Preaching

What Would Jesus Do? Those initials have been worn for years. Many people do ask themselves the question, in order to follow in His footsteps. His examples, and those of the apostles, have laid out our path for many years.

He called those to follow and be remade.

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19 KJV)

He taught those who came to Him.

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, (Matthew 5:1-2 KJV)

He acted against those who took advantage of God’s house.

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (Matthew 21:12-13 KJV)

He made requests of people, then gave them life.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (John 4:7 KJV)

He forgave, even at the last moments of His life in this world.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do... (Luke 23:34a KJV)

The apostles continued with His work.

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1 KJV)

With these examples, why then are we evangelicals so enthralled by “fire and brimstone” preaching to the unsaved? Why do we say ‘Boy, that preacher really got them this time,” without realizing the sermon was meant for all and applies to us.

Jesus sat with Nodemus, one on one, and gave the best sermon the world has ever heard. It’s the first we learn as a child, and it is applicable for all eternity.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

We need to remember why men are called to preach:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:13-14 KJV)

The unsaved must hear to be able to call.

("Saint Peter preaching the Gospel in the Catacombs"

by Jan Styka from Wikimedia Commons)