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Please turn in your Bibles to 
1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1, I'll read verses 
18 to chapter 2, verse 5. 1 Corinthians 1, beginning in 
verse 18. For the message of the cross 
is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us 
who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, 
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing 
the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the 
scribe? Where is the disputer of this 
age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For 
since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did 
not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request 
a sign. and Greeks seek after wisdom. 
But we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block 
and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called, 
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom 
of God. Because the foolishness of God 
is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according 
to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But 
God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame 
the wise. And God has chosen the weak things 
of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. 
And the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, 
God has chosen. And the things which are not, 
to bring to nothing the things that are. That no flesh should 
glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ 
Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, 
and sanctification, and redemption, that as it is written, he who 
glories, let him glory in the Lord. And I, brethren, when I 
came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, 
declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not 
to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words, 
of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, that 
your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power 
of God. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father in heaven, we thank you for this opportunity to come 
to the Holy Scripture. We thank you for Lord's Day worship. 
We thank you for the Church of Christ. We thank you, most high 
God, that you are found among your people. We bless you for 
that glimpse we have in the book of Revelation with Christ standing 
in the midst of the lampstand. We pray that even now he would 
cheer our hearts and encourage us and strengthen us with the 
word. that the Spirit would minister in each one of us, and that You 
would guide us and direct us as we consider Your Word. We 
pray now that You would forgive us for all of our sins, that 
You would wash us afresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus, and 
God, for any and all who have come here tonight, that are strangers 
to your grace. We pray that by your grace and 
for your glory they would be your friend tonight, that you 
would save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. And it's in his name that we 
pray. Amen. Well, this past Friday evening 
and Saturday morning there was a conference here on the story 
of revival. And continuing that particular 
theme, I want to take up the place of preaching in biblical 
revival. The place of preaching in biblical 
revival. Now preaching isn't the only 
means that God uses. We see that after the preaching 
on the day of Pentecost, when the believers were added to the 
church, they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, in 
fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer. Certainly 
we could have a study on the place of prayer with reference 
to revival. We could have a study on the 
place of fellowship with reference to revival. We could have a place 
with reference to Lord's Supper and revival. In fact, one of 
my brothers, one of my friends in Toledo, Ohio says we have 
revival every time we come to the Lord's table. We are meeting 
afresh with the Lord Jesus Christ. But I want to focus on that element 
of they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine. I don't 
think it takes very much to convince a believer, especially a believer 
of the reform persuasion, that God is pleased to use preaching 
in a very special way when it comes to revival, whether it 
be individually or corporately. In the book of Acts itself, 3,000 
were added to the church on the day of Pentecost. Peter preached 
powerfully. In the book of Acts, chapter 
3, again, Peter preaches the Word of God. And according to 
the beginning of chapter 4, and then there were 5,000 in the 
church. So in Acts 2, 3,000. In Acts 
3, 2,000. It's not just a numbers game. I'm just trying to gain your 
conscience here to appreciate the place of preaching in biblical 
revival. We see in the book of Acts, in 
chapter 14, when the Apostle Paul is on his first missionary 
journey, it indicates that when they were in Iconium, they so 
spoke that a great multitude believed. And then we have several 
texts, several places in the New Testament epistles, which 
highlight and emphasize the importance of the preaching of God's Word. Now, of course, we mean corporate 
preaching, we mean from the pulpit, but preaching also takes place 
in a chariot, for instance. Remember when Philip met that 
Ethiopian eunuch, and he asked him if he understood what he 
was reading as he surveyed Isaiah the prophet. Well, the eunuch 
said, how can I unless somebody explain it to me? So Philip then 
preaches Jesus to that particular eunuch. And then in Acts chapter 
8, we see that the church is scattered, and they go about 
the countryside preaching the Word. So it's not just from the 
pulpit corporately on Sunday wherein preaching occurs, though 
I do sort of want to focus on that this particular evening. The preaching of God's Word is 
very often one of the primary means that he uses in the revival 
of his people. So I want to do two things this 
evening. First, just briefly consider the necessity of the 
Word of God, and then secondly, the primacy of preaching. And 
we'll survey three. particular texts, texts that 
I'm sure are well known to all of you. But first of all, the 
necessity of the Word of God. We study what revelation is and 
we open our Bible and we ask the Bible, what is revelation? Well, revelation is not just 
the last book of the Bible, but revelation is God's revealing 
himself to his creatures. And we find that there are two 
primary ways that the Lord God accomplishes this particular 
task of revelation. The first way is what we'll call 
general revelation. God reveals himself through the 
created order to his creatures. Psalm 19 speaks of this. It says 
the heavens declare the glory of God. Romans chapter 1, the 
Apostle Paul says that man knows God exists. God has revealed 
himself through the created order to his image bearers such that 
when man denies that, he is without excuse on the day of judgment. 
He is without an apologetic. He cannot level an offense before 
the living and true God as to why He didn't worship Him, why 
He didn't serve Him, why He didn't honor Him as God. So general 
revelation. comes to God's image-bearer man 
through the created order. But secondly, there is special 
revelation. Special revelation is God's revealing 
Himself through His Word. Now, to be sure, in the Old Testament 
and in the New Testament, God revealed Himself through visions. 
He revealed Himself through dreams. He revealed Himself in the New 
Testament through tongues and through prophesying and all those 
particulars. But as we speak, of special revelation. Now we mean that body of data 
collected in the 66 books of Holy Scripture. Paul says elsewhere, 
all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's profitable for 
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16, 
that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work." 
