1 Corinthians 2:1 KJV
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
The topic of this verse is developed throughout this chapter but it will suffice for my devotional time this morning to stay within it.
It is too easy, it seems to me, to lose the focus of this message. It is too easy to be swept in to the scheme of excellency of speech and human wisdom. I have often excused it by saying that all of our preaching is foolishness to the lost so that to prefer one style of preaching over another is only "excellency of speech" relatively speaking. It seems proper that we would want to preach the word of God in the most pleasing way we possibly can so that those who listen can enjoy their experience.
I do not want to imply we ought to try to be poor speakers.
But we do too often fall into the trap of trying to be good ones rather than simply trying to be faithful ones and spirit filled ones.
More time is spent studying and preparing the message than is spent praying and seeking the anointing of God.
Preaching classes will focus on the study time, the construction of the outline and the delivery rather than on the prayer and manifestation of the power of God.
And believers heaps to themselves their favorite preachers, sometimes travelling long distances to hear one they really like while skipping the services of their local church to do it.
We have developed a taste for the "excellency of speech" rather than sound doctrine. And like we do with our taste buds, we buy what pleases us rather than what is right for us.
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
The topic of this verse is developed throughout this chapter but it will suffice for my devotional time this morning to stay within it.
It is too easy, it seems to me, to lose the focus of this message. It is too easy to be swept in to the scheme of excellency of speech and human wisdom. I have often excused it by saying that all of our preaching is foolishness to the lost so that to prefer one style of preaching over another is only "excellency of speech" relatively speaking. It seems proper that we would want to preach the word of God in the most pleasing way we possibly can so that those who listen can enjoy their experience.
I do not want to imply we ought to try to be poor speakers.
But we do too often fall into the trap of trying to be good ones rather than simply trying to be faithful ones and spirit filled ones.
More time is spent studying and preparing the message than is spent praying and seeking the anointing of God.
Preaching classes will focus on the study time, the construction of the outline and the delivery rather than on the prayer and manifestation of the power of God.
And believers heaps to themselves their favorite preachers, sometimes travelling long distances to hear one they really like while skipping the services of their local church to do it.
We have developed a taste for the "excellency of speech" rather than sound doctrine. And like we do with our taste buds, we buy what pleases us rather than what is right for us.
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