What God Promises to Do Through Preaching

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1. 00:00

   Joel Kim

   But our spectacular God works in ordinary ways. He not only blesses his people, but also provides the means of his blessing. To seek him where his Word promises that he is, is wisdom. In the Westminster Larger Catechism 155, the question asks, “How is this Word”—that was just mentioned—“effectual,” effective, “for our salvation?” And the answer is simply, “The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling sinners, of driving them out of themselves and drawing them unto Christ, of conforming them to his image and subduing them to his will, of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions, of building them up in grace and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation.”

2. Joel Kim

   [~01:18] JOEL KIM - Let’s read Romans 10:14–15. The apostle Paul says, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

3. Joel Kim

   [~01:47] JOEL KIM - “What is your hobby?” ranks right up there as one of my least favorite questions. Perhaps it’s the result of growing up in a pastor’s family with limited means, or perhaps one of the consequences of a busy life with work and family, or perhaps the effect of a boring personality and uncurious mind, but I do not have that many hobbies. Let me rephrase that. I don’t have many hobbies that people find interesting. Certainly, I do like to spend time with family and people. I enjoy watching sports and shows and movies, and I find great joy in good and edifying books. But I wish I could say that I’m a standout athlete—whatever the sport—an extreme outdoorsman, a memorable cook or a baker, classical musician or an art enthusiast. The list is long. Something memorable and extraordinary.

4. 02:43

   Joel Kim

   We live in a time when the trend seems to be against what is ordinary. Ordinary denotes boring, uninspired, or old, when we could be on the hunt for the newest and best, extraordinary and different, and inspiring and cutting edge. Incredible, revolutionary, fresh, amazing, new and improved are words that speak to us. Certainly not ordinary. But throughout Scripture, what the Lord desires from us seems to be ordinary. And this is what I mean. For those of us who are Presbyterians, you may be familiar with the words of the catechism found in the Larger Catechism. In the Question and Answer 154, the question simply asks, “What are the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation?” What are those things that keep us growing and maturing, is the question.

5. 03:50

   Joel Kim

   “The outward,” the answer says, “and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to his church the benefits of his mediation are all his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer, all which are made effectual to the elect for their salvation.” Now, these ordinary means are confirmed for us in Acts 2:42. And here the author records for us by saying, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.” What we see here is God communicating the benefits of his salvation as the church focuses on what seems to be ordinary: the teaching of the Word, the administration of the sacraments—that is, baptism and the Lord’s Supper—and praying together.

6. 04:54

   Joel Kim

   Sometimes we as Christians and our churches struggle with fear of missing out—as our younger brothers and sisters would say, FOMO. Often the temptation is great for us to seek and perhaps even create means by which we encounter God. You can understand why in some ways. After all, God wrestled with Jacob, appeared in a burning bush before Moses, led his people on a cloud in a pillar of fire, often appeared in dreams, protected Elisha with an army of angels, and the risen Lord appeared to the apostle Paul. All these seemingly miraculous events.

7. Joel Kim

   [~05:33] JOEL KIM - But our spectacular God works in ordinary ways. He not only blesses his people, but also provides the means of his blessing. To seek him where his Word promises that he is, is wisdom. But for our time, I want to draw your attention to the catechism that follows immediately after, because I find that to be an interesting discussion of what is common and ordinary ways that our God works. In the Westminster Larger Catechism 155, the question asks, “How is this Word”—that was just mentioned—“made effectual,” effective, “for our salvation?” And the answer is simply, “The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling sinners, of driving them out of themselves and drawing them unto Christ, of conforming them to his image and subduing them to his will, of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions, of building them up in grace and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation.”

8. 07:03

   Joel Kim

   I am really grateful for the confessions and catechisms of the church. They are simple without being simplistic. And simplifying. That is, they take big ideas and make them digestible. And I’ve been stuck on that particular phrase, “especially the preaching of the Word.” When the previous catechism spoke of effectual means, this catechism specifies, highlights, and underlines the Word of God. Not just reading, but especially the preaching of the Word of God. There is mere preaching that the Scripture teaches us to lean upon.

9. 07:50

   Joel Kim

   In the middle of his explanation of Israel’s accountability in rejecting the righteousness of God for their own, Paul argues for the necessity of evangelistic preaching. In part, this section removes any notion that the Jews in their unbelief had any excuse for their unbelief. At the same time, this section lays down principles of faith that are applicable to all people, including us. This paragraph further explains his conclusion in the previous paragraph found in verses 12 and 13 of chapter 10: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This final sentence prompts a series of rhetorical questions on the part of Paul, self-evident in the mind of Paul that this should follow, that all begin with a question: How? And you see that in verses 14 and 15.

