In Nehemiah 8, the people of Israel who had returned from the captivity assembled to hear the law. They were not reluctant hearers, but attentive recipients of the word. Indeed, the text says that "the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law" as Ezra spoke from the pulpit "from early morning until midday" (Neh. 8:3). Extended periods of listening to God's will have never been boring to those who love the Lord and His truth.
Their exemplary response to God's law began in reverence when they stood as the book of the law was opened and concluded with the people voicing, "Amen, Amen," to the teaching as they worshiped God. The day ended with the people being joyful "because they had understood the words that were declared unto them" (Neh. 8:12). Though the day began with many being ignorant of the law's teaching, they understood and rejoiced by day's end.
The book of Nehemiah goes on to record the people's confession of sin and their vowing together "to do all the commandments of Jehovah our Lord" (Neh. 10:29). How was this great change in understanding of God's will and the consequent uplifting of the people accomplished? What kind of teaching aided this much needed transformation of will and action? Our questions are answered as this is revealed about the teaching of Ezra and his fellow teachers:
And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading (Neh. 8:8).
This was a case of distinctive preaching which should serve as an example to us. The same things that made this distinctive preaching acceptable to God and effective in reaching honest hearts can do the same in our time. Notice the elements of this distinctive preaching:
1) It was preaching founded upon the word of God.
2) It was preaching that examined and applied the principles of truth.
3) It was preaching designed to be understood by all hearers.
It is incumbent upon God's people to examine the preaching of our day to see if it meets the divine criteria of such distinctiveness. Those of us who preach must honestly measure our teaching by the divine standard, not the standard of popular appeal or cultural correctness. Those of us who listen must demand distinctive preaching that fosters an understanding of the truth and a proper application of its principles as we commit ourselves to total faithfulness.
New Testament preachers did the same. Paul said that the Scripture was given "that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Peter referred again and again to Scripture as the proof in his sermons (cf. Acts 2 & 3). The Hebrew writer used Scripture to prove each point he made. Thus, Paul gave the simple instruction for all preachers of all time: "Preach the word" (2 Tim. 4:2).
In our time, many denominational preachers and "televangelists" have blazed the trail of minimizing the use of the Scriptures. Sadly, too many of our brethren seem to be following their lead. Sermons with three, two or just one Bible passage cited during the entire sermon are becoming far too common among us. As the volume of cited Scripture diminishes, the dependence upon uninspired poetry, jokes, stories and literature has increased. Though such material is sometimes good to illustrate a Bible truth, let us always show our emphasis upon the word of God by appealing predominantly to it.
The New Testament requires the same kind of distinctive preaching which examines "the sense" of truth in propositional terms and shows the practical applications of that truth by calling upon the hearers to correct their actions in obedience. Whether those preaching in the first century affirmed the proposition that Jesus was the Christ, that salvation was by grace through faith, or that Christians have an obligation to holiness, they examined the doctrine of Christ to ascertain the truth and gave "the sense" of that teaching.
Such preaching demanded that they oppose false concepts which would lead people away from God and His truth. While affirming that the crucified Jesus was the Christ, they exposed and opposed the Jews and Greeks who denied that propositional truth (1 Cor. 1:18-25). While affirming that salvation was by grace through faith, they had to expose and oppose the Judiazing teachers who taught otherwise (e.g. book of Galatians). While affirming the necessity for holiness in Christians' lives, it was also necessary to expose and oppose those who turned the grace of God into a license to increase sin (Rom. 6:1-11; 1 Jn. 1:6; 1 Cor. 5). Preaching that accentuates the positive and eliminates the negative may please the ears of the world, but it does not please God by following His plan for distinctive preaching. Preaching that follows the Bible pattern will pointedly rebuke immodesty, social drinking, dancing, unlawful divorce and remarriage, doctrinal compromise and other sins of the day.
The hearers of the first century were also given responsibilities to insure that such preaching would continue in their presence. John told the hearers to "believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 Jn. 4:1). John then gave specific truths to test for false teachers. When the hearers asked a teacher regarding the specific points of truth and compared the teacher's words to the word of God, false teachers could be identified, exposed and avoided.
One of the common characteristics present in false teachers is their repeated claim to have been misunderstood. When accused of teaching error, they often shift the blame to the defender of truth by saying it is all just a confusion over terminology. A teacher who truly finds it too difficult to speak so that he is understood needs to reevaluate his usefulness as a gospel preacher. When one denies that the truth is clear and can be clearly presented, it should serve as a warning that the "truth" he teaches is not the truth of God. Those who preach the distinctive message of truth will be understood because the message was designed by God to be understood by hearers who could then apply the principles into a life of service to God as clearly commands in His word. Let us unashamedly preach the distinctive truth of God so as to be understood.