Three important areas of preaching ministry
must be clarity, charity and authority.
The teaching component of preaching is most
clearly articulated through careful, thoughtful, linear thinking. If you don't
know how you got from A to B, odds are your hearers won't know either. The more
work you can do in weaving a thread of continuity into your sermon, the better
it will likely find its mark. Many great pearls fall to the floor without a
thread to connect them. Our aim is a necklace, not a lot of loose gems. Think it through. You owe it to those who
hear you to know what you're going to say and why you're saying it in that
order.
The pastoral component of preaching is
communicated by charitable compassion. If you don't show that you care about
the reception of truth, many ears will be inclined to tell their hearts to
ignore your wisdom. Granted, that is not entirely your problem as the preacher,
but you can show mercy on distracted, hard-hearted sinners by removing
obstacles for them by putting on a charitable disposition that pleads with your
people as one who cares about the outcome, not just the information.
Lastly, the sacramental component of
preaching is demonstrated by authoritative distribution as a herald on behalf
of the great King. Preachers must command their hearers to respond by
proclaiming the indicative truth of what God has done and the imperative need
to believe His Word. It is the preacher's mission to proclaim what God has done
in the indicative tone and then demand that His deeds be believed in the
imperative tone. Preachers do not have authority because they are well read or
well spoken, although those are certainly desirable attributes. Authority comes
from the Author. Do not rob from God's authoritative Word by apologizing for
the message or by insisting on sentiments outside the scope of His message.
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