Today’s post is written especially for the men and women who are called to the hefty task of communicating the Gospel. Preaching is the supernaturally natural means by which God has chosen to transport and deposit eternal truth into the hearts of man; the kind of truth that sets captives free, restores hope to the hopeless, and brings healing to the hurting.
Like me, I’m sure you believe that anything we communicate concerning the King should be communicated well. This is particularly true when it comes to preaching; perhaps even more so. Psalm 43:1 offers us some divine and time tested insights on “how” to preach for maximum impact. Let’s take a look.
Truly powerful preaching can only come from a heart that’s overflowing. A heart that’s spent time in the presence of almighty God. A heart where the word of God has been hidden in abundance; so much so that it can no longer contain the truth and revelation that heavens poured into it. Personally, I never feel totally ready to preach until my heart is overflowing – until like the prophet Jeremiah I’m able to declare “…His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” Jeremiah 20:9 NIV
When it’s concerning the King, long before we step behind the pulpit our heart should be honed in, focused, and overflowing with “a good theme.” Typically, in the days, weeks, or months preceding your preaching appointment you’ll begin to notice a theme to what the Holy Spirit has been saying to you and doing around you.
For me it typically begins in my time alone with God, but continues throughout my day/week at what seems to be the most random times. He’ll speak to you through His Word, prayer, other people, your environment/surroundings, and your circumstances. Eventually you’ll begin to recognize a specific theme to God’s activity in your life, a theme that He wants you to preach/teach on. Pay close attention to the activity of God both in and around you and make sure you write those revelation moments down as they happen.
When it comes to preaching, God doesn’t offer us a bunch of scattered, confusing, and unrelated concepts – there’s always a theme to His revelation.
The day that you preach the message, shouldn’t be the first day that you preach the message. You should recite your sermon and practice your preaching. Why? Well, for me, there’s actually two reasons:
Reason #1: – Anything concerning the King should be done with excellence. I realize that for some of us the idea of literally practicing your preaching can feel awkward and a bit challenging at first.
For some reason down through the years many have bought the unbiblical ideology that the more unprepared the preacher is the more powerful the message will be. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Preparation has always been a mandate for the Gospel preacher: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
I wonder what would have happened had Noah built the ark with the same mentality that’s often used when building a sermon?
Reason #2: Revelation often comes through the act of communication. Some of the greatest revelations I’ve ever received came while I was preaching, so why not use that to your advantage and litterally practice what you preach before you preach it. It will add depth and clarity to the message.
When you’re preaching, God’s using your tongue to write truth upon the hearts of man.
So, how’s your writing skills?
The term “A ready writer” indicates a capable writer; an experienced writer; a well prepared writer. A ready writer is someone who not only knows what to say, but how to say it.
So, when it comes to your preaching, I have a question for you: Are you writing well? Are you writing something that makes people want to keep reading (or in this case – listening)? Spoken words aren’t like written words, there is no eraser or delete button. What’s been said has been said. This is why we need to emphasize the need to not merely be a writer, but a READY writer – a prepared writer/preacher.
Before you publish your voice on Sunday morning, make sure through prayer and study that you’ve first submitted your words to the Chief Editor throughout the week lest you communicate something less than truth.
My heart is overflowing/ with a good theme/I recite my composition concerning the King/My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. – Psalm 45:1
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