A Good Preacher and a Good Listener, PT 1

Good Preachers and Good Listeners (Pt 1)
1 Thess. 2:1-13
“But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak, not pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. …For this reason, we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but for what it really is: the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”
Communication is always a two-way dialogue.  Not only does it involve a person speaking, but it also involves the other person listening to what is said. So when we listen to a message, how do we not only evaluate what the pastor is saying, but how do we listen to what is being said? It's crucial for us to not only question if the preacher is preaching what is true, but also to engage in self-evaluation and ask, am I a good listener?  In the passage before us, Paul describes not only what is the characteristic of a good preacher but also what is the characteristic of a good listener.

First, he begins by describing the motivation of their message.  When Paul arrived in Thessalonica, he did not come to gain a following or popularity with the people. Instead, he came to proclaim the gospel without error, impurity, or deceit.  Paul did not strive to gain the approval of people.  Tragically, some preachers preach messages today to gain popularity and a following.  These preachers do not confront people with sin; they say what people want to hear.  Their messages proclaim the grace of God and the love of God without the necessity for us to change to conform to Christ.  While the gospel is inherently positive, it is a message that challenges us to change our lives and live in obedience to Christ. Paul did not come with a “flattering speech.”  In other words, he did not come with insincere praise to gain favor.  Unlike the Greek Orators who sought to gain a following by praising people, Paul did not come to please men (vs. 4).  A.T. Robertson rightfully warns us, “Few temptations assail the preacher more strongly than this one to please men, even if God is not pleased, though with the dim hope that God will after all condone or overlook.  Nothing but experience will convince some preachers how fickle is popular favor and how often it is the cost of failure to please God.”  A good preacher worthy of following does not say what we want to hear just to gain a following. Instead, they call us to walk in obedience to Christ and respond by faith to the gospel's message.

Second, instead of focusing on what people want to hear, a preacher focuses on speaking the gospel of God.  In other words, their message is governed by what God has communicated to us in His Word.  Instead of preaching only certain parts of the Bible or preaching messages that serve to undermine or discredit the scriptures, a preacher is to communicate the whole message of Scripture so that we might be transformed to be like Christ.  Paul came to the church in Thessalonica to “exhort, encourage and implore them” to follow Christ (vs. 11).  The word exhort has the idea of proclaiming the message to challenge the listener's will and actions.  It is to confront us with the necessity of change. A preacher should be challenged to live in obedience.  Second, he encouraged them.  Paul sought to give comfort and encouragement to those who were facing adversity and struggles.  Sometimes, we must confront sin but also provide hope to those discouraged in their faith.  Also, a preacher is to “implore’ and challenge the listeners to walk in a manner worthy of God (vs. 12).
When we are looking for a church, we should look for a preacher who challenges us to conform to Christ by faithfully proclaiming the whole message of God’s word. Any preacher who does not challenge us to do so is not worth listening to and is a false teacher.
Tomorrow:  Pt. 2:  Being a Good Listener.