I thought I was at the top of my game as a first grade teacher as I passionately taught a reading group about the importance of the sounds that each of our letters make when forming words. At the end of my dissertation, one little girl who had been looking intently at me the whole time finally spoke up. Here it comes, I thought. She is going to tell me how much she learned from my lesson. She smiled as she said, “Mrs. Callaway, that is the most beautiful necklace I have ever seen!” Sigh. Remembering this makes me smile. Remembering this, as I read the first “if you…” from Romans, helps me to understand more about what Paul is trying to say.

What is the bottom line that must be preached? God’s Message about Jesus! The One and Only, Jesus, God’s Son who brings us into relationship with God, our Father! As preachers, we sometimes go too many times around the flagpole with raising the flag! (If you are the one in the audience listening to a preacher go on and on, you know what I mean!) Give me Jesus! Our hearts long to hear about Jesus, to see Jesus in each other, to know Him more and more.

Our work weeks are tough. We are battered and bruised sometimes as we live among unbelievers, working side by side, while trying to be a difference. WHO makes the difference in us? JESUS! Once in awhile, lay down the topical lectionaries, the commentaries and the series of how to’s and give us Jesus!

“If you preach…just preach God’s Message, nothing else.” We do not need your opinion. We need Jesus. We do not need to know how you stand on current political issues. We need a Savior. We do not need you to bear your soul about your family. We need God’s message, nothing else. What is God wanting to say through us? How do we know unless we ask Him? Listen. When God speaks, listen. Then preach what He says. Nothing else. Revolutionary.

Dear Heavenly Father, We repent of our selfishness in preaching. We repent of thinking we have a great thing to say when all they are looking at is what we have adorned ourselves with in our presentation. Strip us down to only preaching YOUR Message of the saving grace given to us because of the work of Jesus Christ, Your Son. May they see You in our eyes as we stand look our audience in their eyes.
In Jesus Name and by His power, help us. Amen.