Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Proclaimer’s Responsibility

Theme: When Preaching is Truth Proclaimed

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

(2 Timothy 2:15)

Bruse Waltke tells the story about the time his wife was in college and in her economics class they chose to do a test involving two white mice.

They fed the first mouse whole milk, wheat bread, oatmeal, carrots and fruit juice.

They fed the second mouse coffee and doughnuts for breakfast, white bread and jelly for lunch, candy, potato chips and coke for supper.

In less than ten days there were marked differences in the two mice.

One was healthy and robust, running around his cage full of all shorts energy.

The second mouse was showing signs of ill health, losing hair, becoming irritable, becoming a loner and listless.

As the diet continued the second mouse died.

Why? Wrong diet.

(The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart, Swindoll)

If church attendees are not offered the milk and wheat bread of God’s Word they become listless in service to Christ, to the Body of Christ and unable to fulfill their part of the “Great Commission.”

When people choose not feed upon the Word of God and choose to feed the flesh what it wants, live in the world’s view and listen to the lies of the devil, they become irritable, aggravating to be around and lack strength to fulfill God’s ultimate plan for them.

Christians who feed upon the Word of God are raised up by the Lord Jesus Christ to spiritual health.

Their walk with the Lord is vibrant and alive, full of hope and vision even in lean times.

As we catch the truth that God’s Word is food for the spiritual heart we begin to understand that it is imperative that preachers proclaim the whole wheat bread of God’s Word.

I would propose to you that it is the responsibility of preachers to proclaim and teach the Word of God in a way that insures there is healthy milk and meat for the children of God to feed upon.

Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

Just what should be seen in the spiritual heart of the proclaimer of God’s Word?

What Holy Spirit gift does he possess?

What is his charge and who gets the glory for what is done through him?

Person who preaches the Word of God is born again

The first truth to grasp in the “Proclaimer’s Responsibility” is to have a witness of the Holy Spirit that the person who preaches the Word of God is born again.

John 3:3 says, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep My laws.”

What the Holy Sprit wants you to grasp is “born again.”

It is of great importance for this spiritual birth to take place in the man who stands behind the pulpit.

The preacher must have a spiritual rebirth so he can proclaim the truths of God, live in fellowship with God the Father, Christ the Savior and walk in step with the Holy Spirit.

These Words of Christ were spoken to the Pharisee named Nicodemus who was a member to the Jewish council.

(John 3:1) Pharisees were the religious leaders of the Jews.

(The New International Dictionary of the Bible)

A modern day authority on Judaism, C. F. Moore, writes, “The Pharisees were a party whose endeavor… was to live in strict accordance with the Law… [and] interpret [through] study [of the expositions] of the Scribes, and… to bring the people to a similar conformity.”

Josephus, a contemporary Jewish historian describes them as, “A certain sect of Jews that appear more religious than others, and seem to interpret the laws more accurately.”

(The New International Dictionary of the Bible)

Think of this.

In John chapter 3 we read of an expert of the law of God, a studier of the writings of the Scribes, and we read of him coming to Christ in the dark of the night.

In his discussion with Jesus about the Kingdom of God, the Lord said to Nicodemus, “You are Israel’s teacher… and you do not understand these things…” about being born again?

You see Nicodemus had asked, “How can a man be born after he is old?” (John 3:4)

Jesus spoke another powerful truth, “…we speak of what we know, and we testify what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.”

(John 3:11) Jesus is God in the flesh and He spoke of heavenly things to Nicodemus, a man full of knowledge of the written law, yet, this Pharisee had no understanding of the true kingdom of God.

Something was missing.

He needed to be born again.

Nicodemus was not the only Pharisee who knew the law of God yet had no true revelations of the written law.

In the Book of Acts we read of the Pharisee who was once Saul, (Acts 7:58; 13:9) but became the Apostle Paul after Christ came into his spiritual heart and life.

(Acts 9:17)

The Apostle Paul appealed to his credentials as one of those who was zealous for the law of God.

He said, “…I am a Jew… Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you.” (Acts 22:3) Even after all his knowledge and training in the law of God he still persecuted Jesus Christ and His church.

(Acts 9: 1-4; 22:4) “Gamaliel,” was highly educated and an honored teacher and Pharisee.

He was the founder of one of the main branches of the Pharisees.

(Who’s Who in the Bible) However, it takes more than just having good knowledge of God’s Word for a preacher to proclaim truth.

The Bible teaches that once Paul received the Holy Spirit of Christ he received true revelation of Scripture and a zeal for the Lord burst forth with illumination.

After Ananias laid hands upon Paul, who was Saul at that time, his eyesight was restored, he received the Holy Spirit, and was baptized.

