Preaching is a divine instruction to be obeyed, not only by evangelists and pastors, but by all born again children of God. It is simply telling people about the saving power of Jesus and persuading them to embrace the spiritual gifts He freely gives. Committing this great work into our hands and declaring us to be Christ’s ambassadors, the Holy Spirit says in 2nd Corinthians 5:19-20:
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as through God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
In 2 Timothy 4:2, He instructed us to preach the word in seasons and out of season. In other words, we are expected to preach the word when it is convenient and when it is not convenient. He also tells us how to preach, saying our message should rebuke, reprove and exhort. Although the gospel is a message of love, it is not devoid of correction for those on the path of destruction, as some people erroneously believe. Any gospel that does not reprove its hearers is incomplete. The good news is supposed to convict those on the path of perdition to make a U-turn onto the path of life and righteousness. The gospel is also not devoid of rebuke for all men. Indeed our God is love, but some people forget that He is also a Consuming Fire to the ungodly. John the Baptist did not mince words in his preaching about the kingdom of God. In Matthew 3:1-8, he rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducee's of their hypocrisy and asked them to repent. The message of our Lord Jesus Christ also contained rebuke. In Luke 13:2b-3, He said to His audience:
“Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
He also rebuked His Church at Ephesus, warning them that they had neglected their first love and exhorting them to repent (Revelation 2:1-5). Lastly, the message of our preaching should also exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. We must exhort in doctrine in order to raise mature Christians who are grounded in the ways of God. Some preachers claim to have been called to preach and not to teach doctrine. One wonders where they got their ideology from. Any sermon that is void of doctrine is a lifeless oration. People cannot do the will of God they don’t know, and they only get to know the will of God through exhortation in doctrine (John 7:17). Beloved, you must go out there to preach, so that sinners can embrace the love of God and repent.
Written by Pastor E.A Adeboye.