“Preach the word. Be ready to do it whether it is convenient or inconvenient. Correct, confront, and encourage with patience and instruction.” - 2 Timothy 4:2, CEB
Section W-3.0301 (“Theology of Proclamation”) of the current Book of Order states this: “The Scriptures bear witness to the Word of God, revealed most fully in Jesus Christ, the Word who “became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14). Where the Word is read and proclaimed, Jesus Christ the living Word is present by the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, reading, hearing, preaching, and affirming the Word are central to Christian worship and essential to the Service for the Lord’s Day” (emphasis mine).
The goal of preaching, our job as teachers of the word, is to share Christ with our congregants by interpreting scripture in a way that nurtures their faith, calls them to repentance, and encourages them to live a righteous life. We do this by uplifting them, encouraging them — even challenging them — so that they surrender their own will to that of God’s.
To that end, I am convinced there is no task more serious than this. While I was in clinical rotations early in my nursing career, I watched in amazement as skilled surgeons applied cutting-edge techniques designed to prolong their patients’ lives. However, that is not as important a job as preaching. The physician heals the mortal life; the preacher prepares them for immortality — if we can, and if they allow it.
“What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
(James 14:4b, NIV)
I'm focused on the seriousness of our job, one that deals in Salvation matters, because I am alarmed and deeply concerned about the preachers I see today: glib, fast-patter, jokey, cavalier, casual speakers who put more effort into ensuring they add several cultural references to their sermons, than in conducting proper preparation before opening their mouths to teach. I have no issue with humor from the pulpit; we are made in God’s image, and Jesus certainly had a sense of humor. (An example can be found in Luke 13:32, where Jesus calls Herod a “fox,” fully aware that the animal was depicted as cunning and sly, but had no honor or nobility.)
In his excellent book, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, John Piper says, “[There] is a vast difference between humor and levity—between robust laughter that grows up out of the realities of life and the silliness that constantly angles for a clever line and savvy turn of phrase.” There is room at the pulpit for the former and not the latter.
James warns us of the weight of the job in very clear language: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1, NIV) 1 Timothy 3:2 says we must be “beyond reproach.” So, how can anyone teach the living word so carelessly?
I recently spoke with a Pastor after a sermon who asked if I could tell how nervous he was. I answered, “No,” which was the truth. He replied, “Good. I was winging it.” In my mind, I thought, I know, and so does everyone else. The message was shallow and did not even bother to refer to the day’s scripture readings, let alone exposit them. It was also overly repetitive; he kept repeating his focus statement as he struggled several times to find something else to say. It’s almost shocking he didn’t appear nervous, given what he was attempting to do!
If we do not approach the Gospel of Grace with the proper respect it deserves, how can anyone respect our teaching? How can those who are “on the fence” regarding religion respect Christianity, if I do not take the time to prepare my words? I don’t want to be responsible for a single soul falling away because I was careless or lazy with how I handled the word of my Redeemer. In his sermon “Feed My Sheep,” Dr. R.C. Sproul writes, “This call to feed Christ’s sheep comes with an incredible responsibility. Pastors must feed God’s people the truth. They must be absolutely scrupulous in the time they spend preparing sermons.” Oxford defines scrupulous as, “diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details.”
Of course, we need to reach people where they are: in their life, in their language, in their grasping of scripture, and in their journey with God. But: Enough with silly, unserious preaching. I once was liturgist, forced to listen to an agonizing 15-minute long sermon given by a preacher who, during that time, told eleven jokes. Eleven stand-alone jokes, unrelated to anything. That’s not the Gospel, that’s a routine. We must do better. The world is ever divided, and people are searching for answers. We can give them what they seek, but only if we become what the job calls for: Preachers.
“So how can they call on someone they don’t have faith in? And how can they have faith in someone they haven’t heard of? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the good news.” - Romans 10:14-15, CEB