Blah, Blah, Blah

Have you ever done a word search on words connected with "preaching?"

The word "preach" is used 44 times in the New Testament. They are:

Repentance - 1
Deliverance - 1
Year of the Lord - 1
Word of Faith - 1
Christ Crucified - 1
Circumcision - 1
Kingdom of Heaven - 2
Any Other Gospel - 2
The Word - 2
Kingdom of God - 3
Jesus Christ - 6
General References to preaching - 9
The Gospel - 14

Personally, I am struck by how they occur.

If we group similar references together we get several categories:

1) Year of the Lord, Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven (6)

2) The Word, Word of Faith, (3)

3) Repentance, deliverance and Circumscision (3)

4) General references to preaching (9)

5) The person of Jesus Christ (6);

6) The Gospel, Christ Crucified and Any other Gospel [a reference that we should stick to the gospel] (17)

Notice what is NOT mentioned by the New Testament when it references preaching:

1) Politics
2) Abortion
3) Homosexuality
4) Divorce
5) History
6) Psychology
7) Sociology
8) Fornication
9) Extra-marital sex

Nor are we admonished to preach about

1) Finances and riches
2) Healing
3) The nature of faith
4) Lots of other good things

See, here's the thing. It is not that we should not tell people about sin. Nor are we to ignore sin.

What the New Testament teaches is that the subject of our preaching should focus on Jesus and the good news that He came, lived, died and rose for the sole purpose of making it possible for "whosoever" to enter and be a part of the Kingdom of God.

We must be certain that if we preach against abortion, for instance, we MUST include the gospel as the solution to abortion.

To preach some theosophical dissertation and then "tack on" the gospel at the end (or not) is absolutely contrary to what the New Testament teaches about preaching.

It may be homiletically correct, but it is preachetically wrong.

"But wait!" you say, "Then we will not have many topics to preach about!"

RIGHT!!!

We have only one message: Sin separates us from God; all of us have sinned; there is no hope for excaping the death penalty of sin in our own power; Jesus completed all that is necessary to pay said penalty and whoever trusts in His finished work at Calvary receive His forgiveness and His gift of eternal life.

There are many methods of applying this message, but this is our only message.

Any other message is just, "Blah, Blah, Blah!"

If it is boring to you, I feel sorry for you. You don't realize what it means.

As the song says, "I love to tell the story...for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest...and when in scenes of glory I sing the new, new song, 'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long."

For those of you who want to read the afore mentioned scripture references, I have included them below.

Mt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mt 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mt 10:27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
Mt 11:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
Mr 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Mr 1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
Mr 3:14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
Mr 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Lu 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Lu 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Lu 4:43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
Lu 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
Lu 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
Ac 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Ac 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
Ac 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Ac 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Ac 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
Ac 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Ac 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Ro 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Ro 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Ro 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Ro 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
1Co 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
1Co 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
2Co 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
2Co 10:16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
Ga 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Ga 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Ga 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Ga 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Ga 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Php 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Php 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Re 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Preach the gospel, and nothing but the gospel, and watch people come to Christ! Try it, you'll like it!