The Benefits of Hard Preaching
John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they
had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
Intro: The phrase
here “hard saying” doesn’t mean complicated, or hard to understand. Their
description of Christ’s message was that it was a “hard saying” - hard, harsh,
rough, stiff, rough, offensive, intolerable
Here’s what we have to remember: we are hard people with
hard heads, hard hearts, hard opinions – set in our ways.
Sometimes it takes HARD PREACHING to fix what is wrong in
our life.
·
Jeremiah
23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD;
and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
There are a lot of people that seem to be confused about
this matter of “hard preaching”.
What Hard Preaching IS NOT:
1.
It is not using crude and vulgar language in the
pulpit.
2.
It is not treating God’s people like punching
bags.
3.
It is not venting all your frustrations and pet
peeves.
4.
It is not trying to make a name for yourself.
5.
It is not trying to impress other pastors with
how “straight” or “hard” you are.
6.
It is not about seeing how many you can offend
or hurt.
What Hard Preaching IS:
1.
It is Doctrinal - 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time
will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine
2.
It is Discipleship – Jesus was preaching to so
called disciples – vs. 59, 60
3.
It is Detailed – not broad, generalized abstract
preaching, but very specific
4.
It is Demanding – it will produce a crossroads
in your life and force you to choose a path
I. It’s a sign you
might be where God is! – vs. 24, 25 they were seeking Jesus…and when
they had found him…
·
NOTE: He is Omnipresent.
·
He was even present in the 7 churches of
Revelation 2 and 3, but his presence wasn’t the prominent impression
·
Hirelings and false teachers will not preach
hard. Isaiah 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying
children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers,
See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us
smooth things, prophesy deceits:
II. It is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart – vs. 26
·
Hard preaching will usually get to the bottom
line.
·
Hard preaching will reveal the true motives and
character of our hearts.
·
Hebrews
4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any
twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart.
III. It is absolutely
essential for those that want to do something for God. – vs. 28, 29
·
Hard preaching will address your personal belief
in Christ before it addresses your work.
·
You have to believe right before you can do
right.
·
Good works do not offset wrong faith.
IV. It will
produce a desire to have more than you’ve ever experienced before. –
vs. 31-34
·
You won’t be satisfied with what your father
had.
·
You will want a deeper, more fruitful, more
intimate relationship with God than ever before.
·
Soft, warm and fuzzy “preaching” won’t produce
that kind of hunger.
V. It will produce
an awareness that there is so much more to Him than you ever thought –
vs. 35, 42
·
He can do more for you than you ever realized –
vs. 35
·
His agenda far exceeds your will. – vs. 38
·
His plan for you is eternal – vs. 40
VI. It will remind
you that it is not a man, but it is God that is trying to teach you something
– vs. 44, 45
·
When it occurs to you that GOD IS TALKING TO
YOU, you will want to listen and learn!
VII. It will
always rub the natural minded man the wrong way – vs. 48-58
·
Hard preaching will generate strife and
controversy among carnally minded people.
·
Hard preaching will reveal the carnality of its
hearers.
·
Hard preaching will separate spiritually minded
people from carnally minded people.
VIII. It is spirit
and it is life – vs. 63
·
Fleshly, ear-tickling “preaching” profiteth
nothing.
·
It is hard, biblical preaching that produces
growth, life, faith, fruit and spirituality.
IX. It will expose
the doubt and unbelief in hearts – vs. 64 – 66
·
Hard preaching will expose the believers as well
as the betrayers. – vs. 64
·
Some people can’t take it. They will be
offended. – vs. 66
·
Matthew
13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when
tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is
offended.
·
Their reaction – WHO CAN HEAR IT? How can anybody put up with this? Who can
handle this??
X. It will produce
unity and confidence among the true believers – vs. 67 – 69
Hard preaching will confirm:
1.
The Will of God – they said, “We’re not
going anywhere! We are right where we are supposed to be!”
2.
The Word of God – they confessed, “Thou
hast the words of eternal life…”
3.
The Walk with God – we believe and are
sure that thou art that Christ…
