Articles
Preaching Like John
The Bible tells us about an unusual man named John who was sent to announce the arrival of Jesus. He was known for living in the desert, wearing camel’s hair and a leather belt, and for surviving on locusts and wild honey. As strange as this man was, his preaching won the attention of almost all the Jews living in Judea, even the high-society Pharisees and Sadducees! Yet the secret to John’s success was not in his physical appearances, but in his message. Consider four lessons from John about effective preaching.
1. Effective preaching does not beat around the bush. John’s message was simple and clear: “Repent, for the kingdom and its King are coming!” Preparing people to receive the Savior required preparing people to acknowledge their need for a Savior. John did not apologize for calling a spade a spade. Neither can we water down the message of the gospel: we are sinners in desperate need of a Savior. I am afraid that we are too often ashamed to identify sin when we see it, for fear of being criticized as a bigot or self-righteous Bible thumper. Obviously, our preaching must be done in kindness and tact, but it must also address the real problem of sin. Preaching that dances around the issue of sin and only tells people how to fix their problems (financial, relational, emotional, etc.) apart from repentance is not gospel preaching. Sure, it requires courage and boldness, but we can do no less than convict people of their sin in order to truly bring them to Jesus.
2. Effective preaching is painfully practical. Powerful sermons appeal to the heart and mind in such a way that they are compelled to cry out, “Then what shall we do?” This is precisely how the crowds responded to John’s message (Luke 3:10; see also Acts 2:37). The purpose of preaching is not only to inform but to motivate. John emphasized action, or as he put it, “bearing fruits in keeping with repentance.” In Luke 3 he gave his audience specific ways to apply his message. Effective preaching does not leave people scratching their heads, wondering what the message means for them. Practical application can come in different forms: some sermons emphasize visible, measurable action (as John’s did); others may speak more to invisible, immeasurable attitudes. Sometimes clear, explicit applications are needed; other times a skilled preacher may leave the application unspoken but powerfully implicit. Bottom line: however it is done, if a sermon does not ultimately challenge us—in some way—to draw closer to God then what good does it do?
3. Effective preaching ends in sharing the good news. John preached that judgment was coming upon Israel, but Luke 3:18 also tells us that “with many other exhortations he preached the gospel [“good news”] to the people.” John first convicted people of their sin, but then he offered them hope. We cannot preach one without the other, or else we leave the whole message unspoken. Preaching only sin without salvation is unbalanced preaching, just as preaching only salvation without sin. Jesus Himself said, “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). Preaching might cause people to despair or feel guilty (if they are convicted of sin), but it must then offer the gospel as that which replaces hopelessness with joy, conviction, and peace.
4. Effective preaching points people away from the preacher and towards Jesus. From the get-go, John’s ministry was destined to fade into the background. With remarkable humility, John said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Preachers often are tempted by the praise and respect of men, and can easily become trapped by the desire to “increase.” A wise evangelist will remember that his ministry is one of constant “decreasing.” If John did not consider himself worthy enough to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandal, how could we consider ourselves worthy to do so? If we are really concerned about the souls of others, we will not act as if our word will save them because it will not. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and in that we can rejoice!
I think these lessons are important for all Christians, not just preachers, because we listen to the public proclamation of God’s word weekly. First, hold evangelists to this standard. Second, examine your own expectations for preaching; are you willing to hear the word of God spoken in these four ways? After all, Jesus said, “Take care how you hear” (Luke 8:18)!
