Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A Few Thoughts On Preaching Prophetically

To preach prophetically is to declare the truth of God with clarity and compassion.  One must speak forthrightly and make the truth plain while also extending the love of God to all.  Prophetic preaching is many times predictive in the same way that the prophets of old spoke with divine foresight.  I do not mean that we are to predict stock market crashes, earthquakes, or specific disasters of any kind.  We are to speak predictively the principles of reaping and sowing.  The Old Testament prophets did speak in ways of national and natural disaster, but under a divine inspiration that we do not today experience.  They were writing Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit.  We are to proclaim what has been written with careful attention not to add to nor take away from God's Word by the illumination of the Holy Spirit.  God says, "do this and you will blessed; don't do this or you will be cursed."  The predictive portion of our preaching should be in accord with these principles.
Beyond the definition of prophetic preaching it is also important to notice the compassion with which God's message should be delivered.  Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet" and Jesus "wept" over rebellious Jerusalem.  Divine warnings are intended to protect people from the destruction of sin and drive us to the grace of Christ.  We are to avoid preaching in unrighteous anger or even a righteous anger delivered in a hateful manner.  Our flesh sometimes camouflages the anger issue.  As one wise preacher once said to me, "You will never help people walk in the Spirit if you are in the flesh!"  God will bless the man who is faithful to expose the truths of Scripture with a passionate, "Thus saith the Lord."  But we also must remember the patience God extends to us every moment of every day.
I offer three precepts that have guided me well:
1.  Let the people plainly know God's truth.
2.  Let the people know you care.
3.  Let the people know challenges are real but God is faithful.
While I studied at Southwestern Seminary I sat under the teaching of Dr. Raymond Spencer.  He is now at home with the Lord but his words echo in my mind weekly.  He once said to me, "The people need to know the heart of a pastor so they may hear the thunder of a prophet."  May we do this to glory of God and the edification of the saints.

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