The Difficulties of Preaching

I have been thinking a great deal about teaching the Word of God (not to mention doing it 4 times a week for the last 7 months). It is draining, weighty, difficult, frustrating, joyous, adrenaline filled, and challenging. I love the Bible. I love that as I read it, it speaks to me and proves itself true. It identifies my sin, it works and moves me, it truly is living and active. One of the problems of teaching it is the guarantee from God that people will hear it in different ways- Luke 8. Some people will eat it up at first and get choked out by other concerns, some will never have it sink in, others will enjoy a message but when trial comes it will knock them down. And still- others- they will hear it and it will bring forth beautiful, deep, rich, meaningful life. That is a joyous time in any preacher's life.

I think we have missed this for too long in Christianity. We look at the three groups that don't bear fruit as "getting it." I don't think they do. I don't think they are Christians- at least not yet. It kills me to see someone in church on a Sunday morning, Tuesday or Wednesday night, and they nod their heads through the entire message. They agree, maybe cry, and receive the message in that moment. THEN- and this is huge- they go home and turn on the television. And what they don't realize is that the birds are coming in and swooping up the message that was just spoken to them. They are eating up the seeds of the Gospel that were scattered in their hearts just moments before. And it's not just TV, it can be a cell phone, Facebook, Myspace, or having friends over.

Where is the wrestle? The word of God goes out and it has to sink through the soil, it has to settle and be watered and weeded and cared for continuously. We get so distracted that we forget to wrestle with the deep truth that affected us while a pastor spoke. We put off change because there is a good movie on, or a friend is coming over. Why? Why would we risk it? Don't wait! Do what you feel God pressing you to do, don't reason it away as being too radical...don't even give yourself that chance! Change is right, it's what the Gospel does. The words of Jesus would be spoken and stir the hearts of the people around Him, and they would act! Don't allow your justifications and reasoning to take away the extreme action God is calling you to.

Why would you do it? Because there is more joy in being obedient to Christ and knowing that through that obedience you are drawing near to Him and Him to you. There is more joy in that than in a movie, a video game, a text, a girlfriend, shopping, or a party! There is so much more joy in knowing God than any of those things, so don't wait!

I hope as you read this God is revealing to you the thing you have put off for days, weeks, years, maybe for some of you decades- go do it. Turn off the electronics and go be with God! Cancel your cable. Turn your phone off. Sell your x-box. Run to the arms of Christ knowing that in obedience your time with Him will only be increased...He will bring you comfort.