Preach The Word

Every once in a while, I’ll come across something I didn’t know. Apparently now that triggers something in my brain and I have to know all the things about this thing. In this particular instance it is a word. A Greek word to be exact. That word today my friends is kerygma, pronounced Kay’-roog-mah. A very interesting word that is pretty fun to say.

Here is a definition of kerygma- properly, proclamation, the preaching (heralding) of the Gospel – especially its fundamentals (like Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, etc.).

Another thing I don’t take lightly is the words in sacred scripture and the urging of Paul to preach the word in season and out of season. 2 timothy 4:2– Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

The above is why that particular word took hold of me. I feel the call to preach behind a pulpit in my life. I recently did that for the first time, a few weeks ago now. Since that experience, I’ve been wanting to preach again so as to develop my preaching style and share God’s word. I’ve heard good things from friends and others who heard my sermon. This was and still is a big encouragement to me. Knowing that my first time behind the pulpit wasn’t a complete and horrible failure is very comforting and urges me to press on in my preaching endeavors. 

So back to that word kerygma. Paul uses this word in his letter to the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Just before that he lets us in on his secret to preaching.

1 Corinthians 2:2  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Jesus Christ, and Him crucified is all He needed to win souls. To reach the hardened hearts of the Jewish leaders. And that my friends are all we need today to preach to a lost and dying world. If in my sermon the only thing that the hearer gets from it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as found in scripture, then I’ve preached faithfully. I’ve done what I needed to do. The only way the Spirit moves in a person’s life is through the preaching and reading of God’s word. 

Keeping God’s words close to us is the only way we can faithfully reach the lost in our everyday evangelism. Making disciples is sometimes a daunting task, especially when we rely on ourselves to try and get everything perfect, we won’t, like ever. But with God’s word stored up in our minds, and on our hearts all the time, we have a better chance of reaching them and the Spirit moving in their lives. So, preach boldly the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and hide the words of our Lord in your hearts and mind.