don mcclain 1 w. 65th st church of christ / february 10, 2007
TRANSCRIPT
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In
An Age of Itching
EarsDon McClain
1
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Much Of Modern
Preaching Is full of error – Misuses Scripture - Caters to people
who do not care for God
Caters to people whose first love is themselves –
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
Don McClain
2
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Our Preaching Must Be To Please God!
Therefore – our preaching should follow scriptural instruction –
Not books on modern marketing and management techniques –
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
Don McClain
3
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Our Preaching Must Be To Please God!
Noah - 2 Peter 2:5— Jeremiah – Jeremiah
1:10 Jonah - Jonah 3:4-5 John - Mat 3:1-2 Jesus Christ - Mat 4:17 Peter – Acts 2:11-39 Stephen – Act 7:51-56 Paul – Acts 17:30,31;
24:25
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
Don McClain
4
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV) 1 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: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine,
Don McClain
5
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV) . . . but according to their own
desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the
truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill
your ministry.
Don McClain
6
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Timothy needed to be concerned about what God thought of his preaching – not what men thought – (Gal 1:10; 1 Thes 2:4)
Judgment is coming – (Rom 14:10,12; Heb 9:27)
Souls are at stake – (1 Cor 9:16; 1 Tim 4:16)
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching Is Serious Business!
“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”:
Don McClain
7
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
The preachers task is to proclaim scripture and give the sense of it (Neh 8:8; 2 Tim 2:15; Acts 20:27)
The power of conversion is ONLY found in the word of God – (1 Pet 1:22,23; Heb 4:12; Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18,21; 1 Tim 4:16)
The task of a faithful preacher revolves around the word of God – (Acts 6:3,4; 1 Tim 4:12-16)
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsThe Kind of Preaching That
Pleases God! Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Don McClain
8
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
The preacher is to always preach the word, when it is wanted and when it is not – (Acts 7; 17:10,11; 18:4-6; 28:31)
The religious world TODAY says – “less Bible and more fun, humor, entertainment, things really relevant to our daily lives.”
This is no time for weak men or weak messages – (Acts 4:29-31; Phili 1:20)
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsThe Kind of Preaching That
Pleases God! Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Don McClain
9
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
When the word of God is preached – the word of man is NOT –
When the word of God is preached – the ultimate authority is appealed to – NOT the authority of men!
When the word of God is preached – men learn what God says -
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsThe Kind of Preaching That
Pleases God! Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Don McClain
10
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
Preaching That Convinces The sinner of his sin – The false teacher of his
error - The seeker of what is true
– The faithful that he is
right! Preaching that rebukes - the
sinner – the false teacher – the slacker – (Acts 2:36; Acts 7:51)
Preaching that exhorts - men unto godliness & spiritual growth
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsThe Kind of Preaching That
Pleases God! Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Don McClain
11
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
Preaching that is “Long Suffering“ - patience - (Gk. , makrothumia) is used in connection with people, not events or circumstances. - Spiritual change usually takes time.
Preaching that is “doctrinal“ - Rebuke tells people where they shouldn't be, while instruction in doctrinal truth tells them where they should be.
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsThe Kind of Preaching That
Pleases God! Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Don McClain
12
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
Preaching that yields to those who do not want sound teaching -
Sound doctrine is NOT popular today!!!! - (cf. 1 Tim 1:9,10; 4:1)
People are steeped in false theological systems –
People want their preachers to justify their sinful behavior – not expose it – (John 3:19-21)
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine,
Don McClain
13
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
Preaching that yields to those who do not want sound teaching –
Paul has already warned Timothy that -
people will give heed to deceiving spirits - 1 Ti 4:1-2
people will be lovers of self and pleasure - 2 Ti 3:1-2
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears
Don McClain
14
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears
But after their own lusts. They will seek such kind of
preaching as will accord with their carnal desires; or
such as will palliate their evil propensities, and deal
gently with their vices. Comp. Isaiah 30:10, "Speak
unto us smooth things; prophesy deceits."
—Barnes' Notes on the New Testament
Don McClain
15
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!Isaiah 30:8-11 (NKJV)
9 That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the Lord; 10 Who say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the prophets, "Do
not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. 11
Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To
cease from before us."
they will heap up for themselves teachers;
Don McClain
16
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
There are plenty of preachers willing to accommodate the desires of ungodly people –
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!they will heap up for themselves teachers;
Jeremiah 5:31 (NKJV) 31 The prophets prophesy
falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?Don McClain
17
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables
“They will turn” is in the “active voice” – this is an act of the will -
“Turned aside to fables” is what happens to the one who turns away from the truth -
When people turn away from truth – they become easy victims of deception -
Don McClain
18
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables
And shall be turned unto fables—Believe any kind of stuff and nonsense; for, as one has justly observed,
"Those who reject the truth are abandoned by the just judgment of God to credit
the most degrading nonsense." . . .
—Adam Clarke's Commentary
Don McClain
19
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables
People will reject the Word of God, but believe in witchcraft, UFOs, ghosts, etc.
People will reject the Gospel of Christ, but accept religious traditions of men
People reject "sound doctrine", but accept "unhealthy teaching“ that endangers body and soul
Don McClain
20
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions,
Preaching is indeed serious business – and the faithful preacher will guard against compromising the preaching of the word of God in favor of scratching the ears of the ungodly!
As a result – there will be suffering -
Don McClain
21
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God!do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
The work of an evangelist is to - “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”
The faithful preacher is to preach the whole counsel of God, (Acts 20:26,27)
Don McClain
22
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching EarsPreaching That Does NOT Pleases
God! Paul does not suggest that
the way to reach an ungodly society is to so soften the message that people will be comfortable with it. - Just the opposite is true –
Paul does not suggest that we replace preaching with drama, entertainment, or recreation when people tire of it – but rather to continue to preach the word . . .Don McClain
23
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Much Of Modern
Preaching Is full of error – Misuses Scripture - Caters to people
who do not care for God
Caters to people whose first love is themselves –
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
Don McClain
24
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Our Preaching Must Be To Please God!
Noah - 2 Peter 2:5— Jeremiah – Jeremiah
1:10 Jonah - Jonah 3:4-5 John - Mat 3:1-2 Jesus Christ - Mat 4:17 Peter – Acts 2:11-39 Stephen – Act 7:51-56 Paul – Acts 17:30,31;
24:25
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
Don McClain
25
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Preaching That Pleases God:
Is Ever Ready... Convicts ... Rebukes... Exhorts... Is
Longsuffering... Is Doctrinal...
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
Don McClain
26
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Preaching That Does NOT
Please God: Is Unsound In
Doctrine... Is To Entertain –
To Scratch The Ears of The Ungodly . . .
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
Don McClain
27
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV) 1 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: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine,
Don McClain
28
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”
Proclaiming The Truth In An Age of Itching Ears
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV) . . . but according to their own
desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the
truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill
your ministry.
Don McClain
29
W. 65th St church of Christ / February 10, 2007
“I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ”