Declaring the Preaching

1 Corinthians 15:1 KJV

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

Paul here declared what he had previously preached. Some commentaries suggest there is an element of reproach here; that the Apostle is perturbed that he must restate the message he has already stated. I, for one, am thankful he did it. Here we have the clearest explanation of the whole gospel we find in the Word. And here we find another principle for great preaching - the stating, restating and explaining of that preaching. 

Paul preached the gospel and then, with paper and pen declared that message again:

• Refreshing the mind with its doctrine
• Outlining its details and 
• Providing arguments in its defense

Paul used the spoken word to preach his message and then the written word to reinforce it. He was not content to quit with having only delivered the message. He wished to provide for them a lasting record of that message, so vital to salvation.

One preacher I know likes to interview his hearers to see that they got what it was he intended to say. Many preachers today provide recordings of their messages for their congregations to listen to again at a later time. Other pastors now have the option to post their sermons either in written form or recorded, on a church web site. In every case the principle is being applied. The message of God's Word is too important to leave to one simple hearing. We need to declare what we preach for our congregation's further benefit.