Preach the Word

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 58 – 62 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – John 17 – 18; Psalms 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 92:1 – 4

Read the “0812 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1)

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,” (Isaiah 62:6)

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

All of my previous posts from this reading passage have had to do with Isaiah 62:6. This morning, I would like to consider a similar verse: Isaiah 58:1. I believe this verse, though originally given to Isaiah, is directly applicable to preachers today. I believe that there are three ingredients for sound Bible preaching found in this verse, and, unfortunately, these are also sadly lacking in our preaching today.

1 Notice the Passion of Preaching – “Cry Aloud …lift up my voice like a trumpet”

Preaching should be passionate. Perhaps not ever message, or every part of a message will be done with a loud voice, but Bible preaching should be very often be done with a loud, passionate voice. The volume of the preacher’s voice should reveal his passion regarding the truth of God and it should also demonstrate his compassion for the needs of the people. Many Christians shy away from passionate preaching, preferring devotional teaching. However, the preaching of the word should be packed with Bible truth, and delivered in a manner that reveals the seriousness of God.

2 Notice the Perfection of Preaching – “spare not”

Not only should the preacher not hold back any volume and passion when he preaches, he should also not hold back any truth. All too often today preachers are afraid to preach all the counsel of God because they are too concerned with offending and possibly losing church members. We must remember that our duty is to please the Lord, and to deliver His message, uncut, and uncensored.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” (2 Timothy 4:3)

3 Notice the Pointedness of Preaching – “…shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

Preachers must not be afraid to point out the sins of the people, even the ones that are very unpopular to preach against. In the culture that we are living in it is getting increasingly difficult to not be offensive. The world is rapidly moving away from God, which should cause the preacher to be more passionate, and more pointed. The world, however, and even many Christians, will be offended.

4 Notice the Persistence of Preaching – “… shall never hold their peace day nor night:”, “… in season, out of season.”

Preachers need to preach all of the time: when it is popular and when it is not. This is especially true of the gospel.