Spiritual Viewpoints

by Rick Smith

Preaching

A Holy Hunger?

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VIEWPOINTS
Thoughts To Encourage Godly Living
April 26, 2002

A HOLY HUNGER?

The way some “saved” people live, it’s no wonder there are so many skeptics. Who can blame an honest seeker for coming up empty when the finders have nothing to show? The truth is, people don’t want to see our dusty truths as much as they want to see our God.

Jesus was asked “Where is your father?” and he replied “You do not know me or my Father,…If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (John 8:19). Jesus’ answer is what we should be searching for. If we haven’t found Jesus, and therefore, God, in our lives, we need to lead the search party!

I’m afraid we aren’t offering the bread of life because too many of us are starving for it ourselves. Comfortable church assemblies and Cocoa Puff sermons haven’t answered man’s deepest longing — the need for a Savior. The best song leader, the finest Praise Team, or the most convincing preacher cannot take the place of the crucified Christ. What lost person cares if we can eloquently articulate the principles of interpretation? Seekers want to see the Holy Spirit living in us.

Are we looking for religion or spirituality? Many have plodded through decades of religion with its rules and regulations. We tell people the Old Testament law was fulfilled, and attempt to satisfy them with a New Testament law. That isn’t what they want or need. They want God. They want a Savior. They need Jesus and we give them a book. The Bible is inspired and important, but the emphasis should not be put on memorizing the genealogy, but rather on where the genealogy leads us. The preacher, Phillip, didn’t own a New Testament and was still able to begin in Isaiah and tell the Ethiopian about Jesus (Acts 8). Too many of us start in Acts, walk right past Jesus, and head straight for the water. We have to ask ourselves, “Are we trying to convert sinners to a plan or a man?” That begs the question, “To which have we been converted?”

Our church patter seems patented. We’ve got the “plan of salvation”, the “five steps”, the “five acts of worship” — where is Jesus? We sound more like parrots and mockingbirds than Spirit-led men and women. We’ve got the “spin”. We’re just missing Him.

Ask yourself, “What is the Lord doing in my life?” Am I really one beggar telling other beggars where to find bread, or am I one of the starving who has never known Jesus? Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). We need a holy hunger before we’ll ever be satisfied. And then we’ll share the Savior!

If They Only Knew

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Each week I stand up, speak up, then shut up. It’s called “preaching”. Sounds rather simple, but I promise you, there’s lots more to it than that.

I’m not talking about the preparation: studying, praying, meditating, typing notes, gathering useful Scripture, etc. One other thing goes into each message that I find difficult to explain.

One of the saddest moments of my life was the last time I said “goodbye” to my mother. She was well along in years, had poor health, and wasn’t expected to live much longer. Still, I told her “goodbye, until I see you the next time”. There was no next time in this life. How I wish I would have held her close one last time. If I only knew…if…if…then it was too late.

Each time I preach, I realize it may be the last message someone in attendance hears. It’s always been that way and always will. Too many times I lay awake thinking about someone who passed on before they accepted Jesus as Lord ~ and I preached the last message they heard. I understand that it’s not my responsibility to change a heart or touch a life, but oh my, it hurts so badly when I miss that chance.

God has given me opportunities that I hate to waste or miss. This very morning I preached, afterwards I said goodbye, see you later, and thought; I hope you know the Lord.

If they only knew what I was thinking. Jesus pleads, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

We Preach Christ

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“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” I Corinthians 1:22-24).

“Often times we are asked, ‘What do you preach?’. The answer is simple. ‘We preach Christ crucified.’ This lofty theme has ever been the only hope of the world. In the days of the early church it produced a moral revolution. Thrones have vanished and empires have fallen, but the kingdom of Christ endures and is still able to bless those who will believe in Christ crucified, the power and the wisdom of God.

The apostle states, ‘We preach Christ.’ The economic or military condition of the Roman Empire was not a concern of Paul’s preaching. He preached Christ. His preaching was the doctrine of a person. Nothing else in its true sense is preaching.” (John C. Whitehead, Vol. 1, Oct. 1949, The Gospel Guardian)

My father-in-law wrote this 68 years ago. It’s just as true today. It would be wonderful if all preachers would take Paul’s advice and preach Christ crucified. It seems that today’s sermons are more about personal dysfunctions than the function of the cross. Too often we come away from church with paralysis of analysis instead of encouragement from the Word. We dig deeply into “church problems” and pass the cross from the other side of the road.

Sixty eight years ago John C. Whitehead talked about “the doctrine of a person”. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us had planted our feet firmly on that principle instead of fighting over all the concocted doctrines our pea-brains have deduced? If we held up Christ crucified, we would have come together in unity a long time ago.

If you’re preaching this Sunday — preach Christ crucified. If you’re listening to preaching this Sunday — listen for the story of Jesus. If your preacher ignores this doctrine of a person, I’d find out why — and give them what for!