Preachers, let the word of God do the work of God

"And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law" (Neh. 8:1-9).

In Nehemiah's day there was a mighty movement of God that was fueled by the reading and exposition of the word of God. When this movement of God began Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden box before the people that were standing outside on the street. There were no worships bands, no modern facilities, no power-point and yet the people stood attentively to hear the word of God from morning till midday. Sadly, many Christians (sitting on nice comfortable pews in modern facilities) today complain when preacher preach for more than thirty minutes. Why is there such little esteem for the word of God today? Will go home and watch football all Sunday afternoon but we can't listen attentively to the word of God for more than 30 minutes? I believe that Christian are so full of worldly forms of entertainment that their appetite for the word of God is suppressed. But rather than turning to God in prayer and his word to increase are love for God's word, we turn to worldly methods of entertainment to try to keep the folks attentive in church. Preachers have fallen into this trap and are more focused on how to entertain a crowd rather than making sure that there being faithful to the exposition of God's word.

Speaking on the difference between a bible oriented preacher vs. a entertainment oriented preacher John Piper wrote, "The entertainment-oriented preacher gives the impression that he is not tethered to an authoritative book in what he says. What he says doesn't seem to be shaped and constrained by an authority outside himself. He gives the impression that what he says has significance for reasons other than that it manifestly expresses the meaning and significance of the Bible. So he seems untethered to objective authority. The entertainment-oriented preacher seems to be at ease talking about many things that are not drawn out of the Bible. In his message, he seems to enjoy more talking about other things than what the Bible teaches. His words seem to have a self-standing worth as interesting or fun. They are entertaining. But they don't give the impression that this man stands as the representative of God before God's people to deliver God's message. The Bible-oriented preacher, on the other hand, does see himself that way—"I am God's representative sent to God's people to deliver a message from God." He knows that the only way a man can dare to assume such a position is with a trembling sense of unworthy servanthood under the authority of the Bible.”

Preacher, let the word of God do the work of God for the glory of God.