Verse 17. So by special revelation, I mean 
God's revealing Himself through the Old and New Testaments to 
His people. Now, within special revelation, 
we see a specific necessity that man as sinner hears the gospel 
in order to be saved. Man, as sinner, must hear the 
gospel in order to be saved. Romans chapter 1 at verse 16. Paul says, I am not ashamed of 
the gospel, for it And I think he is highlighting it alone. For by it, or for through it, 
comes the righteousness of God. Let me just start again. I am 
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of 
God unto salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first 
and also to the Greek. And if we ask the question, why 
is that, Paul? For in it For in that Gospel 
account, for in that Gospel record, those events concerning Christ's 
life, death, and resurrection, for in it the righteousness of 
God is revealed from faith to faith, that as it is written, 
the just shall live by faith. The Gospel is absolutely essential 
if a sinner is to be saved. Romans 10, 17, faith comes by 
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. In 1 Corinthians chapter 
15, verses 1 to 4, Paul highlights the necessity of the gospel there. 
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached 
to you, which also you received, and in which you stand, by which 
also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached 
to you, unless you believed in vain. He then displays or describes 
the contents of that gospel message. It is a Christ-centered message. 
It's about his life. It's about his death. It's about 
his resurrection. It has its tap roots in Old Testament 
revelation. He keeps saying in there, according 
to the scriptures, according to the scriptures, the Old Testament 
scriptures declared that this would be the way by which Messiah 
would save his people. Ephesians chapter 1, verses 13 
and 14, highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit in the salvation 
of souls. He indicates as well the importance 
of the Scripture, the Gospel. Notice in Ephesians 1.13, "...in 
Him you also, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel 
of your salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed 
with the Holy Spirit of promise." You see the instrumentality of 
the Word. God uses the gospel, God uses 
means, God uses the proclamation of that truth as the great net 
whereby He drags His elect to Himself. James 1.18. James says, 
of His will, He brought us forth by the word of truth. 1 Peter chapter 1 indicates it 
is because of the word of God that we have been born again. 
I hope that you will not dispute the necessity of the gospel message 
for salvation to God's elect. So that is the necessity of the 
Word of God. Let's look at the primacy of 
preaching. Again, there are other means. 
Mr. Deschenkolik indicated the coal 
porters, but again, that was tasked with putting the Word 
of God out there. God is pleased to bless the preaching 
of His Word to the salvation of His people, or to the salvation 
of sinners, and to the reviving of His people. Let's go first 
to Romans chapter 10, as we consider the primacy of preaching. Again, 
I believe this biblical data is familiar to all of us. I think 
it bears some repetition. I think it bears some emphasis, 
so that as we consider this doctrine of revival, this idea of revival, 
we will pray that God will send His Spirit to bless the Word, 
so that His people may know His presence in fuller power and 
with more glory. Notice in Romans chapter 10, 
beginning in verse 14, How then shall they call on him in whom 
they have not believed? Good question. How then shall 
they call on him in whom they have not believed? It's already 
stipulated, he's already said in verse 13, whoever calls on 
the name of the Lord shall be saved. How does anyone call on 
the name of the Lord if he doesn't believe? If he is not convinced 
there is a Lord who saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh 
to his Father through him. How then shall they call on Him 
in whom they have not believed? Now notice, and how shall they 
believe in Him of whom they have not heard? Now may I suggest 
an alternate translation in this particular verse. And how shall 
they believe Him whom they have not heard? I think that's the 
stress that the Apostle is communicating. I think the emphasis is upon 
this reality, that as Christ is faithfully preached, people 
are hearing Christ himself. If you doubt that interpretation, 
you can plop your finger in Romans 10, and then look over at Ephesians 
chapter 2, verse 17. You see, in that section in Ephesians 
chapter 2, at verse 14, Paul says that Christ is our peace. Isn't that beautiful? When your 
heart is distressed, when you are troubled, when you're having 
difficulty, When you're weighed down, when you're burdened, where 
ought you to go? Christ our peace. He then says 
in verse 15 that Christ makes peace. How does Christ make peace? He does it through the blood 
of His cross. And then in verse 17, Paul the 
Apostle makes this powerful statement. He says to the church in Ephesus. He says to believers in a place 
where Jesus physically, during His earthly ministry, had never 
gone. Paul says in Ephesians 2.17, 
He came and preached peace to you. Those who were afar off, 
those who have been brought nigh, Christ came and preached peace 
to you. Well, how could he have done 
that if he never left the confines of Israel? He did it when Paul 
the Apostle and his companions came into Ephesus in Acts chapter 
19. In other words, when a man faithfully 
and accurately preaches the truth of God's Holy Word, sinners are 
hearing from Christ. It's a beautiful thing. See, 
I think if we understand the primacy of preaching, we understand 
what's involved in preaching, it'll affect and change the way 
we approach preaching. We won't take it as an optional 
item in our Christian growth. We won't neglect the corporate 
place. We won't absent ourselves when 
the gospel is being proclaimed. I was struck by something that 
Heinz read yesterday, a letter written by a man to his son serving. I don't know if he was in the 
north or south in terms of army commitment. Either way, the young 
man was a believer, so dad writes him a letter. Dad's exhorting 
him with spiritual things. Dad's encouraging him with spiritual 
things. Dad wants him to grow in grace 
and in the knowledge of Christ. He wants him to resist the temptation 
of the profane soldier, of the drunken soldier. He wants him 
to guard his heart in those things. He enjoins upon him scripture 
reading and prayer to be sure. And he says, and if there is 
preaching, avail yourself of it. Don't absent yourself. You realize that if the Word 
of God is accurately preached, there's no reflection on the 
man. We don't say, wow, this guy's great because he channels 
Jesus. No, that's not it. After we survey 
the biblical data, I have three confessional quotes, quotes from 
the confessions. We don't esteem the man. We esteem the Christ. Paul says 
it this way, we have this treasure in earthenware vessels so that 
the excellence of the power may be of God and not of men. It's the way it's set up is such 
that if you are revived, if you are encouraged, if you are strengthened, 
if you are more conformed to the image of Christ, you don't 
say, what a great man, C. H. Spurgeon. You don't say, what 
a great man, Dr. Jobiki. You don't say, what a 
great man, Jim Butler. You say, what a great Christ, 
that He comes through such feeble means, that He comes through 
earthenware vessels, that He comes through cracked pots. All 
glory, all praise, all honor is given to Him alone. Paul says, how shall they believe 
Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without 
a preacher? We sing that hymn in 271. It 
says, pity the nations, oh our God, and constrain the earth 
to come. Well, the real genuine way that 
we voice our pity to the nations is to pray to God to raise up 
preachers. Not hipsters, not cool cats, 
not men who can connect with the populace, but men who have 
the spirit of the living God, who understand the gospel of 
saving grace, and who preach. You know, you think about the 
paradigm of today. We have to be cool. We have to 
be hip. I don't see that in Paul. He 
didn't sort of email ahead to the particular cities and say, 
which Starbucks does everyone hang out at? What movies are 
the cool people going to see? How many tattoos satisfies the 
populace so that I'm included as one of their own? Where should 
I get piercings so that they won't think I'm weird or I'm 
odd? The context of the passage emphasizes 
what Paul is about in 1 Corinthians 1. We'll get there in just a 
moment. But we preach Christ crucified. He's saying in chapter 
2, I determine to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ 
and Him crucified. That was everything for Paul. 
