There’s a consistent preaching method we see in the New Testament that many preachers have gotten away from these days.
I don’t think it has a specific name, so I’ll call it, “Bad News First Preaching.”
When we observe the preaching, especially of Peter, what we witness is a preaching style that is consistent throughout the Bible. The preacher begins by pointing out the error of the listeners ways and then gives the good news of God’s wonderful love and mercy and grace to all who repent and follow Him.
Why is bad news first a Biblical preaching theme? It’s simply because in order to be saved we must first understand that we have a NEED to be saved.
Those who don’t understand that they have a need, believe in their ignorance, that they are “good enough” to be saved without any sort of intervention by God.
There couldn’t be anything farther from the truth. God is so holy, that even a person who only sinned one time in their entire lifetime (which is impossible, by the way) could never stand before a holy God due to their defilement.
God is so holy that to live in His presence requires nothing less than 0% sin and 100% righteousness. This is a problem for us, and for all people because …all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
That’s our bad news and when we share the good news about Jesus with others, this is where we must begin as well. Because a person who doesn’t understand their need, will never come to Jesus to save them, and why would they? They don’t even understand that they need.
We don’t preach Christ so people can have a better life, we preach Christ to save people from hell.
Give the bad news first, but quickly follow it with the good news. The good news of Jesus sounds too good to be true, but it is true. It’s too good not to share, so don’t keep it to yourself.
And remember, it’s not unloving to tell people they are sinners in need of God’s grace, just like us. It is unloving to NOT tell them and let them keep believing they’ll be fine without Jesus, and then die and meet their fate.
Much love!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
