Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Why Do I Listen To Preaching?



“As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, 'Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.' And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.” (Ezekiel 33:30-32)

I love listening to good preaching. It thrills me to sit at the feet of faithful men as they open their Bibles and expound the word of God. What a blessing it would have been to hear Ezekiel or Isaiah or John the Baptist or Paul preach! Not everyone enjoys good preaching, but those who do must be on-guard that our delight is not led astray.

The Lord warned Ezekiel not to be puffed up by the praise and popularity of his preaching. Men loved to come and hear him, but their enjoyment was superficial. They did not receive the word of God in their hearts. People enjoyed listening to Ezekiel the same way they enjoy beautiful music. But good preaching is not entertainment. It is edification (up-building) and instruction for the soul.

We must be careful that our joy in exposition does not remain on the surface of our hearts. God’s word is intended to pierce our inner being (Heb. 4:12). It lays us bare, convicting and converting us anew as we persevere in hearing, reading, studying, and meditating on it. James tells us, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (1:22). That is a real danger for us all. So love preaching. Enjoy the delight of hearing God’s word proclaimed. Look forward to sitting under the instruction of God’s word. But let it do its work in you. Let the words sink deep in your heart. May the preaching of God’s word give us joy, but even more may we be better, more faithful, and more obedient for having heard it. -JME