1 Peter 1:12 – Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

1 Corinthians 1:21 – For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Ok, Ok, we all have that negative view of preaching. Don’t preach at me! Preaching is so confronting. Watch people, even yourself, arc up at preaching. Preaching illicts a hostile reaction from prideful, sinful, dark man. Having truth delivered gunbarrel straight from God, the authority and seal of God’s word like a fire, like a sword cutting to the spirit of man… is confronting. People don’t like it. Only someone who is right with God, who loves truth, will love preaching and receive it. Preaching is a one way street, it’s not a dialogue. It’s a monologue. It’s what God says… let God be true… and every man a liar the Bible says. And people, all people, don’t like preaching. It’s the one thing they don’t like. They don’t mind you being a Christian so long as you don’t preach to them. Mark it down. Because preaching carries authority. It’s not debate, it’s not discussion, it’s thus saith the Lord, it’s what God says. And people don’t like it. Let’s not forget John 3:19,20 – And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

People don’t mind you having your Christianity to yourself. But it’s preaching that invades them. And it’s not all like you think either. Preaching isn’t the job just of the pastor or of certain few, you may not be a pastor or whatnot, you may not all have the same callings or ministry … but all Christians are preachers, sure you may not be in the pulpit, but you can preach to others with your words and your life. Preaching into the lives of those God put you near and around, those God bring before you in day to day life. Family, friends, work colleagues. Preaching is what saves, God makes no apologies, and there is no substitute. Preaching into someone else’s life and also receiving preaching into your life is what it takes.

Preaching is the power of God. Do you want the power of God in the situation, or just your own power and wisdom (which is a waste of time and vain and won’t help or change anybody). What is preaching? Preaching is giving people the gospel, the gospel is relevant to ALL our lives, because we all have the same problem… sin. And we all need to be saved from our sins. Telling people is preaching, telling them the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Preaching the gospel is God’s way of saving, helping, instructing people, it’s what carries God’s power. So man tries to help in man’s ways, and man does man’s thing, but man’s wisdom, intellect efforts are vain without doing things God’s way. It’s always God’s way. God determines how we come to him, we can’t just approach him ourself, we need Jesus Christ. Anyone may come, but we must come how God appoints us. Your life, your service, your ministry is not acceptable on YOUR terms, it must all be on Christ’s terms… on God’s terms.

The text says from 1 Peter… who have preached the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. When you give people the gospel, you’re giving them something from heaven… something from a world and sphere higher than us, something beyond this wretched wicked dark world and existence. And it’s preaching WITH the Holy Ghost. It’s not dead words, it’s life giving words, with the power of the Holy Ghost. After all the words of God are spirit and life Jesus said. You’re giving people something of immense, infinite spiritual value when you give them the words of God… the gospel. Jesus Christ. That’s what makes this thing alive to us and others. Giving them the Holy Ghost… how do you give someone the Holy Ghost? Well you can’t save someone your self, but you can give them the words of God. In so doing, the Holy Ghost ministers to that person. Whom they can receive or reject. Tell them about Jesus, because he has the words of eternal life. John 6:68 – Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. So what are you giving people? Are you giving them the gospel… or are you giving them a load of rubbish. What’s the point of doing good works, meeting physical needs, being nice, without ever telling someone about their need to be saved and how to be saved? You are not helping someone unless you give them the gospel, unless you preach into their lives.

The Bible is full of preachers, they’re the ones who made the difference, both in public and in private, both to masses and one to one. Although your calling may not be as a pastor or in the pulpit, you can preach into the lives of those around you. And not just preaching that sounds like brass and tinkles like a cymbal… preaching WITH the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. The ministry of the Holy Ghost in this world is to bear witness of Christ, to point people to Jesus, to save people and give them spiritual life and renewal and regeneration, complete internal change through the spiritual birth of a new creature in Christ Jesus… and Jesus told us what he would do when he came… John 16:8 – And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. You need to tell people the gospel… they need Jesus. And you need to tell them why they need Jesus. There’s not point telling them about Jesus if you don’t also explain WHY they need Jesus. We need Jesus because we have sinned. Jesus came to save us from our sins. We have all sinned, we are sinners, utterly fallen, utterly wicked, utterly at enmity with God… and if we die in our sins, we will go to hell. That is your home already if you are unsaved today. You’re condemned already. It’s not a scare tactic, its the truth. You don’t need Jesus if you don’t need saving. Jesus came to SEEK and SAVE the lost.

