Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God

A Biblical Perspective on Preaching Part #2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2005-11-20

Synopsis: John Weaver continues his series on biblical preaching by focusing on the hearer's responsibility. Using Acts 10, he argues that just as God providentially prepared Peter to preach and Cornelius to hear, so God must prepare both preacher and hearer today. He emphasizes that true hearing involves obedience, that hearers must be present before God with a readiness to receive all of God's Word, and that preaching is a divine command requiring a corresponding duty to listen and apply.

[John Weaver] Acts chapter 10, and we're going to do the second part of the message I began last week on the biblical perspective on preaching. So Acts chapter 10, and let's read several verses, beginning with verse 1, and then we'll skip down to our text, which is verse 33. Notice Acts chapter 10 verse 1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band, a devout man and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always. And he saw in a vision, evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming into him and saying unto him, Cornelius.

[John Weaver] And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, By prayers of thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

[John Weaver] Now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodgeth one Simon of Tanner, whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." Let's skip down to verse 9, And on the morrows they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city. Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten.

[John Weaver] But while they made ready, he fell into a trance. And he saw heaven open, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein raw men are four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. There came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call thou not common. This was done thrice, and the vessel was received up into heaven. Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men who were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate."

[John Weaver] Now skip down if you would, please. Beginning there with verse 27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come into one of another nation. But God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

[John Weaver] Therefore I came unto you without gain, saying, As soon as I was sent for, I ask therefore for what intent you have sent for me." Skip down to verse 32. God told Cornelius, send therefore to Joppa and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon of Tanner by the seaside, who when he cometh shall speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God. He are all things that are commanded thee of God."

[John Weaver] Now last week I began a brief series on the biblical perspective on preaching. And you will remember that I spent a great deal of time distinguishing for you a distinction between topical sermons, textual sermons, and expository sermons. And I was sharing with you how that there is indeed a time and a place for a topical and a textual message, but if those messages are done correctly, They can be done in an expository manner in some sense. Usually they are not. Topical preaching is usually the worst type. Textual is better, but the far more superior type of preaching is known as expository preaching. And then we went to the book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, in verse 8, where I showed you from the Bible what real preaching really is.

[John Weaver] Where the Levites expounded the Word of God, explain the word of God and apply the word of God. So biblical preaching is basically exposition, explanation and application. It's not just simply that we remember scriptures, but that we understand those scriptures and we know how to apply them and how to obey them in our everyday life. So I pointed out just like there is an art to preaching, There is also an art to hearing the Word of God as well. When God requires the preacher in 1 Timothy 3 to be apt to teach, at the same time, he requires his people to be apt to hear. And of course, the Word of God tells us, just like there is preparation that is needed in order to preach, There's preparation needed in order to hear preaching as well. The truth of the matter is, there's a great many people today who attend preaching who never really hear preaching. And there's a vast difference between attending preaching and hearing preaching. And just like there's preparation that is needed and necessary to convey truth, There's preparation that is needed, necessary to understand and to apply truth.

[John Weaver] And so today I want to take the time to finish this message and show you basically three thoughts. We're going to be looking especially at Acts 10 and verse 33. We're going to see that there is a providential preparation. There is a providential perspective. And of course, there is a providential preaching.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just say this. If you grasp and understand what I'm going to show you today, it will change your entire attitude on the preaching and on the hearing of the Word of God. So let's begin with a providential preparation.

[John Weaver] Now, the reason I read beginning of Acts chapter 10 is this. If you look at the very beginning of Acts chapter 10, you will find that Peter was certainly not prepared to preach to Cornelius at the beginning of Acts chapter 10. Neither was Cornelius and his family prepared to hear the preaching of Peter. God had to move on both parties in order to prepare them. God had to providentially prepare Peter and providentially prepare Cornelius in order that they might hear what Peter had to say. Now, if you would understand that Peter, at this particular time, believed that anyone outside of the land of Israel certainly was common or unclean. In fact, if you look down in Acts chapter 10 and verse 28, Peter says it like this.

[John Weaver] He said unto them, You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come into one of another nation. But God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. And if you'll go back to verse one, there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band. So here, Cornelius was a Roman soldier. And he was of the Italian band, which probably meant that he was from Italy, thus a Roman. And this is why Peter is saying, here is someone of another nation.

[John Weaver] In other words, he is not of Israel. And then if you'll skip down to chapter 11, because when the men of Jerusalem heard that Peter had gone into Cornelius, look what happens. And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, They that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wouldst enter men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." And then of course Peter had to rehearse everything because they were going to jump on him because of their customs and their pharisaical conditions and precepts and concepts that no man who was a Jew was to go into anyone else's house, especially someone of another nation.

[John Weaver] So the point I'm trying to make is this. Peter would have never gone into Cornelius' house had God not prepared his heart. And certainly Cornelius would never have heard Peter unless God directed Cornelius to send to Joppa to the house of one Simon the Tanner and ask for Simon Peter and ask him to come. In all probability, Cornelius had never heard of Peter, did not even know Peter. So God had to sovereignly prepare both the preacher and the hearer. Now, do you understand that this is the whole point of the vision that Peter had seen?

[John Weaver] That's why if you look back in Acts chapter 10, and without me rereading all of this, beginning in verse 10, He became very hungry and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance. That is, he was praying and God gave him a vision. And what did he see? He saw heaven open and a certain vessel descending, and in it was all kinds of creeping things and beasts and fowls of the air. And there came a voice from heaven saying, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. And he said, Not so, Lord, for I have not ever eaten anything that is common or unclean. And then God instructed him. that whatever God had created, that call not thou common or unclean.

[John Weaver] And of course this was done three times. Now let me just tell you the point of this vision was not to nullify the dietary laws in the Old Testament. nor to nullify the Old Testament. The point of the vision was to get Peter to understand that men outside of Israel were not to be classified as common or unclean. That was the whole point. Because immediately when he came out, there were men knocking at the door saying, God sent us over here to get you.

[John Weaver] And that's why in verse 28, Acts chapter 10, if you'll skip there, that's why he said, you know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come into one of another nation. And here is the interpretation of the vision. But God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Now, with this in mind, I want you to look back to Acts chapter 1 and verse 8. I want you to see the command as well as the commission that God had given His disciples.

[John Weaver] Our Lord says it like this. Look carefully, but you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to note the commission that our Lord gave. He says you disciples are to be witnesses to me first where? Jerusalem. That's where they were. Secondly, Judea. That would encompass the southern kingdom. Thirdly, Samaria. That would be the northern kingdom. And then where did he say that you're to go? To the uttermost parts of the earth. Well, at this particular time, most of them had stayed around Jerusalem. It took the persecution in Acts chapter 8 to drive a lot of the disciples away.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm just simply saying Peter had to be prepared to go into the house of Cornelius, and Cornelius had to be prepared to receive Peter into his house. Now, I believe that everyone in this room can see the absolute necessity of providential preparation to get Peter and Cornelius together. But what most of us do not see and do not comprehend and understand is this. that just like there was providential preparation in getting Peter and Cornelius together, there must be providential preparation in getting the preacher and the hearer together.

[John Weaver] Let me explain what I mean. I want you to understand that preaching, especially preaching the word of God, does not come naturally or easily. Now, by that, I don't mean it's a great difficulty to preach when God has called you and when you love preaching. By that, I mean this. You can't teach what you don't know. So in order to teach, in order to preach, there has to be preparation, there has to be study. So just like there is preparation, studious preparation that is needed and necessary to convey the truth, there must also be preparation to hear the truth. Your heart and your life must be prepared as well. Let me just tell you something.

[John Weaver] For years, I was bothered by the fact that many Christians did not easily and readily learn as they should. Now you just stop and think about that. I've often thought of how many people have come to church all of their lives, have listened to teaching all of their lives, and know so little, and be so ignorant of the things of God. How in the world does that happen?

[John Weaver] Now let me just tell you, I certainly do not expect you to learn in one hour that which it has taken me 40 hours to figure it out and to learn. But yet, there's another side of this truth as well. Because although it may take me a lot of hours in studying to present the truth to you, once it is presented to you, it is usually analyzed and systematized and ready to be applied.

[John Weaver] In other words, you don't have to do all the digging. You just simply have to do the listening. In all my preaching, I've always tried to do everything I could to make truth understandable, comprehensible, and certainly applicable. I know, and you know, that God must illuminate the mind, that He must open the understanding. If God doesn't open our understanding, we don't get anything, no matter how analytical, no matter how systematic, no matter how applicable it is. God must truly open our eyes. I also understood this. that the one who does the studying always learns a whole lot more than the one who just simply listens. Now, if you don't believe that, you just prepare a message. You just do a little studying, you do a little teaching, and the fact is you'll always learn more as you study than the individuals who listen to you. So my question was this, why in the world do God's people not really hear the truth and learn the truth easily and readily and quickly.

[John Weaver] The problem I found was this. The problem is not always with the preacher. Sometimes it is with the hearer. Do you realize it does not matter how great a preacher is or how excellent his teaching method or how wonderful his outlines are If the student or if the hearer is unprepared, all the teaching will fall on deaf ears.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles with me to two passages. The first one is Proverbs 16, and the second one is Hosea chapter 10. So look in Proverbs 16 first, and then we're going to Hosea chapter 10. Proverbs 16 and verse 1, and I'm only going to point out just really part of that verse, but look at what the Bible says. Proverbs 16 and verse 1. The Bible says the preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Now, let's just deal with one thought here. Look at it. The preparations of the heart in man, finish it now, are from where? From the Lord. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. What does that mean? That means this. If your heart is ever prepared to pray, God prepared it. If your heart is ever prepared to study, God prepared it. If your heart is ever prepared to come to Christ, God prepared it. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.

[John Weaver] The truth is simply this. God must prepare our hearts or our hearts are not prepared. Period. The preparation is the heart and manner from the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now look in your Bibles, Hosea 10 and verse 12. Hosea 10 and verse 12, look what God commands. Here in this passage, he says, sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your foul ground, for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and reign righteousness upon you.

[John Weaver] Now you say, wait a minute, Brother Weaver. In Proverbs 16, he says the preparation is the heart and manner from the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now in Hosea 10 and verse 12, he tells me to sow to myself in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up my foul ground, for it's time to seek the Lord till he come and reign righteousness upon me. Now you say there's a contradiction. No, there's no contradiction. Proverbs 16, verse 1 talks about ability. Hosea 10 talks about responsibility. Only God has the ability to prepare the heart. It is my responsibility to seek God to prepare my heart. It's my responsibility to turn from anything and everything that would keep me from hearing the Word of God and being unprepared to receive the Word of God. There's a difference between ability and responsibility.

[John Weaver] Now, you'll remember that the parable of the sower, really the parable of the soils, occurs in four passages in the New Testament. You will find it in Matthew 13, or actually three. Matthew 13, Mark chapter 4, and Luke chapter 8. Every one of those passages, the Bible says a sower went out to sow. And you will find that some seed fell by the wayside, which the birds devoured it. Some seed fell on stony ground. Some seed fell on thorny ground. And some seed fell on good ground. Now out of those four particular types of hearers, only one brought forth fruit. That's a good ground hearer. Okay? Why did not the wayside, the stony ground, and the thorny ground hearer not bring forth any fruit? Here's the answer.

[John Weaver] Because the soil was not prepared. When you plant a garden, you don't just go out there and throw your seed on top of the ground. You prepare the soil. You make the soil ready to receive the seed.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just quote this because I'm going to come back to this in just a moment. But in Mark chapter four and verse twenty four. When our Lord was making an application from how you hear the word of God, he says this Mark four and verse twenty four, he says, take heed. What you hear, take heed what you hear. Do you realize it's your responsibility to make sure that what you're hearing is indeed the Word of God? Take heed what you hear. But when you get to Luke 8 and verse 18, he says this, take heed how you hear.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the amazing truth, folks. We're going to give an account to God, not just for what we hear, but how we hear. I've seen people, as I've preached, their eyes are up on top of the ceiling. I wonder how many panels are up there. One, two, three. You know? And when you look out the window, you're sitting there watching a little bird or watching a little squirrel. And the amazing thing is, when one little kid gets up to go to the bathroom from the front of the church building, everybody Just like they've never seen a kid go to the bathroom before. What's that tell you? Somebody's not paying attention. Somebody's not listening. I've got news for you folks. Usually I can tell who's listening and who's not listening. I can tell who's asleep and who's not asleep. And I can tell whose mind is wandering. And when I see that blank stare in the eyes, you can be looking dead at me. But when I see that blank stare, I know you're somewhere in Never Never Land.

[John Weaver] You're not here. But what did our Lord say? He said, you better take heed not only what you hear, but how you hear. Listen, every one of you are hearing me externally and audibly. But just because you hear me externally and audibly does not mean that you're hearing me internally and spiritually. There are two types of hearing in the Word of God. One is simply external, and the other is internal. And if you're not hearing internally, the external hearing is doing you no good. It was Augustine, the early church father, who said it like this, I heard the Gospel all my life, and then one day I heard it.

[John Weaver] Let me tell you something. If you do not obey the Word of God, you've never really heard the Word of God. If you do not heed the Word of God, you really have never heard the Word of God. Look back in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Samuel chapter 15. You know the story there. God has sent King Saul on a journey. He's told him to kill all of the Amalekites, and of course, You remember there how he spared Agag, the king, and the best of the sheep and the best of the oxen. And here comes Samuel and Saul, the hypocrite, says, Blessed be thou, the Lord. I performed all the commandment of the Lord. And about that time, something went ba-moo, you know. And Samuel said, Saul, if you've obeyed God, what meaneth the loining of the cattle and the blading of the sheep in my ear? If you'd obeyed God, everything would be dead.

[John Weaver] I wouldn't be hearing anything. And that's when Saul blamed it all on the people. He said, the people spared all of this, that they might sacrifice to God.

[John Weaver] Now look in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 22. And here was Samuel's answer to Saul. And Samuel said, hath the Lord his great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices, as it obeying the voice of the Lord. Now look what he says. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams. Now, note what he said, to obey is better than sacrifice.

[John Weaver] Let me put it to you bluntly. God had rather have your obedience than anything else you can give him. He'd rather have your obedience than twenty million dollars. Just that simple. He'd rather have your obedience than everything in the world. But look what he said. To obey is better than sacrifice. And then he says to hearken is better than the fat of rams. You know what the fat of rams was? It was the cheapest part of the sacrifice, which was always given to God. What does that mean?

[John Weaver] That means hearkening and obeying are synonymous. If to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken, to listen, is better than the fat of rams, it means that you don't really hear unless you are obeying. That's why I said no one ever really hears the Word of God until he applies the Word of God. So here it is. I'm stating it very bluntly. Unless your heart is prepared to receive the Word of God, you will never, ever receive the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 4. Let me show you this. This passage is dealing with the application of the parable of the sower or the parable of the soils. You remember I told you about the wayside here, the stony ground here, thorny ground here, and finally there was the good ground here. But let me show you why most people never, ever really learn truth. Here's why most people remain stunted. Look in Mark chapter four in verse 24. Here's what our Lord said. And he said unto them, in fact, look in verse 23, if any man have ears to hear, let him hear. Lord, you better pay attention to this. And he said unto them, take heed what you hear.

[John Weaver] That's what I quoted earlier. Then he says, with what measure you meet, it shall be measured to you.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just stop there. With what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you.

[John Weaver] Now, here's what he's saying. To whatever degree that you give to hearing and learning the truth of God, to that degree, God's going to measure truth back to you. In other words, you don't get four hours worth of truth if you only study 15 minutes. You don't get a half a day's truth if you only study 10 minutes. If you study 10 minutes, you get 10 minutes worth of truth, and that's it, because God measures it back to you exactly to the measure that you put in it. That's what he says.