10. 09:09

    Joel Kim

    These are interlocking questions where the final verb of the first question is used to begin the next question. In effect, these questions have to be taken together and understood as a whole. And these are the questions he asks. First, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?” And then he goes on to ask, “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard?” And then, “How are they to hear without someone preaching?” And finally, “How are they to preach unless they are sent?” Paul asks. And we want to go over these questions one by one. First, having asserted that all who call upon the Lord will be saved, Paul asks if calling is possible without believing in Christ Jesus first. Perhaps it is not surprising to us that calling Jesus as Lord is impossible apart from faith in him, as Paul stated earlier in verse 9 of chapter 10: “If you confess with your mouth,” he said, “that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,” Paul said.

11. 10:36

    Joel Kim

    Believing, quote, “in him,” which is a common phrase in the Gospel of John, but very much more rare in the writings of Paul, encompasses the whole of what Paul has taught in the book of Romans. Believing in him. “In him” is a common phrase in the Gospel of John, but much more rare in the writings of Paul. It encompasses the whole of what Paul has taught in the book of Romans. Christ Jesus came, Christ Jesus lived, Christ Jesus died and raised up for our justification, according to chapter 4, verse 25. Apart from such faith in Jesus Christ, calling on the name of the Lord is not only unlikely, it is impossible, Paul says. Then he goes on to make the second question. Paul asks if belief is possible apart from hearing the good news being proclaimed.

12. 11:40

    Joel Kim

    He says, “How are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard?” Just as believing logically occurs prior to calling, so hearing logically takes place prior to believing. Paul elsewhere asserted, “Him we proclaim,” according to Colossians chapter 1, making certain that we, along with the Colossians, understand the message—actually, the only message—he and the apostles proclaimed to a world seeking wisdom, knowledge, and insight. Some have pointed out that the verb “to hear” usually indicates a person, thus necessitating the translation, “How will they believe in him whom they have not heard?” That is, they will not believe until they hear Christ Jesus himself. Now, I have no issue in believing that Christ himself speaks through the Word, but in this particular context, the focus seems to be the word, that is, the good news. And Paul’s point is that Christ himself is heard in the gospel message proclaimed by him and others like him.

13. Joel Kim

    [~12:58] JOEL KIM - Having talked about the proclamation of the Word, he then follows with his third question. He asks, “But how is this word heard unless someone preaches it?” A preacher is merely a messenger, someone who is entrusted with the message of another. During a time without social media, 24-hour news online, or print news outlets, news without a herald was impossible.

14. 13:35

    Joel Kim

    This is the task that has occupied Paul throughout his life. In fact, immediately after encountering Jesus, Luke in the book of Acts records simply this in chapter 9, verse 20: “And immediately Paul proclaimed”—and the word translated “proclaimed” is the same word for preaching. And then he goes on to say, preaching “Jesus in the synagogue, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” His simple explanation of his ministry to the elders of Ephesus on Miletus also indicates to us what he did in Acts chapter 20. Luke reports, “And now, behold, I”—that is, Paul—“know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming”—that is the same word, preaching—“the kingdom will see my face again.” In fact, the final image of Paul’s ministry recorded for us in the book of Acts, in Acts chapter 28, is one of preaching. He’s sitting in prison and we’re told, “proclaiming”—again, the very same word, preaching—“the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” Calling Jesus requires hearing the gospel, which requires the proclamation of the Word.

15. 14:59

    Joel Kim

    And this is where Paul finishes his thought with the final question, that Paul states that as heralds, preachers must be sent. As Christ Jesus sends messengers, even now the church sends messengers to carry the good news of Jesus Christ. Thus completes the evangelistic logic of Paul: God sends messengers. Messengers preach and proclaim. People hear. Hearers believe. And believers call upon the name of the Lord.

16. 15:36

    Joel Kim

    Going back to the Larger Catechism earlier mentioned, the question was, “How is the Word made effectual to salvation?” “The Spirit of God makes the reading”—which you and I often do—“but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling sinners, of driving them out of themselves and drawing them unto Christ.” “Especially the preaching,” it says. However, many of our contemporaries think that preaching is old-fashioned. “It’s old” is basically what they mean. I have a son named Simeon who recently discovered an 8mm film camera that we used to actually record his birth as well as his older sister’s birth over 20 years ago. It was lying around in our closet. He found it, he found the videos, and he started playing them. And his reaction was incredible for someone like me, because the technology is only about 15, 20 years old, but he simply said, “You used to use these things?” he asked, as if these things are seemingly impossible for him to actually consider.

