What should I preach from the pulpit?

“What Should I Preach From the Pulpit?” 

Many pulpits today are filled with story telling, religious experiences, current events, death bed stories and felt needs. Does it matter to God what comes from the pulpit each Sunday? Timothy the evangelist was told to continue in the things he had learned from childhood — the “Holy Scriptures” (2 Tim. 3:14-15). Timothy was instructed by the apostle Paul about the word of God, what it was able to do and what he was to do with it. 

“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NKJV). 

What should I preach from the pulpit? Consider these gospel directions straight from this verse in the Holy Scriptures.  

Preach the Holy Scriptures, they make one wise for salvation.

2 Tim. 3:14-15

Salvation is the greatest need of every accountable human being. Why would a man professing to be a Christian preacher/teacher not make his sole work in the pulpit to preach concepts related to salvation? Paul had in mind primarily the Old Testament Scriptures for all the New Testament letters were not completed at the time of his writing. What is it about the OT Scriptures? The OT Scriptures educate (Romans 15:4), motivate (1 Corinthians 10:11) and facilitate (2 Timothy 3:15). The OT Scriptures pointed to Messiah (Lk. 24:25-27, 44). The goal of the OT was/is Christ (Rom. 10:3). He is the one who brings salvation (cf. Mt. 1:21). Truly the OT pointed to Him and facilitated the Christ and His system of doctrine. 

Preach the Holy Scriptures, they were given by inspiration from God.

2 Tim. 3:16

Literally the Scriptures are “God breathed” (ESV). The men who wrote Scripture were guided by the Holy Spirit and the end result was the mind of God to man i.e., the literal word of God and not the thoughts of man (cf. 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 1 Cor. 2:8-13; Gal. 1:11-12). What makes one think that anything else would be good to preach from the pulpit? No other book or material is the product of God’s miraculous work besides the 66 canonical books of Scripture. To add to or take away from God’s standard is to put oneself under the curse of eternal condemnation (cf. Gal. 1:6-9). The question becomes, do I trust God, that the Holy Scriptures are from God Himself, revealing Himself and His will to mankind? 

Preach the Holy Scriptures, they are profitable for everything that we need.

2 Tim. 3:16-17

They are profitable for doctrine [teaching — showing us what is true/right], reproof [showing us where we are wrong], correction [showing us how to change when we are wrong] and discipline in righteousness (ASV) [showing us how to live right]. There is nothing outside of the Scriptures that we need to make us totally complete. To say otherwise is to undermine God’s authority. We have all that we need through the gospel of Christ therefore we must obey it and preach it (cf. 2 Pet. 1:3; Ps. 119:160). The question becomes do I trust God, that all I need to make me complete is already revealed in the Holy Scriptures? 

Preach the Holy Scriptures, that is what God commanded Timothy the evangelist.

2 Tim. 4:1-2

The most sobering charge to those who would preach the gospel is found here — “I charge you in the sight of God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead …preach the word!” Sadly many “use” the Bible instead of preach the actual text of the Bible. 2 Timothy was not written to us, it is for us. We learn from it what God would have evangelists and teachers to preach. The gospel is the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jd. 3). The question is, will we follow the same instructions commanded by God? We have no new word from the Lord regarding this matter but a certainty that “the word” is the standard/message that is to be preached (2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Pet. 1:25) and that the words of Christ will judge us at the last day (cf. Jn. 12:48). 

Preaching the word of God is a most serious task. It’s not a game, joke or a cute pastime. Those who take this responsibly are warned of its seriousness (Jam. 3:1). Surely we must strive to preach Christ and Him crucified. Make Him the center of our affections and preaching (cf. 1 Cor. 2:2; Col. 1:28)!