Preach...

There’s a famous quote that you might have heard — “Always preach the gospel. Use words if you have to.” Many attribute the quote to Saint Francis of Assisi. This quote sounds profound, and also can be convicting. To preach the gospel without words, what does that mean? Does it mean that your actions should “preach” the Good News of Jesus Christ? In First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes, “Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe” (1:21). The word “preaching” means to proclaim, and it requires words, not action. It is through the peached Word that we are saved. Later on in chapter 15, Paul writes, “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain” (15:2). We need to know the Word, believe the Word, and preach the Word. It’s not just the responsibility of preachers. We are all a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). So, are you ready to preach the gospel with words? Can you articulate your faith? Let us preach the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ to those whom we love and care about — our unbelieving family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Let us invite them to The Well so that they may also hear and be saved through the foolishness of preaching. Oh, and to set the record straight, there is no record of Saint Francis ever saying this quote. Just saying…