[John Weaver] Now, look what he said in verse 24. Take heed what you hear with what measure you meet. It shall be measured to you. Here it is. And to you that hear, help me out, shall more be given. Now, wait a minute. What is God saying? God is saying, I only give more truth. To those who hear, what does the word here mean? It means to obey. Why in the world should God give you any more truth? If you're not going to obey the truth that he's already given you. Now, think about that. Why should God give you anything else if you will not apply and obey that which He's already given you? So He said unto you that here shall be more to be given. Look at verse 25. For he that hath to Him shall be given. In other words, if you keep it, if you obey it, if you apply it, I will give you more. But here is one horrendous truth in verse 25. And he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

[John Weaver] You know what he's telling us? If you don't use the truth, you'll lose the truth. You know what you can do, folks? You can take your arm and tie it to your chest and leave it there for three months. Then let someone untie it, and guess what? You're going to have to learn to use that arm all over again. Those muscles will be so weak The same thing is true with spiritual truth.

[John Weaver] Look how many of you have said, man, that was a good point the pastor made. That was a good message. I will remember that. And you don't remember it. You know why you don't remember it? Because you never applied it. You never obeyed it. You never made it something practical every day in your life that you did. And our Lord said, here's the great horrendous truth. If you don't use the truth, you're going to lose the truth.

[John Weaver] That's why people do not mature in the faith. That's why our people are not scholars and theologians. They ought to be. They should be. You know, the same thing is true in any other areas as well. You could be a great mathematician. But I tell you what, you don't think about math, you don't teach math, you don't study math, you don't use math for 10 years and let's see how up to date you are and how good a mathematician you are after that. If you don't use the truth, you lose the truth.

[John Weaver] Let me state it bluntly. Your heart is not prepared to hear the truth. If it's not prepared to hear the truth, the truth will not do you any good. You will not receive any benefit from the preaching of God. God must only prepare my heart to preach and teach the truth. He must prepare your heart to hear and receive and obey and apply the truth. So there must be a providential preparation now. I've had people tell me, when I preached Brother Weaver, that was exactly what I needed to hear. Well, you know why it was exactly what you needed to hear? Because God prepared my heart to preach it and God prepared your heart to hear it. OK, secondly, I want you to look at a providential perspective on preaching.

[John Weaver] Let's go back to Acts chapter 10 and look, if you would please, at verse 33. Here's this biblical perspective on preaching. Cornelius said in Acts chapter 10 verse 33. Acts 10 verse 33. Immediately therefore I sent to thee, he tells Peter, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

[John Weaver] Now I'm going to be honest with you. When I read this verse several weeks ago, I was just awestruck. at the simplicity and yet the depth of Cornelius's understanding. Cornelius understood more about preaching without ever having been really preached to than most Christians do their entire life. First, look what he says. We are all here present before God. We are all here present before God. It should be duly pointed out, listen carefully, that it was Cornelius who had gotten the congregation together.

[John Weaver] How did he do that? He invited his family and friends. Look in Acts chapter 10 verse 24. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea, and Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends." Are you listening to me? Peter did the traveling. Peter did the preaching. But it was Cornelius who got the congregation together. Let me put this very plainly. It is your responsibility to get your family and your friends under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. It is not the preacher's responsibility. It is your responsibility. God gave you your family, God gave you your friends, and you're responsible.

[John Weaver] I cannot reach those whom I do not know, and I cannot reach those over whom I have absolutely no influence. But isn't it amazing? Now, listen to me. I'm going to be honest. Isn't it amazing that in most churches, most people want the pastor to come out and witness to their family and witness to their friends and try to get them into church? And I'm going to tell you why. Because most Christians do not have enough testimony to reach their own family. Their own family knows how they live. And so, therefore, they have to have an outsider to come in and reach them. No, God gave you your family. God gave you your friends. You're responsible to get them under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. Look in Acts 27. You remember, Paul is in the midst of a horrendous storm. He told the people not to leave, but they would listen to him, and so now Just about everything in the ship has been cast into the sea. Look at Acts 27, beginning there with verse 21. They've all been fasting because it looks like they're all going to die. Acts 27, verse 21. But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, Sirs, you should have hearkened to me. I told you so. I like that. You should have hearkened to me and not loose from creep to have gained this harm and loss. But look what he says. Now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar, and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me." Now listen to what God told Paul. He said, Paul, I have given you all those that sail on your ship. If you'll skip down to verse 37, And they and we were in all the ship 200, three score, and 16 souls, 276 souls. And what did God tell Paul? I've given you all who sails on your ship.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you a question. Who sails on your ship? You see the application? Your family and your friends are on your ship. It's your responsibility to get them under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. You can reach people that I could never reach. You can influence people that I can never influence. Who sails on your ship? He says we are all here present before God. He got his family. He got his friends there. I have people asking all over the country.

[John Weaver] Will you come and preach over here? Sure. I'll come and preach. You get the group together. I can't get anybody together. You get them together. I'll come preach to them. It's your responsibility to get people under the preaching of the word of God.

[John Weaver] Secondly, Look at Acts 10 and verse 33. I want you to notice what he said. I told you I was awestruck, not only at the simplicity, but at the depth of what he said. Acts 10 and verse 33, he said in this particular passage, watch carefully now.

[John Weaver] Now, therefore, are we all here present before God? He not only said we're all here, he said we're all here present before God. Now, you could explain that phrase present before God in the widest sense of the word. That is, God is omnipresent, which means that God is everywhere at one time in the totality of his person. David clearly taught this in Psalm 139. And every time I think of Psalm 139, I think of Don Thomason, because that's his favorite passage of Scripture. But you remember, David said, whether shall I go from my spirit and whether shall I flee from my presence?

[John Weaver] He said, if I sit up in heaven, thou art there. If I go to hell, even thou art there. He said, if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in none of those parts of the sea, even there, by hand shall I uphold thee. What did David say? I can't get away from God. Yes, he could mean that we're here before God in the sense that God is on my present and God is everywhere at once in the totality of his person. But there are two more interpretations that you could give to this phrase.

[John Weaver] Secondly, Cornelius could have used this phrase as an oath in order to demonstrate his genuine sincerity. In that sense of the word, he would be saying. We are all here. Before God. We're all here in the presence of the eyes of whom no one can mock with dissimulation and hypocrisy. And we're so here in the presence of God, we understand His authority, we understand His majesty. It is not a mortal man with whom we have to do, but it is the sovereign God of heaven and earth Himself, and we're standing here or we're sitting here as in His presence.

[John Weaver] to whom we will give an account. Let me give you a quote from one of the old commentators. He said this, the whole of the man must be present, not his body here and the heart with the fool's eyes in the ends of the earth. But that which makes it indeed a religious attendance is we are present before God. In holy ordinances we present ourselves unto the Lord, and we must be as before Him as those that see His eye upon us." What's he saying? He's saying if we're here before God, we must all be here, and we must be all here.

[John Weaver] That is, our bodies can't be here, and our minds somewhere else, or our hearts somewhere else. We must be here with everything that we have, giving ear to God. By the way, I want to show you that there were people in the New Testament that believed exactly that. If you will turn in your Bibles, 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. Look in verse 13. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. Here's a powerful, powerful verse. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. Why did the Apostle Paul thank God for the Thessalonican Christians? Listen carefully. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, look at it now, Paul was preaching, Barnabas, whoever else was with Paul, for when you receive the word of God, which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also on you that believe. What do these Thessalonians do?

[John Weaver] When they heard Paul, Barnabas, Silas, whoever was with Paul, preach, they didn't sit there and say, that's Paul's opinion. That's what Barnabas thinks. I'm not going to pay any attention. No. Paul said, when you receive the word of God, which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as the word of God. You understood the authority and the majesty and the power of God within His Word, and you didn't sit there and listen to it as a man speaking. You heard the voice of God. You heard His authority.

[John Weaver] Certainly, certainly that is true. When we hear God's Word, we must not receive it as the Word of men, but we must receive it as the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, there is a third way that Cornelius could have meant this phrase, we're all here present before God. He could have used that phrase not just in a general sense of recognizing God's omnipresence, not necessarily just as an oath recognizing the fact that it is really and truly God with whom we have to do and we are present before his eyes. But he could have comprehended the teaching of our Lord in Matthew 18 verse 20.

[John Weaver] Do you remember that passage? Let me just quote it. What did he say? Where two or three are gathered together in my name. What? There I am in the midst of them.

[John Weaver] Now don't you stop with me and think about this. Cornelius could have understood that our Lord in a very special and peculiar way was in the midst of his people when God's word was being explained, expounded, explained and applied. During the preaching of his word, our Lord is in a very peculiar way speaking to his own. I'm going to show you that in the Bible in just a moment. But let me tell you, I was preaching in South Carolina.

[John Weaver] It was on a Sunday morning. The building was absolutely packed out. And I was dealing with a biblical doctrine and I was preaching as hard as I could preach. And right in the middle of my sermon, right in the middle, There's a man sitting about halfway back, screamed. I mean, screamed. He screamed aloud, Oh, God, I'm lost. I'm lost. And he jumped up from that pew. He ran down the aisle screaming the whole time. Oh, God, I'm lost. I'm lost.

[John Weaver] And he came to where I was and he fell down in front of me and grabbed around my ankles with his arms. And all he was doing was crying and sobbing and saying, I'm lost. I'm lost. I'm lost. Here I was in the middle of my sermon. I looked at the preacher and two or three minutes, I said, would you please. Get him away from my ankles and take him in the room and tell him about the Lord and, you know, tell him why he's lost and explain Christ to him. Well, they came, led him away. Well, I was able to finish my preaching that day and God did indeed bless and several other people were converted as well.

[John Weaver] But I was really anxious to talk to this man because it was apparent he was under such deep conviction. And afterwards, he came to me, I mean, beaming, smiling. He said, Preacher, he said, I just want you to know that God saved me today. He said, I found Christ and he said, Christ is my Lord and my Savior. I bowed to him and I've turned from my sins. And I mean, just just gleaming from eye to eye and just I said, look, I've just got to ask you a question. I said. Here's my question.

[John Weaver] What was it that I said or what illustration did I use? that got you under such conviction. You see, I was thinking, Brother Ernie, if it worked one time, it might work again somewhere else, you know. I'll use that one again, you know. And the guy looked at me, he's a preacher. You want me to tell you the truth? I said, well, of course I do. He said, well, really, to tell you the truth, he said, I really wasn't listening to you.

[John Weaver] He said, somebody short-circuited you and the Lord was speaking to me. I said, well, I'm surely happy for that. But let me show you what I'm talking about. I want you to look in your Bibles, Romans chapter 10. Listen carefully. Now, what did our Lord say? Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. You know, that is a tremendous thought. You just stop and think Jesus Christ is walking this morning in the midst of His people. What? Yes. Look at what the Bible says. Romans 10 verse 13. Everybody can quote this verse. This is a favorite verse. I don't care if you're an Arminian, a Calvinist, a Talminian, whatever you are, everybody can quote this verse. Watch it.

[John Weaver] That's better than an Arvinist, isn't it? I don't know. But everybody can quote this verse. Romans 10, 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Isn't that wonderful? Well, sure it is.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you. If you understand that verse, don't answer out loud. Let me ask you. What is it? That saves? Is it an act of calling, or is it faith? For by grace are you saved through what? Faith, and that not of yourselves. Well, now let me ask you, why do men call upon the name of the Lord? He said, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Well, look in verse 14, let's kind of work this thing backwards. All right. Verse 13 says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now watch verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Oh, wait a minute. What? You mean you have to believe before you call? Oh. Well, really and truly, it's not calling that saves you, is it? You're already saved because you believe. The calling is evidence that you genuinely believe, right? So in order to call on the Lord, you must believe because nobody's going to call on him whom they do not believe.

[John Weaver] OK, so he says, watch verse 14 now. How then shall they call in him a call on him in whom they have not believed? Now watch carefully. How do you believe? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note carefully what the Scripture does not say. It's important sometimes that you not only see what Scripture does say, but what it does not say. Look in verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Scripture does not say, how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard about?

[John Weaver] If you hear about someone. He is not present. But if you hear someone. He is present, so what does it say now? Watch this verse 13 for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Well, how do you call verse 14? You must first believe. Well, what is it's going to give you faith? Well, you must first hear Christ. Well, when are you going to hear Christ watch and how shall they hear? without a preacher. You hear Christ because He's walking in among His people as the preacher is expounding, explaining, and applying the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Do you remember in the garden? Mary went there to see the Lord, and He had already risen from the dead. And she looked around and saw Him standing there, but suppose He was the gardener. And she said, Sir, if You've borne Him anywhere, tell me that I may go to Him. Remember what our Lord said? Mary. And what did she do? She fell on him and said, my Lord and my master. What did he do?

[John Weaver] He just called her name. You know, it seems to me like our Lord said something in John 10. My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. Do you realize in the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, Christ is present, calling his sheep, speaking to his sheep, comforting them, instructing them, opening their eyes. I want you to understand, Cornelius had a biblical perspective on preaching. He says, we are all here present before God. He could have equally said we are all here in the presence of God. It's not just that God is omnipresent. It's not just that we will have to answer before Him in the day which we stand before Him. It's that here Christ is walking among us, calling His own, teaching His own, speaking to His own. The most important thing in preaching is to hear Christ.

[John Weaver] You remember those Greeks who came to the disciples and said to them, Sirs, we would see Jesus. And that must be your attitude as you come to hear the preaching of the Word of God. You must hear Christ and you must hear him as he speaks through his word.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go back to Acts chapter 10, because I want you to see the third point, and that is providential preaching. Not only was there a providential perspective in that he understood what real preaching and teaching was, I want you to understand there is a providential preaching. He says in verse 33, Acts 10, verse 33, now therefore are we all here present before God, watch now, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Ah! Listen carefully. Those who are providentially prepared to hear the Word of God, those who have a providential perspective on preaching, are prepared to hear all things. Not some things.

[John Weaver] Not just a few pet doctrines. But all things. We want the whole Word of God. Let me ask you. Have you ever thought what an encouragement this could be to a pastor? When a pastor knows that he is absolutely free to open the Word of God to any book, to any chapter, to any paragraph, to any verse and exegete and expound that portion of Scripture, knowing that it will be received by his hearers as the Word of God. He'll be encouraged to preach the whole Word of God. You know, we've got to remember that God speaks far more than just on four subjects. He doesn't just deal with sin, salvation, soul winning and separation. He speaks on economics, he speaks on government, he speaks on education, he speaks on home, he speaks on everything. And can you imagine, now listen to me, can you imagine what an encouragement it would be to a pastor if he knew that he could open the Bible and preach from any text, knowing that he would not upset, scatter, run off, and make mad a number of believers because they didn't like what

[John Weaver] he preached about. Can you imagine that? Listen. I've told so many people. I could not pastor the average church. I had a church invite me to come down to Florida. And they wanted me to be their pastor. I saw them preach for you, but I'm not really interested in being your pastor. This church building, oh, you should have seen the building. several million dollars. They had a gymnasium, another several million dollars.

[John Weaver] They had a big Christian school. I mean, they had, it was beautiful. And they said, we really want you to be our pastor. I said, you really don't want me to be your pastor. You just think you want me to be your pastor. They said, well, how can you say that? I said, because when I get up and start preaching against debt, and by the way, they owed four or five million dollars. I said, when I start preaching against debt and I start preaching against some of these other things, I'm going to run half of you off. I said, and then who's going to pay for all these facilities that you've got around here? Then you're going to have to get rid of me so you can get somebody else who won't preach the way I preach so you can keep your buildings. I said, no, you don't want me. You just think you want me. And I said, the truth of the matter is, I don't want you. Because I don't want to inherit all this debt and all these problems.

[John Weaver] But you see what I'm saying? You know why I love you? Because I can. I can open the Bible and just preach anything. You don't get mad at me. You just say, well, I may not understand that. I may have to hear it two or three times, but you know, It's the Word of God, and I'm willing to submit to it. And if you get mad, at least you don't show it. Maybe it's because you know I've got a black belt. I don't know. Maybe it's because I've got Tom to protect me. I don't know. But I just have to say, what an encouragement it would be to the average pastor just to know that he could open the Bible and preach anything. That's what they said. We're here to hear all things. Let me ask you.

