June 3, 1 Corinthians 2
Would you listen to my confession today? I’ve made my living since I was a teenager as a communicator. I’ve been a radio disc jockey, a teacher, and for the past three decades a preacher. I admire masters of the craft of public speaking. I appreciate the art of a well-delivered message. I admit it: I enjoy hearing people say they enjoyed listening to what I had to say.
Paul’s description of his preaching is a direct challenge to my flesh, my pride, my self. There’s a precarious balance between the boldness needed to communicate with passionate conviction, and the humility required to be the delivery vessel for the message without taking glory for oneself. I have sometimes been too anxious about the human skill and technical details of presentations. My motives were pure—I wanted to communicate the gospel with persuasive clarity. But sometimes it’s been too much about me, and not enough about the message.
Paul never worried about how the video looked on the screen. He was never distracted by a sound system glitch. But Corinth was as almost as famous for eloquent oratory as it was for immorality. Comparisons between Paul and those famous orators were inevitable. He knew the only thing that would save his listeners was Christ crucified, and he stuck to the subject. Their faith had to be in Christ, not him as a preacher of Christ. He cared more about winning souls than oratorical contests, and that priority shaped his message.
The gospel requires trusting what God has done instead of what we do. It’s important that the message also be communicated in a way that takes pride out of the picture. The gospel is wisdom beyond human ability to originate or even comprehend without divine intervention. If God had not revealed it by his Spirit, we could never know it. Preachers use the verse about eyes not seeing, ears not hearing and hearts not imagining what God has prepared for us to talk about heaven. That’s true, but it’s not the context. The context is that the saving gospel cannot be known apart from God’s gracious revelation. You can’t pick up an FM station on an AM radio, regardless of long you try or how carefully you tune. Just so, human minds would never get the message from the mind of God unless the Spirit of God revealed it.
Have you ever gone to hear a best-selling author speak, and been disappointed with the oral presentation? Did the words, so vivid and persuasive on the page, not come across as well on the stage? Some gifted writers aren’t dynamic public speakers. We know Paul as a prolific and persuasive writer. Luke’s accounts of his preaching suggest that he was a stronger preacher than Paul’s modest descriptions imply. But Paul knew it was the message, not the messenger that mattered. When you and I have any opportunity to share the gospel, we need to remember that.
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament,
Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—June 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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