Much Learning Doth Make Thee Mad

"And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness." ~ Acts 26:24-25

I was listening to another preacher recently preach a sermon. He did a fine job capturing the attention of folks and his delivery was spot on, but as I carefully examined the content of his sermon I felt that I was being cheated because I hadn't really learned anything. Perhaps my view of preaching is not the norm but I have always believed that if a man of God preaches he should be preaching and teaching the Bible, not just pulling out a passage of Scripture to go with his own thoughts and ideas or spending 30 minutes telling cutesy little home-spun stories and anecdotes, but actually trying to relay to the audience the purpose of the written Word of God. 

All of the Seminary work that I have been doing for the past 6-years sometimes leaves me feeling that I may be going mad. My brain certainly feels like mush at times and my eyes are begging for a break from studying and staring at a computer screen. Sometimes I question myself as to whether or not it is all worth it or not. I know that's just my flesh speaking though.

When I first began preaching nearly 22-years ago I approached preaching much differently than I do now. I thought it was my job to dazzle the listening audience and to prove how witty I was. Most of my early sermons were topic based - topics that I had came up with on my own and used the Bible to back up my thoughts. How I wish I could go back and erase all of my mistakes of the past, but I cannot. But, I have learned over the years that nothing can substitute for good straight Bible preaching. There is nothing more satisfying than to take a verse of Scripture and expound upon it and letting the Holy Spirit do His work.

Expository preaching may not be popular or garner crowds of people but is that really what the ministry is about, some kind of popularity contest? I don't think that is what the Lord has called preachers to do. I know that one day I will stand before the Lord Jesus and answer for the way I have treated His Word and His Church and I would have to stand before him and try to find excuses as to why I wasted away the ministry telling jokes and stories instead of preaching the Word of God. Friends, time is too short and too many souls lay in the balance to water down the Gospel. We must teach and preach the Bible with great urgency, fervency, wisdom, power, and compassion in order to see lost souls saved and to please our Lord.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."~ 2 Timothy 2:15