SERMON PRESENTED AT KONGO SDA CHURCH ON 30TH
JAN, 2015
BY
PASTOR PETER NYAGAH
TITLE: PREACH THE WORD
KEY TEXT: 1 TIM 4:2
HYMN:
Background
Paul’s last epistle before his death.
Writing from a cold dungeon aware of his soon death- Vs.6
It is all that he would Timothy to hear, to
grasp, and to uphold after his departure.
That which he would wish him treasure and
guard with the power of God.
The
charge-
To show the seriousness of the subject- He charges him before God and Jesus Christ
who shall judge dead and living.( Vs.1)
Preach
the word.— Is to herald, ,”
or proclaim loudly and publicly, as a herald would announce the accession of
his king.
The language of the original here is abrupt and emphatic,
written evidently under strong emotion and with intense earnestness.
Definition
To proclaim like a herald, cry like a common crier in the
hearing of a multitude.
Thus God to Isaiah, Isaiah
58:1: Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like
a trumpet.
The exact opposite to what St. Paul would urge on Timothy is
described in Isaiah
56:10 when he speaks of God’s watchmen as “dumb dogs, who cannot
bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”
SITUATION
The time was running out and the day of his execution was at
hand. Knowing that he was to be killed soon, and in view of the end times, Paul
charges timothy before God and Jesus to preach the word!
Reason
Time would come and people would
run away from sound doctrine-vs.3
They would turn their ears away
from truth-vs.4
When Christians will assume
godliness but deny its power- 1 Tim 3:5
And these are the TIMES!
And these are the TIMES!
v
No more the WORD of God but words of men
v
No more TRUTH but heresy of every manner- and
people love it with zeal!
v
No more godly men on the pulpit but imposter
from every walk of life-
v
It is no more about SALVATION of souls but a
platform for good feeling
v
And so the pulpit has lost its POWER!
God has used his word to warn and direct humanity.
In the days of Noah, the days of Sodom and Gomora, in the backsliding Israel, His word was
active and true
Psalm 12:6-7 "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver
tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve
them from this generation forever."
In the days of the deepest idolatry of Israel God sent
Jeremiah with his word and even though he was heavily persecuted he could not
fear, though very unpopular and treated with contemt he could not cave in!
“… His
word was in my heart like a burning fire, Shut up in my bones” (Jer 20:9)
"
preach the word., as George Herbert says, The pulpit is, “our joy and throne.”
This is our watch-tower. Here we must warn the people. The silver trumpet is
put into our hand. Woe be unto us if we preach not the gospel.
Things that the word
will do
Will bring sanity to the
madness of the age
Will
reconcile the conflicting
Will
bring hope to a hopeless nation
Will
set the captives free
STUDY THE WORD
(The
Review and Herald April 24, 1888)
Those who preach the word must have an understanding of its
doctrines and principles. They must study to show themselves approved unto God.
As the servant of God opens the word of truth and humbly seeks to know its
significance, its meaning will grow clear to his understanding. But he must be
a diligent, painstaking student. He must not be content to depend upon the
researches of other minds. He must search for himself. Strength of mind is
acquired by exercise. Ability to expound the word of God, depends upon the work that is put
into the time of study—depends upon the attitude of the soul toward God. The mental faculties must become strong and
able to deal with great questions of truth and duty. The study should be
critical and thorough, and should be pursued with meekness, and with sincerity
of purpose, to know the truth as it is in Jesus.
“Preach the word.”
It is the word that demands your attention. There is not so much need of a
knowledge of authors as of an understanding of the Book of books. A thoughtful
and painstaking task is put upon the mind when the sacred Scriptures are
diligently searched. The practicing of the truth in your daily life is to
preach the word, as well as the exposition of Scripture in the pulpit. The
knowledge you obtain is to be committed to faithful men who in turn will teach
others.
Every one should seek to understand the great truths of the
plan of salvation, that he may be ready to give an answer to every one who asks
the reason of his hope.
You should know what caused the fall of Adam, so that you
may not commit the same error, and lose heaven as he lost paradise.
You should study the lives of patriarchs and prophets, and
the history of God’s dealing with men in the past; for these things were
“written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” We
should study the divine precepts, and seek to comprehend their depth.
We should meditate upon them until we discern their
importance and immutability.
We should study the life of our Redeemer, for he is the only
perfect example for men.
We should contemplate the infinite sacrifice of Calvary, and
behold the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the righteousness of the law.
You will come from a concentrated study of the theme of redemption
strengthened and ennobled. Your comprehension of the character of God will be
deepened; and with the whole plan of salvation clearly defined in your mind, a
fire will be rekindled in your hear and shut up in your bornes! Oh yes you will
preach the word!!
The call to
preach is unto all
Matthew
5:14. Ye are the light of the world
To every soul
that accepts Jesus the cross of Calvary speaks: “Behold the worth of the soul:
‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’” Mark
16:15. Nothing is to be permitted to hinder this work. It is the all-important
work for time; it is to be far-reaching as eternity. The love that
Jesus manifested for the souls of men in the sacrifice which He made for their
redemption, will actuate all His followers. (Testimonies for the Church 5:455, 456)
PREACH THE WORD!
AMEN
