Romans 10:14-15

What makes an e-mail important enough to read?  First, it has to get past your E-mail spam filter.  Then you look to see who sent the message.  Next, you look at the subject line; is it something interesting.  After all that, you may start reading the message.  If the message is lengthy, boring or repetitive you may stop and hit delete.

Preachers deliver messages just as e-mail servers do.  Preachers need to know that their messages will go through much the same process as emails.  A preacher is not to deliver his own message.  The church sends preachers to deliver God’s message.   A scriptural text must be the source of the message for us to know that it is God’s message.  If the message does not come from God’s word, it is not godly preaching.  It may be entertaining, educating or even great oratory but it is still dangerous because we have no way of knowing if it is God approved.

If a sermon is boring or becomes repetitive, there is the risk that the listener will not receive the message.  Instead of hitting the delete button, they take the snooze or daydream option.  God’s messages are too important to leave to chance.  A preacher needs to invest the time and effort into educational preparation.  He also needs to invest time and effort into spiritual preparation.  When the spam filter catches an e-mail, it very seldom matters.  When a preacher fails to deliver God’s message in a sermon it can have eternal consequences.

The church sends preachers to proclaim the gospel because we know the gospel has the power to save.  The church’s responsibility is to train, equip and send preachers.  The preacher’s responsibility is to preach God’s word clearly.  Whenever a preacher delivers God’s message effectively, it confronts the listeners with a decision.  They must choose between responding in belief and obedience or continuing in sin and disobedience.  When the hearer responds in faith, the church, the preacher and all believers share in the rejoicing.