Preaching IV
True preaching is a spiritual activity.
1 Corinthians 2:13
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
True preaching is a spiritual activity. Paul says that when he and his team speak about God, they are speaking not from logic or reason but from what the Holy Spirit has taught them.
we speak… in words taught us… by the Spirit
True preaching is a spiritual activity. Paul says that when he and his team speak about God, they are speaking not from logic or reason but from what the Holy Spirit has taught them. What he says has been learned by revelation not by information. This does not mean that knowing the facts about a spiritual concept is bad — it just means that knowing the heart of the Spirit on the matter is much more powerful.
So how do we become preachers who speak taught by God rather than by man. Firstly we need to value revelation over academic study. Secondly when we study the Word we need to be relying on the Spirit rather than a commentary to inform our hearts. Thirdly we need to take to heart what we are experiencing so that it is real to our listeners when it comes time to preach. If we do this our weekly sermons will become less informational and more transformational. Why? Because personal experience beats ‘knowledge about’ every time.
explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
Paul says that they explain spiritual realities / truths in the way the Holy Spirit leads them. A spiritual reality is unseen and difficult to explain. Therefore the best way to communicate love, Heaven, repentance, authority, joy and faith are in the same way the Holy Spirit teaches us!
As preachers our privilege is to become a student of the Holy Spirit. Out of our personal walk comes what we preach to others.
Application
- Am I learning from the Holy Spirit first?
- Am I explaining spiritual realities to others the way he Holy Spirit explained them to me?
