Manna from Monday

“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8.3, NIV).

Give Them Christ

At approximately 11:15 am on Sunday, I will do something that I do 49 weeks out of every year. I will open my Bible and I will preach to a group of people who have gathered. Do you participate in a similar “ritual?” I have a pretty firm grasp on the question: What are preachers trying to accomplish? What interests me presently, however, is: What are the hearers expecting? What do you anticipate receiving during the “preaching” portion of a given worship gathering? Just in case you think I am formulating a philosophy of preaching that begins with the listener’s “felt need,” let me show you my cards. I want us to consider the content of the Apostles’ preaching as a way to inform how we listen to preachers. In other words, the goal of the preachers in the Bible should be the goal of all preachers. Furthermore, that biblical goal for preachers should shape how we listen to sermons.

Preachers in the Bible did NOT preach to give their hearers their “best life now.” ~ Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5.11-12).

Preachers in the Bible did NOT preach to gather a crowd. ~ Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14.25-27).

Preachers in the Bible proclaimed themselves as weak and Christ alone as trustworthy ~ And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, . . . that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2.1-2, 5).

Preachers in the Bible proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord and themselves as servants of the people ~ For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake  (2 Corinthians 4.5).  

Having heard the historical preaching of Jesus and because they witnessed it’s world-transforming effect, the apostles realized they had nothing better than Jesus Christ to offer their people. Brothers and sisters, there is nothing more beautiful and valuable than Jesus Christ. If you are blessed with the opportunity to preach there is nothing better you can offer your hearers than Christ. Give them Christ. 

William Willimon challenges us as preachers and listeners: “Whenever our preaching ceases to be about the truth of God in Jesus Christ is degenerates into another program of human betterment” and what this world needs is not another program of human betterment. This world needs the only eternal human betterment Person and his name is Jesus Christ.

Preachers, Give them Christ.

Hearers, Listen for Christ.