Preach The Gospel

Every born-again believer has the privilege to preach the gospel wherever they are.  It seems to me that there is more than one way to preach the gospel; you can preach it by your words or by your actions, hopefully by both.  

I have heard it said that “actions speak louder than words.”  Here is another statement I heard, “I would rather see a sermon than hear one any day.”  The problem is that there are many preaching the Word, but their lives don’t line up with what they say.  I realize that no one is perfect but when your life and your walk are usually inconsistent with your words, there is a real problem.  Have you ever heard something like this said, “Preach the gospel at all times, in season and out of season, and then when absolutely necessary use words.”  

Did you know that every true believer is an ‘Ambassador of Christ?’  In other words, you are His representative here as you walk through life.  So where you go, what you do and what you say, as well as your appearance are very important.  What you read and what you listen to are very important because it will affect your thoughts and the way you respond to circumstances and situations.  

That is why Paul admonished his readers to live like this in a fallen world saying this in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

When talking about sacrifices in the Old Testament, it was talking about animal sacrifices, but here it is talking about people, believers.  And even more important than the animal sacrifices, is the attitude of our hearts and our obedience and willingness to do the will of God each day as living sacrifices.  Because of what the Lord did for us, making a way for us to be forgiven of our sins, we should have thankful hearts and gladly honor the Lord with our obedience.

It says this in 1 Samuel 15:22-23, “But Samuel replied, ‘What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?  Listen!  Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.  Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.  So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.’”  This is what Samuel spoke to King Saul when he rebelled against the Lord. 

Preaching the Word and being a good witness is very important today just like it was then.  I think those that preach the Word from the pulpit have a greater responsibility to preach the whole truth and not half-truths, trying to make the congregation feel good.  It is so important to preach what people need to hear and not just what they want to hear which will just tickle their itching ears, especially now when people need to get serious about their walk with the Lord.  

Paul encouraged Timothy to preach the Word in season and out of season in 2 Timothy 4:1-8 which says this, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.  For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Itching ears means hearing only what they want to hear, and there are preachers that are accommodating them today doing just that, making people feel good so they will keep them coming back, it seems like money is more important than people’s souls.  At the end of Paul’s life he was content in knowing that he preached the Word faithfully as a good minister of the gospel; knowing that there was a crown of righteousness waiting for him.  He had run the race and kept the faith, praise God!  What about you, have you been preparing for your departure by practicing what you preach like Paul did, or will you be ashamed when you stand before the Lord someday?  

I don’t know the day or the time the Lord will return, and neither does anyone else, outside of God himself, but today and every day, from now on, is the time to get ready.  Something to think about, God bless and have a great day!!