Thus says the Lord

Richard Sennett has a sharp understanding of our contemporary culture. Sennett is a sociologist at New York University. He makes an observation that in times past society was concerned about a loss of authority. But now things have changed and we loath to have someone or something of authority over our lives. The professor states, “We have come to fear the influence of authority as a threat to our liberties, in the family and in society at large.

This new attitude not only affects society at large, it even influences the church. A number of professors of homiletics at Christian seminaries think preachers should accept this new thinking. It is suggested that preachers should send up the white flag and quit trying to proclaim an authoritative message. In others words, it is time for the preacher to stop saying, “Thus says the Lord.”

Fred Craddock, a prominent theologian commented on this suggestion of surrender. He describes today’s minister “as one without authority.” The average person in the pew does not want someone telling him or her how best to think or how to live rightly. Craddock suggests that the man in the pulpit should “seriously ask himself whether he should continue to serve up monologue in a dialogical world.” In other words let’s just chit-chat at church. Can anyone hear Madonna singing in the background, “Papa, don’t preach.”

I’ve got a question. If the Christian minister has no authoritative message to bring why preach or chat at all? If we don’t really have anything important to say why waste time on Sunday morning? For goodness sake, stay in bed!

 

But a study of church history shows that the great periods of revival were preceded by authoritative preaching. In true preaching the preacher dares to speak on behalf of God. He stands in the pulpit as a steward of the mysteries and grace of God (1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Peter 4:10, 11). He declares (or should declare) the truth of God’s Word for people to hear and apply to their lives. That’s a gutsy thing to do! But the preacher’s authority does not come from the man it comes from the authority of the Scriptures. It comes from the foundation of the Bible being the Word and will of God.

True peaching is not delivering fables; it is delivering a message (2 Peter 1:16-20). When a church denies the authority of Scripture it end up going on a safari for significance. And when the preacher does not trust in the authority of the Bible, after his sermon people ask, “What did he say?” But preaching the Word of God with authority challenges us to ask big questions: “Do I believe this? Will I obey it? How must my attitudes and actions change?

I must admit, as a preacher it is difficult to hear the voice of the Lord from Scripture and then to faithfully proclaim it week after week. But when I surrender my heart to the One who has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18) I am encouraged to say, “Thus says the Lord.” And God’s people are blessed. The Scripture says, “He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20).” Let’s hear it!