[John Weaver] Why is it there are certain subjects and books and doctrines in the Bible that are taboo to certain Christians and certain congregations? It is not the Word of God the Word of God. It's not all of it the Word of God. Why is it that some pastors believe that when they come to a text of scripture, they have to water it down, overlook it, skip it, or do an exegetical jig around it? You know, it's amazing to me. Well, let me tell you why most pastors are like that. Because most Christians are not prepared to hear all things. Now, it's wrong on the pastor's part. But it's wrong on the people's part as well. Let me just tell you something, it may surprise you, but I'm going to show you this from the scripture. It may surprise you to learn that the inability, the inability of professing Christians to hear all things from the word of God can limit the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Let me show you that from the Bible.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews. Chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. And look at verse 10. Here the apostle has been talking about the greatness of Christ and especially his priesthood. And look in verse 10. Called of God and high priest after the order of Melchizedek. So he's really getting into the deep things of Christ. Verse 11,"...of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing.

[John Weaver] For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." Why could not the author of the book of Hebrews continue teaching of the Melchizedekal priesthood of Christ? He said, I'll tell you why. Because it's a hard truth and you are dull of hearing. That is, you're full of lethargy, you're slothful, you're lazy, you won't pay attention, and consequently says when the time comes that you should be teachers. You have need that somebody starts you all over again on milk. Hmm. The truth of the matter is this, folks, the Christians inability To hear all things hinders the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

[John Weaver] It's true pastors are wrong when they compromise and when they water down and when they skip and they try to please men. That's wrong. I confess that. I acknowledge that. But it's equally wrong when people get mad and upset and don't like it when it's the plain Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, look what else he said. I'm going to tie it together for you in just a moment, but look at Acts 10 in verse 33. He said, Now, therefore, are we all here present before God to hear all things? Watch this next phrase. That all things that are commanded thee of God. Do you realize Cornelius apprehended a truth that most Christians never comprehend? That is, that God commands that His Word be preached and taught. The word commanded is the Greek word protasso, which means command, to order, prescribe, and to appoint. Why does God call preachers? So He appoints them, He commands them, He orders them to preach and teach His Word. I'm not going to take you back to Acts 20.

[John Weaver] We looked at that last week. But you remember Paul said he got free from the blood of all men. How? Because I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God. Now, if God, listen carefully, if God commands me as a pastor, if God commands me as a preacher to preach the whole counsel of God by implication, What does he command you as people? To hear the whole counsel of God. And of course, to hear it, to receive it, to apply it, to obey it.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you, how do you think this will affect the average preacher? I'm going to give you a little scenario. In fact, you could ask, I could ask, how do you think this would affect me? How would you think most preachers of the gospel would respond if he came to church early one Sunday morning, and lo and behold, the congregation was at the doors waiting on him, and they said to him, Pastor, we're ready to hear all.

[John Weaver] We have come at the beginning. We were so anxious to hear the Word of God, we could not wait. We got here early. We want to stay early. We want to stay to the end. We want to be attentive of all things. We want to hear all things. We desire us to hear whatever God has commanded you to preach, no matter how displeasing to the flesh it is, no matter how contrary to my former notions and interests. No matter how contrary to secular interest, we're ready to hear everything.

[John Weaver] Let nothing be held back. Let nothing be kept back. Give it to us and give it to us all.

[John Weaver] Now, how do you think the average pastor would respond to that? Well, after he came back to or got out of the hospital from having a heart attack. Just to know But here was some people who really wanted the Word of God. Oh. He'd preach and teach his heart out, you say, come on, brother, we were things like that didn't really happen. Sure, they did. Happened in the New Testament. Look at Acts 13. Acts 13, I've said this before, and I'm going to do it one of these days. I'm going to preach a sermon entitled The mistake of a great rabbi. Look at this, I get so tickled every time I think about this. Acts 13 verse 15.

[John Weaver] Paul is in the synagogue. Look at this. Verse 15. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, You men and brethren, If you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Can you imagine asking the Apostle Paul, do you have anything to say? And of course, Paul starts preaching verse 16, and he goes all the way, skip down to verse 41. He ends his sermon in verse 41.

[John Weaver] He says, Behold, you despisers in wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. Now watch. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, look at it now. The Gentiles besought that these words might be preached on them the next Sabbath. In other words, they wouldn't let Paul get away.

[John Weaver] They said, you've got to promise us that you and Barnabas are going to come back and preach to us again. Well, OK, we'll do that.

[John Weaver] Now, watch verse 43, it wasn't over. And now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes found Paul and Barnabas. We want more, they said, who's speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. They just happen to have another sermon ready on the preservation and the perseverance of the Saints. So they preached to him again. Watch verse 44. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

[John Weaver] Here were people who could not get enough. Of the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Let me tell you something, Cornelius said we're all here. present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. We've got to understand that preaching is something that God commands. Consequently, if the preacher is faithful to God, he must preach all things that God commanded him.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one you're already on, I'm sure. Preaching and hearing have corollary responsibilities. When someone is particularly called and commissioned by God to preach, it means those to whom he is sent have the obligation and duty and responsibility to hear what God has commanded him to preach. OK? Secondly, let me make this very clear. In God's sovereign providence, There is no room for luck, chance, fate, or fortune.

[John Weaver] What am I talking about? When God commands the preacher to preach on a certain subject, no matter how much you may dislike it, no matter how much you may disagree with it, no matter how much you may resent it, no matter how much you think it is silly or needless, God has designed that message for you. There is no such thing as luck, chance, fate or fortune in preaching. If God prepares my heart to preach, that means you need whatever he's laid on my heart to preach.

[John Weaver] Let me give you an illustration. Everybody knows I was raised on a farm. My mother was one of the greatest cooks in the world. And when I was on the farm, I was used to having breakfast. I mean, biscuits, eggs, grits, ham, bacon, whatever. I mean, when we had breakfast, we had breakfast. And I remember when I joined the service and I went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

[John Weaver] And I was in boot camp and I hadn't probably been there a week or two. And I went through the chow line. one morning for breakfast, and some private slapped two pieces of bread on a plate and put some of the craziest ooey gooey stuff on top of it. You know, creamed beef on toast. I said, I'm not eating this junk. You know, I don't remember how I got out of there without eating it. There were times, and some of you may remember this, I have walked out of the chow hall with peas in my pocket. Because, you know, that sign saying, you won't beat all you take. And a lot of times they had cards there to make sure you ate everything. And if you didn't, they'd send you back and make you finish it. And so if you got too much, you just had to put it in your pocket. And if you got out of there, at least I did. But I don't remember how I got rid of that. But I remember thinking, I am not eating this slop.

[John Weaver] That's all there is to it. But I did not know that that morning they had planned for a five-mile hike with a full field pack. And I'm going to tell you something, about 10 o'clock in the morning, that creamed beef on toast got looking mighty good to me. I wish I had some. But I didn't. I did without. I didn't like it. I didn't want it. And I'm the one that suffered for it. You know, I actually got to like it after a while.

[John Weaver] Because next time they put it on my plate, I ate it. Because I knew I had to have some energy.

[John Weaver] Now, I'll be honest, I haven't eaten it since I got out. But I mean, but the point I'm trying to make is simply this. When you come and hear a message and you say. Why is he preaching that? because God commanded it. And you may not think you need it now. But when God puts you on that five mile hike with a full field pack. He's given you what you need in advance. And you better receive it as the word of God and apply it as the word of God and obey it as the word of God so that you'll be prepared for whatever God sends your way. Would it not be absolutely wonderful if every Christian came to church on the Lord's Day saying, we're all here, present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. What a perspective on preaching.

[John Weaver] Father, we do ask that you help us, teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, make us holy, righteous and godly. May we bow to your word. May we, Heavenly Father, obey and apply your word that we may be holy and godly and Christlike. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

A Biblical Perspective on Preaching Part #2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	190615214
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-11-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 164: A Biblical Perspective on Preaching — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	109

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Acts chapter 10, and we're going to do the second part of the message I began last week on the biblical perspective on preaching. So Acts chapter 10, and let's read several verses, beginning with verse 1, and then we'll skip down to our text, which is verse 33. Notice Acts chapter 10 verse 1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band, a devout man and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always. And he saw in a vision, evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming into him and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Scripture Reading — Acts 10:1-33

" Let's skip down to verse 9, And on the morrow as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten. But while they made ready, he fell into a trance. And he saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice, and the vessel was received up into heaven. Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men who were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate.

Scripture Reading — Acts 10:1-33

" Now skip down if you would, please. Beginning there with verse 27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for. I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me."

Skip down to verse 32. God told Cornelius, Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the seaside, who when he cometh shall speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God."

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the previous message on expository preaching and the three elements of biblical preaching: exposition, explanation, and application. He stresses that there is an art to hearing as well as preaching.

Now last week I began a brief series on the biblical perspective on preaching. And you will remember that I spent a great deal of time distinguishing for you a distinction between topical sermons, textual sermons, and expository sermons. And I was sharing with you how that there is indeed a time and a place for a topical and a textual message, but if those messages are done correctly, they can be done in an expository manner in some sense. Usually they are not. Topical preaching is usually the worst type. Textual is better, but the far more superior type of preaching is known as expository preaching. And then we went to the book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, in verse 8, where I showed you from the Bible what real preaching really is.

Where the Levites expounded the Word of God, explained the Word of God, and applied the Word of God. So biblical preaching is basically exposition, explanation, and application. It's not just simply that we remember scriptures, but that we understand those scriptures and we know how to apply them and how to obey them in our everyday life. So I pointed out just like there is an art to preaching, there is also an art to hearing the Word of God as well. When God requires the preacher in 1 Timothy 3 to be apt to teach, at the same time, He requires His people to be apt to hear. And of course, the Word of God tells us, just like there is preparation that is needed in order to preach, there's preparation needed in order to hear preaching as well. The truth of the matter is, there's a great many people today who attend preaching who never really hear preaching. And there's a vast difference between attending preaching and hearing preaching. And just like there's preparation that is needed and necessary to convey truth, there's preparation that is needed, necessary to understand and to apply truth.

And so today I want to take the time to finish this message and show you basically three thoughts. We're going to be looking especially at Acts 10 and verse 33. We're going to see that there is a providential preparation. There is a providential perspective. And of course, there is a providential preaching.

Now, let me just say this. If you grasp and understand what I'm going to show you today, it will change your entire attitude on the preaching and on the hearing of the Word of God. So let's begin with a providential preparation.

Providential Preparation

God had to prepare both Peter and Cornelius for their encounter. Similarly, God must prepare the hearts of both preacher and hearer today. The hearer's heart must be prepared to receive the Word.

Now, the reason I read the beginning of Acts chapter 10 is this. If you look at the very beginning of Acts chapter 10, you will find that Peter was certainly not prepared to preach to Cornelius at the beginning of Acts chapter 10. Neither was Cornelius and his family prepared to hear the preaching of Peter. God had to move on both parties in order to prepare them. God had to providentially prepare Peter and providentially prepare Cornelius in order that they might hear what Peter had to say. Now, if you would understand that Peter, at this particular time, believed that anyone outside of the land of Israel certainly was common or unclean. In fact, if you look down in Acts chapter 10 and verse 28, Peter says it like this.

He said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. And if you'll go back to verse one, there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band. So here, Cornelius was a Roman soldier. And he was of the Italian band, which probably meant that he was from Italy, thus a Roman. And this is why Peter is saying, here is someone of another nation. In other words, he is not of Israel. And then if you'll skip down to chapter 11, because when the men of Jerusalem heard that Peter had gone into Cornelius, look what happens. And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." And then of course Peter had to rehearse everything because they were going to jump on him because of their customs and their pharisaical conditions and precepts and concepts that no man who was a Jew was to go into anyone else's house, especially someone of another nation.

So the point I'm trying to make is this. Peter would have never gone into Cornelius' house had God not prepared his heart. And certainly Cornelius would never have heard Peter unless God directed Cornelius to send to Joppa to the house of one Simon the Tanner and ask for Simon Peter and ask him to come. In all probability, Cornelius had never heard of Peter, did not even know Peter. So God had to sovereignly prepare both the preacher and the hearer. Now, do you understand that this is the whole point of the vision that Peter had seen? That's why if you look back in Acts chapter 10, and without me rereading all of this, beginning in verse 10, He became very hungry and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance. That is, he was praying and God gave him a vision. And what did he see? He saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending, and in it was all kinds of creeping things and beasts and fowls of the air. And there came a voice from heaven saying, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. And he said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And then God instructed him that whatever God had created, that call not thou common or unclean.

And of course this was done three times. Now let me just tell you the point of this vision was not to nullify the dietary laws in the Old Testament, nor to nullify the Old Testament. The point of the vision was to get Peter to understand that men outside of Israel were not to be classified as common or unclean. That was the whole point. Because immediately when he came out, there were men knocking at the door saying, God sent us over here to get you. And that's why in verse 28, Acts chapter 10, if you'll skip there, that's why he said, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. And here is the interpretation of the vision. But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Now, with this in mind, I want you to look back to Acts chapter 1 and verse 8. I want you to see the command as well as the commission that God had given His disciples.

Our Lord says it like this. Look carefully, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Now I want you to note the commission that our Lord gave. He says you disciples are to be witnesses to me first where? Jerusalem. That's where they were. Secondly, Judea. That would encompass the southern kingdom. Thirdly, Samaria. That would be the northern kingdom. And then where did he say that you're to go? To the uttermost parts of the earth. Well, at this particular time, most of them had stayed around Jerusalem. It took the persecution in Acts chapter 8 to drive a lot of the disciples away.

Now, I'm just simply saying Peter had to be prepared to go into the house of Cornelius, and Cornelius had to be prepared to receive Peter into his house. Now, I believe that everyone in this room can see the absolute necessity of providential preparation to get Peter and Cornelius together. But what most of us do not see and do not comprehend and understand is this: that just like there was providential preparation in getting Peter and Cornelius together, there must be providential preparation in getting the preacher and the hearer together. Let me explain what I mean. I want you to understand that preaching, especially preaching the word of God, does not come naturally or easily. Now, by that, I don't mean it's a great difficulty to preach when God has called you and when you love preaching. By that, I mean this. You can't teach what you don't know. So in order to teach, in order to preach, there has to be preparation, there has to be study. So just like there is preparation, studious preparation that is needed and necessary to convey the truth, there must also be preparation to hear the truth. Your heart and your life must be prepared as well. Let me just tell you something.

For years, I was bothered by the fact that many Christians did not easily and readily learn as they should. Now you just stop and think about that. I've often thought of how many people have come to church all of their lives, have listened to teaching all of their lives, and know so little, and be so ignorant of the things of God. How in the world does that happen?

Now let me just tell you, I certainly do not expect you to learn in one hour that which it has taken me 40 hours to figure out and to learn. But yet, there's another side of this truth as well. Because although it may take me a lot of hours in studying to present the truth to you, once it is presented to you, it is usually analyzed and systematized and ready to be applied. In other words, you don't have to do all the digging. You just simply have to do the listening. In all my preaching, I've always tried to do everything I could to make truth understandable, comprehensible, and certainly applicable. I know, and you know, that God must illuminate the mind, that He must open the understanding. If God doesn't open our understanding, we don't get anything, no matter how analytical, no matter how systematic, no matter how applicable it is. God must truly open our eyes. I also understood this: that the one who does the studying always learns a whole lot more than the one who just simply listens. Now, if you don't believe that, you just prepare a message. You just do a little studying, you do a little teaching, and the fact is you'll always learn more as you study than the individuals who listen to you. So my question was this, why in the world do God's people not really hear the truth and learn the truth easily and readily and quickly?

The problem I found was this. The problem is not always with the preacher. Sometimes it is with the hearer. Do you realize it does not matter how great a preacher is or how excellent his teaching method or how wonderful his outlines are, if the student or if the hearer is unprepared, all the teaching will fall on deaf ears.

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles with me to two passages. The first one is Proverbs 16, and the second one is Hosea chapter 10. So look in Proverbs 16 first, and then we're going to Hosea chapter 10. Proverbs 16 and verse 1, and I'm only going to point out just really part of that verse, but look at what the Bible says. Proverbs 16 and verse 1. The Bible says the preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Now, let's just deal with one thought here. Look at it. The preparations of the heart in man, finish it now, are from where? From the Lord. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. What does that mean? That means this. If your heart is ever prepared to pray, God prepared it. If your heart is ever prepared to study, God prepared it. If your heart is ever prepared to come to Christ, God prepared it. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.

The truth is simply this. God must prepare our hearts or our hearts are not prepared. Period. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.

