Thursday June 13, 2013

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13.  Hebrews 4:12-13.  Acts 17:11.

 

As a preacher of the gospel and a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ I have to ask myself regularly, ‘Do I want people to follow me or to follow Christ?’  While it may appear an innocuous question, it has deep and dire implications. Following a preacher and taking what the preacher said as gospel is dangerous, because many preachers have sought to build up disciples or followers after themselves. Many preachers have twisted the Scriptures to suit their own ends and desires. Many preachers have spoken lies from the pulpit, seeking to tickle itching ears and to please the crowd. Such preaching cannot and will not bring salvation to the lost nor will it mature and grow true believers.

 

Our job when listening to someone preach the Word is to be like the Bereans. We need to have our Bibles open and we need to constantly check that the word proclaimed is the Word of God. What we should look for in a preacher is not nice stories or funny anecdotes but the truth of Scripture expounded, taught and brought out to apply in our lives. A dry and dreary Bible based preacher is far more beneficial than a lively, funny story teller. Stories don’t save and grow us, the Word of God does.

 

When Paul came to Thessalonica many people turned and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. They accepted what Paul was saying as the Word from God because it came to them with power, with conviction and with a demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s witness and work. The Word of God was powerfully at work in them, just as it was in the messenger who brought that Word.

 

As we saw yesterday, each of us is a preacher through our lives. Our lives are an advertisement backing up the gospel message that we proclaim. Today we need to realise that it’s not just our lives that preach the message of Christ Jesus. Each of us needs to be speaking the Gospel into the lives of non believers. They will never come to believe if they never hear the Gospel. You can serve and give and love and honour people for decades but that alone cannot and will not save them. They need to hear the Word of God, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ from your lips. People are not saved by osmosis. The Gospel cannot and will not just seep into their heart. They need to hear the Gospel from you. And praise God, some, if not many, of those people will receive that word as it really is - the Word of God.  Only when you begin to share the Word will you see it as powerful and active, living and sharp, able to do the work and will of God in your life and the lives of those around you.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

V Ask God to create opportunities for you personally to preach the gospel to the people in your life that are not believers. Pray for tact, wisdom and gentleness as you share the Word with them. Pray this for everyone in your congregation.

V Pray that the preachers in your church would be faithful to the Word this weekend. Ask God to lead those who are going to teach the Word. Pray for diligence in preparation and wisdom/insight into the Word. Pray that God’s Holy Spirit would use the Word faithfully proclaimed to challenge and convict the non believers and to grow/mature the believers.

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What things stop us from sharing the Word of God with non believers?

2. How can we overcome the obstacles mentioned in question 1?

3. How can we spur each other on to share our faith with others?