THE THEOLOGY OF PREACHING (PT.3)

The Divine and Human Dimensions of Preaching

It has been estimated that a one hundred and fifty pound man is made up of; 92 lbs. oxygen, 31 carbon, 14 hydrogen, 4.6 nitrogen, 3.4 phosphorous, and a variety of other elements, all of which, Dr. Charles Mayo of the Mayo clinic, deemed to be worth only 84 cents, in 1924. (Mayo)” The worth of a human life has increased dramatically in the eyes of some since, and in 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency set the value of a human life at $9.1 million, and the Food and Drug Administration put it at $7.9 million. But regardless of man's warped valuation system, God places an infinitely higher worth upon the human life. 

Our true worth cannot be derived merely by examining the chemical composition of our bodies, the potential earnings achieved by our minds and our backs, or by some arbitrary humanistic calculation of our meaningfulness as a global citizen of earth. No, the Bible teaches us that one of the ways that our true significance can be measured, is in the light of our capacity to be used by God upon this earth. Paul the Apostle tells us that, "...we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Cor 4:5-7)” Norman Grub, in his book, The Deep Things of God, makes the statement that, "...man's highest capacity is that of being a vessel containing God. ...That alone is their highest privilege and the limit of their capacity... the only function of his humanity, to be the recipient and container of the Living God. (Grubb)" 

That sounds pretty good doesn't it? But Pastor Chuck identified a weakness in this analogy, and suggests one capacity that actually excels it; i.e. "...the capacity of being a channel through which God will flow to a world around you. It is one thing to contain God. Glorious, oh my, yes. No underestimating of the glory of being able to contain God. But oh, one step further: when God, through me, pours forth His love to the world around me, and this glorious treasure that I have is shared with others! (Smith)" Viewed from this perspective, we can begin to recognize the incredibly critical role that preaching plays, given that its function is to funnel God's word, directly to God's people. 

Over the centuries, there have been many hotly debated questions concerning the nature of the human and divine interactions inherent within the act of preaching. Some have even gone so far as to say that, “...the entire history of the church's approach to preaching can be located on a continuum between these two poles, of the human and the divine. (Koessler)” Given that level of importance, it is helpful to remember that, “It is a terrifying thing to take the Word of God upon your lips. (Koessler)” Indeed, standing in God's stead, purporting to speak His words with authority and conviction, doesn’t seem like a very wise thing to do at all; and it’s not of course, unless you’ve been asked to do it by God Himself, and you abide by the guidelines He has set. Even then, it seems a bit dicey sometimes, but it is relieving to know that fallible human instruments, are the channels by which God has ordained to pour His message through. It was His idea, not ours, and what a blessing to realize that even though we might fail in our delivery, we are still illuminated and, “…empowered by the same Spirit who spoke through the prophets and the authors of Scripture… (Koessler)”

In his book, The Two Elements of Preaching, Phillip Brooks sees the truth as coming through personality as “Real Preaching” and that, “Preaching is the communication of truth by man to men. (Brooks)” He believed this so strongly that he said, “…with the absence of one or the other element [truth or personality], a discourse ceases to be a sermon, and a man ceases to be a preacher altogether. (Brooks)” He suggests that without the personal influence of the preacher, the message becomes nothing more than impersonal information printed into a book and it may as well be written in the sky. Ultimately, he believed that the message was much more effective when the individualism of the preacher was encouraged, rather than suppressed. Unique perspectives fostered by individuals illuminated by the Holy Spirit, can often impart truths more clearly and powerfully than a group mind set allows them to. 

Ultimately, the preacher is an essential part of the sermon, and his personality is the medium through which the gospel is spread unto the ends of the earth, by means of preaching. So, it is clear to see then that, “Preaching has both human and divine dimensions. On the one hand, preaching is a human enterprise; the words of a sermon are the preacher's words distinct from the Word of God. The message is not dictated to the preacher from above, but requires careful study in its development, and practiced craft in its delivery. (Koessler)” But it must never be forgotten that the message is from God, and is all about His Son Jesus, not the preacher nor his parishioners! God uses the preacher as a channel to preach Christ! Which is why the Apostle Paul said, “…we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord… (2 Cor 4:5)" Each of us, whether pastor, preacher or parishioner can be used in this capacity, in allowing God's love to flow through your life!

By Pastor Glen Mustian

Brooks, Phillips. Lectures on Preaching. Divinity School of Yale. 1877. Print. (pp. 1-34). 

Grub, Norman. The Deep Things of God. 
Koessler, John. Folly, Grace, and Power: The Mysterious Act of Preaching. Zondervan. Kindle. 

Mayo, Charles. https://liblog.mayo.edu/2010/01/14/whats-the-body-worth/

NKJV New King James Version. Holy Bible. Thomas Nelson. Nashville, TN: 2000. Print.
Smith, Chuck. Verse by Verse Commentary 2 Corinthians. 3000 Series.