TOPIC:“Preaching Prophecy From the Pulpit”
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:Acts 20:22-32
“For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27)
Most people believe the sermon to be the dominant feature of the worship service. It ranks higher than any other aspect of Christian worship. That being said, the tragic thing in all of this is that often what comes across the pulpit is not relevant and pertinent to life and it's problems. This must change!
Now I believe that the best way to get people into God's Word and to live by God's Word is though the expository preaching of it. And such preaching must include the total message that God has given the minister to proclaim. A message not only about a PERSON - the Lord Jesus Christ, but also a message of a PROSPECT - His personal coming in glory. A prophetic message which takes in resurrection as well as redemption, judgment as well as mercy, the crown as well as the cross, and the eternal hope of Heaven as well as the everlasting horror of Hell.
All of this is an essential part of God's revelation given not only to those early disciples to preach, but to each one of us as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But such prophetic truth must be presented in a sane, sound and sensible way. It must follow the example of the Apostle Paul who declared to the Colossians: “of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God…To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:25, 27, NKJV). Let's consider together what prophetic expository preaching is all about.
I.
Consider, to begin with, the DEPARTURE of prophetic expository preaching. In approaching our topic I want us to realize that such preaching on the whole has largely vanished from the scene today. I recognize there are exceptions to this, but in reality one has to admit that for one reason or another, the vast majority of preachers today very seldom, if ever, attempt to preach on Bible prophecy. Whatever the reasons, I am fully persuaded that we are in need of a revival of sane and sound prophetic preaching today. It is part of the minister's total package of proclaiming God's Word. Give ear to the words of the Apostle Paul who declared to the believers at Ephesus: “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Bible prophecy to Paul was part of the total message God wanted His people to hear.
Now as to the reasons why Bible prophecy is not a popular . . .