Whom and How Should We Preach This?
In Part 1, we established a picture of who we preach. In this section, we want to anticipate to whom we shall do this preaching of Christ, and Him crucified. The best model to follow as to whom we ought to preach should be taken from the first Christian Sermon as delivered by St. Peter on the Day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2: 14 -23). It cannot escape us that Peter was at the time a novice preacher, like many of us are; he had never done something like this before, just as many of us haven’t. At the time, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit; and being inspired, he stood up with the eleven and raised his voice addressing those who were present, from every nation under heaven (cf. Acts 2:5-11). This preaching was certainly spirit-filled, biblical, Christ-centred and evangelistic. He focused it on Christ, and Him crucified. He based it on scripture borrowed from the Prophet Joel and linked it to the words of David, their renowned king. He preached it to everyone present in that mixed multitude to the extent that they were cut to the heart, and they cried out in need of what they were to do. In that first instance, he fulfilled the Master’s commission to go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation (cf. Mark 16:15). His words of exhortation were for repentance for the forgiveness of sins and baptism to receive the gift of a new life in the Holy Spirit. Many accepted his words on that day and were baptized, adding about three thousand more to their number that day alone (cf. Acts 2:41). So, we learn from this that when we preach:
- We preach the gospel to sinners
The Lord Jesus said it so many times, that He came to save not the righteous, but the sinner (cf. Luke 5:32, Matthew 9:13, Luke 19:10, Mark 2:17). We, also, must take a cue from Him, and seek the sinners, the lost, the sorrowful, the hopeless and the wretched. The message we pass must have the desired effect – a true conversion to Christ. The words we use must not prove to be the smell of doom to the listener. They must bring about a spirit of hope in the blessed results to both listener and preacher. The preaching must bring both to a joyful landing – the hungry should be satisfied, the thirsty should be quenched, the ill should be healed, the naked should feel clothed, the penniless should become charitable, the hopeless should be delivered, the sinner should be made holy as the Lord is Holy. The preaching should convince many to confess their sins; for the Lord is faithful and just, and will forgive their sins and purify them from all unrighteousness (cf. 1 John 1:9).
- We preach the gospel to sinners of all ages
When we preach, we shall not restrict ourselves to sinners who are aware of their guilt; no, we must preach to the young, whose lives are as yet undefiled by the vices of the age. To these, we preach the children’s Saviour. Boys and girls must put their trust in the Lord Jesus, not in false worldly promises, and come into salvation. We must preach to the aged and the elderly, to those who are feeble and on the brink of the tomb. These must come to know, even when they have long surpassed the normal age-limit (120 years if Genesis 6:3 stands and 70 years if Psalm 90:10 resounds for you), that there is no Saviour but the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Whether young or old or there in-between, those who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be immediately and forever saved.
- We preach to sinners of every rank
Our preaching should reach kings and queens; princes and presidents; noblemen and peasants; labourers and paupers; the highly educated and the illiterate ignorant; rulers and servants. Every rank and order of life must be considered. The gospel invite is to inhabitants of the earth; to all humanity (cf. Luke 14:23 & Matthew 22:9). All must hear the gospel, and all must benefit from it. They must come in, and fill the house of the Master.
- We preach to every kind of sinner
From the one who has fallen away from God to the one who says there is really no God; from the one who is directly blasphemous, to the one who presumably sins in secret; sinners of every degree of wickedness and immorality…. all must hear the Lord’s declaration that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, rather that the wicked turn from their evil ways and live (cf. Ezekiel 33:11). The prostitutes on the street must joyfully receive the Lord Jesus and gladly find their cleansing in His most precious Blood. The drunkards must hear of the grace of God which can rescue from degradation and sin, and make them become new creations by the preached gospel. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, our preaching must lift up the dying Son of God, Christ crucified. Uncountable sinners should become saints. No sinner is to be left out; not even the one who thinks they are left out or that they ought to be left out. The numerous names already written in the Book of Life right from the beginning of the created world who are yet to trust in the Lord Jesus must come to know Christ and be eternally His (cf. Revelation 3:5, Daniel 12:1 & Exodus 32:31-33). We preach believing that Heaven is not yet full; that there is still room in Heaven, because there is mercy for the wretched and forgiveness for all who come and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (cf. Exodus 34:6-7 & Psalm 86:15).
And So, How Shall We Preach Christ Crucified?