Now look in your Bibles, Hosea 10 and verse 12. Hosea 10 and verse 12, look what God commands. Here in this passage, he says, Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Now you say, wait a minute, Brother Weaver. In Proverbs 16, he says the preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.

Now in Hosea 10 and verse 12, he tells me to sow to myself in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up my fallow ground, for it's time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon me. Now you say there's a contradiction. No, there's no contradiction. Proverbs 16, verse 1 talks about ability. Hosea 10 talks about responsibility. Only God has the ability to prepare the heart. It is my responsibility to seek God to prepare my heart. It's my responsibility to turn from anything and everything that would keep me from hearing the Word of God and being unprepared to receive the Word of God. There's a difference between ability and responsibility.

Now, you'll remember that the parable of the sower, really the parable of the soils, occurs in four passages in the New Testament. You will find it in Matthew 13, or actually three. Matthew 13, Mark chapter 4, and Luke chapter 8. Every one of those passages, the Bible says a sower went out to sow. And you will find that some seed fell by the wayside, which the birds devoured it. Some seed fell on stony ground. Some seed fell on thorny ground. And some seed fell on good ground. Now out of those four particular types of hearers, only one brought forth fruit. That's a good ground hearer. Okay? Why did not the wayside, the stony ground, and the thorny ground hearer not bring forth any fruit? Here's the answer.

Because the soil was not prepared. When you plant a garden, you don't just go out there and throw your seed on top of the ground. You prepare the soil. You make the soil ready to receive the seed.

Now, let me just quote this because I'm going to come back to this in just a moment. But in Mark chapter four and verse twenty four, when our Lord was making an application from how you hear the word of God, he says this: Mark four and verse twenty four, he says, Take heed what you hear. Take heed what you hear. Do you realize it's your responsibility to make sure that what you're hearing is indeed the Word of God? Take heed what you hear. But when you get to Luke 8 and verse 18, he says this, Take heed how you hear.

Now, here's the amazing truth, folks. We're going to give an account to God, not just for what we hear, but how we hear. I've seen people, as I've preached, their eyes are up on top of the ceiling. I wonder how many panels are up there. One, two, three. You know? And when you look out the window, you're sitting there watching a little bird or watching a little squirrel. And the amazing thing is, when one little kid gets up to go to the bathroom from the front of the church building, everybody just like they've never seen a kid go to the bathroom before. What's that tell you? Somebody's not paying attention. Somebody's not listening. I've got news for you folks. Usually I can tell who's listening and who's not listening. I can tell who's asleep and who's not asleep. And I can tell whose mind is wandering. And when I see that blank stare in the eyes, you can be looking dead at me. But when I see that blank stare, I know you're somewhere in Never Never Land.

You're not here. But what did our Lord say? He said, you better take heed not only what you hear, but how you hear. Listen, every one of you are hearing me externally and audibly. But just because you hear me externally and audibly does not mean that you're hearing me internally and spiritually. There are two types of hearing in the Word of God. One is simply external, and the other is internal. And if you're not hearing internally, the external hearing is doing you no good. It was Augustine, the early church father, who said it like this, I heard the Gospel all my life, and then one day I heard it.

Let me tell you something. If you do not obey the Word of God, you've never really heard the Word of God. If you do not heed the Word of God, you really have never heard the Word of God. Look back in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Samuel chapter 15. You know the story there. God has sent King Saul on a journey. He's told him to kill all of the Amalekites, and of course, you remember there how he spared Agag, the king, and the best of the sheep and the best of the oxen. And here comes Samuel and Saul, the hypocrite, says, Blessed be thou of the Lord. I have performed all the commandment of the Lord. And about that time, something went baa-moo, you know. And Samuel said, Saul, if you've obeyed God, what meaneth the lowing of the cattle and the bleating of the sheep in my ear? If you'd obeyed God, everything would be dead.

I wouldn't be hearing anything. And that's when Saul blamed it all on the people. He said, the people spared all of this, that they might sacrifice to God. Now look in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 22. And here was Samuel's answer to Saul. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Now look what he says. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams. Now, note what he said, to obey is better than sacrifice.

Let me put it to you bluntly. God had rather have your obedience than anything else you can give him. He'd rather have your obedience than twenty million dollars. Just that simple. He'd rather have your obedience than everything in the world. But look what he said. To obey is better than sacrifice. And then he says to hearken is better than the fat of rams. You know what the fat of rams was? It was the choicest part of the sacrifice, which was always given to God. What does that mean?

That means hearkening and obeying are synonymous. If to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken, to listen, is better than the fat of rams, it means that you don't really hear unless you are obeying. That's why I said no one ever really hears the Word of God until he applies the Word of God. So here it is. I'm stating it very bluntly. Unless your heart is prepared to receive the Word of God, you will never, ever receive the Word of God.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 4. Let me show you this. This passage is dealing with the application of the parable of the sower or the parable of the soils. You remember I told you about the wayside hearer, the stony ground hearer, thorny ground hearer, and finally there was the good ground hearer. But let me show you why most people never, ever really learn truth. Here's why most people remain stunted. Look in Mark chapter four in verse 24. Here's what our Lord said. And he said unto them, in fact, look in verse 23, If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. Lord, you better pay attention to this. And he said unto them, Take heed what you hear.

That's what I quoted earlier. Then he says, With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. Now, let me just stop there. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.

Now, here's what he's saying. To whatever degree that you give to hearing and learning the truth of God, to that degree, God's going to measure truth back to you. In other words, you don't get four hours worth of truth if you only study 15 minutes. You don't get a half a day's truth if you only study 10 minutes. If you study 10 minutes, you get 10 minutes worth of truth, and that's it, because God measures it back to you exactly to the measure that you put in it. That's what he says.

Now, look what he said in verse 24. Take heed what you hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. Here it is. And unto you that hear, help me out, shall more be given. Now, wait a minute. What is God saying? God is saying, I only give more truth to those who hear. What does the word hear mean? It means to obey. Why in the world should God give you any more truth if you're not going to obey the truth that he's already given you? Now, think about that. Why should God give you anything else if you will not apply and obey that which He's already given you? So He said unto you that hear shall more be given. Look at verse 25. For he that hath, to him shall be given. In other words, if you keep it, if you obey it, if you apply it, I will give you more. But here is one horrendous truth in verse 25. And he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

You know what he's telling us? If you don't use the truth, you'll lose the truth. You know what you can do, folks? You can take your arm and tie it to your chest and leave it there for three months. Then let someone untie it, and guess what? You're going to have to learn to use that arm all over again. Those muscles will be so weak. The same thing is true with spiritual truth.

Look how many of you have said, man, that was a good point the pastor made. That was a good message. I will remember that. And you don't remember it. You know why you don't remember it? Because you never applied it. You never obeyed it. You never made it something practical every day in your life that you did. And our Lord said, here's the great horrendous truth. If you don't use the truth, you're going to lose the truth.

That's why people do not mature in the faith. That's why our people are not scholars and theologians. They ought to be. They should be. You know, the same thing is true in any other areas as well. You could be a great mathematician. But I tell you what, you don't think about math, you don't teach math, you don't study math, you don't use math for 10 years and let's see how up to date you are and how good a mathematician you are after that. If you don't use the truth, you lose the truth.

Let me state it bluntly. Your heart is not prepared to hear the truth. If it's not prepared to hear the truth, the truth will not do you any good. You will not receive any benefit from the preaching of God. God must not only prepare my heart to preach and teach the truth, He must prepare your heart to hear and receive and obey and apply the truth. So there must be a providential preparation. Now, I've had people tell me, when I preached, Brother Weaver, that was exactly what I needed to hear. Well, you know why it was exactly what you needed to hear? Because God prepared my heart to preach it and God prepared your heart to hear it. OK, secondly, I want you to look at a providential perspective on preaching.

Providential Perspective

Cornelius understood that they were gathered 'present before God' to hear His Word. This implies recognizing God's special presence in preaching and receiving the message as from God, not merely man.

Let's go back to Acts chapter 10 and look, if you would please, at verse 33. Here's this biblical perspective on preaching. Cornelius said in Acts chapter 10 verse 33. Acts 10 verse 33. Immediately therefore I sent to thee, he tells Peter, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

Now I'm going to be honest with you. When I read this verse several weeks ago, I was just awestruck at the simplicity and yet the depth of Cornelius's understanding. Cornelius understood more about preaching without ever having been really preached to than most Christians do their entire life. First, look what he says. We are all here present before God. We are all here present before God. It should be duly pointed out, listen carefully, that it was Cornelius who had gotten the congregation together.

How did he do that? He invited his family and friends. Look in Acts chapter 10 verse 24. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea, and Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends." Are you listening to me? Peter did the traveling. Peter did the preaching. But it was Cornelius who got the congregation together. Let me put this very plainly. It is your responsibility to get your family and your friends under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. It is not the preacher's responsibility. It is your responsibility. God gave you your family, God gave you your friends, and you're responsible.

I cannot reach those whom I do not know, and I cannot reach those over whom I have absolutely no influence. But isn't it amazing? Now, listen to me. I'm going to be honest. Isn't it amazing that in most churches, most people want the pastor to come out and witness to their family and witness to their friends and try to get them into church? And I'm going to tell you why. Because most Christians do not have enough testimony to reach their own family. Their own family knows how they live. And so, therefore, they have to have an outsider to come in and reach them. No, God gave you your family. God gave you your friends. You're responsible to get them under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

Now, let me show you. Look in Acts 27. You remember, Paul is in the midst of a horrendous storm. He told the people not to leave, but they would not listen to him, and so now just about everything in the ship has been cast into the sea. Look at Acts 27, beginning there with verse 21. They've all been fasting because it looks like they're all going to die. Acts 27, verse 21. But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me. I told you so. I like that. Ye should have hearkened unto me and not have loosed from Crete, to have gained this harm and loss. But look what he says. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar, and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me." Now listen to what God told Paul. He said, Paul, I have given you all those that sail on your ship. If you'll skip down to verse 37, And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls, 276 souls. And what did God tell Paul? I've given you all who sail on your ship. Let me ask you a question. Who sails on your ship? You see the application? Your family and your friends are on your ship. It's your responsibility to get them under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. You can reach people that I could never reach. You can influence people that I can never influence. Who sails on your ship? He says we are all here present before God. He got his family. He got his friends there. I have people asking all over the country.

Will you come and preach over here? Sure. I'll come and preach. You get the group together. I can't get anybody together. You get them together. I'll come preach to them. It's your responsibility to get people under the preaching of the word of God.

Secondly, look at Acts 10 and verse 33. I want you to notice what he said. I told you I was awestruck, not only at the simplicity, but at the depth of what he said. Acts 10 and verse 33, he said in this particular passage, watch carefully now.

Now, therefore, are we all here present before God? He not only said we're all here, he said we're all here present before God. Now, you could explain that phrase present before God in the widest sense of the word. That is, God is omnipresent, which means that God is everywhere at one time in the totality of his person. David clearly taught this in Psalm 139. And every time I think of Psalm 139, I think of Don Thomason, because that's his favorite passage of Scripture. But you remember, David said, Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

He said, If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. He said, If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me. What did David say? I can't get away from God. Yes, he could mean that we're here before God in the sense that God is omnipresent and God is everywhere at once in the totality of his person. But there are two more interpretations that you could give to this phrase.

Secondly, Cornelius could have used this phrase as an oath in order to demonstrate his genuine sincerity. In that sense of the word, he would be saying, We are all here before God. We're all here in the presence of the eyes of whom no one can mock with dissimulation and hypocrisy. And we're so here in the presence of God, we understand His authority, we understand His majesty. It is not a mortal man with whom we have to do, but it is the sovereign God of heaven and earth Himself, and we're standing here or we're sitting here as in His presence. to whom we will give an account. Let me give you a quote from one of the old commentators. He said this, the whole of the man must be present, not his body here and the heart with the fool's eyes in the ends of the earth. But that which makes it indeed a religious attendance is we are present before God. In holy ordinances we present ourselves unto the Lord, and we must be as before Him as those that see His eye upon us." What's he saying? He's saying if we're here before God, we must all be here, and we must be all here.

That is, our bodies can't be here, and our minds somewhere else, or our hearts somewhere else. We must be here with everything that we have, giving ear to God. By the way, I want to show you that there were people in the New Testament that believed exactly that. If you will turn in your Bibles, 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. Look in verse 13. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. Here's a powerful, powerful verse. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. Why did the Apostle Paul thank God for the Thessalonian Christians? Listen carefully. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, look at it now, Paul was preaching, Barnabas, whoever else was with Paul, for when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. What did these Thessalonians do?

When they heard Paul, Barnabas, Silas, whoever was with Paul, preach, they didn't sit there and say, that's Paul's opinion. That's what Barnabas thinks. I'm not going to pay any attention. No. Paul said, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as the word of God. You understood the authority and the majesty and the power of God within His Word, and you didn't sit there and listen to it as a man speaking. You heard the voice of God. You heard His authority.

Certainly, certainly that is true. When we hear God's Word, we must not receive it as the Word of men, but we must receive it as the Word of God. Thirdly, there is a third way that Cornelius could have meant this phrase, we're all here present before God. He could have used that phrase not just in a general sense of recognizing God's omnipresence, not necessarily just as an oath recognizing the fact that it is really and truly God with whom we have to do and we are present before his eyes. But he could have comprehended the teaching of our Lord in Matthew 18 verse 20. Do you remember that passage? Let me just quote it. What did he say? Where two or three are gathered together in my name. What? There am I in the midst of them.

Now don't you stop with me and think about this. Cornelius could have understood that our Lord in a very special and peculiar way was in the midst of his people when God's word was being expounded, explained, and applied. During the preaching of his word, our Lord is in a very peculiar way speaking to his own. I'm going to show you that in the Bible in just a moment. But let me tell you, I was preaching in South Carolina. It was on a Sunday morning. The building was absolutely packed out. And I was dealing with a biblical doctrine and I was preaching as hard as I could preach. And right in the middle of my sermon, right in the middle, there's a man sitting about halfway back, screamed. I mean, screamed. He screamed aloud, Oh, God, I'm lost. I'm lost. And he jumped up from that pew. He ran down the aisle screaming the whole time. Oh, God, I'm lost. I'm lost.

And he came to where I was and he fell down in front of me and grabbed around my ankles with his arms. And all he was doing was crying and sobbing and saying, I'm lost. I'm lost. I'm lost. Here I was in the middle of my sermon. I looked at the preacher and two or three minutes, I said, would you please get him away from my ankles and take him in the room and tell him about the Lord and, you know, tell him why he's lost and explain Christ to him. Well, they came, led him away. Well, I was able to finish my preaching that day and God did indeed bless and several other people were converted as well.

But I was really anxious to talk to this man because it was apparent he was under such deep conviction. And afterwards, he came to me, I mean, beaming, smiling. He said, Preacher, he said, I just want you to know that God saved me today. He said, I found Christ and he said, Christ is my Lord and my Savior. I bowed to him and I've turned from my sins. And I mean, just gleaming from eye to eye and just I said, look, I've just got to ask you a question. I said, here's my question.

What was it that I said or what illustration did I use that got you under such conviction? You see, I was thinking, Brother Ernie, if it worked one time, it might work again somewhere else, you know. I'll use that one again, you know. And the guy looked at me, he's a preacher. You want me to tell you the truth? I said, well, of course I do. He said, well, really, to tell you the truth, he said, I really wasn't listening to you.

He said, somebody short-circuited you and the Lord was speaking to me. I said, well, I'm surely happy for that. But let me show you what I'm talking about. I want you to look in your Bibles, Romans chapter 10. Listen carefully. Now, what did our Lord say? Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. You know, that is a tremendous thought. You just stop and think Jesus Christ is walking this morning in the midst of His people. What? Yes. Look at what the Bible says. Romans 10 verse 13. Everybody can quote this verse. This is a favorite verse. I don't care if you're an Arminian, a Calvinist, a whatever you are, everybody can quote this verse. Watch it.

That's better than an Arminian, isn't it? I don't know. But everybody can quote this verse. Romans 10, 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Isn't that wonderful? Well, sure it is.

