Preach It Anyway!

by Phillip Brannon

I have come to the conclusion that when it comes to preaching the Word of God, some people cannot be pleased (this is also true in other areas). It is not possible to please everyone every time one preaches. Someone will be offended.

• If one preaches loud enough for everyone to hear, someone will say the preacher is too loud.
• If one tries to lower his voice, so that it will not be “too loud,” someone will say that the preacher is speaking too softly.
• If one smiles, someone will say that the preacher does not look serious enough.
• If one has a stern look on his face, someone will say the preacher looks too mean.
• If one preaches Christ, some Jews will be offended.
• If one preaches about marriage, some homosexuals will be offended.
• If one preaches baptism, some denominations will be offended.
• If one preaches that purity should come first and that peace should come second, every denomination will be offended.
• If one preaches about God, some atheists will be offended.
• If one preaches about the Godhead, some world religions will be offended.

In some instances, one is forced to wonder if this generation is not like the generation that Christ described when he said, "But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified in her children" (Matthew 11:16-19).

With the possibility of always offending someone, how and what is one to preach?

The best advice this preacher can give to one who realizes that He cannot please everyone is the same advice and command Paul gave the young preacher Timothy: "Preach the Word!" Preach it when they like it and when they do not (II Timothy 4:1-4). Preach the same thing the apostles preached: Christ (I Corinthians 2:2)! Paul noted that the preaching of Christ was a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks (I Corinthians 1:23). Still, with Jews and Gentiles both rejecting the Christ, Paul preached Christ anyway. Paul knew that if he preached the gospel, someone would be saved (I Corinthians 1:24).

Preacher, do the same. Tell the people what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. Do they not want to hear about Christ? Preach Him anyway? Do they not want to hear God’s plan for marriage? Preach it anyway. Do they not want to hear about baptism? Preach it anyway. Do they not want to hear about sin in their lives? Preach on it anyway. Preach with all authority (Titus 2:15). Someone will listen. Someone will be saved. Better still, God will be pleased, and that fact is what makes the difference!

No, preacher or teacher, you cannot please everyone when you preach the gospel of Christ. In fact, most people will not be pleased (Matthew 7:13-14). Someone is always going to complain about the message or the man through whom the message is delivered. So what! Preach it anyway!