Twelve things for preachers to preach
Posted at Reformation Scotland:
Once people have turned up for a service, preachers have a responsibility to deliver a message which is worth their while hearing. Faced with an assembly of perishing souls on their way to eternity, what can preachers say that won’t just be a wasted opportunity and leave people no better than before? The leading Covenanting preacher John Welch of Irongray (c.1624–1681) was alive to the urgency of the preacher’s task. He caught the note of gravity weighing down Paul’s description of his labours. Labouring consciously under the eye of God, Paul tried to ‘persuade’ his hearers, not of trivial things or of mere moral imperatives or of his own importance, but of things that should really matter to them considering the judgment seat of Christ is ahead of him and them. In the following extract John Welch identifies twelve things which a preacher must aim to persuade his congregation of. If people remain unpersuaded, it shouldn’t be because their pastor never mentioned these things, or never indicated how essential they were.I defy anyone who gets a sight of his need of Christ, and of the excellence that is in Him, and of the recompense of the reward that is laid up for those who love and serve Him, to be a sluggard about his duty, or continue in the neglect of duty.
Paul resolved that his work would be “to persuade men.” What is it that ministers are to persuade people of? The details are not set down in the text, for then it would have run to a great length, so Paul speaks only in general terms. But I find these twelve things mentioned in Scripture, that we as ministers have a commission to persuade you of.
Turn to God
We are to persuade people to be convinced of sin, and converted to Jesus Christ. We are to persuade the ungodly and profane to turn and live, warning them that if they will not turn, they must burn for ever. “Turn ye, and live! Why will ye die, O house of Israel?” That is one thing we are to persuade you of, that Christ is standing at the door and knocking, and He will take it badly if you refuse to open to Him.It is a great thing to persuade you of the necessity of conversion, or the new birth, and that unless you are holy, you will never be happy. This is the work of both prophets and apostles. Jeremiah cries, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings” (Jer. 3:22). Ezekiel says the same, “Turn ye, turn ye and live, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezek. 33:11). Solomon makes this his work also. “Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets: Turn ye at my reproof” (Prov. 1:30, 23). Jesus Christ Himself makes this His work. “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” So did His apostles after Him.
We are to tell and persuade you to set about the work of faith and repentance (Isa. 1:2; Joel 2:12). We have to persuade you to turn to God, and to warn you of your danger if you don’t. This presupposes that every man and woman has their back to God. We come to you who are still strangers to God, and strangers to His Son Jesus Christ, and strangers to the Holy Spirit and the grace of repentance.
What considerations might persuade you?
- Consider that if you will not turn, you will die without grace, faith, repentance, etc. Turn, and you will live, but if not, “ye shall surely die in your iniquities.”
- Consider that if you turn to Him, we assure you in His name, all will be well with you. We tell you, He has a fatted calf for you, robes to put on you — He has all that can make you happy. Friends, you will have a life of it here, and eternal life hereafter.
- Consider that Christ is in good earnest with you. You’ll wrong yourselves, if you don’t accept the offer. In fact, you will perish eternally.
