Introduction:

A. Habakkuk wanted to know why the Lord was not punishing the wicked: Habakkuk 1:1-4

1. God answers by telling Habakkuk of the coming captivity through the Chaldean Empire: Habakkuk 1:5-10
2. Habakkuk needed to learn, as do some of us, that God does judge the wicked [evil, immoral]: Psalms 7:11

a. Psalms 9:5
b. Psalms 37:38
c. Psalms 101:8

B. God then wanted Habakkuk to give a clear message: Habakkuk 2:2-3

1. This was God’s answer to Habakkuk’s second inquiry: Habakkuk 1:12-2:1
2. What God revealed causes Habakkuk to fear: Habakkuk 3:1-2
3. Not enough people today fear what the Lord says as they ought to: Hebrews 12:28-29

I. God Wants Us to Communicate His Word Clearly

A. God’s word is mean to be understood: Ephesians 3:1-5

1. I Corinthians 2:12-13
2. Matthew 15:10
3. Ephesians 5:17
4. II Peter 1:12
5. I John 2:21
6. Those who do not understand are the problem, not God’s word: Matthew 13:13-15

B. Since God’s word is understandable, so should the preaching of it:

1. Nehemiah 8:8
2. I Corinthians 2:1-5

II. What God Says Will Occur and This Should Cause Fear

A. God is not a liar

1. His word is truth: John 17:17
2. I John 5:20

B. Notice some proverbs about fearing the Lord:

1. Proverbs 1:7
2. Proverbs 1:29-31
3. Proverbs 3:7
5. Proverbs 14:27
6. Proverbs 22:4

C. What best describes the kind of fear a faithful Christian should have?

1. Not fearing what can happen to us in this life: Matthew 10:28; Hebrews 13:6
2. Fearing the Judgment of God if we fail is what we should do: I Peter 2:17

a. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
b. Revelation 14:7

3. Fear of Hell: Matthew 18:8-9

III. The Purpose of Teaching – TO GET PEOPLE TO HEAVEN

A. Any platform of teaching must have the purpose of saving souls:

1. Acts 13:26
2. Romans 1:16
3. Titus 1:3

B. Teaching is not about drawing attention to self, but to God:

1. Pride causes many teachers to err: Proverbs 16:18
2. The message is the focus, not the messenger: II Corinthians 4:5
3. Teaching is not about having your own agenda, it’s about God’s agenda: I Corinthians 9:16-18

C. There is a time in which all Christians should grow to a point wherein they should be able to teach:

1. Hebrews 5:12
2. I Peter 2:2

D. Some ought not to teach:

1. Those who are babes themselves: Hebrews 5:13
2. Those who are ever learning and never able to know the truth: II Timothy 3:7
3. Those who “THINK” too much:

a. “Think their wise” Proverbs 12:15
b. “I think this means…” II Peter 1:20-21
c. “I think we can… (using human logic and scenarios)” I Peter 4:11, Colossians 3:17, Titus 2:1
d. “Why not, because I think…” II Timothy 2:23; cf. Titus 3:9

4. Those who cannot handle the responsibility: James 3:1
5. Those who’s lives are a contradiction to what they would teach:

a. I Corinthians 9:27
b. I Timothy 4:16

6. Those who look at teaching as a money making scheme: II Peter 2:3
7. Those who fear making enemies: Galatians 4:16

Conclusion:

A. It is God’s desire that we come to a knowledge of the truth and obtain salvation: I Timothy 2:3-4
B. We should be able to make a statement like Paul did about using plain speech: II Corinthians 2:12

1. Consider this, if God wanted His word watered down, He would have done so.
2. He desires us simply to preach it like it is: II Timothy 4:2
3. Plain preaching will cause those who truly hear, to fear!

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© 2005 May be used if permission by author is granted and proper acknowledgment as to the authorship of this material is made.  In other words, preachers do your own work.  Use this as a tool for your own work if such is helpful! – B.A.Y.