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Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

Preach On!

Intro.

1. Preach: To herald; announce, to make known, to proclaim, to publish.

2. Bible preaching is not: Creedal, Jude 3; Testimonial, 2 Cor. 4:5; Traditional, Col. 2:8; To please men, 1 Thess. 2:4; Partial, Acts 20:27; Human wisdom, 1 Cor. 1:18, 21-25.

3. Bible preaching is in short supply today:

a. As in Jeremiah’s day, Jer. 6:13-16; 14:11-16.

b. As in Timothy’s day, 2 Tim. 4:3-4.

4. The increase of lawlessness causes love to grow cold, Matt. 24:10-12; 2 Thess. 2:9-12.

5. We must be a people who continue to preach...and live...the Bible.

(Part 1)

I. PREACH THE WORD, 2 Tim. 4:2.

A. The Bible is the Verbally-Inspired Word of God.

• 24% believe Bible is literal word of God, the lowest in Gallup’s 40-year trend
• View of Bible as secular stories and history at 26%, up from 21% in 2014
• The largest segment, 47%, still think Bible is inspired word of God

1. Issue centers over the nature of inspiration: Verbal or thought.

2. Verbal: “Thus says the Lord” (OT: >2000 times); Jer. 1:7-9; Zech. 7:12; Acts 1:16; 1 Pet. 1:10-12.

B. This Means the Bible Demands Utmost Respect and Obedience, 1 Thess. 2:13-14.

1. Heard it – Receive it – Welcomed it – Persuaded by it (Acts 17:4).
2. Holy, 2 Tim. 3:15 (holy); Saves when obeyed, 1 Pet. 1:22, 25.

II. PREACH JESUS, Acts 8:35 (1 Cor. 2:1-2).

A. Cannot Preach Jesus without Preaching the Scriptures, Acts 8:32-34.

1. Jesus fulfilled OT prophecies (>300 of Christ).

2. Preach the word...preach Christ, Acts 8:4-5.

3. We must “heed” (obey) Christ by obeying His word, Acts 8:6.

-Ethiopian learned about sin, Savior (Son of God) and salvation, including water baptism, from hearing Philip preach Jesus to him, Acts 8:36-38.

4. Cannot refuse to obey the word of Christ and be saved, Heb. 5:8-9.

(Part 2)

III. PREACH THINGS CONCERNING THE KINGDOM, Acts 8:12.

A. Its Nature, Mk. 1:14-15; Lk. 17:20-21; Jno. 18:36.

B. Its Identity, Matt. 16:16, 18-19.

C. Its Establishment, Mk. 9:1; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4.

D. Its Entrance, Acts 8:12. Christians are its citizens, Acts 2:47; Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:6, 9.

E. Its Superiority, Dan. 2:44; Heb. 12:28.

1. You must enter the king’s kingdom to be blessed by the king.

2. You must live as a worthy citizen, Phil. 3:20.

IV. PREACH BIBLE AUTHORITY, Acts 8:12.

A. Christ’s Authority Revealed in His Word, Matt. 28:18-19.

B. We Must have Christ’s Authority for All we Teach and Do, Col. 3:17.

-To accept less or more is to reject Jesus as “Lord”, Lk. 6:46.

V. PREACH THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD, Acts 20:20, 27.

A. Not Only What We Like, and Ignore the Rest, Jer. 36:23-24, 28-29.

-Show respect for all of God’s word by complete, humble obedience to it in our lives.

Conclusion

1. God’s word teaches us of God, reproves our conduct, corrects our sin and trains us in righteous living, 2 Tim. 3:16-17.

2. Preach the gospel every day, Rom. 10:13-15.

3. Those who believe the gospel you preach will obey it and be saved, Rom. 10:16 (13).

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: June 9, 2017