That's the kind of men that we need. Men that study to show 
themselves approved. It's that man that can connect 
with everybody. You know what's the most relevant 
thing the church can do? Is preach the Word. In our attempt to be relevant, 
we're becoming irrelevant. Because the only thing we have, 
or the only thing that is peculiar to the church, is what our culture 
desperately needs. Right? We're going to put that 
down so we can connect? We're going to just sit and chat 
and have coffee together? No, we preach Christ and Him 
crucified. How shall they hear and how shall 
they preach unless they are sent? Yes, I believe this speaks to 
the whole idea of, you don't ordain yourself. You don't appoint 
yourself. There ought to be a church that 
recognizes that, yes, you understand that body of truth, and yes, 
you can communicate that truth, and yes, your life is consistent 
with that truth. That's what the sending process 
is all about. It is to have church involvement. You don't just come out of your 
devotional closet one morning and say, I believe the Lord would 
have me erect a pulpit and preach to every man. Okay. I realize people do that, but 
they don't have a biblical warrant. According to the Apostle, there 
must be a sender. I believe it's the Spirit working 
through his church. As it is written, how beautiful 
are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring 
glad tidings of good things. John Murray, commenting on this 
section, says the main point is that the saving relation to 
Christ involved in calling upon his name is not something that 
can occur in a vacuum. It occurs only in a context created 
by proclamation of the gospel on the part of those commissioned 
to proclaim it. Brethren, the argument is not 
God isn't sovereign, so preachers have to save people. God is sovereign, 
absolutely and comprehensively so. God uses means to accomplish 
his purpose. For instance, there were some 
young lads and they mocked an old prophet. They called him 
baldhead. They scoffed at him. I don't 
think these were two-year-olds. I don't think these were three-year-olds. 
I think these were rebellious, probably late teenagers. God 
didn't just cause them to fall dead. God didn't just cause them 
to magically appear mauled. God sent she-bears out to maul 
them. You see, God uses means. The 
means was their destruction, or at least their severe chastisement. God's use of means are the bears 
that he uses to affect that particular chastisement. You see, God is 
comprehensively sovereign. God is unarguably, in an unrivaled 
sense, the sovereign of the universe. Our God is in the heavens. He 
does whatever he pleases. The argument is, however, that 
the sovereign God has been well-pleased through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. Turn over to 1 Corinthians 
1. 1 Corinthians 1 is an interesting 
section of scripture, into chapter 2. Let me just give you a brief 
overview of the lay of the land here. Basically, Paul is contrasting 
the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. The wisdom of 
the world is foolishness. The wisdom of God is wisdom. There's a contrast set up. The 
wisdom of God is seen in the message of the cross. That's 
verses 18 to 25. The wisdom of God is seen in 
the recipients who are saved. That's verses 26 to 31. It's 
not many wise, not many noble. Wretches in Corinth are going 
to go to heaven. That's not the wisdom of the 
world. The wisdom of the world would say those wretches in Corinth 
belong in hell. The wisdom of God says that not 
many wise, not many noble, not many good people out there are 
going to come to saving faith in Christ Jesus. And then in 
chapter 2, verses 1 to 5, the wisdom of God is seen in contrast 
to the wisdom of the world in the appointment of the Apostle 
Paul to the preaching ministry. What does the world do when they 
want a preacher? They want a confident man, don't 
they? They want a well-dressed man. They want a polished man. You know, there's a presidential 
election going on in the United States. They spend a lot of time 
and a lot of effort to make these guys look presentable. I guarantee 
you when they walk out on that debate stage tomorrow night, 
they don't wear Metallica t-shirts. They don't come out sipping coffee 
or look like they need a shave. They're polished. They look like 
the man for the job. That's the wisdom of the world. 
You would think the best orators, the best skilled men, the most 
confident people would be appointed to the preaching task. It is 
just the opposite in the wisdom of God. Look at what Paul says. 
Do you think he'd get a job in our churches today? Do you think 
he would become the lead pastor or the senior pastor if he wrote 
the things that he indicates here in chapter 2? And I, brethren, 
when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech. I'm 
not real good at this oratory thing. I'm not real good at public 
speaking. I certainly didn't come with 
wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. Verse 2, for I determined 
to know nothing among you or anything among you except Jesus 
Christ and Him crucified. So he doesn't have the oratorical 
gift, he doesn't have the skill, he doesn't have the ability of 
the gifted speaker, but notice character. Well, as long as he 
tries hard and he's got confidence, as long as he can project himself 
as a man, it is to be respected. He says in verse 3, I was with 
you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. We wouldn't 
hire him in our churches. We'd refer him to a psychiatrist. 