- We shall preach Him with much boldness
No matter who we think we are, we must be convicted by the message we carry. We must not show dishonour to the Lord and Master who has entrusted us with His message. It should not matter how young or old the preacher is. We shall avoid all artificial modesty and false humility. We must carry ourselves as ambassadors of Christ – with no apology for this God-granted official capacity. Our modesty will be kept for other occasions when we surely will need to manifest it; but not when it is time to preach Christ crucified.
We shall preach without stammer or stutter; without hesitation; without apology and with no shame (cf. Philippians 1:4). If the message is unsure, we shall remain silent until we are sure about it, we believe it and we speak with conviction. We shall not be dreadful imposters standing in the pulpit to preach the Gospel to others with no proven power of the gospel in our own hearts and lives. But we will do so in the assurance that we are saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and have been divinely called to preach His gospel. Therefore, we shall not restrain the course of the Spirit by the fear of the half-hearted person. We shall be true witnesses in life and word for the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (cf. Acts 26:13-29). We shall share the gospel in every circumstance (cf. Acts 28:16, 30-31 – Paul under house arrest); in season and out of season (cf. 2 Timothy 4:2); in favourable and unfavourable conditions; not walking anywhere to preach unless that walking is our preaching (cf. St. Francis of Assisi).
- We shall preach Him with love
Our proclamation of the truth must be filled with great love. As we do not hesitate to point out to the sinners the state of ruin to which sin has brought them, we set before them the divinely-appointed resolution. We set before them a remedy that blends the tenderness of a mother with the sternness of a father. As Paul mothered his congregation in Galatia (cf. Galatians 4:19), repeatedly going into labour pains for them until Chris is formed in them, he also became for others a firm father through the gospel (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:15). Our preaching should reflect parental love, whose heart is broken with the longing to see the child saved. So, with a tearful eye, and a melting heart and all-consuming zeal we will preach the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
- We shall preach Christ only.
In our preaching, we shall stand with St. Paul and be resolved to know nothing except the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:2). We shall not mix up this gospel with anything else. The theme will remain the same no matter when, where, how or to whom, we preach – Jesus Christ crucified. He who is the beginning and the end of the gospel, from alpha to omega and all letters in-between, Him it is we shall preach. Christ will be the one foundation, laid meticulously once and for all, with the finest core materials – Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
- We shall preach Christ very simply.
Big words and long sentences will be broken up. Temptations to use them will be prayed against. The preaching will be done best using short, dagger-like sentences. It will not be about showing how eloquently one can preach, neither how poetically the words are strung, nor how cleverly quotations are used. The style shall be simple and comfortable; informal and unpretentious; modest and down-to-earth. The Lord Jesus Christ, and Him crucified will be preached so plainly that all who listen can only understand Him and not get a wrong impression even if they tried to do so.
- We shall preach Christ in a saving manner.
We shall preach the Lord Jesus in a manner which brings about the salvation of souls. We shall preach Him so as to redeem; so that the sinner comes to trust in the Lord Jesus in that very moment. The unconverted soul that might be standing on the edge of hell must hear this saving preaching lest they are removed from this earth without knowing the salvation of Christ. The sinner must understand that there will be no other ransom to prevent their soul from going into the unending pit. The preaching must be clear that salvation is in no one else; and, there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (cf. Acts 4:12). All humanity must be conscious of their need of the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly Him crucified. By faith, they must grab onto Him and believe that He will not let go of them.
The only way to heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Way (cf. John 14:6). There is one God; and the one mediator between God and men is the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). The sinner only needs to confess in a word that Jesus is Lord and believe in heart that God truly raised him from the dead, and (s)he will be saved (cf. Romans 10:9). For whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already! And why? Because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God (cf. John 3:18). But how do we expect them to call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear of Him without someone preaching? (cf. Romans 10:14).
Heed the Call to Action
You and I must step forward and take this commission seriously. We must bring others to come to trust Him so that they are saved; so that the sins they bear are forgiven them; so that they become adopted into the Family of God; so that in due time they will find themselves in heaven, and more so be there for all eternity. Anyone wants to be happy, to enjoy the peace that is beyond all understanding, to have a taste of heaven below and heaven above, must trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in this very moment. Look to the crucified One. Look to the Cross of Jesus. Look at the nails that hang Him there. Look at His Blood pouring for you. Look at His pierced heart aching for you. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved along with everyone in your household (cf. Acts 16:31).
