On a previous blog I wrote of how the task of preaching is a fearful endeavor. It is fearful because the preacher is to speak what "Thus says the Lord," he is held accountable by God as to whether or not he did so, and his sermon directs and shapes the souls of his listeners! It is fearful! Yet, for the preacher of God's Word, it is thrilling as well.
It is possible for two separate emotions to occupy the heart at the same time. We usually do not think in these terms, but the Christian lives most of his life embracing two differing thoughts simultaneously. Fear and faith often occupy the mind at the same time. A 19th C. pastor once wrote, "There is often much faith in much fear." Love and hate are found side by side at times, especially in regard to sin. In Matthew 26:41 Jesus says, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Along the same lines I have found that while I am preaching, accompanying the weight of the duty before me, there is an explosive joy that sets my soul aflame!
Here are a few thrilling elements of the task of preaching.
(1) The thrill of discovery. The psalmist prays in Psalm 119:18, "Open the eyes of my heart to see wondrous things in the Word." When God answers that prayer, it is a thrilling experience! It is one thing to come to further knowledge of God through a sermon or a book, but the thrill of having your heart awakened to spiritual truth in your private devotions far surpasses all other discoveries. It has been my experience that these times of revelation come in my own personal study and meditation of Scripture. It then becomes, as Jeremiah said, a fire in my bones!
(2) The thrill of delivery. When God reveals a truth, it MUST be shared. What I mean by that is I cannot keep it in! One of the greatest joys of preaching is conveying fresh insights to God's people. After having feasted upon the Word, there is an incredible joy in serving that dish to others so that they too might enjoy!
(3) When they "get it." Now it is one thing to discover and deliver the treasures of Scripture, but it is quite another level of joy that when delivered, it is received, welcomed, and embraced! The joy of seeing the light bulb turn on in the hearts of believers easily surmounts the bliss of your own "light bulb" moment.
(4) An instrument of grace. When these things come together, the preacher has a sense that God has used him as an instrument to conduct grace to the hearts of his listeners! He was the messenger that brought the "good news." He wasn't the good news nor did he perform any work in the hearts of the people, but he was a vessel for the glory of God in that hour. The thrill of knowing that God, by His grace, has allowed you to preach the Gospel, and He has blessed that proclamation with His Spirit - your cup just overflows!
(5) A desire/calling fulfilled. Finally, I would say that the true preacher, the one called and gifted by God for the fearful and thrilling task, has no greater joy than the hour when he is fulfilling his calling. When a man's desire to preach (1 Tim 3:1) is wedded with God's calling upon him to preach (Eph 4:11), the opportunities to preach become for him the most thrilling moments of his life! He does not preach because it is his job; he preaches because it is his joy! The satisfaction of a preacher comes from knowing he has stood faithfully between God and man and proclaimed the truth in sincerity and love. Even if his listeners reject his message and rebuke him for it, he can walk away with utmost contentment, for he has just engaged in and fulfilled his purpose in this world - and even if met with persecution, for him, it was a joy!
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