Now, let me ask you. If you understand that verse, don't answer out loud. Let me ask you. What is it that saves? Is it an act of calling, or is it faith? For by grace are you saved through what? Faith, and that not of yourselves. Well, now let me ask you, why do men call upon the name of the Lord? He said, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Well, look in verse 14, let's kind of work this thing backwards. All right. Verse 13 says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now watch verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Oh, wait a minute. What? You mean you have to believe before you call? Oh. Well, really and truly, it's not calling that saves you, is it? You're already saved because you believe. The calling is evidence that you genuinely believe, right? So in order to call on the Lord, you must believe because nobody's going to call on him whom they do not believe.

OK, so he says, watch verse 14 now. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Now watch carefully. How do you believe? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

Now, I want you to note carefully what the Scripture does not say. It's important sometimes that you not only see what Scripture does say, but what it does not say. Look in verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Scripture does not say, how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard about? If you hear about someone, he is not present. But if you hear someone, he is present. So what does it say now? Watch this. Verse 13, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Well, how do you call? Verse 14, you must first believe. Well, what is it that's going to give you faith? Well, you must first hear Christ. Well, when are you going to hear Christ? Watch. And how shall they hear without a preacher? You hear Christ because He's walking in among His people as the preacher is expounding, explaining, and applying the Word of God.

Do you remember in the garden? Mary went there to see the Lord, and He had already risen from the dead. And she looked around and saw Him standing there, but supposed He was the gardener. And she said, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Remember what our Lord said? Mary. And what did she do? She fell on him and said, Rabboni. What did he do?

He just called her name. You know, it seems to me like our Lord said something in John 10. My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. Do you realize in the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, Christ is present, calling his sheep, speaking to his sheep, comforting them, instructing them, opening their eyes. I want you to understand, Cornelius had a biblical perspective on preaching. He says, we are all here present before God. He could have equally said we are all here in the presence of God. It's not just that God is omnipresent. It's not just that we will have to answer before Him in the day which we stand before Him. It's that here Christ is walking among us, calling His own, teaching His own, speaking to His own. The most important thing in preaching is to hear Christ.

You remember those Greeks who came to the disciples and said to them, Sirs, we would see Jesus. And that must be your attitude as you come to hear the preaching of the Word of God. You must hear Christ and you must hear him as he speaks through his word. Now, let's go back to Acts chapter 10, because I want you to see the third point, and that is providential preaching. Not only was there a providential perspective in that he understood what real preaching and teaching was, I want you to understand there is a providential preaching. He says in verse 33, Acts 10, verse 33, now therefore are we all here present before God, watch now, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Ah! Listen carefully. Those who are providentially prepared to hear the Word of God, those who have a providential perspective on preaching, are prepared to hear all things. Not some things.

Providential Preaching

Cornelius was ready to hear 'all things' commanded by God. This challenges hearers to accept the whole counsel of God without resistance, and it encourages preachers to proclaim it boldly.

Not just a few pet doctrines. But all things. We want the whole Word of God. Let me ask you. Have you ever thought what an encouragement this could be to a pastor? When a pastor knows that he is absolutely free to open the Word of God to any book, to any chapter, to any paragraph, to any verse and exegete and expound that portion of Scripture, knowing that it will be received by his hearers as the Word of God. He'll be encouraged to preach the whole Word of God. You know, we've got to remember that God speaks far more than just on four subjects. He doesn't just deal with sin, salvation, soul winning and separation. He speaks on economics, he speaks on government, he speaks on education, he speaks on home, he speaks on everything. And can you imagine, now listen to me, can you imagine what an encouragement it would be to a pastor if he knew that he could open the Bible and preach from any text, knowing that he would not upset, scatter, run off, and make mad a number of believers because they didn't like what

he preached about. Can you imagine that? Listen. I've told so many people. I could not pastor the average church. I had a church invite me to come down to Florida. And they wanted me to be their pastor. I said, I'll preach for you, but I'm not really interested in being your pastor. This church building, oh, you should have seen the building. Several million dollars. They had a gymnasium, another several million dollars.

They had a big Christian school. I mean, they had, it was beautiful. And they said, we really want you to be our pastor. I said, you really don't want me to be your pastor. You just think you want me to be your pastor. They said, well, how can you say that? I said, because when I get up and start preaching against debt, and by the way, they owed four or five million dollars. I said, when I start preaching against debt and I start preaching against some of these other things, I'm going to run half of you off. I said, and then who's going to pay for all these facilities that you've got around here? Then you're going to have to get rid of me so you can get somebody else who won't preach the way I preach so you can keep your buildings. I said, no, you don't want me. You just think you want me. And I said, the truth of the matter is, I don't want you. Because I don't want to inherit all this debt and all these problems.

But you see what I'm saying? You know why I love you? Because I can. I can open the Bible and just preach anything. You don't get mad at me. You just say, well, I may not understand that. I may have to hear it two or three times, but you know, it's the Word of God, and I'm willing to submit to it. And if you get mad, at least you don't show it. Maybe it's because you know I've got a black belt. I don't know. Maybe it's because I've got Tom to protect me. I don't know. But I just have to say, what an encouragement it would be to the average pastor just to know that he could open the Bible and preach anything. That's what they said. We're here to hear all things. Let me ask you.

Why is it there are certain subjects and books and doctrines in the Bible that are taboo to certain Christians and certain congregations? Is it not the Word of God? Is it not all of it the Word of God? Why is it that some pastors believe that when they come to a text of scripture, they have to water it down, overlook it, skip it, or do an exegetical jig around it? You know, it's amazing to me. Well, let me tell you why most pastors are like that. Because most Christians are not prepared to hear all things. Now, it's wrong on the pastor's part. But it's wrong on the people's part as well. Let me just tell you something, it may surprise you, but I'm going to show you this from the scripture. It may surprise you to learn that the inability, the inability of professing Christians to hear all things from the word of God can limit the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Let me show you that from the Bible.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews. Chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. And look at verse 10. Here the apostle has been talking about the greatness of Christ and especially his priesthood. And look in verse 10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek. So he's really getting into the deep things of Christ. Verse 11, "...of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." Why could not the author of the book of Hebrews continue teaching of the Melchizedekal priesthood of Christ? He said, I'll tell you why. Because it's a hard truth and you are dull of hearing. That is, you're full of lethargy, you're slothful, you're lazy, you won't pay attention, and consequently says when the time comes that you should be teachers, you have need that somebody starts you all over again on milk. Hmm. The truth of the matter is this, folks, the Christians' inability to hear all things hinders the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

It's true pastors are wrong when they compromise and when they water down and when they skip and they try to please men. That's wrong. I confess that. I acknowledge that. But it's equally wrong when people get mad and upset and don't like it when it's the plain Word of God.

Now, look what else he said. I'm going to tie it together for you in just a moment, but look at Acts 10 in verse 33. He said, Now, therefore, are we all here present before God to hear all things? Watch this next phrase. That all things that are commanded thee of God. Do you realize Cornelius apprehended a truth that most Christians never comprehend? That is, that God commands that His Word be preached and taught. The word commanded is the Greek word protasso, which means command, to order, prescribe, and to appoint. Why does God call preachers? So He appoints them, He commands them, He orders them to preach and teach His Word. I'm not going to take you back to Acts 20.

We looked at that last week. But you remember Paul said he got free from the blood of all men. How? Because I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God. Now, if God, listen carefully, if God commands me as a pastor, if God commands me as a preacher to preach the whole counsel of God, by implication, what does He command you as people? To hear the whole counsel of God. And of course, to hear it, to receive it, to apply it, to obey it.

Now, let me ask you, how do you think this will affect the average preacher? I'm going to give you a little scenario. In fact, you could ask, I could ask, how do you think this would affect me? How would you think most preachers of the gospel would respond if he came to church early one Sunday morning, and lo and behold, the congregation was at the doors waiting on him, and they said to him, Pastor, we're ready to hear all. We have come at the beginning. We were so anxious to hear the Word of God, we could not wait. We got here early. We want to stay early. We want to stay to the end. We want to be attentive of all things. We want to hear all things. We desire us to hear whatever God has commanded you to preach, no matter how displeasing to the flesh it is, no matter how contrary to my former notions and interests. No matter how contrary to secular interest, we're ready to hear everything.

Let nothing be held back. Let nothing be kept back. Give it to us and give it to us all. Now, how do you think the average pastor would respond to that? Well, after he came back to or got out of the hospital from having a heart attack. Just to know that here were some people who really wanted the Word of God. Oh. He'd preach and teach his heart out. You say, come on, brother, we were things like that didn't really happen. Sure, they did. Happened in the New Testament. Look at Acts 13. Acts 13, I've said this before, and I'm going to do it one of these days. I'm going to preach a sermon entitled The Mistake of a Great Rabbi. Look at this, I get so tickled every time I think about this. Acts 13 verse 15.

Paul is in the synagogue. Look at this. Verse 15. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Can you imagine asking the Apostle Paul, do you have anything to say? And of course, Paul starts preaching verse 16, and he goes all the way, skip down to verse 41. He ends his sermon in verse 41.

He says, Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. Now watch. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, look at it now. The Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. In other words, they wouldn't let Paul get away. They said, you've got to promise us that you and Barnabas are going to come back and preach to us again. Well, OK, we'll do that.

Now, watch verse 43, it wasn't over. And now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas. We want more, they said, who's speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. They just happen to have another sermon ready on the preservation and the perseverance of the Saints. So they preached to him again. Watch verse 44. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Here were people who could not get enough of the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Let me tell you something, Cornelius said we're all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. We've got to understand that preaching is something that God commands. Consequently, if the preacher is faithful to God, he must preach all things that God commanded him.

Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one you're already on, I'm sure. Preaching and hearing have corollary responsibilities. When someone is particularly called and commissioned by God to preach, it means those to whom he is sent have the obligation and duty and responsibility to hear what God has commanded him to preach. OK? Secondly, let me make this very clear. In God's sovereign providence, there is no room for luck, chance, fate, or fortune.

Applications

Preaching and hearing carry mutual responsibilities. There is no luck in preaching; God designs each message for the hearer's need. Hearers should receive every sermon as God's provision for future trials.

What am I talking about? When God commands the preacher to preach on a certain subject, no matter how much you may dislike it, no matter how much you may disagree with it, no matter how much you may resent it, no matter how much you think it is silly or needless, God has designed that message for you. There is no such thing as luck, chance, fate or fortune in preaching. If God prepares my heart to preach, that means you need whatever he's laid on my heart to preach. Let me give you an illustration. Everybody knows I was raised on a farm. My mother was one of the greatest cooks in the world. And when I was on the farm, I was used to having breakfast. I mean, biscuits, eggs, grits, ham, bacon, whatever. I mean, when we had breakfast, we had breakfast. And I remember when I joined the service and I went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

And I was in boot camp and I hadn't probably been there a week or two. And I went through the chow line one morning for breakfast, and some private slapped two pieces of bread on a plate and put some of the craziest ooey gooey stuff on top of it. You know, creamed beef on toast. I said, I'm not eating this junk. You know, I don't remember how I got out of there without eating it. There were times, and some of you may remember this, I have walked out of the chow hall with peas in my pocket. Because, you know, that sign saying, you won't beat all you take. And a lot of times they had cards there to make sure you ate everything. And if you didn't, they'd send you back and make you finish it. And so if you got too much, you just had to put it in your pocket. And if you got out of there, at least I did. But I don't remember how I got rid of that. But I remember thinking, I am not eating this slop.

That's all there is to it. But I did not know that that morning they had planned for a five-mile hike with a full field pack. And I'm going to tell you something, about 10 o'clock in the morning, that creamed beef on toast got looking mighty good to me. I wish I had some. But I didn't. I did without. I didn't like it. I didn't want it. And I'm the one that suffered for it. You know, I actually got to like it after a while.

Because next time they put it on my plate, I ate it. Because I knew I had to have some energy. Now, I'll be honest, I haven't eaten it since I got out. But I mean, but the point I'm trying to make is simply this. When you come and hear a message and you say, why is he preaching that? Because God commanded it. And you may not think you need it now. But when God puts you on that five mile hike with a full field pack, He's given you what you need in advance. And you better receive it as the word of God and apply it as the word of God and obey it as the word of God so that you'll be prepared for whatever God sends your way. Would it not be absolutely wonderful if every Christian came to church on the Lord's Day saying, we're all here, present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. What a perspective on preaching.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Divine Preparation for Hearing

Summary: Just as God prepared Peter and Cornelius, He must prepare the hearts of hearers today. Without this preparation, preaching is ineffective.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'God had to sovereignly prepare both the preacher and the hearer... there must be providential preparation in getting the preacher and the hearer together.'

Hearing as Obedience

Summary: True hearing is synonymous with obeying. One has not truly heard the Word until it is applied and obeyed.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'If you do not obey the Word of God, you've never really heard the Word of God.' He cites 1 Samuel 15:22 to equate hearkening with obeying.

The Measure of Hearing

Summary: God measures truth back to the hearer according to the diligence they give to hearing and obeying. Failure to use truth results in losing it.

Evidence: Weaver explains Mark 4:24-25: 'With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you... if you don't use the truth, you'll lose the truth.'

Presence Before God in Preaching

Summary: Hearers must recognize they are in God's presence during preaching, implying reverence, attention, and accountability.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Acts 10:33: 'We are all here present before God' and discusses its implications of God's special presence and the hearer's wholehearted engagement.

Hearing Christ in Preaching

Summary: In true preaching, Christ Himself speaks to His people. Hearers should listen for His voice.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'In the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, Christ is present, calling his sheep, speaking to his sheep.' He references Romans 10:14 and John 10.

Readiness to Hear All of God's Word

Summary: Believers should be willing to hear every doctrine and command of Scripture, not just preferred topics. This encourages faithful preaching.

Evidence: Weaver emphasizes Cornelius's words, 'to hear all things that are commanded thee of God,' and laments that some subjects are taboo in churches.

Mutual Responsibility in Preaching

Summary: Preaching and hearing are corollary duties. The hearer's responsibility is to receive what God commands the preacher to deliver.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'When someone is particularly called and commissioned by God to preach, it means those to whom he is sent have the obligation and duty and responsibility to hear.'

Key Arguments

God must prepare the hearer's heart for preaching to be effective.

Summary: Without divine preparation, even the best preaching falls on deaf ears. The parable of the soils illustrates that only prepared soil bears fruit.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The problem is not always with the preacher. Sometimes it is with the hearer... if the hearer is unprepared, all the teaching will fall on deaf ears.'

Hearing is not passive; it requires active obedience.

Summary: External hearing is insufficient; internal, spiritual hearing is evidenced by obedience. God gives more truth only to those who obey what they have received.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'No one ever really hears the Word of God until he applies the Word of God.' He cites Mark 4:24-25.

The hearer's attitude can limit or encourage the preaching of God's Word.

Summary: When hearers are dull or resistant, preachers may be hindered from teaching deeper truths. Conversely, eager hearers embolden preachers.

Evidence: Weaver cites Hebrews 5:11-12, where the author cannot teach about Melchizedek because the hearers are 'dull of hearing.'

Preaching is a divine command, and hearers are obligated to receive it as such.

Summary: God commands preachers to proclaim His Word; therefore, hearers are commanded to hear and obey it. This removes chance from the preaching event.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'God commands that His Word be preached and taught... by implication, what does He command you as people? To hear the whole counsel of God.'

Scripture References

Acts 10:1-33

Context: The account of Cornelius and Peter, used as the primary text for the message.

Acts 10:28

Context: Peter explains that God showed him not to call any man common or unclean, interpreting his vision.

Acts 11:1-3

Context: The Jerusalem believers contended with Peter for going to Gentiles, showing the cultural barrier God overcame.

Acts 1:8

Context: Jesus' commission to be witnesses to the uttermost parts of the earth, which Peter was slow to fulfill.

Proverbs 16:1

Context: The preparations of the heart are from the Lord, emphasizing divine enablement.

Hosea 10:12

Context: The command to break up fallow ground, illustrating human responsibility to seek heart preparation.

Mark 4:24-25

Context: Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be measured to you; more given to those who have.

Luke 8:18

Context: Take heed how you hear, emphasizing the manner of hearing.

1 Samuel 15:22

Context: To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams, equating hearing with obedience.

