From the Study to the Pulpit by Allan Moseley

Author:Allan Moseley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bible. O.T.--Homiletical use., Bible. O.T.--Sermons., Bible. O.T.--Criticism, interpretation, etc., Preaching.
Publisher: Bellingham, WA
Published: 2017-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

Pray

In the Pastoral Epistles, the apostle Paul warned Timothy twice about inappropriately wrangling over words. First, in 1 Timothy Paul referred negatively to people who have “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth” (6:4–5). Second, in 2 Timothy Paul exhorted Pastor Timothy to be faithful in a whole list of responsibilities to the flock. One of those responsibilities was “charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (2:14).

It should sober all Bible expositors that we can “produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction” by handling words the wrong way. How does such a disaster happen? It’s easy, and it happens all the time. We push a little too hard for our definition of a theological word, we fail to demonstrate love to someone who uses a different definition, or we show people that we derive more pleasure from debating them than serving them. The scariest part is that we can do all that without really thinking about it. We become convinced of the rightness of our position, we begin to push for our agenda to prevail, we don’t pay careful attention to the feelings of our brothers and sisters, and sooner than we would have thought possible we see “envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction” (1 Tim. 6:5). According to 2 Timothy 2:14, such behavior “ruins the hearers.” The word translated “ruins” occurs in 2 Peter 2:6, where it refers to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Clearly Paul was warning Timothy that quarreling about words causes significant damage in the flock.

The possibility that we could become experts in handling words while simultaneously creating division in the church and harming the people we teach should drive us to our knees. Rather than attempting to describe how to pray about the way we handle words, I offer an example of a request for God’s help. I hope it’s the kind of prayer we will want to pray every time we begin the work of word study.

God, as I begin studying these words, please help me to remember that they are your words—holy words from the holy God. Since they are holy, help me to treat them as holy, with reverence and great care. I know I did nothing to deserve the gift of these words; you gave them because of your grace and love. As I receive them as a gift of love from you, please help me to study them with love for you and for the people I teach. Please prevent me from harming those who hear me. Instead, enable me to help them. Use my words to explain and apply your words so that the people who hear me will love you more and will be more equipped to live for you. As a result of being together before

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