How to Proclaim the Word of God?

(Training message for House Church and individual use: preached 10/25 – 10/31/2020)

Have we missed the most important lesson from the childhood of Jesus, after all these years?

After all these years?

Not once, not once have I ever heard it preached, or even mentioned: the greatest and most singularly important message given from the childhood of Christ; from the childhood of our Savior.

Dear beloved ministers of God, you all know that there is only one record, in all of the Scriptures, that provides us with a window into the years of our Lord’s time here on earth as a child. Let us then, carefully together, again review this valuable rare important piece of our ancestral history, as given in…

Luke 2:40-52

40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.

42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Now, the greatest and most important thing that is continually brought out about this occurrence is what? Well, as we all know and have heard preached repeatedly, it is that he was obedient to his parents. The key verse for this being the 51st, which reads as follows.

“And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

Now think with me for a moment. Reason with me. Come and let us follow a line of logic, of common sense, together.

In every story, there is a key character. Jesus is the key character in this story.
1. Therefore, what everyone else did is not the key focus.
2. What Jesus did is the key focus.
In this story, Jesus did three things.
1. Jesus left everyone, family and all, to “be about [his] Father’s business.”
2. Jesus was found “sitting in the midst of the [preachers], both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.”
3. Jesus was brought back by his parents, and then “went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto” his parents.
Of the three things that Jesus did, the first two may be grouped into one, with the third and last understood to be separate.
1. He first obeyed God, his “Father”, the divine authority in his life; and
2. He then subsequently obeyed Mary and Joseph, his human parents, the earthly authority (at that time) in his life.
Since it is clear from the Scriptures, as recorded in Acts 5:29, that “we ought to obey God rather than men”, and since our Lord taught us that it is more important to “love the Lord thy God with all of thy heart” (Matthew 22:37), than it is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), our focus is made even more specific, and in fact formulated into this one question, and it’s one given answer.
1. Question: In “obeying God rather than men”, in “be[ing] about [his] Father’s business”, what exactly was our Lord doing?
2. Answer: He was “sitting in the midst of the [preachers], both hearing them, and asking them questions.”
  1. “Hearing them” do what? and “asking them questions” about what?
  2. The Word. The Scriptures. The Bible. The Old Testament only, then. The Old and the New Testament, now.
  3. Yes, “be[ing] about [his] Father’s business” meant
    1. Gaining regard to passages in the Bible; and then
    2. Gaining reaction to passages in the Bible; and then
    3. Gaining response to passages in the Bible.

“How marvelous this is!”, the Christian should say. “How wonderful!” And so, those of us who truly (not dishonestly) seek to be about God’s business, want to know. We must know. We should know; and if you be sincere, in this message you shall know, and shall from henceforth, from now on be forever clear in your life’s purpose – in what you shall forever seek to do with your life, which is, of course, summarized in our Lord’s great command to…

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20a)

How exactly is this to be done? The Scriptures are replete with answers to this question. However, divinely given (in a manner that requires you to think, absorb, and then be forever changed), the clearest guidelines to this wonderful practice of daily, weekly and successfully doing the work of God, is (I dare say) powerfully proclaimed to us from Heaven in these fifteen words.

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (1 Timothy 4:13)

“And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” (Luke 2:46-47)

I. How to Proclaim the Word of God? – Internalize it & explain it!

1 Timothy 4:13: “Till I come, give attendance to reading.”

Luke 2:46: “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, . . . hearing them.”

“The minister is to read the Scripture publicly. For what purpose? To comfort and to teach. The Word of God needs to be read, and until the church is getting people into the Word of God, it is missing its main function.

“This was applicable to Timothy personally also. The minister can grow personally only by reading the Word for his exhortation and instruction. A growing minister will make a growing church. One of the greatest things ever said concerning Dwight L. Moody was said by a neighbor; ‘Every time Mr. Moody comes home, you can just tell how much he’s grown spiritually.’ Are you further along spiritually today than you were this time last year? Are you growing in grace and the knowledge of Christ? The only way to do so is by reading the great truths of the Word of God.” (McGee, J. Vernon. “Thru the Bible: 1 Corinthians through Revelation, vol. 5, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, pp. 449-450.)

“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:13, ESV) “Until I come . . . devote . . . teaching.” These things were to be Timothy’s constant practice; his way of life. ‘Reading’ refers to the custom of public reading of Scripture in the church’s worship service, followed by the exposition of the passage that had been read (cf. Neh. 8:1-8; Luke 4:16-27). ‘Exhortation’ challenges those who hear the word to apply it in their daily lives. It may involve rebuke, warning, encouragement, or comfort. ‘Teaching’ refers to systematic instruction from the word of God (cf. 1 Tim. 3:2, titus 1:9).” (MacArthur, John. “The First Letter of Paul to Timothy.” The MacArthur Study Bible, Personal Size, English Standard Version (ESV), Crossway, 2010, p. 1819.)

“Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:13, NASB) The public reading of the Scriptures was to be accompanied by exhortation (preaching) and teaching.” (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “The Book of Isaiah.” The Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, Moody Publishers, 2012, p. 834.)

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (1 Timothy 4:13)

II. How to Proclaim the Word of God? – Preach it & Apply it!

1 Timothy 4:13: “Till I come, give attendance to . . . to exhortation.”

Luke 2:46: “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors . . . and asking them questions.”

