Volume 6: A Warning About Every Message Ever Preached

A Warning About Every Message Ever Preached

Pulpit hirelings, false prophets, self-appointed influencers, opinionated podcasters, and money-hungry preachers are not the biggest red flag in the church—Christless preaching is.

It is possible to hear a sermon filled with history, theology, Greek and Hebrew words, practical advice, political opinions, personal stories, emotional inspiration, or even biblical facts—and still walk away having seen no revelation of Jesus Christ. And sadly, far too many so-called Christians do not know Christ.

If that doesn’t concern you, then you’re a part of the problem. Jesus never intended for Scripture to become an end in itself. He declared to the religious leaders, “Search the scriptures… and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).

After His resurrection, He spoke to two discouraged disciples and said that everything written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms was ultimately about Himself (Luke 24:44–47).

The Entire Bible Points to Christ.

Paul demonstrates that all Scripture is intended to reveal Christ. Writing to the church in Corinth, he declared, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). He also wrote, “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord” (2 Corinthians 4:5), and simply stated, “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

Notice the pattern throughout the book of Acts. Philip preached Christ in Samaria. Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian official. Peter preached Jesus to Cornelius. Paul preached Jesus in the synagogues. The apostles “ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” day after day (Acts 5:42).

If a person consistently reads the Scriptures without seeing how they ultimately point to Christ, something vital is being missed. Jesus Himself said the Scriptures testify of Him.

Whenever you hear a biblical teaching, listen carefully and ask yourself: Where did this message lead me?

Did it leave you admiring the speaker more than the Savior? Did it give you principles without presenting the Prince of Peace? Did it entertain your mind but never exalt Christ? Did it fill your notebook with more information but leave you blind to the revelation of the Son of God?

Whether the passage is in Genesis or Revelation, whether it concerns creation, the tabernacle, the prophets, words of wisdom, or the epistles, if the messenger is sent by God, he or she will always ask, “How does this reveal Christ?”

Every covenant anticipates Him. Every sacrifice foreshadows Him. Every promise finds its fulfillment in Him. Every prophecy bears witness to Him. Every doctrine finds its meaning in Him.

The Bible is not primarily about humanity. It is about the birth, life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Never become so impressed with a sermon that you forget to look for the Savior. Measure every message by this question:

Did it lead me to know, love, trust, worship, obey, and surrender to Christ more?

Because if Jesus is not the destination, the speaker is a distraction, the teaching is a disruption, the message becomes deception, and the entire purpose of Scripture is missed—the purpose of Scripture is to reveal Jesus Christ.