Articles From Our Bulletins
Tickled Ears and Preaching the Word
Be sure you read that title right. It said “tickled” not “pickled” ears. But to me, one is as repulsive as the other. Now, let’s get the passage from which our title comes before us.
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2Timothy 4:1-5
At the end of Paul’s life, he is perhaps “passing the torch” in some senses to his younger protégé, Timothy. His “fatherly” advice unmistakably includes both a charge to “preach the word,” as well as an equally clear warning of a coming time when the audience(s) will want something else- either more, less, or just something different, than “the word.” The word “myths” is translated from the Greek word, muthos, and actually refers to a speech or (narrative) story that may be either true or false (see Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). The point? Timothy is being warned that audiences, Christians and interested unbelievers alike, will come to a point when they prefer the “stories” and well-contrived “speeches” of men over the word of God. Brethren and friends, some of us are there now if we haven’t been previously.
Rather than demanding “book, chapter, and verse” preaching that highlights, emphasizes, explains, and applies “the word(s)” of God, many prefer lessons that are filled with humorous anecdotes, heart-warming/touching stories, quotes from “scientific studies,” and the inspirational eloquence of man’s wisdom. Some will even “tune out” the message if it doesn’t come with PowerPoint visual aids, and some will do the same if it does. Criticisms of “too much Bible” and “too much teaching” are being levied in some places with suggestions that the lessons should, instead, be “more inspirational” and “less critical/judgmental.” More and more, brethren want and expect polished productions that neatly fit into whatever box they happen to think appropriate, rather than appropriate applications of the “meat” or “milk of the word,” cf. Hebrews 5:11-14; 1Peter 2:1-3. Paul wrote of such to the Corinthians, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it,” 1Corinthians 3:1-2. The spiritually immature need (and must desire!) spiritual milk, but they will never grow to be spiritually mature unless they develop a taste for, and the teeth to chew on, spiritual meat. Human wisdom, no matter how well-intentioned or well-presented, is no substitute for God’s wisdom and Word.
But we preachers and teachers must also shoulder our part of the blame for these mounting tendencies. By failing to teach absolute reliance upon the word of God, we’ve allowed if not encouraged brethren to become accustomed to or dependent upon our own “superiority of speech” and “persuasive words of wisdom” rather than “the power of God,” cf. 1Corinthians 2:1-5. Desiring the “approval of men” (John 12:43) and its rewards, and in with desires to grow “our own” churches or fame, we’ve diminished if not forgotten our responsibilities as spokesmen for God to “preach the word” as Paul urged Timothy. Souls are saved and lives of fidelity are encouraged based on God’s word, not ours. Trust God’s word to accomplish what He intends, and PREACH IT. Remember Ezra’s noble purpose to “study the Law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel,” Ezra 7:10. And as did Nehemiah and those with him, “explain(ed) the law to the people… so that they understood the reading” (of God’s word), Nehemiah 8:7-8.
Small and almost even imperceptible movements are hard to discern unless we’re watching closely for them, but can nonetheless lead our minds astray from “the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ,” 2Corinthians 11:3. Sometimes, those small first steps come in the form of preaching and teaching that highlights men’s words/wisdom and uses the Bible to illustrate them, rather than the other way around. Brethren, let’s get these things right. “The gospel” is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” Romans 1:16. Let’s “Trust in the Lord with all our heart, and do not lean on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5) enough to simply “Preach the word”- accurately, fully, unashamedly, and always, and never accept anything less.
- Tickled_Ears_and_Preaching_the_Word.pdf (81.70 kB)
