Preaching That Really Isn't, Part 2

Many of you would know them if I called their names. Two preachers, both from Mississippi, both very well known. I had the occasion of hearing them both preach over the last year. I am sad to say that both sermons serve as examples of what I call preaching that really isn't. I want to take the opportunity to share these examples, without names of course, in order to highlight what true Bible preaching is, and what it isn't. For my preacher friends out there, may this serve as an example of what not to do.

The first sermon was based on Mark 3:13-19. This is the text where Jesus appoints twelve to be apostles. These are the men who would be with Him almost constantly and He would send them out to preach. The twelve men are mentioned by name in the text. The preacher pointed out that these were not high class men. They were lower class in many cases, many of them just common fishermen, uneducated men. One was even a tax collector who would have pretty much been the enemy of everyone. These are not the kind of men you would expect Jesus to entrust with such important work.  The preacher pointed out all these things and was absolutely correct in doing so. The problem was in his application of the text. His sermon was about marriage. The primary idea of his sermon seemed to be that since Jesus was so accepting of men like the twelve apostles, we should be accepting of our marriage partner even though they are imperfect. That is a not necessarily a bad suggestion. The problem is that this text of Scripture has absolutely nothing to do with marriage. Marriage was nowhere in the author's mind when he penned this text. It may make a pretty good message, but it isn't Bible preaching. Here's why. What that preacher said is not what the Bible says. It was his word, not God's Word. He would say he was preaching God's Word, but in actuality he wasn't. That, ladies and gentlemen, is preaching that really isn't.

Contrast his approach to that text with that of well known Bible preacher and teacher John MacArthur. MacArthur also pointed out all the same textual data about the disciples being just ordinary men. He called them "remarkably unremarkable." The difference is in the way MacArthur applied the text. He applied it according to the intent of the author. MacArthur's central idea was that God uses ordinary people in the work of the kingdom. That is what this text is about, not marriage. The text demonstrates that when ordinary people meet an extraordinary Savior they become useful tools for God.

Hopefully this example of a misuse of a text of Scripture will help make us better preachers and better listeners. Don't be fooled by preaching that really isn't. Example number two next time. Blessings!