Preaching and the discipleship of the nations
How should we understand preaching in the context of the Great
Commission?
In the New Testament the preaching of the Baptist, the Lord Jesus,
the apostles and others is described by a wealth of terms. The most
important are kerussein, "to herald," "to
proclaim," euangelizesthai, "to publish good
news," and didaskein, "to teach." They all carry a
strong note of authority, especially the first term. This implies that
the preacher has received his assignment and message from God; he does
not invent it himself (Galatians 1); and he comes with the authority of
his Sender.
Now the Great Commission was given originally to the Twelve, but
since it would be absurd to think that they were able to reach to the
whole world in their generation, then it is reasonable and logical to
conclude that it was given to them as the foundational members and
representatives of the New Testament church. As such the Great
Commission is given to all the faithful.
The New Testament terms for preaching cannot be dissociated from the
idea of the apostolate and its foundation in the arch-apostolate of
Jesus Christ (John 20:21). This is especially true of the word used most
often in John, marturein, meaning "to bear witness judicially
as an eye-witness."
So preaching throughout the centuries up to this day is in a sense
derivative from the testimony of the apostolic era, when these chosen
men not only saw and heard Christ, even the risen Christ, but were also
commissioned by Him to preach Him to all the world, and in Him preach
repentance and forgiveness of sins, and continuing to build on this
foundation by passing on in a lively manner all things that Jesus taught
them.
The primary message of the apostles consists in a declaration of the
redemptive-historical facts of Christ's life, His death, resurrection,
session, and second advent, coupled with a call to repentance and faith.
This proclamation is fundamental to the life of the church and the
apostolic teaching which serves to build up the church.
The church has no warrant whatsoever to substitute preaching with
some novel methodology, whether it be to indulge in experimentation or
to attract a larger crowd. In the wisdom of God He not only commanded us
what to teach (all things recorded in the Bible) but also the way by
which we are to convey this sacred deposit to all hearers (by
preaching).
So the Great Commission gives us the warrant to go, to be
missionary-minded, and to pass on the truth of salvation to all;
preaching is the divine method to be used by the church. "It
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe"
(1 Corinthians 1:21b).
We may be mindful to fulfill the Great Commission but end up using
worldly means of communication; on the other hand we may be experts in
preaching and yet end up preaching error and heresy. Both must be held
to our view: conveying the truth of God through anointed preaching.
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