Part 2: Reasons for Preaching
If you haven’t yet read Part 1 of this series, click here to read that first.
Now, the second part answers the question of why we have the offices of Ephesians 4:11-12. Why does God do it this way? Why does he plan for there to be fallible (and I’m talking about myself here) human teachers and preachers in the church, who teach and preach to the people on the basis of God’s infallible word, when the people have that infallible word right there in their hands?
- Because we are commanded to preach.
As stated earlier, Timothy was commanded by Paul to preach according to 2 Timothy 4:2. It is imperative to follow the commandments of scripture for the body needs these commandments in order for the bride to continue on in her preparations for the coming Bridegroom.
- Pastors/Shepherds, while fallible, are uniquely gifted to teach.
Preachers and teachers (shepherds), according to 1 Timothy 3:2, are to be gifted — or apt or able — to teach, which means that they should have the time, the inclination, the skill, and the spiritual discernment to see things in God’s infallible Word that many may not see. 2 Timothy 2:2 also exhorts likewise to commit to faithful men able to teach others. It is the pattern of the LORD for tending to His flock.
(John 21:15-17) “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. {16} He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. {17} He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
Significance of 3’s:
- The Trinity
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost - Patriarchs
Judaism began as a family religion practiced by three generations of fathers and sons, known as the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The central Jewish prayer, the Amidah, refers to God as the God of these three. - Torah
The Torah is divided into three parts: Pentateuch, Prophets, and Scriptures. Moses, the third child of his parents, received the Torah in the third month of the Jewish calendar. - Festivals
The Jewish festival calendar is made up of three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. - Prayers
Jews pray three times a day, and many stanzas in prayers are repeated three times. The priestly benediction, birkat kohanim, is a threefold blessing. - Other examples
Abraham was visited by three angels three days after his circumcision, and God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac at a place three days away. Adam and Noah also had three sons
A first century Jew knows the significance of the Messiah. Peter believed Jesus as the Messiah, so for him to be asked 3 times if he loved Him, this would bring a panic to any sane Christian.
Remember that this came as no surprise to Jesus that He’d have a fallible man as Peter, who denied Him 3 times, to be charged with caring for the flock.
- Sermons can help us read the Bible better.
As read in 1 Timothy 3:2, being apt or able to teach means that the pastor should have the time, the inclination, the skill, and the spiritual discernment to see things in God’s Word. That in doing so, they are able to dedicate themselves to the ministry in ways that not everyone can. It is a call to a work that requires much time, effort and dedication. One who pastors and shepherds effectively is often unable to work another profession and be so effective for their ministry. For this reason, Paul exhorts the body of Christ to care for the needs of the servant minister amongst them. The full time ministry that the pastor/shepherd endeavors unto will take his time from providing otherwise for their families and responsibilities.
(1 Timothy 5:17-18) “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. {18} For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.”
(Galatians 6:6) “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”
(Luke 10:7) “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.”
(Philippians 4:16-19) “For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. {17} Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. {18} But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. {19} But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
(Acts 20:28) “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
- Preaching awakens new affections for God.
Preaching is the communication of both seeing and savoring the reality in the text. This means that those who listen to such preaching, over time, will not only have their heads stocked with new thoughts, but will have their hearts awakened to new affections for God and His word and His ways and His people.
We might think that the Bible itself should be enough to awaken all the affections and emotions that Christians ought to feel. Well, the plain fact is that that does not happen by itself. God has planned that we be inspired and encouraged and humbled and thrilled by the things of God, which we see more movingly through faithful, Spirit-filled preaching, amongst other endevours. Bible studies, discipleship and counseling can offer a degree to this as well. But the point is to not forsake the preaching simply for the other avenues that are taken.
(Romans 10:17) “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
That’s why he says this to those teachers in Thessalonica:
(1 Thessalonians 5:14) “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.”
Encouragement happens in preaching. That’s a change of emotions and affections. Affections are changed, not just minds, through God-ordained preaching.
- God saves through the foolishness of preaching.
God has ordained that the eyes of the spiritually blind be open and that salvation come through the foolishness of fallible human preaching.
(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.”
“We might imagine, in our own heads, that all the world needs are Bibles dropped from airplanes into people’s lives. Well, we can imagine all we want. But God’s plan is that people are saved through the preaching of the Bible, through the preaching of biblical truth, not just the reading of the Bible. The foolishness of preaching is appointed as one of the important means of saving sinners.” – John Piper
We need to hear the word from other believers, from those appointed according to Eph 4.
(1 Corinthians 12:21) “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.”
Behind all five of those previous points lies the truth that God intends for the church to be a mutually interdependent body of believers. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you. I’ve got my Bible. I don’t need you.” In other words, Father God has determined that Jesus Christ, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, will get more glory through the Christ-exalting, Spirit-dependent, word-saturated, mutual ministry in the church than he would if people only read their Bibles.
Christ is always more glorified when we doing things by the will of God, rather than by forsaking God’s way while presuming to love the Bible
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