This morning I was in Paul's second letter to Timothy.
In 2 Tim. 4:2, Paul told Timothy to "Peach the word ... using the utmost patience in your teaching" (Philipps). Here "preaching" is defined as "teaching." According to the New Testament, a sermon is a "word of exhortation" (logos paraklēsiōs, see Heb. 13:22). A biblical sermon is neither sermonizing nor pulpiteering. (The New Testament knows nothing about a pulpit much less a "sacred desk.") It is not a performance. Christian preaching is the event by which God brings to his people a Bible-based, Christ-centered, life-changing message of encouragement through the words of his spokesmen. The Bible is always the focus, not the speaker. The speaker views himself as nothing more than a mouthpiece for the biblical word of God. He does not speak for the text as if it could not speak for itself. He stands behind it rather than in front of it. His task is to focus everyone's attention (including his own) on the text, to let the text speak for itself, and to apply the text to the listeners with a life-impacting thrust. He mediates an encounter not only with the text but with God himself. If, by words or manner, a speaker becomes self-absorbed, focusing the attention on himself, he precludes any possibility of channeling biblical truth to his audience. Instead, he displays a transparent wholehearted rejection of anything that would induce the hearers to focus on the messenger rather the message. In short: Preach THE WORD!
In our market-driven, personality-centered church culture, this is a salutary word indeed.