You need some help, buddy. You're not firing on all pistons. 
You come for a job opportunity, you're going to tell us that? 
You kidding me? This is Corinth. We need men 
of grit, men of determination. We certainly can't have weak 
men. We can't have fearful men. We can't have men that tremble 
a lot. He says, my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive 
words of human wisdom. But you see, what Paul had was 
what is crucial. But, he says, in demonstration 
of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the 
wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Paul didn't ever want 
it to be the case that someone walked out of the church and 
said, wow, Paul is gifted. Wow, Paul is excellent. Wow, 
Paul is great. Wow, Paul can bring it. Wow, 
Paul was off the hook. No, he wanted them to walk out 
of the church saying, praise God from whom all blessings flow. That He takes this weak man, 
that He takes this trembling man, that He takes this fearful 
man, that He takes this untrained man, and by His Spirit, in a 
demonstration of power, He comes and He blesses His people. It's 
beautiful. So go back for just a moment 
to the message of the cross. Again, this is not the message 
that the world finds favorable. The message that God has ordained 
is offensive to the world. Notice in verse 21, I believe 
Paul here is summarizing the whole flow of thought. For since 
in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God, 
it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save 
those who believe. Now, I believe the emphasis falls 
upon the content of the message preached. Okay? What is salvific, what is powerful, 
what is saving is the life and the death and the resurrection 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is powerful to save to the 
uttermost is the gospel of Jesus. That's where the emphasis lies. In the wisdom of God, the world 
through wisdom. Socrates didn't bring it. Plato 
didn't bring it. Aristotle didn't bring it. The 
whole history of philosophy is subsumed there in verse 21. man 
on his own, man with his philosophers, man without special revelation, 
trying to find acceptance with God, the world through wisdom 
did not know God. It then says, it pleased God 
through the foolishness of the message preached to save those 
who believe. Again, it is the content. It 
is the truth. It is the gospel. However, having 
said that, it is that message, it is that content, it is that 
gospel preached. With me? Notice in verse 23, 
but we preach Christ and Him crucified. Three observations, 
and last time I preached this material, Some of the better 
memories here, we'll remember that this has been modified a 
little bit. For an Arbca General Assembly, came and preached this 
with reference to the means of grace. And Tom Lyon, pastor in 
Tacoma, Washington, preached on the centrality of preaching. 
And he made these three points with reference to 1 Corinthians 
1, 21 to 23. I don't think I gave him credit 
the first time. Forgive me, I didn't mean to steal it from him or 
plagiarize him. I want to give him doubly due 
credit at this point. Really quite simple points. The 
first is this. Preaching pleases God. Right? For since in the wisdom of God, 
the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God. through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. Preaching pleases 
God. Again, praying, pleases God. Fellowshiping, pleases God. Breaking bread together at the 
Lord's table, pleases God. Baptisms, please God. Singing, pleases God. All of 
these things are true to be sure. In this particular context, however, 
the emphasis is upon the content, it is upon the gospel message, 
and it is upon that message preached. It pleased God. This makes Him 
happy. There's a section in 2 Corinthians 
which speaks about the Word having been preached. Let's just turn 
there for a moment. 2 Corinthians chapter 2. It pleases God even if sinners 
aren't saved. Did you ever think about that? Sometimes people engage in a 
tract ministry, or they invite friends to hear preaching. Or 
they point them to a website, or they give them, well, I guess 
they don't give them tapes anymore. They give them a DVD or a CD, 
or they tell them where the MP3 can be found. All these acronyms 
here. You've got to be a brain surgeon 
to keep up, a rocket scientist to keep up in the 21st century. 
Do you know, you give out these tracts, or you bring people to 
sermons, or they go and download and fill up their iPods, and 
they're not saved, and we can conclude, what a waste of time. 
I don't know that we would verbalize it in that way, but our actions 
at times betray that idea. Do you know, God is glorified 
in the proclamation. God is glorified when His Word 
goes out. Whether or not men are saved. 
Notice in 2 Corinthians 2 at verse 14. Now, thanks be to God, 
who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses 
the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to 
God the fragrance of Christ. Remember hearing Albert N. Martin 
preach on this, and he said it was as if God had a big nose. No, we know he doesn't. God is 
spirit. He does not have a body like 
men. But the analogy, the metaphor, the language that is being employed 
by Paul is that God has this nose, and he's sniffing it in 
as the gospel is preached. It is the fragrance of Christ. 
It is pleasing to him. You know, the way that you ladies, 
or the way that you men sprinkle a little bit on your neck, Smells 
good, it's a fragrance, it's pleasing, right? You don't spray 
essence of skunk, you don't spray essence of dirt, you don't spray 
essence of, you know, gasoline. You get flowers or you get whatever 
and they grind it up into a liquid and you spray that on there because 
it's pleasing. Isn't that a beautiful concept? 
Paul says this. Thanks be to God who always leads 
us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance 
of His knowledge in every place, for we are to God. You see, that's 
what's most important in our declaration of the truth. That's 
what comes first. Even in evangelism, even in the 
missionary enterprise, it is God first. So that as Paul preaches, 
as Silas preaches, as Barnabas preaches, as James or Peter or 
John, as they proclaim the word, he says, we are to God the fragrance 
of Christ among those who are being saved, now notice, and 
among those who are perishing. So as the gospel goes forth and 
men reject it, nevertheless, it's a fragrance unto God. Nevertheless, the Lord is pleased 
in this. You see, we've always thought 
with reference to evangelism, and with reference to missions, 
and with reference to church life, we preach Christ crucified 
and let God do the rest. It's His business. One sows, 
another waters, but what does Paul tell us? God gives the increase. We just need to be faithful. 
