It is not too uncommon among those who claim to be God’s people to hear them complain about the preaching of God’s word.  They will not admit that they don’t like hearing the word of God, as they will adjust their complaints to be about the direct nature of the proper declaration of God’s word.  People would rather hear some of the Gospel, especially the parts that do not cause them to feel guilty about their lack of faithfulness.  For example, you can preach as hard as you want to many about the necessity of water baptism, but do not preach about the need for proper giving of our means with the same forcefulness (I Corinthians 16:1-2).  There is a problem with this mentality.

     Some think that as long as truth is preached then it is good preaching.  However, there are many ways to preach things that are truthful that will never offend.  Why does it matter?  Well, if someone in the audience needs to hear a lesson on the sinfulness of alcoholism and that subject is avoided, there is no chance of them hearing what they need to hear to get their lives in order.  Preaching is about bringing people to Christ not making them comfortable (Acts 26:20).  In so doing, we must consider the needs of those listening, not their wants.  Preaching in most cases is audience dependent.  In fact, I find myself changing the context of a lesson or a lesson all together at times based upon those who are in attendance.  If souls will be saved through preaching, and they will (Romans 1:16), the right kind of preaching must be accomplished.  It matters not what “kind of preaching” we want to hear.  It is the kind of preaching that God wants that matters.

     We can learn a lot from the lessons contained in the Old Testament.  One along our subject matter is an instruction to Jonah.  Notice what the text records God saying to Jonah: “And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee” (Jonah 3:1-2).  God wanted Jonah to preach the preaching that He (God) wanted.  Jonah in turn goes to Nineveh and we read: “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4).  You will notice that Jonah did not come and prepare the people with soft words.  He simply spoke directly the message of the Lord to them.  Jonah certainly did not want to preach such a message in Nineveh (John 1:1-3), but after learning that he could not run from God he did as the Lord commanded.  What was the result?  It was not that they were offended.  The people of Nineveh “turned from their evil way” (Jonah 3:10).

     The message of John the Baptist, the forerunner for Christ, was: “And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2).  When Jesus came He did likewise: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).  We are instructed, as disciples of our Lord, to preach the message of repentance as well.  Prior to our Lord’s departing this earth, we read Him instructing: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).  After our Lord ascended into Heaven His disciples followed that instruction (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 26:20).

     The message of repentance demands that sin be pointed out.  One cannot know what is right and wrong if we simply muddy the water with subtle speech.  Some ponder many questions about how to preach on certain subjects that may cause someone to be offended.  Yet, our Lord instructs us to: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (II Timothy 4:2).  You simply call sin what it is and you show what the Bible teaches about repenting [turning from] any and all sins.  When Simon, a babe in Christ (Acts 8:13), thought that the gift known as the laying on of hands could be purchased, he committed a sin.  Some of our day would say “give him time to learn”.  Others would say “tell him softly so that he does not leave the church”.  Notice what did happen (the text speaks for itself): “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me” (Acts 8:20-24).

     God wants the kind of preaching that saves souls.  Subtlety is a tool of the devil (II Corinthians 11:3).  God would rather us “make it plain” (Habakkuk 2:2).  Paul wrote: “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech” (II Corinthians 3:12).  When we care more about the feelings of people than their souls, we certainly miss the meaning of love (Revelation 3:19).  Even with the clarity of what we have seen thus far, men still think they know a better way to teach.  Many think that they can make God’s word soft at times to allow it into hardened hearts.  Some even glory in their abilities to be so nice that they can even teach an atheist without offending them.  Would God have us to use our wisdom in coming up with how to teach?

     God has certainly been clear in showing us not to trust on our own understanding (Proverbs 14:12 and Jeremiah 10:23).  Yet, it seems that some men fail to understand plain writing.  They think they need to find a better way to teach the lost.  This is an arrogant approach to preaching and teaching.  God not only gave us the truth, He also showed us in many examples how to teach it.

     When Paul wrote the brethren in Corinth, he was writing a rather carnally minded group of people (I Corinthians 3:1-3).  Thus, we can learn a great deal of how to teach when we read what he wrote.  If you will first notice from the passages I just cited, Paul did not hide the fact that these folks were carnal and not growing.  Paul was plain in getting to the point.  He was plain in telling them of their sinful divisiveness from the beginning of his letter to them (I Corinthians 1:10ff.).  When it came to his explaining of how he had taught them from the beginning he said: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:1-5).  How many of our brethren today would rather men and women have their faith in the wisdom of men?

     We do live in a time when people have itching ears (II Timothy 4:3).    Preaching, when from the word of God, is a source of spiritual food.  Jesus said: “…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).  Sadly, some Christians have a hard time wanting to be fed because their priorities are set on carnal things.  As Christians, we are to have our affections set on things above, not on the things of this earth (Colossians 3:1-3).  If we do not enjoy hearing the word of God preached, how can we argue that we are a people of a spiritual mindset?

     The Psalmist said: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalms 1:1-2).  I often imagine how wonderful it would have been to witness the following: “And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God” (Nehemiah 9:3).  I have wondered how great it would be to find brethren who would be willing to assemble daily in fellowship and to study the word of God (Acts 2:46).  To truly represent New Testament Christianity is to love the Lord, His word, and truly desire to serve and worship Him.  This includes having the desire to hear and preach the Gospel (Acts 5:42; 20:20)!  Yet, when we take the Gospel and water it down or spice it up, it is no longer God’s word; it is then ours (Galatians 1:6-9).