The Bible says it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. There is foolishness associated with preaching, because it’s a thankless thing often, it’s also like… how can this help someone who has REAL problems? Telling them about Jesus? (but the gospel, the cross is the actual life solution, it is in fact the ONLY solution to this life even though you may not see it yet, or how it can be so yet… is it foolishness to you??? it won’t be if you are saved… the cross is wisdom and the savour of life to a saved person, foolishness and meaninglessness and the savour of death to an unsaved person) People will get upset, after all the preaching of the cross is offensive and foolishness to them that perish. But preaching is still the way to make a difference in someones life. The Bible says Noah was a preacher of righteousness, Jude was a preacher… their lives preaching, and their communications to others were one of preaching, of declaring what God said. It’s simple, we have light, and give light to others. Have you been lighted by Christ to begin with though? You won’t care for others if you weren’t saved yourself. You can’t light someone else if you are in darkness yourself. They told people the truth. Truth is love, and love is truth. Tell people the truth. People need to be saved. They need to hear things of value, not words that ease their slide to damnation.

Preaching isn’t just behind a pulpit or in an assembly… and it’s not a bad thing. It can be done in love, and it is in fact love, telling people the truth is love, yes do it with the right spirit, in fact through The Holy Spirit, but do it if you care for them, because you care for them. It’s not for you, it’s for them. That’s true charity. Doing it without expecting (and never!) getting anything in return. Charity gives to those who cannot repay, without expecting repayment. God is the ultimate example, we can never repay what he has done for us, nor does he expect us to, he just wants to show us his love, and wants us to believe and receive what he has already provided and done for us. Everyday u can reach into lives by and through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit telling people abut sin and about Christ. Just telling them the flat truth rather than sidestepping it, rather than circling it, rather than alluding to it… just PLAINLY tell them. When the chance comes, and God does open doors. You may just be the one person that can make a difference in their life. You may be their last chance, maybe you’re the only one who truly loves that person. Maybe noone else truly loves them enough to tell them the truth and care about their standing before God.

You are preaching into their lives when you tell them gospel. The Holy Ghost is in it. The Holy Ghost is in the gospel. His Spirit is all over the words of life. The Bible says we are freed to go and tell others the words of this life. You give them Bible, God’s word, you’re giving them spiritual words… spiritual food. And it’s a hungry, starving world out there. They need real food. Jesus is the TRUE bread… and the bread of heaven at that. Given them heavenly bread. Jesus ascended into the heavens victorious over sin, death, the world, the devil. And because he’s in heaven, he then sent down the Holy Ghost from heaven, and he lives in believers through his Spirit. You tell people about the man Jesus, you are giving them something of great power. Something with power to change a life, something capable of planting an incorruptible seed in someones heart that springs up in good soil and produces fruit. When you tell someone the truth you are giving that person a chance to be saved. It’s the kindest thing you can do for someone.

You can’t reason, and persuade, and convince, and sway and talk someone into the kingdom of God. It takes PREACHING. It doesn’t take debate, it doesn’t take doing niceness, it takes preaching. It takes preaching WITH the Holy Ghost into their lives, telling them what God says. What does God say? Jesus himself said REPENT and BELIEVE the gospel. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ… the Lord who came and died for our sins. The cross has power, better believe it, the blood of Jesus Christ has power. Because Jesus has power. He has ALL power in heaven and earth. So when you give people Jesus Christ, tell them about the man, the only man to live a sinless life, the only man to rise from the dead, the only man who can forgive and save… you’re giving them something of real power. You’re pointing them to not dead works, not rubbish, but to a man who lived, died and is alive forevermore and wants people to repent of their sin and believe on him. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to ALL that believe. Jesus has all power, so give them Jesus and you’re giving them power to be saved, power to be free, new life power.

The power of God preaching and the power of God saving. The gospel has immense power. The gospel is not the wisdom of man, it is the power of God. So what are you giving people? Are you cheating them from hearing what they need to hear? Will you ever give people the life giving bread from heaven??? We have no idea. The simple message of the cross of Jesus Christ, his blood, his death, his resurrection… it has real life power. We are all preachers. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. The Bible says WE are living epistles known and read of men. This isn’t dead works, a lifeless practice… the gospel is the power of God. Because Jesus is a man who is also God who is fully alive now and forevermore. Tell people about him. Point people not to religion, not to church, not to good works, but to the  Lord. We are all called to preach, we are all called to invite others to the marriage supper of the Lamb. When this world and it’s affairs and issues are done, all that will remain is what you did with Jesus. If you are saved you have high accountability to tell others about the salvation. If you are not excited about your salvation, maybe you never got saved.

The world by wisdom knows not God… God made it that way. He made it so that PREACHING is what saves. Make sure you preach to others, give them the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Give them something of substance, something of value, tell them about the person, the man, Jesus Christ. He came to call all to repentance, he came to seek and save the lost. Matthew 1:21 – And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. We need to be saved from our sins. Invite them to come, and after that it’s between God and them. Just make sure you tell them the truth, don’t tiptoe around it, give people what God says, give them the gospel, give them the true bread of heaven. Preaching is what saves.

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