We just need to do it. We just need to go, therefore, 
and make disciples of all the nations. We just need to preach. Notice, among those who are being 
saved and among those who are perishing, To the one we are 
the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma 
of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these 
things? For we are not, as so many, peddling 
the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in 
the sight of God in Christ. I think most of the time we take 
that statement at the end of verse 16, and who is sufficient 
for these things? It's a grave, serious, horrible 
thing in many respects. To be the agent of damnation, 
you've gone out and you've preached, and that person rejects, that 
person is perishing. They're going to remember in 
hell every time that you gave them the gospel. I don't think 
that's the point. Who is sufficient for these things? 
Men filled with the Spirit. Men who speak the truth in love. 
Men who are not like so many, peddling the Word of God. Men 
who with sincerity, as from God, speak in the sight of God in 
Christ. That is the fitness, that is the sufficiency, that 
is what God says in terms of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus chapter 
1, with reference to the qualification. The first observation, with reference 
to 1 Corinthians 1, is that preaching pleases God. A second observation, 
again credit to Pastor Tom Lyon, preaching, get this, does not 
please men. Right? What's Paul say? Jews seek after 
a sign. Greeks seek after wisdom. You see, when Paul stood and 
preached a crucified Messiah in the synagogue, he met with 
opposition. When Paul preached a crucified 
Messiah in any Gentile audience, he met with opposition. I have 
a book in my study by Everett Ferguson. It's on the early history 
of the church. There's an actual picture that 
they found. I don't think it was on a cave wall, but it was 
on some sort of a wall. Perhaps in a jail, I think it 
was. And it's a picture of a man on a cross with a donkey's head. You know what the Greeks thought 
of a crucified Messiah? It's like a jackass on the cross. 
I don't mean to be scandalous, but that's what they thought. 
Paul uses the word scandal. Stumbling block is a scandal. 
It is a scandal to consider a crucified Messiah. God is pleased through 
the foolishness of the message preached. Man is not. Man doesn't 
want preaching. Man doesn't want hour-long sermons. 
Man will take about 15 minutes of a bit of a feel-good pep talk. 
Beyond that, forget it, right? You ever told anybody at our 
church sometimes he goes an hour? An hour? We can be glued to the 
hockey game for two and a half hours. Never even think we have 
to go to the bathroom. What is it with kids? You can 
sit down and watch something and never have to go to the bathroom. 
As soon as you walk into this room, it's like a, you know, 
we need a turnstile. Control the traffic. I'm not 
chiding you, I'm not reproving you, I'm not saying don't deal 
with your bodily needs, but it is an intriguing reality, isn't 
it? And I know it's not true of all 
of you kids. Don't go home and say, he picked on me and I don't 
do that. I'm sorry, it was a generic sort of out-throwing there. Man 
doesn't like preaching. Did you when you were unconverted? Oh yeah, I loved the hour long. 
I loved when he went hour ten. I really appreciate it if the 
Spirit, as they said, came on him and he went an hour and twenty. 
No, man doesn't like that. Jews wanted signs. Greeks wanted 
wisdom. Preaching pleases God. Preaching 
doesn't please man. But thirdly, preachers preach 
nevertheless. You see, we don't say, well, 
they don't like it, so let's have puppet shows. They don't 
like it, so let's trot in the ponies. They don't like it, so 
let's just have song celebrations. They don't like it, so let's 
just put tables out and drink coffee and talk about politics. They don't like it. Paul says 
that very clearly and very penetratingly. Jews seek signs. Greeks want 
wisdom. But, he says, we preach Christ 
crucified. We don't let the audience tell 
us what to do. We don't let the ethos of the 
age tell us what to do. We don't let culture dictate. 
We don't let social norms dictate. We don't care if we get likes 
on Facebook or Twitter. We just don't care. We preach 
Christ crucified, he said. To the Jews, a stumbling block, 
a scandal and an offense. To the Greeks, foolishness. Paul 
knows this. Paul understands this. Paul realizes 
that apart from the Holy Spirit of God working in the heart of 
a man, it is a scandalous, foolish message to the unregenerate. 
But Paul says, we preach it to those who are called, both Jews 
and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. It's beautiful. Beautiful. And then, of course, the last 
passage, 2 Timothy chapter 4. I think we recently touched on 
this, so I don't want to spend a lot of time there, because 
I really don't want you to go, man, he did go an hour 20. What's 
with that guy? 2 Timothy chapter 4, last letter 
Paul wrote before he died. Last letter, 11th hour, final 
epistle. What's most important? What do 
you want to convey to Timothy? What's his emphasis throughout? 
Sound doctrine. Sound doctrine. Sound doctrine. And then in chapter 4, he ends 
this way, I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus 
Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing 
and his kingdom, you know the text, preach the word. Don't preach yourself. Don't 
tell stories. Be the most innovative, don't be the most relevant, preach 
the word. This makes sense, doesn't it? 
We took a few moments at the very beginning of the message 
to highlight the importance of the word, especially the gospel. You see, if men don't hear the 
gospel, they will be damned. If men don't believe on the Lord 
Jesus, and again, God is absolutely sovereign, He's ordained preaching 
as the means by which He calls men out of darkness into marvelous 
light. So if we get rid of the means, 
humanly speaking, we can get rid of the effect, which is salvation. So when we see the emphasis upon 
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it should come as no surprise that 
that which Paul finally communicated to his young protege was preach 
the Word He gives two reasons for this 
command. He gives two reasons why Timothy 
is to preach the Word. We'll take the second one first. 
I know that sounds confusing, but look at verse 6. This is 
the second reason why he gives the command to preach the Word. 
He says, For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, 
and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the 
good fight. I have finished the race. I have 
kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of 
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give 
to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who 
have loved his appearing." Paul's going to die. That's what that 
means. Paul is going the way of all 
flesh. He's going to die, and he is going to stand and meet 
his Lord. That's the second reason why 
he tells Timothy, preach the word. What's the idea there? Paul is passing the baton to 
his protege. Paul is passing the baton to 
a young minister. I am going to die. The gospel 
mustn't die with me. Preach the word. The first reason 
is found in verse 3. Preach the word, he says, and 
then in verse three, four, the time will come when they will 
not endure sound doctrine. Men aren't going to want preaching. 