Acts 27:21-24, 37

Context: God gave Paul all who sailed with him, illustrating the hearer's responsibility to bring others under the Word.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

Context: The Thessalonians received Paul's preaching not as the word of men but as the Word of God.

Matthew 18:20

Context: Where two or three are gathered in Christ's name, He is in the midst, implying His special presence in preaching.

Romans 10:13-14

Context: Calling on the Lord requires belief, which comes from hearing Christ through a preacher.

John 10:27

Context: My sheep hear my voice, referenced to show Christ speaks in preaching.

Hebrews 5:10-12

Context: The hearers' dullness prevented the author from teaching deeper truths about Melchizedek.

Acts 13:15, 42-44

Context: The Gentiles begged to hear more preaching, showing eagerness for the Word.

Historical References

Augustine

Context: Weaver quotes Augustine: 'I heard the Gospel all my life, and then one day I heard it,' illustrating the difference between external and internal hearing.

Important Quotes

The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.

Significance: Establishes the theological foundation that God must sovereignly prepare the heart for any spiritual activity, including hearing preaching.

Take heed what you hear.

Significance: Highlights the hearer's responsibility to ensure the content they receive is truly God's Word.

Take heed how you hear.

Significance: Emphasizes that the manner of hearing—with attention, reverence, and readiness to obey—is crucial.

If you do not obey the Word of God, you've never really heard the Word of God.

Significance: Defines true hearing as inseparable from obedience, a central thesis of the message.

With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.

Significance: Warns that the degree of effort in hearing determines the degree of spiritual understanding received.

I heard the Gospel all my life, and then one day I heard it.

Significance: Augustine's quote illustrating the transition from mere external hearing to internal, transformative hearing.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean for your heart to be 'prepared' to hear preaching, and what practical steps can you take to seek that preparation?

Context: Based on the discussion of Proverbs 16:1 and Hosea 10:12 regarding divine ability and human responsibility.

How can we distinguish between merely hearing preaching externally and truly hearing it internally and spiritually?

Context: Weaver emphasized that external hearing is not enough; true hearing results in obedience.

In what ways might our lack of obedience to previously received truth hinder our ability to receive more truth from God?

Context: Referencing Mark 4:24-25 and the principle that God gives more to those who use what they have.

What does it practically look like to come to church 'present before God'? How would our worship change if we truly grasped this?

Context: From the exposition of Acts 10:33 and the idea of being in God's special presence during preaching.

Are there any doctrines or passages of Scripture that you find yourself resistant to hearing? How can you cultivate a heart that says, 'Speak, Lord, all things'?

Context: Weaver challenged the tendency to avoid certain topics and called for readiness to hear the whole counsel of God.

How does understanding that Christ Himself speaks through preaching change the way you listen to sermons?

Context: Based on the teaching from Romans 10 and John 10 that Christ is present and calling His sheep in preaching.

Applications

Seek God's preparation before hearing the Word.

Summary: Pray and turn from anything that would hinder receptivity, asking God to prepare your heart to receive the preached Word.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is my responsibility to seek God to prepare my heart. It's my responsibility to turn from anything and everything that would keep me from hearing the Word of God.'

Obey what you hear.

Summary: Apply the truths from sermons immediately, recognizing that hearing without obedience is not true hearing and leads to spiritual loss.

Evidence: Weaver warns, 'If you don't use the truth, you'll lose the truth,' and 'no one ever really hears the Word of God until he applies the Word of God.'

Bring others under the preaching of God's Word.

Summary: Take responsibility to invite family and friends to hear biblical preaching, as Cornelius gathered his household.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'It is your responsibility to get your family and your friends under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.'

Receive preaching as God's Word, not man's opinion.

Summary: Listen to sermons with the awareness that God is speaking through His Word, and submit to its authority.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Thessalonians 2:13 and says, 'When we hear God's Word, we must not receive it as the Word of men, but we must receive it as the Word of God.'

Be willing to hear all of Scripture, even difficult truths.

Summary: Cultivate an attitude that welcomes every doctrine and command of the Bible, not just comfortable topics.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We want the whole Word of God... we're ready to hear everything.'

Trust God's providence in the message preached.

Summary: Believe that God has designed each sermon for your specific need, even if you don't immediately see its relevance.

Evidence: Weaver illustrates with the army breakfast: 'When God puts you on that five mile hike with a full field pack, He's given you what you need in advance.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T04:41:43Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:53:18Z

