Hebrews 4:12—13, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and morrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
God used double-edged sword to liken His Word, and comparing it, His Word is sharper. To a Roman soldier, a double-edged sword is not an ordinary sword. It is an especial kind of dagger. It is only used in a hand in hand close combat. This dagger is very sharp and is not to be used carelessly. Once the soldier drew it out from its sheath or scabbard it is meant to kill his opponent.
In the Old Testament times, the prophets whom God called to preach His Word were persecuted and many of them were killed by God’s own people, the Israelites. It is not easy to preach God’s Word. And the tendency to the man, whom God called to preach, is to be scared. That’s the reason God said to Jeremiah 1:17, “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them or I will terrify you before them.” The Word of God is the truth and the truth hurts. God’s disobedient people will harm you when you preach the truth that’s why the Lord gave warning: (Jeremiah 1:8) “Don’t be afraid of them”.
In the New Testament times when the apostles preached God’s Word, there were only two reactions from the people who heard God’s Word. Either people will repent from their sins or people will be furious. (1) Acts 2:37—38, When people heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and other apostles, “Brothers what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.” (2) Acts 7:54, After Stephen preached the Word, he was stoned to death. When they heard this they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him and attacked Stephen.
Luke 6:26, Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you. For that is how their father treated the false prophets”.
In this generation, you will always hear in churches, ministers deliver their sermons to entertain the people to make them feel good. They even hire stand-up comedians quoting verses from the Bible to make people laugh. When this style of preaching did start?
In the 17th to the 18th century there was a great awakening. It was the great missionary era of the church. God opened the door of opportunity to spread the gospel. Believers awakened to the millions who had never heard the name of Jesus. God sent men like Wesley, Whitefield, Edwards, Spurgeon and Moody to name a few across England and America. Most of the men whom God used to preach His Word were ordinary people. D.L. Moody was just a shoe sales man but God used him to preach on University campuses. People by the thousands repented from their sins and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord in their lives.
There was also a man from New York. He was a well-known brilliant lawyer who started preaching to entertain people. Every time this man preached, all his listeners had a good time. So he also got a lot of converts. And this is what almost all preachers are emulating and epitomizing. This popular preacher was Charles Finney. Besides, there was something wrong on Finney’s preaching about Salvation (once save always saved) He intentionally deliver his sermons to entertain his listeners.
Exodus 20:7, (NIV) “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name”. Unknowingly, a preacher who preaches or teaches God’s Word to entertain people is misusing God’s Name. God’s Name and His Word are synonymous. And anyone who laughs at their joke and had been entertained is guilty of taking it. (KJV) “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” How can you expect people to repent from their sins if you preach the Word to entertain them?
The Old Testament prophets sent by God to preach His Word to His own people, the Israelites persecuted them. I won’t be surprise then if Christians will hate me too because I am preaching the truth. People just want to hear about God’s love, love, love. The truth hurts and in this generation if you preach that makes people uncomfortable or be offended, they will accused you of being politically incorrect.
Yes, God is a God of love and He already demonstrated His love by sending His one and only Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay all our debts. It is finished and that’s the good news. (John 3:16—18), “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, (This is the good news, but don’t you know that there is also bad news? Let us continue reading) But whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believe in the name of God’s one and only Son. THAT IS BAD NEWS.
People don’t want to hear bad news and preachers are avoiding reading it in public! I’ll read it to you now the warning from God. (Romans 1:21—32),  “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created, things rather than the Creator who is forever praise. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanders, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil they are disobedient to their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless and ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
1 Corinthians 6:9—10, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
God did not create homosexuals and lesbians. But the curse from the parents from the grand, grandparents who worships idols or created beings, the curse was passed on to their children. This is not a joke! This is not funny! This is bad news. Is there no hope for them to be changed? There is no impossible with God. God can change anyone. But there are conditions. Repent and totally surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
“No drunkard can inherit the kingdom of God.”
By the way “drunkard” here represents any addiction a man has that controls his entire life and enslaves him to obey to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming.
(Romans 6:16) “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey?”
So it’s not only drug addiction but other forms like gambling, sex,shopping, pornography, over eating and anything that controls you and which you obey as your master. If the Lord Jesus is our Master, then we should not allow any one or any habit to be our master.
Christians just want to hear about God’s love! Love! love! As I said God already demonstrated His love by dying on the cross for us. Now it is time for us to know that God is also an angry God.
(Psalms 7:11—13), “God is a righteous judge who expresses his wrath every day. If a man does not repent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.”
Let’s go back to Hebrews 4:12—13: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and morrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Did I say that as preachers we have to wear long and sad faces like the hypocrites? Did I say that if we preach and say things unintentionally and our listeners chuckles we committed sin? No, a thousand times no. but we should be aware that preaching God’s Word is a serious business. God knows the very motive of our hearts in preaching His Word. Nothing is hidden from His sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before His eyes and we are all accountable. If we misused God’s Word, by entertaining people so to make converts, the Almighty will not hold us guiltless. God’s Word is sharper than two edged-sword. Never use it carelessly.