What's the answer? Preach. Men don't like long sermons. Preach. I'm not saying there's 
something noble or virtuous in long sermons themselves. That's 
not my point. Men think there's a lot of different 
ways that we can achieve the same end. Preach. Preach the 
word, Timothy, two reasons. The time will come when they 
will not endure sound doctrine. So preach to them that which 
they will not endure. Psychologically difficult for 
young Timothy, I would imagine. Oh, they don't want me to preach 
to them. What's your response? Preach to them. Dad, I don't know how to dig 
this hole with this shovel. What do you want me to do? Dig 
that hole with that shovel. But you don't get it. It's hard. 
Dig the hole. You don't get it. They don't 
like me. Preach the word. You don't get it. We live in 
a debauched society where Starbucks is more effective than the pulpit. 
Preach the word. You see, he gives the command. He gives two reasons. Smack dab 
in the middle of the command and the two reasons, he gives 
the manner. How is Timothy to preach the Word? Is he to just, 
you know, go up and put his hand in his pocket and rattle his 
chain and have a little bit of a change and have a little bit 
of a chat with people? Well, you know. No, he says, be ready 
in season and out of season. In other words, Timothy, you 
ought to be ready at all times to preach the Word, whether the 
church wants to hear the Word or whether the church doesn't 
want to hear the Word. That does not change your current 
responsibility. And in the actual act of preaching, 
Timothy, here's how you're supposed to do it. You're supposed to 
do something that will really bother people in 21st century 
North America. You see, that society, they're 
going to just hate the thought of anything authoritative. They're 
going to despise any trace of dogmatism. They're going to call 
you prejudiced. They're going to call you bigoted. 
They're going to call you all kinds of names if you come across 
as actually knowing something more than they do. Convince. This isn't take it or leave it 
data. If you're not in Christ tonight, 
You don't have the option of just saying, well, I don't feel 
like listening. The God of heaven and earth has 
spoken through His word. You as a creature, you as an 
image bearer, ought to pay close attention. God as Redeemer has 
spoken of His Son. God as Redeemer has spoken of 
His dear Son, whom He was pleased to bruise, putting Him to grief. This is the most important thing 
you can ever hear. This is the most valuable information 
available. There is nothing more important 
than this information. Timothy says, convince. Don't 
play games. Don't have chats. Don't be everybody's 
pal. Don't be the guy everybody can 
really... Convince them that the truth of God is absolutely 
crucial. Look at Titus 2. Look at verse 
15. Speak these things. Exhort and 
rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. That 
doesn't mean we don't like you because you preach long sermon. 
Let no one despise the message you bring. They don't have the 
option to wiggle out of this. Paul says convince the hearer 
to Timothy. He says rebuke. We're sinners. We're wayward. We're hard. We're recalcitrant. We're incorrigible. We are dark. We gravitate toward 
evil. If we're not being rebuked constantly, 
what happens? We're even worse. Because if 
all that wasn't bad enough, we need the rebuke of God's Word 
to keep us in place. So convince, rebuke, exhort, 
encourage. Tell people there is a gospel, 
there is a cross, there is a Savior, there is a Lord. Tell the believer 
who is downcast. Tell the believer who is sinning. 
Tell the believer who is struggling. There is mercy in God. There is forgiveness with thee 
that thou mayest be feared. Exhort the people of God. Exhort 
the unbeliever to flee to the Lord Jesus. Come to the one alone 
who has everlasting life. And then Paul adds these elements, 
with all long-suffering. Be patient, Timothy. Be very 
patient. The work of the kingdom is long-term. 
It's long-haul. You need to be future-oriented. 
You cannot believe for a moment that the moment you step foot 
in Ephesus, every unbeliever is going to bow to Christ, and 
every believer is going to clean up their life. It's just not 
going to happen. It's just not. You've got to 
be long-suffering. You've got to be patient. You've 
got to be forbearing, and you've got to be a teacher. With all 
longsuffering and teaching. See, all teaching is not necessarily 
preaching. All teaching is not necessarily 
preaching. But all preaching must involve 
teaching. It's the Word of Truth that is 
the power of God. It is the message of the cross. It is the effects of that message. It is the implications drawn 
out. It is the life of sanctification. All preaching must instruct people 
from the Word of God. We heard reference that in the 
Second Dutch Reformation, There was conventicles that arose on 
the side of the church. Small groups, small gatherings 
of people. And what Mr. Beeky said is that 
in some of them, there was a departure from the truth. And then people 
began to look at their own experience, their own subjectivism, their 
own navels, and they made that the standard for all that was 
holy and good. Nothing can be further from the 
truth. It is the scriptures that men 
need. It is the scriptures that Christians 
need. It is the scriptures and the 
scriptures alone. Lloyd-Jones says, what is preaching? 
got this in connection with the manner here. Actually we're gonna 
go all night, brethren. This is a very important thing. 
Just kidding. Please. What is preaching, he says, logic 
on fire, eloquent reason. Are these contradictions? Of 
course they are not. Reason concerning this truth 
ought to be mightily eloquent, as you see it in the case of 
the Apostle Paul and others. Now, this doesn't mean all preaching 
is loud. Butler's louder than psalm. That 
doesn't mean they're not doing their job. God's made men differently. Praise be to God that not every 
preacher sounds the same. Praise be to God that there's 
diversity. Praise be to God that he uses 
different kinds of baits to catch different kinds of fish. Praise 
him for that. There's no paradigm. There's 
no pattern. There's no standard. Everybody has to sound like Al 
Martin or they're not a good preacher. Everybody has to sound 
like Del Ralph Davis or they're not a good preacher. Everybody 
has to sound like the Apostle Paul or they're not a good preacher. 
