The Secret of Paul's Preaching
In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul provides the secret to his preaching, saying:
"1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
Why do I feel as if my peaching is often so weak and powerless? If I listen to Paul, I think I know. I'm trying too hard. Trying to hard to find "powerful" illustrations and create impressive outlines. Trying to hard to say things just right. Trying to hard to make myself look like a good preacher.
What if I were completely unconcerned with how I looked as a preacher, and rather about how Jesus looks as a Savior?
Realization of the day: There is NO POWER in preaching save the Holy Spirit illuminating "Jesus Christ and him crucified" in the hearts of the hearers (and the heart of the preacher!). Sermon preparation has its place. The Spirit works through that process, too. However, there is no substitute for the presence of the Spirit to empower someone who is not concerned about "lofty speech," and who stands up as a weak man in full dependence upon the Spirit to move and work among the people.
So maybe I'm relying too much on my notes and too little on the dynamic, present ministry of the Spirit in the context of preaching. What if I prayed to be filled not with human wisdom, but with the Spirit when I stood to speak? Yes, that's what I want! So I want to ask that you would pray that I will be delight in self-forgetfulness (my "preacher image") and glory in the message of the cross, so that the faith to whom I preach "might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Thanks.
Soli Deo gloria.
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