Scripture refers to the preaching of the Word as the Word (Acts 4:4; 8:14). Although a sermon in itself is something other than the Word of God, it is essentially the exposition and application of the Word proclaimed to the congregation of Christ. We should not identity a sermon with the Word of God itself Nevertheless, we should also keep in view that true preaching comes and should be received as the Word.

A sermon comes about through a process. There is the text and there is the preacher. There is to be prayerful study off the Bible passage in its context. There is to be analysis of the Bible text and word study with everything that goes with it. There is to be meditation on the text as meditation on the Word of God. In that way the servant of God develops his sermon and proclaims his text to the congregation. Through this process the sermon should come as the Word and be received as such.

A Reformation Principle⤒🔗

It has been the conviction of the Reformation that the preaching of God's Word is to be viewed as nothing other than the Word of God itself. In the days of the Reformation the significance of the proclamation of the Word of God was rediscovered. The church had become a "sacrament-church" and the Word of God had disappeared to a large extent. The altar, not the pulpit, had become central. It was a great turning point when the Word of God was again proclaimed from the pulpit in the language of the people, and when great emphasis was placed on the content of preaching. Law and gospel were proclaimed again and it became the conviction that the church itself was reborn by the Word of God.

The Second Helvetic Confession (1566) will serve as an illustration:

We believe and confess the Canonical Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles of both Testaments to be the true Word of God, and to have authority of themselves, not of men.I, 1.

This Word comes to us in the preaching of the Word, whereby it does not change its character.

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 preached, and received of the faithful (the believers); and that neither any Word of God is to be feigned, nor to be expected from heaven: and that now the Word itself which is preached is to be regarded, not the minister who preaches; who, although he be evil and a sinner, never­theless the Word of God abides true and good.I, 4.

God's Word Echoes in the Preacher's Words←⤒🔗

God's Word itself resounds in the words of the preacher. The Word of God became flesh in the incarnation (cf. John 1:14). This has tremendous consequences and ramifica­tions. The eternal Word came and dwelt among us in the weakness of human flesh. This not only has significance for the birth of the Saviour, but also for preaching. For in preaching the eternal Word comes to us on the lips of men of flesh and blood. God instructs us through frail and insignificant creatures. Calvin speaks about the humbling way in which this happens. Insignificant men are raised from the dust to proclaim the Word of God.

The foolishness of preaching is not only related to the content of the preaching — the message of the cross — but also to the way whereby God's wisdom comes to us:

God has chosen the weak things to confound the things which are mighty.1 Cor. 1:27

We hear the voice of God Himself through the weak voice of a man, not by a voice of God as from Mount Sinai, neither by the voice of an angel in the fields of Ephratah. This mode whereby God is speaking is part of the foolishness and the offence of the gospel itself.

Caution←⤒🔗

Without wishing to take anything away from the parallels between the Word of God in the incarnation, inscripturation, and preaching, we hasten to add that the Word in the incarnation remained sinless, and the Word in inscripturation remained inerrant. The Word in preaching can often be mixed with sin and error, either of commission or omission. Preaching should be received as the Word of God to the extent that it reflects and coheres with the Word of God. Where it does not, efforts must be undertaken that the preaching will reflect and cohere with the Word more fully. Where this is done, we may be fully assured of the fact that the Word will have free course in preaching.

Thus it Pleased God←⤒🔗

Behind this is the will of God; the good pleasure of God who in divine sovereignty has chosen and provided this means. He has not left it to us to select the way in which He will work His redemption in Christ. Neither has He left it to us to determine the ministry of this redemption. He Himself, in His sovereignty, has pointed out this way. He has bound us to it, and He still binds us to it.

Paul points this out in 1 Corinthians 1:21ff:

After that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe ... because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.