Everybody has to sound like Martin Lloyd-Jones or they're not a 
good preacher. That's not the point. Listen to what Lloyd-Jones 
has to say. He says it is theology on fire, 
and a theology which does not take fire, I maintain, is defective 
theology, or at least the man's understanding of it is defective. 
He says preaching is theology coming through a man who is on 
fire. A true understanding and experience 
of the truth must lead to this. He says, I say again that a man 
who can speak dispassionately has no right whatsoever to be 
in a pulpit and should never be allowed to enter one. That's 
pretty powerful. Again, I wouldn't want to press 
that to the exclusion of a lot of guys that preach in a more 
monotone tone. The point is this. If a man has 
come face to face with the saving power of God Most High and his 
task is to preach that truth, how does he do it in an unaffected 
manner? How does he do it without it coming out? How does he do 
it as if he's discussing paint colors for the living room? You 
know, quite frankly, some men present truth as if they're paint 
colors in the living room. This is eternal. This is weighty. 
This is heavy. This is momentous. This is the 
most important thing. Shame on us when presidential 
candidates speak with more passion than preachers preaching the 
everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. Foreign policy is important. 
The economy is important. But they're nothing compared 
to heaven and hell. Man gets more fired up about 
his foreign policy than a preacher does about the gospel? Lloyd-Jones 
is saying, maybe there's another job you should take or pursue. 
Confessional statements will bypass. I have Didache 4.1, Westminster 
Larger 155, 2nd Helvetic Confession 1.4. I'll just read the one from 
the 2nd Helvetic. They say, the preaching of the 
word of God is the Word of God. The preaching of the Word of 
God is the Word of God. Now, obviously implicit is that 
it's true preaching. It wouldn't be the Word of God. 
The man was preaching justification by faith plus words. That's not 
the Word of God. But if a man is preaching accurately 
justification by faith alone, he is preaching the triunity 
of God, he is preaching the deity of Jesus Christ, he is preaching 
the personality of the Holy Spirit, he is preaching what it is to 
be a Christian husband, a Christian wife, a Christian child, a parent, 
or whatnot. The preaching of the Word of 
God is the Word of God. They said, wherefore, when this 
Word of God is now preached in the church by preachers lawfully 
called, we believe that the very Word of God is proclaimed and 
received by the faithful, and that neither any other Word of 
God is to be invented, nor is to be expected from heaven, and 
that now the Word itself which is preached is to be regarded, 
Not the minister that preaches, for even if he be evil and a 
sinner, nevertheless the word of God remains still true and 
good. It's powerful. Let me just give you the Didache. 
The Didache is an early Christian treatise, which has been dated, 
some date it very early, A.D. 50. I'm not an apostolic church 
father. I don't know the specifics, but 
somewhere probably more toward the beginning of the second century, 
so the early part of AD 100. A lot of instructions about the 
Christian life, a lot of quotations from the scripture on how Christians 
ought to live. Now, I read this not so that 
you'll do it. I know that's kind of an interesting introduction 
to this statement, but just to show you and demonstrate how 
they perceived the word of God. Says, my child, remember night 
and day the one who preaches God's word to you and honor him 
as though he were Lord. Please don't do that. Not that I have trouble getting 
my wife to honor me. I'm kidding, just kidding, sweetie. 
You know, in 1 Peter, Sarah called him Lord. Come on, honey, just 
call me Lord. No, I don't do that. Listen to 
the emphasis they put. My child, remember night and 
day the one who preaches God's Word to you, and honor him as 
though he were Lord." Now notice, for wherever the Lord's nature 
is preached, there the Lord is. You see, if you understand that, 
and you wrap your mind around it, how ought you to view corporate 
worship? How ought you to view it if you 
have a man that does accurately preach the truth? should be there, 
should listen, should take heed. In conclusion, got other things. 
I don't want to go late. This would be a wrong night to 
go late. There is a need for good preachers. Not every man 
that preaches is necessarily good at it. And I know that sounds 
arrogant. I know it sounds proud. I know 
it sounds like, well, you must think you're good at it. Not 
necessarily. There are some guys that are 
obviously not real good at it. Guys that get it wrong. You know, we want our lawyers 
to understand tax law. We want our surgeons to know 
their way around a knee. We certainly want our mechanics 
not to treat our carburetor as if it's a tire. And yet men enter 
pulpits and they can't explain basic Christian truth. Why is that going on? Why? Why has that taken priority? If a man can't explain basic 
Christian truth, he certainly shouldn't be preaching. Calvin 
said it this way, Remember, this is the 16th century. At the present 
day, there are many who are well-nigh sickened by the very name of 
preaching because there are so many stupid, ignorant men who 
blurt out their worthless brainwaves from the pulpit. We could add 
in our day, or through their blogs, or through their Twitter 
account, or through their Facebook. A. W. Tozer said, one of the 
most popular current errors, and one out of which brings most 
of the noisy, blustering religious activity in evangelical churches, 
is the notion that as times change, the church must change with them. 
That mentality which mistakes Hollywood for the holy city is 
too gravely astray to be explained otherwise than as judicial madness 
visited upon professing Christians for affronts committed against 
the Spirit of God." J. Gresham Machen said the miserable 
phrase, sharing Christ, which so sickens those of us who believe 
that the work of preaching is not that of sharing an experience, 
but of proclaiming a message. Some preachers are cast into 
the role of head cheerleader, whose job is simply to rally 
others for service on the field. B.B. Warfield commented on this 
particular strain. If the minister comes to be thought 
of, for example, fundamentally as merely the head of a social 
organization from whom may be demanded pleasant manners and 
executive ability, or as little more than a zealous promoter, 
the minister's whole function is summed up in these or such 
things." He says, if the whole function of the minister is inspirational 
rather than instructional, then no doubt we may dispense with 
all serious study of the scripture. You see, these men lived a long 
time ago, in days that we look back and say, wow, those were 
the glory days. There's nothing new under the 
sun. But you know, we often stress the need for good preachers. 
