Warning Do Not Preach

  Preachers worry about preaching “moving” sermons.  “Moving” sermons are ones that are either going to move the congregation in a different direction or move the preacher on down the road.   Even with that worry, a preacher should always be one that preaches the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) and speaks the truth even if it makes him some enemies (Galatians 4:16).

  That being said, there are some sermons than should never be preached. The forbidding of these lessons is not dictated by the whims of men but by the word of God. Let consider some of those not to be preached sermons:

1.     The Old Wives Talk

But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.

1^st Timothy 4:7

This kind of lesson has found its way into our modern vernacular.  An old wives tale is a superstition or traditional belief that is regarded as unscientific or incorrect. These are sermons that have a lot of opinions and not a lot of Biblical backup. They are preached when not a lot of study is done and everything is “off the cuff”

2.     The Endless Sermon

Nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

1^st Timothy 1:4

These sermons are ones that try to drown you in information, yet don’t really have a point. They give lots of “facts” and figures but don’t do anything to further anyone but the speaker.  People leave these lesson impressed by the speaker but not able figure out what was talked about.

3.     The Out of Left Field Lesson

If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,

1^st Timothy 6:3-4

This is the lesson that’s whole point is to stir the pot.  The preacher is going to present something that will cause people to fuss. He has some hobby, weird interpretation or nitpick that he is going to bring up to make him feel superior to all those people that are on a lower level than him.

4.     The Preaching Professor

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge"--

1^st Timothy 6:20

This is the lesson of ‘research’. The speaker will get every different take, every different point of view, all the theories, all the angles but never tell you what is true and right.  The lesson leaves you more confused than when you started. Truth isn’t important only ‘knowledge’.  No one is offended but no one is in instructed either.

5.     The Momentary Message

not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

Titus 1:14

These lessons are not about the why but the when. They either stress the past, “Do what we have always done” or the future “ Do something new and different”.  They don’t seek what God has said, only a point in time to latch ourselves to.

  Why shouldn’t these lessons be taught? They don’t provide truth. They don’t help people grow. They don’t help get closer to God. They are just self-serving rhetoric.  

  The sermons God wants preached are one that lift Him up and draw us closer to Him!