Across the world today, Christ followers will meet together. As they do, a message will be proclaimed to those that come. The proclamation of the Bible to the gathered assembly we call preaching. This very process reminds us why truth is important, and furthermore, why we should be faithful to attend..
The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy so long ago:
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. (2 Tim 4:1-2).
“Preach the Word!” Preach means to proclaim. Proclaim what? The Word of God. Why the Word of God? Because truth is important for every one of us who follow Christ.
Why Truth Is Important
As Jesus wrapped up HIs earthly ministry, He took time to pray both for His initial disciples and for those who will follow after them – that’s us! Notice the section of His prayer where He discusses why truth is important. See if you see why truth is important. Here it is:
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (John 17:15-19)
Did you catch why truth is important and why Paul says to preach the Word of God?
I am assuming that your answer is: Truth is important because God uses truth to help us grow as His disciples, or in other words, to sanctify us. Paul says to preach the Word in season and out of season because God’s Word is truth – which, again, is what God uses to sanctify us.
Yes, if that is something close to what you said, your answer is correct. God uses His Word to help us grow and change. God’s Word facilitates our change. We are sanctified by the truth of God’s Word.
As You Go to Church and Listen Today – Three Steps
As you go to church and listen today, pay special attention to whomever preaches today. Listen for the truth in the message. Pay special attention to what is said about the meaning of the Scripture passage and how that meaning supposedly impacts your life. Write down some specific notes to give you reminders once you get home and read back over the pastor’s text.
This is step one.
Step Two
Once you get home and have a chance to review your notes this week, than ask yourself the question how the truth taught on this Sunday should impact how you live the rest of the week. Try to determine how the passage of Scripture along with the application given on Sunday should actually be reflected in life-lived. You can answer these questions to help yourself in this important step.
- What truth did I hear?
- If I were to live according to the truth I heard, what would I do today?
- If I both hear and believe this truth, how does that impact what I say and do?
As you answer these questions, you will begin to learn.
My suggestion is that you would read over it every day this upcoming week to ask yourself these questions.
Step Three
After you have listened carefully, reviewed your notes, meditated on the passage by asking yourself the three questions above, now you are ready for step three. Step three involves talking with other followers of Christ about what you have heard and how it applies to your life.
The Apostle Paul helps us here as well.
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:15-16)
In this portion of Paul’s encouragement to the Ephesians, Paul explains that when we speak the truth (which is God’s Word or a derivative of it), we help our brothers and sisters-in-Christ grow in Jesus. In other words, as we discuss truth together, each one of us benefits from that discussion. In fact, the more people who obediently choose to do this, the more every one of us will grow.
This Is Why Truth Is Important
Notice how this works:
- We hear God’s Word – which is truth – preached and explained.
- After hearing it, we review it, meditate on it, and seek to make application for our daily living.
- We then share that same truth with other people through conversation.
- We all grow together as a result.
Therefore, as you get up, go to church, and prepare to listen to a message preached, listen carefully for the explanation of the passage. Yes, illustrations are important, as are other stories and elements of the message. But, the most important thing to do is listen to the actual text of Scriptures, determine what it means, and then begin the process of helping yourself and others around you grow in Christ through it.
Image Credit Priscilla Du Preez
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