How Will They Know?
It is a great gift to any congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ when the Pastor proclaims the Word of God from the pulpit. No hesitation. No fear. No apologies (As in: “I am sorry to tell you this but it’s what God says.”). Just well-studied, exegetical preaching from a passage of scripture.
When we read about God as He is “proclaimed” by King David in 1 Chronicles 29:11-12, we can see the exaltation of God in his words. He said, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. (12) Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.
This was a prayer of David spoken in public as he blessed God (1 Chronicles 29:10), rejoicing in His provision for the building of the Temple, while also proclaiming God’s greatness and glory to those who were praying with him. He “proclaimed” the greatness, the power and the glory of God as well as His authority over everything!
The Psalmists often proclaim God’s attributes. David was particularly thankful to God and declared His wondrous works repeatedly (Psalm 26:7, Psalm 96). Many times these “proclamations” were prayers. They were words of honor and worship to God while at the same time bolstering and building up David as he faced life’s battles (which were many in his life).
We also have examples of people who boldly proclaimed Christ to others to teach them. In Acts 17 Paul sees that the men of Athens are worshipping an “Unknown God.” He approached them and proclaimed to them the truth of Jesus Christ, pointing them to Him for salvation (Acts 17:22-32). Some believed him and followed, some mocked him, and some wanted to hear more at another time.
This example clearly shows us that because we boldly proclaim the name of Christ, there is no guarantee that people will immediately have their eyes opened and be saved. By the grace of God the response to or outcome of our boldness is not up to us. “God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy” (Romans 9:18). Our job is to persevere in proclaiming the truth of the scriptures and what God the Father has done for us in sending His Son.
This call to proclaim the scriptures and the truth about our great God brings Romans 10:14 to mind. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
That “preacher” may be a Mom to her own children (and their friends). It may be the man in the middle of the city proclaiming the gospel with a loud speaker. Others are out at abortion mills proclaiming the truth of the murder they are about to hire someone to do for them. Some evangelists are willing to stop and talk to anyone who looks like they need some attention.
Our circumstances and our gifts are different but the fact that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17) as the way people come to faith is an unchanging fact. Our duty is to be as faithful about proclaiming the Word of God as we expect the men in our pulpits to be. Without hesitation. Without fear. Without apology.
In Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph is told to name Him Jesus “for He will save His people from their sins.” How will people know this if we do not tell them? And why would we apologize for telling them?