Preach

The act of preaching is a mystery. How can we presume to be God’s representatives? How can we possibly speak the very oracles of God? How can lives be eternally transformed when we, the preachers, are so flawed?

Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of God to a treasure, a seed, and a net because parables are one way to describe something which is beyond description. I think preaching falls into the same category.

When I attempt to explain what happens when I stand up to preach my explanation falls woefully short. So, what is preaching like? What similes can aid us?

Preaching is like a herald who proclaims the good news about the King.

Preaching is like a road-maker who cuts a straight path towards the truth.

Preaching is like a civil engineer who builds a bridge between two cultures.

Preaching is like a dispatch-rider who faithfully conveys his commander’s message.

Preaching is like a ploughman who creates a straight furrow for potential fruitfulness.

Preaching is like an ambassador who represents his own kingdom and yet lives in another.

Preaching is like a biographer who uses her own words to tell someone else’s story.

Preaching is like…I am not entirely sure what it is like.

Robert