We ought to stress the need for good hearers. If Spurgeon fell 
out of heaven and he occupied this pulpit, no one was here 
to hear him. It's that old adage, if a tree falls in the forest, 
does it make any sound? If Spurgeon preaches the glorious 
truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and no one is there to 
hear him, then there's responsibility for the hearers, responsibility 
for people, responsibility for the church. It's not just a one-man 
show. It's not just a singular or solo 
activity. I like the way Albert and Martin 
describes it. There is that triangle where 
God the Spirit comes upon the preacher and that goes to the 
people of God. There's this dynamic that is 
functioning in the midst of biblical preaching. When you take one 
of those components out, you've got a mess. You don't have that 
dynamic anymore. So if a man is given to study 
and a man is given to prayer and a man is preaching accurately 
the Word of God, avail yourself. Be there. Pay attention. Some of these things go without 
saying, but you need to take heed. You need to listen. You need to enjoy the ordinary. I'm always afraid that when we 
highlight revival, or the history of revival, or the story of revival, 
we might create an ethos in the people where that's what we ought 
to be seeking. No, we ought to be seeking the 
Lord Jesus Christ in the Apostles' Doctrine, in fellowship, in the 
breaking of bread, and in prayers. If God, in His mercy and grace, 
designs to pour out His Spirit in an extraordinary way, praise 
Him for that. But we don't disdain the ordinary. I was using this illustration 
this morning. There's times when my wife and 
I go out on a date and we have a really great night. Not every 
day is date night. There's a lot of ordinary. There's 
bad breath. There's grumpy tempers. There's friction. Bad breath 
here, not my beloved. She shines. She has rose petals. You see, unfortunately at times 
people make, can I say it, an idol out of revival. We all have 
revival. We don't have revival. No! There's 
something blessed about the ordinary. There's something beautiful about 
getting up every day next to the same woman, going about your 
specific tasks, enjoying a bit of communion, enjoying a bit 
of fellowship, going back to bed and doing that over again 
for another 40 years. Life isn't a honeymoon. The Christian 
life isn't revival always. Don't despise the day of small 
things. There's one lesson I think we've 
probably all learned from the prophet Zechariah, it's that. 
Who will disdain the day of small things? You may not have known 
that came from Zechariah 4.10, but I'm sure you've heard it 
in a prayer, you've heard it in a sermon. That was a legitimate 
question in the post-exilic age when they rebuilt the temple 
and it wasn't as glorious as Solomon's. Who will despise the 
day of small things? Don't do that. Don't give up 
on your church because you haven't had revival. Don't give up on 
your church because God hasn't brought you into honeymoon phase. 
Be faithful. Continue steadfastly in the Apostles' 
Doctrine, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 
T.V. Moore commenting on Zechariah 
4.10 says, It is not only unwise, but it is wicked to be disheartened 
because of the external feebleness of the church. I think this is 
indicting to our generation. If the church isn't feeding everybody, 
if it isn't saving everybody, if it isn't doing everything, 
it's just messed up. Oh, really? Could it be that 
that small assembly of believers are being more conformed to the 
image of Christ? That their worship is God-glorifying? I'm not saying 
ours necessarily. I'm not saying that at all. Could 
there be a group of people that are enjoying the favor and the 
mercy of God in an ordinary sort of way? It is not only unwise, 
but it is wicked to be disheartened because of the external feebleness 
of the church, compared with the work she has to do and the 
enemies she has to encounter." He says, God is her strength, 
her glory, and her hope, and to despair of her, he says, is 
to deny God. It's not wrong to pray for revival. It's not wrong to say, pity the 
nations. Oh, our God, and constrain the 
earth to come. But it's not wrong either. to have an ordinary Lord's 
Day, to go through the ordinary means, to find some small semblance 
of extraordinary blessing, even in those feeble attempts. It's 
a blessing, wonderful thing to be God's people, whether we're 
in ordinary situations or we're in revival. Revival, good, but 
ordinary good. That's really what I wanted to 
say tonight. It could have saved us a long time, brother, and 
opened up with that in your introduction. I just want to close by one last 
statement to those who don't know Christ. Look at what God 
has done in the saving of sinners. It's amazing, isn't it? He not only sends His Son into 
this world to live, to die, and to rise again, not only stations 
Him at His right hand, gives Him the reins to the universe 
in the current session, gives Him the spirit to pour out upon 
the church, but He also has called men, men who are recognized by 
the church, men whose task it is to pray and to preach. All 
of this, why? Because God is going to save 
His people. God is going to get glory in 
the salvation of a great number that no man can number, from 
every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation. If 
you were here this morning, please take this sermon as another example 
of God's heart to sinners. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and you shall be saved. God was well pleased through 
the foolishness of the message, that message concerning his life, 
His death and His resurrection, that blessed gospel account that 
centers in upon the finished work of the Lord Jesus, all those 
who believe that message will be saved. It's a beautiful, wonderful, 
glorious testimony to the heart of our gracious and merciful 
God. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for preaching, we 
thank You for the Scripture, we thank You for the Holy Spirit 
who takes these things and writes it upon our hearts. We pray, 
God in heaven, that as we pray for revival, as we pray for the 
missionary enterprise, as we pray for evangelism, that we 
would pray that You would raise men up and equip them to serve 
You in this capacity. We pray from our own church, 
God, that you would equip men, that you would cause them to 
know and understand the truth of Holy Scripture, to go and 
to preach the truth. We pray for more church planting 
work here in this lower mainland. We long to see more and more 
churches raised up that testify faithfully to the living and 
true God. And Lord, for those here that do not know you, we 
pray that you would do that work which only you are able to do. 
That you would open their eyes, open their hearts, and cause 
them to receive the word of truth. And we pray in Jesus' name, amen.