Matthew 5-7 contains the greatest sermon ever preached. It was preached by the greatest Preacher, the Lord Jesus, and is called the Sermon on the Mount. While we may never be elevated to the status of a great preacher, we can strive for great content—and know that the Spirit of Christ indwells the servant of Christ who has given is this subject matter. Let’s learn from Him, though we will certainly fall short of the standard the Perfect Preacher set.
He CARED FOR THE MULTITUDES, “seeing the multitides.” His message was evangelistic. Jesus never neglected the masses of humanity. They were lost in sin, and He would call them to repentance and faith. His compassion for sinners was communicated with an invitation to enter the Kingdom of God. Every preacher should have a heart to evangelize the sinner and proclaim the Gospel in each sermon.
Jesus COMMUNICATED WITH GREAT CLARITY. “He went up on a mountain.” Whether using a mountain for a pulpit or sitting in a boat where He employed the acoustics of the lake to carry His voice—the content needed to be communicated with clarity. What He said needed to be heard and so Jesus would employ the laws of nature to amplify His voice to speak the laws of the Kingdom of heaven. Preacher, pronounce your words and proclaim the truth with clarity. Don’t let how you say it obscure what needs to be heard.
Jesus CONCENTRATED ON HIS DISCIPLES, “His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them…”. As previously noted, Jesus cared for the sheep wandering on the mountain, who needed to be summoned into the fold with a Gospel clarion call. Yet, He had a special concentration on the men who would be trained to be shepherds and extend His ministry after His departure back to glory. The preacher must also be a teacher. Edifying disciples must be the concentration of our communication. The Great Commission goes beyond the need to reach the world, to then teach the Word.
In these ways, we can be like the greatest Preacher who proclaimed the greatest sermon ever!
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