Preach the Word part 2

287 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:2, Preach the word! This then is the charge that Paul has passed down to Timothy, right from the mouth of God the Father and God the Son! This is the charge to all pastors who follow in the sandals of Timothy! Preach the Word! The word preach here is to be like a town crier, “Hear ye! Hear Ye! Hear ye what? Hear ye the Word, the logos, the Divine expression! Hear ye the message that God has given to the town crier to proclaim! That message is centered on Christ who is the Divine expression. To preach the Word is to preach Christ, for He is the Word! Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.! Therefore the town crier, the called preacher, must stick to the pages of Scripture, because you will find Christ in the text! Luther said this about preaching, “The word is not dead wisdom but is finally a personal word which must be personally preached and personally heard. Instead of thinking about casual connections we should think instead about the mystery of preaching, in which man (the preacher) and man (the audience) and God the speaker and God the enabler (namely the Holy Spirit) all work to make this miraculous event happen!” Isa 55:11, puts it this way, “ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Have you ever considered that right preaching is a miracle waiting to happen? How would that knowledge change the pastors approach to the pulpit. How would that knowledge affect the approach of the hearer of the sermon? Pastor, come to the pulpit expecting a miracle! People, come to church expecting the same! 1Pe 4:11 says, “ If anyone speaks, let it be as the words of God.” No wonder Luther once said, “O how frightened I was at the sight of the pulpit.” He understood the sacred charge given to Him! Don't preach ABOUT the Word, for God will soon become distant, rather present Christ as He is presented in these pages! Ever present and personal, ready to touch the heart of the listener where it needs to be touched! Ready to perform a miracle!