Clean Transcript

A Biblical Perspective on Preaching Part #2

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Acts chapter 10, and we're going to do the second part of the message I began last week on the biblical perspective on preaching. So Acts chapter 10, and let's read several verses, beginning with verse 1, and then we'll skip down to our text, which is verse 33. Notice Acts chapter 10 verse 1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band, a devout man and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always. And he saw in a vision, evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming into him and saying unto him, Cornelius.
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And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
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Now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." Let's skip down to verse 9, And on the morrow as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten.
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But while they made ready, he fell into a trance. And he saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice, and the vessel was received up into heaven. Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men who were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate."
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Now skip down if you would, please. Beginning there with verse 27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
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Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for. I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me." Skip down to verse 32. God told Cornelius, Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the seaside, who when he cometh shall speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God."
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Now last week I began a brief series on the biblical perspective on preaching. And you will remember that I spent a great deal of time distinguishing for you a distinction between topical sermons, textual sermons, and expository sermons. And I was sharing with you how that there is indeed a time and a place for a topical and a textual message, but if those messages are done correctly, they can be done in an expository manner in some sense. Usually they are not. Topical preaching is usually the worst type. Textual is better, but the far more superior type of preaching is known as expository preaching. And then we went to the book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, in verse 8, where I showed you from the Bible what real preaching really is.
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Where the Levites expounded the Word of God, explained the Word of God, and applied the Word of God. So biblical preaching is basically exposition, explanation, and application. It's not just simply that we remember scriptures, but that we understand those scriptures and we know how to apply them and how to obey them in our everyday life. So I pointed out just like there is an art to preaching, there is also an art to hearing the Word of God as well. When God requires the preacher in 1 Timothy 3 to be apt to teach, at the same time, He requires His people to be apt to hear. And of course, the Word of God tells us, just like there is preparation that is needed in order to preach, there's preparation needed in order to hear preaching as well. The truth of the matter is, there's a great many people today who attend preaching who never really hear preaching. And there's a vast difference between attending preaching and hearing preaching. And just like there's preparation that is needed and necessary to convey truth, there's preparation that is needed, necessary to understand and to apply truth.
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And so today I want to take the time to finish this message and show you basically three thoughts. We're going to be looking especially at Acts 10 and verse 33. We're going to see that there is a providential preparation. There is a providential perspective. And of course, there is a providential preaching.
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Now, let me just say this. If you grasp and understand what I'm going to show you today, it will change your entire attitude on the preaching and on the hearing of the Word of God. So let's begin with a providential preparation.
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Now, the reason I read the beginning of Acts chapter 10 is this. If you look at the very beginning of Acts chapter 10, you will find that Peter was certainly not prepared to preach to Cornelius at the beginning of Acts chapter 10. Neither was Cornelius and his family prepared to hear the preaching of Peter. God had to move on both parties in order to prepare them. God had to providentially prepare Peter and providentially prepare Cornelius in order that they might hear what Peter had to say. Now, if you would understand that Peter, at this particular time, believed that anyone outside of the land of Israel certainly was common or unclean. In fact, if you look down in Acts chapter 10 and verse 28, Peter says it like this.
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He said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. And if you'll go back to verse one, there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band. So here, Cornelius was a Roman soldier. And he was of the Italian band, which probably meant that he was from Italy, thus a Roman. And this is why Peter is saying, here is someone of another nation.
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In other words, he is not of Israel. And then if you'll skip down to chapter 11, because when the men of Jerusalem heard that Peter had gone into Cornelius, look what happens. And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." And then of course Peter had to rehearse everything because they were going to jump on him because of their customs and their pharisaical conditions and precepts and concepts that no man who was a Jew was to go into anyone else's house, especially someone of another nation.
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So the point I'm trying to make is this. Peter would have never gone into Cornelius' house had God not prepared his heart. And certainly Cornelius would never have heard Peter unless God directed Cornelius to send to Joppa to the house of one Simon the Tanner and ask for Simon Peter and ask him to come. In all probability, Cornelius had never heard of Peter, did not even know Peter. So God had to sovereignly prepare both the preacher and the hearer. Now, do you understand that this is the whole point of the vision that Peter had seen?
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That's why if you look back in Acts chapter 10, and without me rereading all of this, beginning in verse 10, He became very hungry and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance. That is, he was praying and God gave him a vision. And what did he see? He saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending, and in it was all kinds of creeping things and beasts and fowls of the air. And there came a voice from heaven saying, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. And he said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And then God instructed him that whatever God had created, that call not thou common or unclean.
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And of course this was done three times. Now let me just tell you the point of this vision was not to nullify the dietary laws in the Old Testament, nor to nullify the Old Testament. The point of the vision was to get Peter to understand that men outside of Israel were not to be classified as common or unclean. That was the whole point. Because immediately when he came out, there were men knocking at the door saying, God sent us over here to get you.
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And that's why in verse 28, Acts chapter 10, if you'll skip there, that's why he said, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. And here is the interpretation of the vision. But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Now, with this in mind, I want you to look back to Acts chapter 1 and verse 8. I want you to see the command as well as the commission that God had given His disciples.
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Our Lord says it like this. Look carefully, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth.
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Now I want you to note the commission that our Lord gave. He says you disciples are to be witnesses to me first where? Jerusalem. That's where they were. Secondly, Judea. That would encompass the southern kingdom. Thirdly, Samaria. That would be the northern kingdom. And then where did he say that you're to go? To the uttermost parts of the earth. Well, at this particular time, most of them had stayed around Jerusalem. It took the persecution in Acts chapter 8 to drive a lot of the disciples away.
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Now, I'm just simply saying Peter had to be prepared to go into the house of Cornelius, and Cornelius had to be prepared to receive Peter into his house. Now, I believe that everyone in this room can see the absolute necessity of providential preparation to get Peter and Cornelius together. But what most of us do not see and do not comprehend and understand is this: that just like there was providential preparation in getting Peter and Cornelius together, there must be providential preparation in getting the preacher and the hearer together.
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Let me explain what I mean. I want you to understand that preaching, especially preaching the word of God, does not come naturally or easily. Now, by that, I don't mean it's a great difficulty to preach when God has called you and when you love preaching. By that, I mean this. You can't teach what you don't know. So in order to teach, in order to preach, there has to be preparation, there has to be study. So just like there is preparation, studious preparation that is needed and necessary to convey the truth, there must also be preparation to hear the truth. Your heart and your life must be prepared as well. Let me just tell you something.
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For years, I was bothered by the fact that many Christians did not easily and readily learn as they should. Now you just stop and think about that. I've often thought of how many people have come to church all of their lives, have listened to teaching all of their lives, and know so little, and be so ignorant of the things of God. How in the world does that happen?
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Now let me just tell you, I certainly do not expect you to learn in one hour that which it has taken me 40 hours to figure out and to learn. But yet, there's another side of this truth as well. Because although it may take me a lot of hours in studying to present the truth to you, once it is presented to you, it is usually analyzed and systematized and ready to be applied.
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In other words, you don't have to do all the digging. You just simply have to do the listening. In all my preaching, I've always tried to do everything I could to make truth understandable, comprehensible, and certainly applicable. I know, and you know, that God must illuminate the mind, that He must open the understanding. If God doesn't open our understanding, we don't get anything, no matter how analytical, no matter how systematic, no matter how applicable it is. God must truly open our eyes. I also understood this: that the one who does the studying always learns a whole lot more than the one who just simply listens. Now, if you don't believe that, you just prepare a message. You just do a little studying, you do a little teaching, and the fact is you'll always learn more as you study than the individuals who listen to you. So my question was this, why in the world do God's people not really hear the truth and learn the truth easily and readily and quickly?
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The problem I found was this. The problem is not always with the preacher. Sometimes it is with the hearer. Do you realize it does not matter how great a preacher is or how excellent his teaching method or how wonderful his outlines are, if the student or if the hearer is unprepared, all the teaching will fall on deaf ears.
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles with me to two passages. The first one is Proverbs 16, and the second one is Hosea chapter 10. So look in Proverbs 16 first, and then we're going to Hosea chapter 10. Proverbs 16 and verse 1, and I'm only going to point out just really part of that verse, but look at what the Bible says. Proverbs 16 and verse 1. The Bible says the preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Now, let's just deal with one thought here. Look at it. The preparations of the heart in man, finish it now, are from where? From the Lord. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord. What does that mean? That means this. If your heart is ever prepared to pray, God prepared it. If your heart is ever prepared to study, God prepared it. If your heart is ever prepared to come to Christ, God prepared it. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.
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The truth is simply this. God must prepare our hearts or our hearts are not prepared. Period. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.
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Now look in your Bibles, Hosea 10 and verse 12. Hosea 10 and verse 12, look what God commands. Here in this passage, he says, Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
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Now you say, wait a minute, Brother Weaver. In Proverbs 16, he says the preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.
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Now in Hosea 10 and verse 12, he tells me to sow to myself in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up my fallow ground, for it's time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon me. Now you say there's a contradiction. No, there's no contradiction. Proverbs 16, verse 1 talks about ability. Hosea 10 talks about responsibility. Only God has the ability to prepare the heart. It is my responsibility to seek God to prepare my heart. It's my responsibility to turn from anything and everything that would keep me from hearing the Word of God and being unprepared to receive the Word of God. There's a difference between ability and responsibility.
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Now, you'll remember that the parable of the sower, really the parable of the soils, occurs in four passages in the New Testament. You will find it in Matthew 13, or actually three. Matthew 13, Mark chapter 4, and Luke chapter 8. Every one of those passages, the Bible says a sower went out to sow. And you will find that some seed fell by the wayside, which the birds devoured it. Some seed fell on stony ground. Some seed fell on thorny ground. And some seed fell on good ground. Now out of those four particular types of hearers, only one brought forth fruit. That's a good ground hearer. Okay? Why did not the wayside, the stony ground, and the thorny ground hearer not bring forth any fruit? Here's the answer.
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Because the soil was not prepared. When you plant a garden, you don't just go out there and throw your seed on top of the ground. You prepare the soil. You make the soil ready to receive the seed.
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Now, let me just quote this because I'm going to come back to this in just a moment. But in Mark chapter four and verse twenty four, when our Lord was making an application from how you hear the word of God, he says this: Mark four and verse twenty four, he says, Take heed what you hear. Take heed what you hear. Do you realize it's your responsibility to make sure that what you're hearing is indeed the Word of God? Take heed what you hear. But when you get to Luke 8 and verse 18, he says this, Take heed how you hear.
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Now, here's the amazing truth, folks. We're going to give an account to God, not just for what we hear, but how we hear. I've seen people, as I've preached, their eyes are up on top of the ceiling. I wonder how many panels are up there. One, two, three. You know? And when you look out the window, you're sitting there watching a little bird or watching a little squirrel. And the amazing thing is, when one little kid gets up to go to the bathroom from the front of the church building, everybody just like they've never seen a kid go to the bathroom before. What's that tell you? Somebody's not paying attention. Somebody's not listening. I've got news for you folks. Usually I can tell who's listening and who's not listening. I can tell who's asleep and who's not asleep. And I can tell whose mind is wandering. And when I see that blank stare in the eyes, you can be looking dead at me. But when I see that blank stare, I know you're somewhere in Never Never Land.
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You're not here. But what did our Lord say? He said, you better take heed not only what you hear, but how you hear. Listen, every one of you are hearing me externally and audibly. But just because you hear me externally and audibly does not mean that you're hearing me internally and spiritually. There are two types of hearing in the Word of God. One is simply external, and the other is internal. And if you're not hearing internally, the external hearing is doing you no good. It was Augustine, the early church father, who said it like this, I heard the Gospel all my life, and then one day I heard it.
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Let me tell you something. If you do not obey the Word of God, you've never really heard the Word of God. If you do not heed the Word of God, you really have never heard the Word of God. Look back in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Samuel chapter 15. You know the story there. God has sent King Saul on a journey. He's told him to kill all of the Amalekites, and of course, you remember there how he spared Agag, the king, and the best of the sheep and the best of the oxen. And here comes Samuel and Saul, the hypocrite, says, Blessed be thou of the Lord. I have performed all the commandment of the Lord. And about that time, something went baa-moo, you know. And Samuel said, Saul, if you've obeyed God, what meaneth the lowing of the cattle and the bleating of the sheep in my ear? If you'd obeyed God, everything would be dead.
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I wouldn't be hearing anything. And that's when Saul blamed it all on the people. He said, the people spared all of this, that they might sacrifice to God.
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Now look in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 22. And here was Samuel's answer to Saul. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Now look what he says. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams. Now, note what he said, to obey is better than sacrifice.
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Let me put it to you bluntly. God had rather have your obedience than anything else you can give him. He'd rather have your obedience than twenty million dollars. Just that simple. He'd rather have your obedience than everything in the world. But look what he said. To obey is better than sacrifice. And then he says to hearken is better than the fat of rams. You know what the fat of rams was? It was the choicest part of the sacrifice, which was always given to God. What does that mean?
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That means hearkening and obeying are synonymous. If to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken, to listen, is better than the fat of rams, it means that you don't really hear unless you are obeying. That's why I said no one ever really hears the Word of God until he applies the Word of God. So here it is. I'm stating it very bluntly. Unless your heart is prepared to receive the Word of God, you will never, ever receive the Word of God.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 4. Let me show you this. This passage is dealing with the application of the parable of the sower or the parable of the soils. You remember I told you about the wayside hearer, the stony ground hearer, thorny ground hearer, and finally there was the good ground hearer. But let me show you why most people never, ever really learn truth. Here's why most people remain stunted. Look in Mark chapter four in verse 24. Here's what our Lord said. And he said unto them, in fact, look in verse 23, If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. Lord, you better pay attention to this. And he said unto them, Take heed what you hear.
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That's what I quoted earlier. Then he says, With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.
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Now, let me just stop there. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.
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Now, here's what he's saying. To whatever degree that you give to hearing and learning the truth of God, to that degree, God's going to measure truth back to you. In other words, you don't get four hours worth of truth if you only study 15 minutes. You don't get a half a day's truth if you only study 10 minutes. If you study 10 minutes, you get 10 minutes worth of truth, and that's it, because God measures it back to you exactly to the measure that you put in it. That's what he says.
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Now, look what he said in verse 24. Take heed what you hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. Here it is. And unto you that hear, help me out, shall more be given. Now, wait a minute. What is God saying? God is saying, I only give more truth to those who hear. What does the word hear mean? It means to obey. Why in the world should God give you any more truth if you're not going to obey the truth that he's already given you? Now, think about that. Why should God give you anything else if you will not apply and obey that which He's already given you? So He said unto you that hear shall more be given. Look at verse 25. For he that hath, to him shall be given. In other words, if you keep it, if you obey it, if you apply it, I will give you more. But here is one horrendous truth in verse 25. And he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
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You know what he's telling us? If you don't use the truth, you'll lose the truth. You know what you can do, folks? You can take your arm and tie it to your chest and leave it there for three months. Then let someone untie it, and guess what? You're going to have to learn to use that arm all over again. Those muscles will be so weak. The same thing is true with spiritual truth.
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Look how many of you have said, man, that was a good point the pastor made. That was a good message. I will remember that. And you don't remember it. You know why you don't remember it? Because you never applied it. You never obeyed it. You never made it something practical every day in your life that you did. And our Lord said, here's the great horrendous truth. If you don't use the truth, you're going to lose the truth.
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That's why people do not mature in the faith. That's why our people are not scholars and theologians. They ought to be. They should be. You know, the same thing is true in any other areas as well. You could be a great mathematician. But I tell you what, you don't think about math, you don't teach math, you don't study math, you don't use math for 10 years and let's see how up to date you are and how good a mathematician you are after that. If you don't use the truth, you lose the truth.
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Let me state it bluntly. Your heart is not prepared to hear the truth. If it's not prepared to hear the truth, the truth will not do you any good. You will not receive any benefit from the preaching of God. God must not only prepare my heart to preach and teach the truth, He must prepare your heart to hear and receive and obey and apply the truth. So there must be a providential preparation. Now, I've had people tell me, when I preached, Brother Weaver, that was exactly what I needed to hear. Well, you know why it was exactly what you needed to hear? Because God prepared my heart to preach it and God prepared your heart to hear it. OK, secondly, I want you to look at a providential perspective on preaching.
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Let's go back to Acts chapter 10 and look, if you would please, at verse 33. Here's this biblical perspective on preaching. Cornelius said in Acts chapter 10 verse 33. Acts 10 verse 33. Immediately therefore I sent to thee, he tells Peter, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
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Now I'm going to be honest with you. When I read this verse several weeks ago, I was just awestruck at the simplicity and yet the depth of Cornelius's understanding. Cornelius understood more about preaching without ever having been really preached to than most Christians do their entire life. First, look what he says. We are all here present before God. We are all here present before God. It should be duly pointed out, listen carefully, that it was Cornelius who had gotten the congregation together.
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How did he do that? He invited his family and friends. Look in Acts chapter 10 verse 24. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea, and Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends." Are you listening to me? Peter did the traveling. Peter did the preaching. But it was Cornelius who got the congregation together. Let me put this very plainly. It is your responsibility to get your family and your friends under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. It is not the preacher's responsibility. It is your responsibility. God gave you your family, God gave you your friends, and you're responsible.
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I cannot reach those whom I do not know, and I cannot reach those over whom I have absolutely no influence. But isn't it amazing? Now, listen to me. I'm going to be honest. Isn't it amazing that in most churches, most people want the pastor to come out and witness to their family and witness to their friends and try to get them into church? And I'm going to tell you why. Because most Christians do not have enough testimony to reach their own family. Their own family knows how they live. And so, therefore, they have to have an outsider to come in and reach them. No, God gave you your family. God gave you your friends. You're responsible to get them under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.
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Now, let me show you. Look in Acts 27. You remember, Paul is in the midst of a horrendous storm. He told the people not to leave, but they would not listen to him, and so now just about everything in the ship has been cast into the sea. Look at Acts 27, beginning there with verse 21. They've all been fasting because it looks like they're all going to die. Acts 27, verse 21. But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me. I told you so. I like that. Ye should have hearkened unto me and not have loosed from Crete, to have gained this harm and loss. But look what he says. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar, and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
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Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me." Now listen to what God told Paul. He said, Paul, I have given you all those that sail on your ship. If you'll skip down to verse 37, And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls, 276 souls. And what did God tell Paul? I've given you all who sail on your ship.
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Let me ask you a question. Who sails on your ship? You see the application? Your family and your friends are on your ship. It's your responsibility to get them under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. You can reach people that I could never reach. You can influence people that I can never influence. Who sails on your ship? He says we are all here present before God. He got his family. He got his friends there. I have people asking all over the country.
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Will you come and preach over here? Sure. I'll come and preach. You get the group together. I can't get anybody together. You get them together. I'll come preach to them. It's your responsibility to get people under the preaching of the word of God.
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Secondly, look at Acts 10 and verse 33. I want you to notice what he said. I told you I was awestruck, not only at the simplicity, but at the depth of what he said. Acts 10 and verse 33, he said in this particular passage, watch carefully now.
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Now, therefore, are we all here present before God? He not only said we're all here, he said we're all here present before God. Now, you could explain that phrase present before God in the widest sense of the word. That is, God is omnipresent, which means that God is everywhere at one time in the totality of his person. David clearly taught this in Psalm 139. And every time I think of Psalm 139, I think of Don Thomason, because that's his favorite passage of Scripture. But you remember, David said, Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
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He said, If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. He said, If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me. What did David say? I can't get away from God. Yes, he could mean that we're here before God in the sense that God is omnipresent and God is everywhere at once in the totality of his person. But there are two more interpretations that you could give to this phrase.
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Secondly, Cornelius could have used this phrase as an oath in order to demonstrate his genuine sincerity. In that sense of the word, he would be saying, We are all here before God. We're all here in the presence of the eyes of whom no one can mock with dissimulation and hypocrisy. And we're so here in the presence of God, we understand His authority, we understand His majesty. It is not a mortal man with whom we have to do, but it is the sovereign God of heaven and earth Himself, and we're standing here or we're sitting here as in His presence.
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to whom we will give an account. Let me give you a quote from one of the old commentators. He said this, the whole of the man must be present, not his body here and the heart with the fool's eyes in the ends of the earth. But that which makes it indeed a religious attendance is we are present before God. In holy ordinances we present ourselves unto the Lord, and we must be as before Him as those that see His eye upon us." What's he saying? He's saying if we're here before God, we must all be here, and we must be all here.
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That is, our bodies can't be here, and our minds somewhere else, or our hearts somewhere else. We must be here with everything that we have, giving ear to God. By the way, I want to show you that there were people in the New Testament that believed exactly that. If you will turn in your Bibles, 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. Look in verse 13. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. Here's a powerful, powerful verse. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. Why did the Apostle Paul thank God for the Thessalonian Christians? Listen carefully. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, look at it now, Paul was preaching, Barnabas, whoever else was with Paul, for when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. What did these Thessalonians do?
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When they heard Paul, Barnabas, Silas, whoever was with Paul, preach, they didn't sit there and say, that's Paul's opinion. That's what Barnabas thinks. I'm not going to pay any attention. No. Paul said, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as the word of God. You understood the authority and the majesty and the power of God within His Word, and you didn't sit there and listen to it as a man speaking. You heard the voice of God. You heard His authority.
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Certainly, certainly that is true. When we hear God's Word, we must not receive it as the Word of men, but we must receive it as the Word of God.
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Thirdly, there is a third way that Cornelius could have meant this phrase, we're all here present before God. He could have used that phrase not just in a general sense of recognizing God's omnipresence, not necessarily just as an oath recognizing the fact that it is really and truly God with whom we have to do and we are present before his eyes. But he could have comprehended the teaching of our Lord in Matthew 18 verse 20.
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Do you remember that passage? Let me just quote it. What did he say? Where two or three are gathered together in my name. What? There am I in the midst of them.
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Now don't you stop with me and think about this. Cornelius could have understood that our Lord in a very special and peculiar way was in the midst of his people when God's word was being expounded, explained, and applied. During the preaching of his word, our Lord is in a very peculiar way speaking to his own. I'm going to show you that in the Bible in just a moment. But let me tell you, I was preaching in South Carolina.
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It was on a Sunday morning. The building was absolutely packed out. And I was dealing with a biblical doctrine and I was preaching as hard as I could preach. And right in the middle of my sermon, right in the middle, there's a man sitting about halfway back, screamed. I mean, screamed. He screamed aloud, Oh, God, I'm lost. I'm lost. And he jumped up from that pew. He ran down the aisle screaming the whole time. Oh, God, I'm lost. I'm lost.
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And he came to where I was and he fell down in front of me and grabbed around my ankles with his arms. And all he was doing was crying and sobbing and saying, I'm lost. I'm lost. I'm lost. Here I was in the middle of my sermon. I looked at the preacher and two or three minutes, I said, would you please get him away from my ankles and take him in the room and tell him about the Lord and, you know, tell him why he's lost and explain Christ to him. Well, they came, led him away. Well, I was able to finish my preaching that day and God did indeed bless and several other people were converted as well.
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But I was really anxious to talk to this man because it was apparent he was under such deep conviction. And afterwards, he came to me, I mean, beaming, smiling. He said, Preacher, he said, I just want you to know that God saved me today. He said, I found Christ and he said, Christ is my Lord and my Savior. I bowed to him and I've turned from my sins. And I mean, just gleaming from eye to eye and just I said, look, I've just got to ask you a question. I said, here's my question.
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What was it that I said or what illustration did I use that got you under such conviction? You see, I was thinking, Brother Ernie, if it worked one time, it might work again somewhere else, you know. I'll use that one again, you know. And the guy looked at me, he's a preacher. You want me to tell you the truth? I said, well, of course I do. He said, well, really, to tell you the truth, he said, I really wasn't listening to you.
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He said, somebody short-circuited you and the Lord was speaking to me. I said, well, I'm surely happy for that. But let me show you what I'm talking about. I want you to look in your Bibles, Romans chapter 10. Listen carefully. Now, what did our Lord say? Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. You know, that is a tremendous thought. You just stop and think Jesus Christ is walking this morning in the midst of His people. What? Yes. Look at what the Bible says. Romans 10 verse 13. Everybody can quote this verse. This is a favorite verse. I don't care if you're an Arminian, a Calvinist, a whatever you are, everybody can quote this verse. Watch it.
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That's better than an Arminian, isn't it? I don't know. But everybody can quote this verse. Romans 10, 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Isn't that wonderful? Well, sure it is.
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Now, let me ask you. If you understand that verse, don't answer out loud. Let me ask you. What is it that saves? Is it an act of calling, or is it faith? For by grace are you saved through what? Faith, and that not of yourselves. Well, now let me ask you, why do men call upon the name of the Lord? He said, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Well, look in verse 14, let's kind of work this thing backwards. All right. Verse 13 says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now watch verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Oh, wait a minute. What? You mean you have to believe before you call? Oh. Well, really and truly, it's not calling that saves you, is it? You're already saved because you believe. The calling is evidence that you genuinely believe, right? So in order to call on the Lord, you must believe because nobody's going to call on him whom they do not believe.
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OK, so he says, watch verse 14 now. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Now watch carefully. How do you believe? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
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Now, I want you to note carefully what the Scripture does not say. It's important sometimes that you not only see what Scripture does say, but what it does not say. Look in verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Scripture does not say, how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard about?
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If you hear about someone, he is not present. But if you hear someone, he is present. So what does it say now? Watch this. Verse 13, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Well, how do you call? Verse 14, you must first believe. Well, what is it that's going to give you faith? Well, you must first hear Christ. Well, when are you going to hear Christ? Watch. And how shall they hear without a preacher? You hear Christ because He's walking in among His people as the preacher is expounding, explaining, and applying the Word of God.
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Do you remember in the garden? Mary went there to see the Lord, and He had already risen from the dead. And she looked around and saw Him standing there, but supposed He was the gardener. And she said, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Remember what our Lord said? Mary. And what did she do? She fell on him and said, Rabboni. What did he do?
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He just called her name. You know, it seems to me like our Lord said something in John 10. My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. Do you realize in the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, Christ is present, calling his sheep, speaking to his sheep, comforting them, instructing them, opening their eyes. I want you to understand, Cornelius had a biblical perspective on preaching. He says, we are all here present before God. He could have equally said we are all here in the presence of God. It's not just that God is omnipresent. It's not just that we will have to answer before Him in the day which we stand before Him. It's that here Christ is walking among us, calling His own, teaching His own, speaking to His own. The most important thing in preaching is to hear Christ.
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You remember those Greeks who came to the disciples and said to them, Sirs, we would see Jesus. And that must be your attitude as you come to hear the preaching of the Word of God. You must hear Christ and you must hear him as he speaks through his word.
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Now, let's go back to Acts chapter 10, because I want you to see the third point, and that is providential preaching. Not only was there a providential perspective in that he understood what real preaching and teaching was, I want you to understand there is a providential preaching. He says in verse 33, Acts 10, verse 33, now therefore are we all here present before God, watch now, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Ah! Listen carefully. Those who are providentially prepared to hear the Word of God, those who have a providential perspective on preaching, are prepared to hear all things. Not some things.
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Not just a few pet doctrines. But all things. We want the whole Word of God. Let me ask you. Have you ever thought what an encouragement this could be to a pastor? When a pastor knows that he is absolutely free to open the Word of God to any book, to any chapter, to any paragraph, to any verse and exegete and expound that portion of Scripture, knowing that it will be received by his hearers as the Word of God. He'll be encouraged to preach the whole Word of God. You know, we've got to remember that God speaks far more than just on four subjects. He doesn't just deal with sin, salvation, soul winning and separation. He speaks on economics, he speaks on government, he speaks on education, he speaks on home, he speaks on everything. And can you imagine, now listen to me, can you imagine what an encouragement it would be to a pastor if he knew that he could open the Bible and preach from any text, knowing that he would not upset, scatter, run off, and make mad a number of believers because they didn't like what
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he preached about. Can you imagine that? Listen. I've told so many people. I could not pastor the average church. I had a church invite me to come down to Florida. And they wanted me to be their pastor. I said, I'll preach for you, but I'm not really interested in being your pastor. This church building, oh, you should have seen the building. Several million dollars. They had a gymnasium, another several million dollars.
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They had a big Christian school. I mean, they had, it was beautiful. And they said, we really want you to be our pastor. I said, you really don't want me to be your pastor. You just think you want me to be your pastor. They said, well, how can you say that? I said, because when I get up and start preaching against debt, and by the way, they owed four or five million dollars. I said, when I start preaching against debt and I start preaching against some of these other things, I'm going to run half of you off. I said, and then who's going to pay for all these facilities that you've got around here? Then you're going to have to get rid of me so you can get somebody else who won't preach the way I preach so you can keep your buildings. I said, no, you don't want me. You just think you want me. And I said, the truth of the matter is, I don't want you. Because I don't want to inherit all this debt and all these problems.
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But you see what I'm saying? You know why I love you? Because I can. I can open the Bible and just preach anything. You don't get mad at me. You just say, well, I may not understand that. I may have to hear it two or three times, but you know, it's the Word of God, and I'm willing to submit to it. And if you get mad, at least you don't show it. Maybe it's because you know I've got a black belt. I don't know. Maybe it's because I've got Tom to protect me. I don't know. But I just have to say, what an encouragement it would be to the average pastor just to know that he could open the Bible and preach anything. That's what they said. We're here to hear all things. Let me ask you.
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Why is it there are certain subjects and books and doctrines in the Bible that are taboo to certain Christians and certain congregations? Is it not the Word of God? Is it not all of it the Word of God? Why is it that some pastors believe that when they come to a text of scripture, they have to water it down, overlook it, skip it, or do an exegetical jig around it? You know, it's amazing to me. Well, let me tell you why most pastors are like that. Because most Christians are not prepared to hear all things. Now, it's wrong on the pastor's part. But it's wrong on the people's part as well. Let me just tell you something, it may surprise you, but I'm going to show you this from the scripture. It may surprise you to learn that the inability, the inability of professing Christians to hear all things from the word of God can limit the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Let me show you that from the Bible.
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews. Chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. And look at verse 10. Here the apostle has been talking about the greatness of Christ and especially his priesthood. And look in verse 10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek. So he's really getting into the deep things of Christ. Verse 11, "...of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
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For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." Why could not the author of the book of Hebrews continue teaching of the Melchizedekal priesthood of Christ? He said, I'll tell you why. Because it's a hard truth and you are dull of hearing. That is, you're full of lethargy, you're slothful, you're lazy, you won't pay attention, and consequently says when the time comes that you should be teachers, you have need that somebody starts you all over again on milk. Hmm. The truth of the matter is this, folks, the Christians' inability to hear all things hinders the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.
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It's true pastors are wrong when they compromise and when they water down and when they skip and they try to please men. That's wrong. I confess that. I acknowledge that. But it's equally wrong when people get mad and upset and don't like it when it's the plain Word of God.
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Now, look what else he said. I'm going to tie it together for you in just a moment, but look at Acts 10 in verse 33. He said, Now, therefore, are we all here present before God to hear all things? Watch this next phrase. That all things that are commanded thee of God. Do you realize Cornelius apprehended a truth that most Christians never comprehend? That is, that God commands that His Word be preached and taught. The word commanded is the Greek word protasso, which means command, to order, prescribe, and to appoint. Why does God call preachers? So He appoints them, He commands them, He orders them to preach and teach His Word. I'm not going to take you back to Acts 20.
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We looked at that last week. But you remember Paul said he got free from the blood of all men. How? Because I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God. Now, if God, listen carefully, if God commands me as a pastor, if God commands me as a preacher to preach the whole counsel of God, by implication, what does He command you as people? To hear the whole counsel of God. And of course, to hear it, to receive it, to apply it, to obey it.
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Now, let me ask you, how do you think this will affect the average preacher? I'm going to give you a little scenario. In fact, you could ask, I could ask, how do you think this would affect me? How would you think most preachers of the gospel would respond if he came to church early one Sunday morning, and lo and behold, the congregation was at the doors waiting on him, and they said to him, Pastor, we're ready to hear all.
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We have come at the beginning. We were so anxious to hear the Word of God, we could not wait. We got here early. We want to stay early. We want to stay to the end. We want to be attentive of all things. We want to hear all things. We desire us to hear whatever God has commanded you to preach, no matter how displeasing to the flesh it is, no matter how contrary to my former notions and interests. No matter how contrary to secular interest, we're ready to hear everything.
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Let nothing be held back. Let nothing be kept back. Give it to us and give it to us all.
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Now, how do you think the average pastor would respond to that? Well, after he came back to or got out of the hospital from having a heart attack. Just to know that here were some people who really wanted the Word of God. Oh. He'd preach and teach his heart out. You say, come on, brother, we were things like that didn't really happen. Sure, they did. Happened in the New Testament. Look at Acts 13. Acts 13, I've said this before, and I'm going to do it one of these days. I'm going to preach a sermon entitled The Mistake of a Great Rabbi. Look at this, I get so tickled every time I think about this. Acts 13 verse 15.
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Paul is in the synagogue. Look at this. Verse 15. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Can you imagine asking the Apostle Paul, do you have anything to say? And of course, Paul starts preaching verse 16, and he goes all the way, skip down to verse 41. He ends his sermon in verse 41.
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He says, Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. Now watch. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, look at it now. The Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. In other words, they wouldn't let Paul get away.
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They said, you've got to promise us that you and Barnabas are going to come back and preach to us again. Well, OK, we'll do that.
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Now, watch verse 43, it wasn't over. And now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas. We want more, they said, who's speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. They just happen to have another sermon ready on the preservation and the perseverance of the Saints. So they preached to him again. Watch verse 44. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
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Here were people who could not get enough of the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Let me tell you something, Cornelius said we're all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. We've got to understand that preaching is something that God commands. Consequently, if the preacher is faithful to God, he must preach all things that God commanded him.
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Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one you're already on, I'm sure. Preaching and hearing have corollary responsibilities. When someone is particularly called and commissioned by God to preach, it means those to whom he is sent have the obligation and duty and responsibility to hear what God has commanded him to preach. OK? Secondly, let me make this very clear. In God's sovereign providence, there is no room for luck, chance, fate, or fortune.
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What am I talking about? When God commands the preacher to preach on a certain subject, no matter how much you may dislike it, no matter how much you may disagree with it, no matter how much you may resent it, no matter how much you think it is silly or needless, God has designed that message for you. There is no such thing as luck, chance, fate or fortune in preaching. If God prepares my heart to preach, that means you need whatever he's laid on my heart to preach.
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Let me give you an illustration. Everybody knows I was raised on a farm. My mother was one of the greatest cooks in the world. And when I was on the farm, I was used to having breakfast. I mean, biscuits, eggs, grits, ham, bacon, whatever. I mean, when we had breakfast, we had breakfast. And I remember when I joined the service and I went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
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And I was in boot camp and I hadn't probably been there a week or two. And I went through the chow line one morning for breakfast, and some private slapped two pieces of bread on a plate and put some of the craziest ooey gooey stuff on top of it. You know, creamed beef on toast. I said, I'm not eating this junk. You know, I don't remember how I got out of there without eating it. There were times, and some of you may remember this, I have walked out of the chow hall with peas in my pocket. Because, you know, that sign saying, you won't beat all you take. And a lot of times they had cards there to make sure you ate everything. And if you didn't, they'd send you back and make you finish it. And so if you got too much, you just had to put it in your pocket. And if you got out of there, at least I did. But I don't remember how I got rid of that. But I remember thinking, I am not eating this slop.
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That's all there is to it. But I did not know that that morning they had planned for a five-mile hike with a full field pack. And I'm going to tell you something, about 10 o'clock in the morning, that creamed beef on toast got looking mighty good to me. I wish I had some. But I didn't. I did without. I didn't like it. I didn't want it. And I'm the one that suffered for it. You know, I actually got to like it after a while.
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Because next time they put it on my plate, I ate it. Because I knew I had to have some energy.
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Now, I'll be honest, I haven't eaten it since I got out. But I mean, but the point I'm trying to make is simply this. When you come and hear a message and you say, why is he preaching that? Because God commanded it. And you may not think you need it now. But when God puts you on that five mile hike with a full field pack, He's given you what you need in advance. And you better receive it as the word of God and apply it as the word of God and obey it as the word of God so that you'll be prepared for whatever God sends your way. Would it not be absolutely wonderful if every Christian came to church on the Lord's Day saying, we're all here, present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. What a perspective on preaching.
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Father, we do ask that you help us, teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, make us holy, righteous and godly. May we bow to your word. May we, Heavenly Father, obey and apply your word that we may be holy and godly and Christlike. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T04:41:43Z