(Acts 9:18; Matthew Henry Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The New Bible Commentary; A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory; Who’s Who in the Bible; Thru the Bible) Paul’s extraordinary theological understanding now had Holy Spirit illumination enabling him to have the right relationship with Christ.

The Bible says he, “…grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.”

(Acts 9:22)

A college degree from the most up to date Theological Bible School in America will not enable the preacher to catch the heart of God as he studies the Holy Scriptures.

Revelation can only begin once a sinner has come to Christ.

All preachers must be born again.

“Again” (anóthen) means born from above (The Complete Word Study Dictionary; Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament; Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains; The New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries) Being born again causes the repentant sinner to begin a new relationship with God the Father and Christ His Son, and walk in step with the Holy Spirit.

Preachers who preach truth do so because they have come to Christ in repentance and are born again.

The first question that should be asked of anyone who wants to preach and teach God’s Word is, “Are you born again?”

Too often it is just assumed by church attendees that a person holding credentials or ordination papers with some denomination or fellowship have the anointing to preach God’s Word.

This is a dangerous assumption.

His Holy Spirit gift to “prophesy”

The proclaimer’s first priority is to be truly born again before he stands behind the pulpit.

His next responsibility is to exercise his Holy Spirit gift to “prophesy.”

Romans 12:6 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.”

“Prophesying” (propheteia) here is “…not primarily prediction but communication of revealed truth that will both convict and build up the hearers.”

(The Expositors Bible Commentary) It is a special gift that enables the preachers (Ephesians 4:11) to expound the Holy Scriptures.

(Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon) This Holy Spirit gift enables the proclaimer of God’s Word to declare the Lord’s purpose, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the hurting and afflicted.

(Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon; The Pulpit Commentary) This gift enables the preacher to make known the will of God, which is designed to influence men.

(Barnes Notes)

All Christians are to consider the gift of prophesying as an important endowment for edifying the Body of Christ and for the purpose of proclaiming God’s truth to those who are without Christ.

It is those who have Holy Spirit revelation of this gift who get the most out of the service where the preaching and teaching of God’s Word is proclaimed.

When I first became a Christian, I remember I could not wait to get to church to hear the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, because I knew it was God’s gift to the Body of Christ and knew that there would be something for me.

I was so excited to get to work, drive my truck and turn on Christian radio, because I just knew the Word of God would be proclaimed by men and women who exercise their gift according to the faith given to them by the Holy Spirit.

I love it when we have a series of teachings being done through a several week course on a key Biblical topic which enables us to grasp the heart of God on any life changing truth that can have a positive effect in our relationship with Christ.

Your heart attitude toward the Holy Spirit given gift of “prophesying” Is what determines how much you get out of the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.

Some go to church and Bible studies hungry and others see the preaching and teaching of God’s Word as just a part of the service that needs to be tolerated.

It is the Holy Spirit illuminated who grasp the truths of the Sunday morning preaching service and catch the life changing truths of a certain Bible study.

As the Holy Spirit examines your heart today, what does He find your thoughts focused on during the preaching and teaching of God’s Word?

Can observers of your life say, “That is a child of God who loves to hear the Word of God proclaimed and grasps the truths of solid Bible studies!”

The gift of prophesying is to be exercised in accordance to the faith of the proclaimer who is speaking forth the message.

“Faith” (pistis) here is what can be believed, trusted.

(DBL Greek) A preacher of God’s Word is not governed by his emotions or by his love to preach, but by the leading of the Holy Spirit as the Word of God is revealed to his mind and illuminated into his spiritual heart.

Those who prophesy are to interpret divine revelation according to the strength, clearness, fervor and qualities of faith bestowed upon them by the Holy Spirit of Christ.

The preacher’s conviction on how and when to preach and teach God’s Word comes from their relationship with Christ.

The doctrine of the preacher, what he believes, and the truths of the message proclaimed must be in proportion to the doctrine of faith as revealed in both the Old and New Testament.

(Word Studies in the New Testament; Meyer; Matthew Henry Commentary; The Expositors Bible Commentary)

When a man or women of God wants to develop their gift to preach the Word of God they may look to God’s Word and find solid instructions.

Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.

Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

Every true preacher of the Word of God has enjoyed the Lord bringing someone into their lives whom have been tested by trials, studied to show themselves faithful to preach the whole counsel of God’s Word and withstood the test of time.

These are Christians who God wants to use to teach them how to proclaim truth.

God changes a man’s spiritual heart, but he uses the personality He originally gave him.

God does not want everyone to preach and teach the same and use the same methods.