There is a story of a preacher who never prepared for his sermon during the week. Every Sunday, as the music played and the congregation would sing, the preacher would pray, “Lord, give me a message.” One Sunday while praying, the preacher received a word from God, a message specifically for him. God said, “Here is your message: you are lazy.”
Since I was sixteen, God has placed the burden to preach on me. My first sermon, I will admit, was written in large part with help from my mom. But since then, I have learned that the burden is too great and important to be taken lightly. Hours of study, prayer, and writing are required. But those are meaningless without the Holy Spirit, whose presence, power, and assurance only grow during the process.
But have you ever wondered, “What is the purpose of preaching?” My record, according to the podcast, is 53 minutes for one sermon. God bless those people for enduring. However, why do we as God’s people gather to sit and hear His Word shared by a crazy person like me if we can read it for ourselves? Paul gives us some insight.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-16(CEB):
As you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, our visit with you wasn’t a waste of time. On the contrary, we had the courage through God to speak God’s good news in spite of a lot of opposition, although we had already suffered and were publicly insulted in Philippi, as you know. Our appeal isn’t based on false information, the wrong motives, or deception. Rather, we have been examined and approved by God to be trusted with the good news, and that’s exactly how we speak. We aren’t trying to please people, but we are trying to please God, who continues to examine our hearts. As you know, we never used flattery, and God is our witness that we didn’t have greedy motives. We didn’t ask for special treatment from people—not from you or from others—although we could have thrown our weight around as Christ’s apostles. Instead, we were gentle with you like a nursing mother caring for her own children. We were glad to share not only God’s good news with you but also our very lives because we cared for you so much. You remember, brothers and sisters, our efforts and hard work. We preached God’s news to you, while we worked night and day so we wouldn’t be a burden to any of you. You and God are witnesses of how holy, just, and blameless we were toward you believers. Likewise, you know how we treated each of you like a father treats his own children. We appealed to you, encouraged you, and pleaded with you to live lives worthy of the God who is calling you into his own kingdom and glory.
We also thank God constantly for this: when you accepted God’s word that you heard from us, you welcomed it for what it truly is. Instead of accepting it as a human message, you accepted it as God’s message, and it continues to work in you who are believers. Brothers and sisters, you became imitators of the churches of God in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus. This was because you also suffered the same things from your own people as they did from the Jews. They killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out. They don’t please God, and they are hostile to the entire human race when they try to stop us from speaking to the Gentiles so they can be saved. Their sins are constantly pushing the limit. God’s wrath has caught up with them in the end.
This is the word of God
For the people of God
Thanks be to God
In 1 Thessalonians, Paul is defending his work as an apostle. He was a messenger for Jesus who worked to share the gospel and establish a community of faith. Based on a report he had received, Paul’s work was being challenged. As Paul addresses these falsities being spread, it is not in an attempt to uphold his name but the name of Jesus. But as Paul does so, he reveals to us the purpose of preaching.
Verses 1 and 2 begin by sharing the high cost involved for Paul in sharing the message. If we read through the book of Acts, there are many stories of the suffering Paul endured in sharing the message of Jesus. His body was covered in scars, and Paul’s mind retained the memories behind each one. Paul persisted through these sufferings because of his confidence in God and the power of God’s message to transform sinners into saints. And the Thessalonians were the result of God’s power and Paul’s confidence in His power.
Verse 3 says, “Our appeal isn’t based on false information, the wrong motives, or deception.” Paul did not share God’s message to gain popularity, otherwise he would have spoken words that led to less pain for him. Instead, Paul shared the truth. According to Paul, the purpose of preaching is to share God’s truth, which is the truth.
Paul continues in verse 4 with, “We have been examined and approved by God to be trusted with the good news, and that’s exactly how we speak. We aren’t trying to please people, but we are trying to please God, who continually examines our hearts.” When God’s truth is shared it will reveal how the hearer’s life falls short. To fall short of God’s standard is to sin. So, according to Paul, the purpose of preaching is to share God’s truth in warning that a change is necessary and to guide people into how that change is possible.
While the other verses we have examined have shared what the purpose of preaching is, verses 5 and 6 reveal what the purpose of preaching is not. It is not a means for the preacher to get rich, gain influence, or receive special treatment. As a preacher, Paul’s role was to serve God by serving the people who hear God’s message. He had a right to get paid as a preacher, but that was not as important as sharing the message. Preaching ruined Paul’s right to be anonymous, but any influence he gained was not for himself, it was to be used for Jesus. And Paul could not expect to be treated any better for his efforts than the treatment Jesus had received.
Looking at verses 7 through 11 highlight how the preacher is to live out the message. Paul did not live his life separated from the Thessalonians but in direct contact with them. He was thrilled to be there with them and genuinely loved them. His compassion for them was like a mother who gives her life to care for her children. It was like a father who lovingly guided his children to truth and in truth. This demonstrates the risk involved for Paul in sharing God’s truth because it jeopardized the relationship between him and the people. If they rejected God’s message, they would also reject him. The purpose of preaching is to share God’s truth in warning that change is necessary and to guide people into how that change is possible, this is out of a heart that genuinely loves God and the people.
Moving on to verse 12, it says, “We appealed to you, encouraged you, and pleaded with you to live lives worthy of the God who is calling you into His own kingdom and glory.” Paul’s desire was for the people to hear and accept God’s message, and then live out their faith in demonstration of the new life they now possessed. Therefore, the purpose of preaching is to share God’s truth in warning that change is necessary and to guide people into how that change is possible, and then encourage people to live out the glory of God’s kingdom, out of a heart that genuinely loves God and the people.
What does this have to do with us? It would seem I have already given the purpose of preaching, according to Paul. The purpose of preaching is to share God’s truth in warning that change is necessary and to guide people into how that change is possible, and then encourage people to live out the glory of God’s kingdom, out of a heart that genuinely loves God and the people. All that is great, but it is missing the main point. And it is the most dangerous point for the preacher and hearer.
Did you notice I did not share any details on verses 13 through 16 of our passage? These hold the key to the purpose of preaching. Verse 13 says, “We also thank God constantly for this: when you accepted God’s word that you heard from us, you welcomed it for what it truly is. Instead of a human message, you accepted it as God’s message.” The purpose of preaching I shared with you means nothing without this last thing, the response of those who hear.
It is dangerous because of how the hearers respond. Paul shares in verses 14 through 16 what happens when God’s message is rejected. Verse 13 shares what happens when it is accepted. Every time the Word of God is preached it challenges something in us and demands a response from us.
Out of my love for you, my life laid down for God’s message, and serving you so you can hear it, I am plainly asking you today will you accept God’s message or reject it? Jesus had to die on the Cross for your sins, and this was not so you could continue in your life of sin. The sinful life will lead you to destruction. But that is not necessary. By faith today, do you accept Jesus as the sacrifice on your behalf? Will you leave behind your life of sin and walk as a follower of Jesus?
I am not asking this of you for my ego. This is not to keep some statistics on a stat sheet. I ask because I genuinely love you, see value in you, believe in you, and have faith in my God’s power to do a work in your life. And I know asking this is dangerous. But the danger of me to not ask you is greater. Will you follow Jesus?