BLOG #13
PREACH AND TEACH TO CHANGE LIVES
Step 4: FOCUS ON YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (cont’d)
PREACHING TRACK
In Blog #11 we said: Here the TEACHING TRACK is foundational. The PREACHING TRACK assists as a trouble-shooter. But note: All preaching involves teaching, and all teaching involves preaching. But for the purposes of this study, we make the following distinction:
TEACHING gives the timeless Word; PREACHING gives the timely Word. TEACHING aims to impart God’s Word progressively from Genesis to Revelation; PREACHING chooses specific texts and truths to expound and apply to the current needs of the congregation. TEACHING serves the regular menu for healthy Christians who are developing normally; PREACHING serves a special menu that provides the nutriments needed at critical stages of development.
Again, we may illustrate the difference as follows: Teaching (horizontal arrow) instructs God’s people consecutively, progressively and systematically from Genesis to Revelation. Preaching (vertical arrows) brings out truths from anywhere in God’s revelation in the Bible to meet the current needs of God’s people and to equip them to deal with their present circumstances.
(Sorry. Diagram is supposed to be inserted here, but I'm having a problem uploading it. Diagram shows one long horizontal arrow, representing TEACHING; above the horizontal arrow are short vertical arrows, representing PREACHING.)
Our diagram provides a guideline as to what we need to preach on, as we focus on our target audience. We simply need to ask questions such as: What do I need to preach on when I’m speaking to SPIRITUAL BABIES? When I’m speaking to SPIRITUAL YOUTH? When I’m speaking to SPIRITUAL PARENTS?
Please note that our diagram shows four general topics for preaching:
· Focus
· Key
· Area of Conflict
· Major Temptation
These topics arise out of 1 John 5:12-17:
1 John 2:12-17: 12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
BABY CHRISTIANS
Let’s look at the four topics as they relate to BABY CHRISTIANS.
FOCUS: SECURITY
1 John 2:12, 13: I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake … I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.
From the above description of the spiritual baby we deduce that the focus of preaching/teaching to the spiritual baby is SECURITY, which is related to forgiveness of sins and knowledge of the Father. Sermon topics for Baby Christians on SECURITY may include the following:
· Assurance of Salvation
· Assurance of Victory over Temptations
· Assurance of Forgiveness
· Assurance of Answered Prayer
· Daily Devotional Time (Quiet Time)
· Fellowship with Other Christians
Another key verse for SPIRITUAL BABIES is 1 Peter 2:2:
As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.
Sermon topics for Baby Christians on the WORD OF GOD may include the following:
· A Brief, Panoramic Survey of the Bible
· Five Ways of Receiving God’s Word: Hear, Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate
· The Importance of God’s Word as Food (Milk) for Spiritual Growth
· Obeying and Applying God’s Word
· Two Kinds of Hearers of God’s Word (Matthew 7:24-27)
KEY: FAITH
AREA OF CONFLICT: BASIC NEEDS
MAJOR TEMPTATION: LUST OF THE FLESH
The three topics above are all related. More than at any other stage of the spiritual journey, it is at the BABY STAGE that a Christian struggles with the basic needs of life and with the major temptation of lust of the flesh, which arises out of those needs. And FAITH is the key quality to develop in the Baby Christian, because it is faith that will help him/her to deal with basic needs and with the lust of the flesh.
Matthew 6:25-34 provides the essential message for Baby Christians regarding the three topics above. The message centers on this truth: GOD YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS JEHOVAH-JIREH, THE LORD YOUR PROVIDER. This truth may also be expressed as JESUS YOUR SHEPHERD WILL ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF YOU. Below are some scripture passages that you may preach from:
· 1 Kings 17:1-16 – God provides in times of famine.
· Psalm 23 – Our Shepherd provides for all our needs.
· Psalm 103 – God’s Material and Spiritual Blessings.
· John 2:1-11 – Jesus will help us when our resources run out.
· Philippians 4:19 – God will supply our needs, not wants.
· James 1:5 – God gives the needed wisdom to live the Christian life.
· Philippians 4:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:7 – How to overcome worry.
· Hebrews 13:5, 6 – God will never forsake us.
· Mark 4:1-20 – How to overcome Satan’s temptations regarding the lusts and cares and worries of this life.
NOTE: In our next posting, we will explore preaching topics for YOUTH CHRISTIANS.
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