A Biblical Perspective on Preaching Part #2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver continues his series on biblical preaching by focusing on the hearer's responsibility. Using Acts 10, he argues that just as God providentially prepared Peter to preach and Cornelius to hear, so God must prepare both preacher and hearer today. He emphasizes that true hearing involves obedience, that hearers must be present before God with a readiness to receive all of God's Word, and that preaching is a divine command requiring a corresponding duty to listen and apply.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Acts 10:1-33

" Let's skip down to verse 9, And on the morrow as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten. But while they made ready, he fell into a trance. And he saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

Scripture Reading — Acts 10:1-33

" Now skip down if you would, please. Beginning there with verse 27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for. I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me."

Introduction and Review

Providential Preparation

God had to prepare both Peter and Cornelius for their encounter. Similarly, God must prepare the hearts of both preacher and hearer today. The hearer's heart must be prepared to receive the Word.

The truth is simply this. God must prepare our hearts or our hearts are not prepared. Period. The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.

Because the soil was not prepared. When you plant a garden, you don't just go out there and throw your seed on top of the ground. You prepare the soil. You make the soil ready to receive the seed.

That's what I quoted earlier. Then he says, With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. Now, let me just stop there. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.

Providential Perspective

Cornelius understood that they were gathered 'present before God' to hear His Word. This implies recognizing God's special presence in preaching and receiving the message as from God, not merely man.

Providential Preaching

Cornelius was ready to hear 'all things' commanded by God. This challenges hearers to accept the whole counsel of God without resistance, and it encourages preachers to proclaim it boldly.

Applications

A Biblical Perspective on Preaching Part #2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	190615214
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-11-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 164: A Biblical Perspective on Preaching — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	109

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews the previous message on expository preaching and the three elements of biblical preaching: exposition, explanation, and application. He stresses that there is an art to hearing as well as preaching.
Providential Preparation: God had to prepare both Peter and Cornelius for their encounter. Similarly, God must prepare the hearts of both preacher and hearer today. The hearer's heart must be prepared to receive the Word.
Providential Perspective: Cornelius understood that they were gathered 'present before God' to hear His Word. This implies recognizing God's special presence in preaching and receiving the message as from God, not merely man.
Providential Preaching: Cornelius was ready to hear 'all things' commanded by God. This challenges hearers to accept the whole counsel of God without resistance, and it encourages preachers to proclaim it boldly.
Applications: Preaching and hearing carry mutual responsibilities. There is no luck in preaching; God designs each message for the hearer's need. Hearers should receive every sermon as God's provision for future trials.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God must prepare the hearer's heart for preaching to be effective.

Without divine preparation, even the best preaching falls on deaf ears. The parable of the soils illustrates that only prepared soil bears fruit.

Weaver says, 'The problem is not always with the preacher. Sometimes it is with the hearer... if the hearer is unprepared, all the teaching will fall on deaf ears.'

Hearing is not passive; it requires active obedience.

External hearing is insufficient; internal, spiritual hearing is evidenced by obedience. God gives more truth only to those who obey what they have received.

Weaver states, 'No one ever really hears the Word of God until he applies the Word of God.' He cites Mark 4:24-25.

The hearer's attitude can limit or encourage the preaching of God's Word.

When hearers are dull or resistant, preachers may be hindered from teaching deeper truths. Conversely, eager hearers embolden preachers.

Weaver cites Hebrews 5:11-12, where the author cannot teach about Melchizedek because the hearers are 'dull of hearing.'

Preaching is a divine command, and hearers are obligated to receive it as such.

God commands preachers to proclaim His Word; therefore, hearers are commanded to hear and obey it. This removes chance from the preaching event.

Weaver says, 'God commands that His Word be preached and taught... by implication, what does He command you as people? To hear the whole counsel of God.'

Scripture References

Acts 10:1-33: The account of Cornelius and Peter, used as the primary text for the message.
Acts 10:28: Peter explains that God showed him not to call any man common or unclean, interpreting his vision.
Acts 11:1-3: The Jerusalem believers contended with Peter for going to Gentiles, showing the cultural barrier God overcame.
Acts 1:8: Jesus' commission to be witnesses to the uttermost parts of the earth, which Peter was slow to fulfill.
Proverbs 16:1: The preparations of the heart are from the Lord, emphasizing divine enablement.
Hosea 10:12: The command to break up fallow ground, illustrating human responsibility to seek heart preparation.
Mark 4:24-25: Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be measured to you; more given to those who have.
Luke 8:18: Take heed how you hear, emphasizing the manner of hearing.
1 Samuel 15:22: To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams, equating hearing with obedience.
Acts 27:21-24, 37: God gave Paul all who sailed with him, illustrating the hearer's responsibility to bring others under the Word.
1 Thessalonians 2:13: The Thessalonians received Paul's preaching not as the word of men but as the Word of God.
Matthew 18:20: Where two or three are gathered in Christ's name, He is in the midst, implying His special presence in preaching.
Romans 10:13-14: Calling on the Lord requires belief, which comes from hearing Christ through a preacher.
John 10:27: My sheep hear my voice, referenced to show Christ speaks in preaching.
Hebrews 5:10-12: The hearers' dullness prevented the author from teaching deeper truths about Melchizedek.
Acts 13:15, 42-44: The Gentiles begged to hear more preaching, showing eagerness for the Word.

Historical References

Augustine: Weaver quotes Augustine: 'I heard the Gospel all my life, and then one day I heard it,' illustrating the difference between external and internal hearing.

Important Quotes

The preparations of the heart in man are from the Lord.

Establishes the theological foundation that God must sovereignly prepare the heart for any spiritual activity, including hearing preaching.

Take heed what you hear.

Highlights the hearer's responsibility to ensure the content they receive is truly God's Word.

Take heed how you hear.

Emphasizes that the manner of hearing—with attention, reverence, and readiness to obey—is crucial.

If you do not obey the Word of God, you've never really heard the Word of God.

Defines true hearing as inseparable from obedience, a central thesis of the message.

With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.

Warns that the degree of effort in hearing determines the degree of spiritual understanding received.

I heard the Gospel all my life, and then one day I heard it.

Augustine's quote illustrating the transition from mere external hearing to internal, transformative hearing.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean for your heart to be 'prepared' to hear preaching, and what practical steps can you take to seek that preparation?

[Context]

Based on the discussion of Proverbs 16:1 and Hosea 10:12 regarding divine ability and human responsibility.

[Question]

How can we distinguish between merely hearing preaching externally and truly hearing it internally and spiritually?

[Context]

Weaver emphasized that external hearing is not enough; true hearing results in obedience.

[Question]

In what ways might our lack of obedience to previously received truth hinder our ability to receive more truth from God?

[Context]

Referencing Mark 4:24-25 and the principle that God gives more to those who use what they have.

[Question]

What does it practically look like to come to church 'present before God'? How would our worship change if we truly grasped this?

[Context]

From the exposition of Acts 10:33 and the idea of being in God's special presence during preaching.

[Question]

Are there any doctrines or passages of Scripture that you find yourself resistant to hearing? How can you cultivate a heart that says, 'Speak, Lord, all things'?

[Context]

Weaver challenged the tendency to avoid certain topics and called for readiness to hear the whole counsel of God.

[Question]

How does understanding that Christ Himself speaks through preaching change the way you listen to sermons?

[Context]

Based on the teaching from Romans 10 and John 10 that Christ is present and calling His sheep in preaching.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:53:18Z