Last time we observed that Christ commissioned His church to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching His commands. The church is called to administer the means of grace — to dispense the grace of forgiveness and eternal life by means of the preached Word (sermon) and the signified Word (sacraments). Once more, then, the church and she alone -- is authorized to dispense divine grace by these two means.

The necessary corollary is that when people unauthorized by God according to Scripture through His church pretend to dispense divine grace, then the church and her religion slide into disorder.

Let me remind you that this conclusion and its corollary are based squarely on the Bible, specifically, on Matthew 28:18-20 and on Romans 10:14-15. As we shall see, they are also echoed repeatedly by the Reformed Confessions.

By now, serious readers may be wondering about the role and place of Christian witnessing. Isn't every believer supposed to be a preacher? Doesn't every serious Christian look for opportunities to lead people to Christ? With all this emphasis on preaching as official proclamation, what becomes of the office of believer?

Put those good questions on hold for a moment as we listen to a concert of witnesses echo the Bible's teaching about authorized, official preaching. Our choir is comprised of prominent creeds authored dur­ing the time of the Protestant Reformation or shortly thereafter. Taken together, this Reformational credal testimony has a volume and harmony that ought to ring down the halls of modern evangelicalism.

A 'Choir' of Creeds Sings about Official Preaching⤒🔗

Martin Luther's assistant, Philip Melanchthon, played a large role in composing the Augsburg Confession (1530), where we read this statement about order in the church: "It is taught among us that nobody should publicly teach or preach or administer the sacraments in the church without a regular call."

Over in Geneva, both Calvin and Farel seem to have been involved in presenting to the city fathers the Genevan Confession (1536), where we read this important sentence concerning ministers of the Word: "As we receive the true ministers of the Word of God as messengers and ambassadors of God, it is necessary to listen to them as to himself, and we hold their ministry to be a commission from God necessary in the church." According to another Calvinist creed, the Gallican (French) Confession of 1559, Christ has entrusted His gospel to the church and its ministry, being pleased to communicate Himself through the gospel as it is preached by ministers of the Word who have been "properly called and (who) exercise their office faithfully."

Still a third Calvinist creed, the Second Helvetic Confession (1566), urges that "wherefore when this Word of God is now preached in the church by preachers lawfully called, we believe that the very Word of God is proclaimed, and received by the faithful..."

Across the English channel, some five years later, we learn from Article 23 of the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England (1571) that "it is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preach­ing or ministering the sacraments in the congregation before he is lawfully called and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent which are chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation; to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard."

Perhaps the clearest statement about who may preach appears in the Westminster Larger Catechism (1648), Question 158, "By whom is the Word of God to be preached?" Answer: "The Word of God is to be preached only by such as are sufficiently gifted, and also duly approved and called to that office."

Isn't Personal Witnessing a Form of Preaching?←⤒🔗

Unfortunately, we won't have the time or space to give an answer that is as complete as these questions deserve. Our focus, remember, is on cultivating ears to hear preaching.

Nevertheless, here's the short answer to the question whether personal witnessing is a form of preaching: No, it is not. Here's why.

As I write these lines, Illinois Governor George Ryan is visiting Cuba, an island nation against whom the United States has imposed a trade embargo. Now, regardless of how much he and the Cuban people may wish it to be otherwise, Gov. Ryan simply may not lift the trade embargo, nor promise the Cuban people that the embargo will be lifted. Only the U.S. Congress has the power — that is, the authority — to lift sanctions against Cuba. Even American businessmen, like Bill Gates, who fervently desire that these sanctions be lifted may not lift them. Currently, any American company doing business in Cuba is violating federal law.

Whatever other good things George Ryan and Bill Gates might be able to do for the Cubans, lifting economic sanc­tions against Cuba simply does not lie within their power, their authority, or their competence. Neither man may 'administer' relief at this point.

How has God decided that divine grace will be administered and dispensed in this world? We have read from the Bible and the Confessions that God wills to bestow grace upon His people through the official administration (use, employment, exercise, practice) of the Word and the sacraments. These are the means of grace. That is to say, these are the instruments God has designed and appointed for the bestowing of His grace — for dispensing forgiveness, eternal life, and in the case of preaching, faith itself.

The Bible says many good things about personal witness­ing, and so should we. Especially relevant is 1 Peter 3:15-16, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." Our Savior Himself issued this promise and warning about speaking up for Him before the world: "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32-33).

All our speech should be filled with grace, so that those with whom we speak may be edified and strengthened. This is what Scripture teaches when it says, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Eph. 4:29). Elsewhere we read, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Col. 4:6).

The Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that as Christians we share Christ's anointing to be prophets, confessing His name in the world (Lord's Day 12, QA 32). We are called to con­fess Christ's name in every area of life, in politics, in business, in education, in recreation. One very important consequence of the obedient life of believers is "that by our godly walk our neighbors also may be won for Christ" (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 32, QA 86).

Again, these obligations to confess Christ and walk in this world obediently may not be dismissed or downplayed. But neither may they be identified with, or substituted for, the official preaching of the Word of God whereby God's grace is administered within human society.

What's the Payoff?←⤒🔗

We've not proceeded very far yet in our discussion of listening to sermons. Maybe you're thinking that we're being slowed down by an incidental feature, entertained by a wordplay, or introduced to some the­ological peculiarity. Let me assure you that such is not the case.

Let me give you a little problem to solve. You are on the consistory. You supervise the spiritual life of a well-meaning, godly church member who, on his own, travels abroad regularly to teach the Bible in develop­ing countries, and who informs you that he has been baptizing those who, as a result of his Bible studies, confess Christ as Saviour. Here's the problem: If such freelance administration of the church's means of grace is acceptable for Guatemala, why not for Winnipeg or Walnut Creek? What is your answer?

Here's another problem for you to solve. What's wrong, really, with young people serving each other the Lord's Supper at their summer convention in Edmonton? Or with parents baptizing their children at Lake Michigan's Ottawa Beach?

Behind all these illustrations (and they are not imaginary!) lies this most basic question: Why in the world anyway do you need a preacher? Needing a doctor I understand. A mechanic — who can survive these days without a good one. An estate planner? Okay, for the sake of biblical stewardship. But do we really need preach­ers? Think about your answer until next time.