I know from personal experience of preaching that we are our own worst critics. I’m really hard on myself when I preach because I always wonder if people are really getting the message I’m presenting. I ask myself constantly: Are they remembering this stuff? Are they applying it to their lives? I used to look back at every message and think that I did a horrible job. I always thought I could have done something better, or even worse, that I wasn’t cut out to be a preacher. But the youth pastor that was training me at the time used to always drill this verse into my head, and I have never forgotten it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
“For as rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it
We all know that God’s word has a purpose. According to 2 Timothy 3:16 its to teach, correct, rebuke, and train people in righteousness. The gospel itself teaches us that Christ died so that our sins could be forgiven. The great thing that God is saying here in Isaiah, is that God’s word never goes out without accomplishing its purpose. It doesn’t matter who we are whether we are preachers, teachers, accountants, chefs, construction workers, etc. As long as we have the knowledge of scripture and we are willing to share that with others we are doing the work of God and we are making an impact.
I personally have never seen anyone brought to Christ by my own effort to share God’s word with them. And maybe you, as a reader, have never seen that impact made from your experiences either. Often times, its easy to get discouraged when we don’t see change. When people don’t mature in their faith even though we put so much effort into teaching them something. But I like what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7:
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything but God who causes the growth.
I’ve seen a lot of preachers who be really persuasive in their preaching. I, on the other hand, am not good with words. I don’t know how to persuade people, all I know how to do is teach what the Bible says. But what I realize from what Paul says, is even the most persuasive preacher doesn’t have the ability to change someone anymore than the dullest preacher on the planet. We don’t have the power to ultimately bring someone to Christ and make an impact. All we can do is plant seeds, and once those seeds are planted God is the one that causes them to grow.
Chris