“Paul Admonished Timothy to give attendance to reading God’s Book, not only personally but also audibly to the people (1 Tim. 4:14). Paul further admonished Timothy to preach the Word (2 Tim. 3:17 to 4:3). Revelation 1:3 has a blessing for those who read and those who hear the word of God’s prophet. This is the ultimate authority and basis upon which the minister stands to deliver God’s message.

“With God’s Book in his hand the minister can proclaim with authority and power the living message of the living Lord. With great assurance he can call men to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. By the pledge and promise of the Word of God he can speak to the people regarding the great matters of faith, life, death, and judgment to come. Upon the authority of the Word of God he can baptize converts and upon the authority of the Word of God he can build the church and deliver the true doctrines of the faith. The Bible is the only testing ground of doctrine (Isa. 8:20, John 10:35). When the minister delivers God’s message in conformity with God’s will, the result will always be the building up of a household of faith and the blessing of the people of the Lord.

“We need never equivocate or be apologetic when we stand up to preach the message of Christ on the authority of the Word of God. The very tone of the Bible is authoritative. . . . There is not an “if,” a “maybe,” or a “hope so” in the Bible . . . Therefore, the Book of God, being God’s Word, always says “Yea,” “Amen,” “Thus saith the Lord,” and “Verily, verily I say unto you.” . . . It gives no uncertain sound. The trumpet call is clear and plain. The Bible speaks as the oracle of God.

“Would I preach like Jesus? Then let me preach the Bible as he did. . . . Let me preach the Bible . . . the immovable rock upon which a preacher can stand in strength and in authority forever.” (Criswell, W. A.. “Standing on the Authority of the Word of God.” Why I Preach That the Bible is Literally True, Broadman Press, 1969, pp. 137-138.)

III. How to Proclaim the Word of God? – Instill it & enact it!

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (1 Timothy 4:13)

1 Timothy 4:13: “Till I come, give attendance to . . . to doctrine.”

Luke 2:46: “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors . . . And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.”

“When Mary and Joseph finally found Jesus in the temple, He was standing in the midst of the learned doctors of that day, both hearing them and asking them questions. Apparently He was asking them questions they could not answer. And they were astonished at His answers. ” (McGee, J. Vernon. “Thru the Bible: Matthew through Romans, vol. 4, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, p. 256.)
“The true preacher of God is first to find out the exact meaning of the passage of the word, this, of course, is [what is known as] exegesis. We would thus seek to understand the whole expressed mind of the human writer as he was inspired to say these words by the Holy Spirit. The next step in building the sermon [may be called] synthesis. Here the preacher would gather up all of the integrated roots of his study and of his exegesis and would present his message in keeping with the whole truth of God as it related to this passage. In this study he would harmonize the text he is using with all of God’s Word.

“Scripture should be interpreted by Scripture just as one part of a human teacher’s message should be interpreted by appeal to the rest. Nor should Scripture ever be set against Scripture as though the Scriptures were contradicting each other. What God says in one place is to be interpreted by what God says in another place, and the whole is to be harmonized and synthesized. An article of faith in the church of England reads, “So expound one place of Scripture that it not be repugnant to another.” The expositor should do just that.

“The third phase of preparation is to consider how this message can be applied to the times in which we live. God has a word for us today just as he had for the generations past, and when we declare to the people what God has said and what it means for us today, we are thus being true messengers of the infallible Word of God.

“When we follow this method of literal and actual grammatical and historical presentation of what God has written in his book, we will find a consistency in our preaching that is a jewel indeed. . . . There is no finer way in the world to preach the gospel of Christ and the message of the Book than to preach it exactly as it is, for the Word of God is not obscure but clear. It is because of this clarity of the Scriptures that it is an ever-flowing well of knowledge and life and is able to make the simple wise unto salvation. The all-governing point of departure in our preaching is to be the Scripture itself and not some strange spiritualizing, allegorizing interpretation that we foist upon it and force into it. Let God speak and let all men hear what God has to say.” (Criswell, W. A.. “The Sublimest – or the Sorriest Way of Preaching.” Why I Preach That the Bible is Literally True, Broadman Press, 1969, pp. 144-145.)

Conclusion

Dear minister, servant, preacher of God, our prayer for you is that you always seek to and succeed in doing God’s work God’s way. So as you seek to know the Bible and especially to spread God’s truth throughout the Earth,

Remember its premier significance as demonstrated in it being the very first of all actions recorded in the earthly life of our Lord, as found in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke; and

Remember, in fact, memorize and understand the meaning of how it is so perfectly and succinctly put in 1 Timothy 4:13; and then, finally,

Go continually and cyclically be used as a vessel to let God’s word do what it says it will do in the following two key passages of Scripture, as found in the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah.

”So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

OUTLINE:

How to Proclaim the Word of God?

(A Message to the Ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ)

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (1 Timothy 4:13)

I. How to Proclaim the Word of God? – Internalize it & explain it!

II. How to Proclaim the Word of God? – Preach it & Apply it!

III. How to Proclaim the Word of God? – Instill it & enact it!

“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

WORSHIP:

Who is Jesus? (Inspiration video) Billy Graham

Opening:

Wonderful Words of Life (234)

Ancient Words

Message:

Preach the Word – Gold City

How to Proclaim the Word of God?

You shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be a witness unto Jesus in the city that you live in, and in all the areas around you, and throughout the nation, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth. (Acts 1:8 applied)