in prayer.”

-With preaching, a message from the scriptures is addressed to the congregation 

  (preacher included).  It is to be done so in accordance with God’s word, ultimately to

  His praise, honor and glory.

            -Gene Wood’s comments - If a preacher isn't preaching to himself, he's not preaching

                                                       at a high enough level.

-The goal of preaching should be to please God.  However, the message that is pleasing

  to God isn’t always pleasing to men but it is the message that is most beneficial.

            -Hopefully, we are working toward continuing to condition our hearts so that

              the message we need is also the message we want.

-Preaching and Worship

-It is interesting to note that the scriptures deal very little with preaching within the

  specific context of worship.

            -Acts 2:42

            -Acts 20:7

                        -preached - (Strongs Concord.) - dialegomai - “to say thoroughly, i.e. discuss

                                                              KJV:  dispute, preach (unto), reason, speak

                        -This is the word from which we get our English word “dialogue.”

-It seems that, in the early church, the preaching was sometimes more of a discussion

  than a presentation.

            -see also 1 Cor 14:26-33 (in the context of miraculous gifts of the Spirit)

            -I’m not trying to say that our current practice/method is wrong. 

            -I’m just afraid that we view preaching within a very narrow scope. 

-I’m afraid that the church has unfortunately narrowed the idea of preaching to our

  worship assembly.  Preaching should extend much further.

            -As a result, we’ve also narrowed our view of preaching to a view individuals

              rather than a personal responsibility.

-For a church to have 20/20 vision, it needs to follow the pattern of Acts 20:20 - teach/

  preach God’s word publicly and privately.

-Paul’s Instructions to Timothy

-2 Tim 4:2

-preach - (Vines) - kerusso - “to be a herald or, in general, to proclaim, to preach”

-be instant - be ready (NASB), be prepared (NIV)

-in season, out of season - when it’s convenient and when it’s not

-reprove - (Vines) - elencho - to convict, rebuke, reprove

-rebuke - (Vines) - epitimao - primarily “to put honor upon” then “to adjudge” hence

                                                              signifies to rebuke ... See charge

-exhort - (Vines) - parakaleo - (para - to the side, kaleo - to call) - to call on, entreat,

                                                            admonish, exhort, urge one to pursue some course of conduct (always

                                                            prospective, looking to the future)

-longsuffering and doctrine - “with great patience and instruction” (NASB)

                                                                                                “with great patience and careful instruction” (NIV)

-Summary and Invitation

-So, yes, the preaching of God’s word is a part of our worship to Him.  But, the preaching

  of God’s word should extend much further.

-It is the avenue through which God has decided to reveal His word/will for the saving

  of souls (Titus 1:1-3, Rom 16:25-26,Col 1:23).

-How about your soul?  Is it saved?  Have you responded in obedience to the Gospel?

            -Believe (John 3:16, 8:24), Confess (Matt 10:32, Rom 10:9-10), Repent (Acts 17:30,

              Luke 13:3,5), Be Baptized (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38)

-If you’ve already obeyed the Gospel, have you been living faithfully (Rev 17:14)?  If

  not, confess your shortcomings, repent of them and pray to God (1 John 1:7-9, Acts

  8:22-24).

Date:  Jan 29, 2006

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