Four Things to Remember When Preaching

Another Sunday is in the books.  Another sermon has been preached and yet another awaits preparation.  Preaching is one of the things I get to do as pastor that I truly love.  However, it is also one of those areas that I can be overly critical of myself and the job I have done.  While preaching is exciting, it can also be frustrating.  I guess any preacher who cares is constantly asking; “Did I do a good job with that text?”  “Did I clearly communicate the truth that was there?”  “Were people moved by the message that I shared?”

All of these are good questions.  Any pastor who loves the word of God and loves his people should certainly seek to improve his skill set.  However, there is a point at which self-evaluation can cross the line of being a positive practice and instead become self-criticizing.  In order to check such a danger there are four things I always try to keep in mind.

1.  Until you have prayed well, you cannot preach well.

In Colossians 4:3-4 the Apostle Paul says to the church, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison – that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”  That’s not a bad way to approach our prayer; “God help me to declare the mystery of Christ and help me to make it clear.”

2.  It is Christ who is to be on display, not the preacher.

Isaiah 42:8 has strong words for us, “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”  It seems that the Lord is a little bit jealous for His glory and does not respond well when we try to take it for ourselves or inappropriately place it on other things.  There is a certain freedom to be experienced by the preacher who asks “how do I make sure I properly glorify God this morning?” instead of asking “will I look good this morning?”

3.  The word of God, properly preached, will be effective.

There is often a temptation to place an emphasis on the wrong things.  We spend too much time worrying if our presentation is effective or if we came across as relevant.  While these things are important, they are not the most important.  We are given this encouragement in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”  Our first and greatest concern should be to properly “expose” the text.  If we give the word of God opportunity to work, it will accomplish what He intends.

4.  It is God, not the preacher, who brings about change in the hearts of individuals.

While we certainly celebrate decisions made for Christ and growth in the individual’s spiritual life, we can never take credit for these things happening.  Further, we cannot beat ourselves up in those lean seasons, those seasons when it seems God is still or that He is not moving.  Philippians 2:13 reassures us, “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”  God’s working in the heart and the life of an individual is not our responsibility.  These things rest with God alone.

In no way do I represent this to be a complete list. I am sure that there are items that you would add to this list that are significant to you.  However, when I remind myself of these four things I have a freedom in the pulpit otherwise does not exist.