17. 16:55

    Joel Kim

    Preaching feels like that sometimes. It feels old. It feels dated. When multimedia presentation and soundbites are the norm, preaching seems to be from my parents’ generation, something that is now arcane and passé. It also feels inefficient to many. The question often arises in the mind of many: Is listening to a person preach for 30 to 45 minutes each Sunday really the most efficient use of time and resources to communicate the gospel message? some might ask. It also feels very much authoritarian in the minds of some. In a day filled with skepticism about authority figures and institutions, a preacher declaring, “Thus saith the Lord,” seems out of touch.

18. 17:52

    Joel Kim

    “Read the room,” some people might say. It feels ultimately ordinary, too simple, too mundane, unfit for these extraordinary times and the extraordinary people. Yet preaching and proclaiming the Word, as the catechism says, “especially the preaching,” is what we, many who are preachers, are called to do and what you, many who are to be listeners of preaching, are also called to do. We are told by Paul, “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” For our sake, God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Jesus, we who listen might become the righteousness of God. So this is where we come to recognize the importance of preaching, not only for preachers themselves, but for those of us who listen to the Word being proclaimed. Preaching is the revealed way of making God and his salvation known.

19. 19:16

    Joel Kim

    This is how God always intended to proclaim and to declare his message to all. At the end of the series of rhetorical questions, Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7. Whenever an Old Testament passage is quoted in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul, we have to think of it like it’s a hyperlink. That is, the author intends us to go back to the passage and to think about the context of that passage. And the passage recorded for us in Romans 10:15 is simply, “As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” In the servant passages of Isaiah found in chapter 52, Paul finds confirmation of the necessity of preaching and sending out preachers. God had prepared not only the message itself, but the method by which his good news is shared and proclaimed. What makes this particular quote interesting is the slight alteration of the text.

20. 20:29

    Joel Kim

    Isaiah’s passage says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news,” where the phrase “of him,” singular, has now been altered by Paul to “of those.” If you see your passage, now it’s plural. Paul is emphasizing that God, who has sent his servant, now through the servant sends messengers, including Paul himself. Messengers sent out to preach the good news. In other words, Paul finds in Isaiah in chapter 52 his own ministry announced beforehand, even before he was born, and now followed by others. One thing that you have to recognize is that the gospel is God’s message. Therefore, God determines the means by which the message is proclaimed. God’s message, God’s means.

21. 21:35

    Joel Kim

    John Calvin summarizes this best when he says, “It is enough for us to bear this only in mind, that the gospel does not fall like rain from the clouds, but is brought by the hands of men wherever it is sent from above.” No wonder Calvin actually started a seminary in Geneva to train folks to be able to go forth as missionaries and preachers to proclaim the Word. What happens when God is in charge of his message and the method? And when we ask this question in the book of Acts, this is what we’re told in the first century. In this particular book of growth and movement and expansion of the early church, Luke, the author, uses summaries to indicate to us what’s happening around the world. And these summaries are interesting for us to consider. Acts 6:7 simply says, “And the word of God continued to increase.” Notice where the emphasis is. “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.”

22. 22:55

    Joel Kim

    The Word of God is moving and personified. Notice what he does in Acts 12:24. Luke says, “But the word of God increased and multiplied.” Notice the absence of the messengers themselves. After the Word is declared, we are told it’s the power of the Word of God declared allowed the church to increase and multiply. This pattern is repeated for us finally in Acts 19:20. Notice again, “So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.” I love that phrase.

23. 23:39

    Joel Kim

    “The word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail.” It creates victory. With power. “With power” is what we’re told. When God in his message sends forth the messengers and they proclaimed, especially in the preaching of the Word, we are told in the book of Acts, God is unstoppable. After all, whenever God spoke, he created life, whether in the book of Genesis, when he created all things you and I now touch or see, or even with Lazarus, one who was dead, but simply by the declaration of the word, “Lazarus, come out,” life was given. And despite the fact that we may not see nor comprehend or understand, especially in the Word being proclaimed, we come to realize God is at work. His power is displayed and life—life is given.

24. 24:49

    Joel Kim

    Romans 4:17 reminds us who our God is, that is, giving us not only the Word to proclaim who Jesus is, but the method by which we proclaim. It simply summarizes God’s power this way: “God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” God, who gives life and creates, is using especially the preaching to bring forth life in hearts that are dead in sin and turned away from him.

25. Joel Kim

    [~25:32] JOEL KIM - May the Lord raise up many more preachers who will lift up the name of Jesus Christ on high for our generation without fear nor shame for the health and growth of his church. And for those of us who are listening and hearing these wonderful preaching both in person and online, may the Lord bless you to cherish and love the preaching of the Word, as it is the effective and God-given means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling us sinners, driving us out of ourselves and drawing us unto Christ Jesus our Lord, conforming us to his image and subduing us to his will, strengthening us against temptations and corruptions, and building us up in grace and establishing our hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation. May that be what we are able to witness daily.