When I was just beginning preaching, I know I benefited greatly by a number of older preachers, including my own father. Though some of these were not aware of it they served as mentors to me by their reputations and examples. One I have admired in so many ways was Robert L. McDonald, Jr. At one time he told a story that bears repeating at this time and I want to use it here as the premise for this article.
The account goes like this. During the process of preaching a gospel meeting in a certain place brother McDonald had just concluded one of his sermons, which no doubt was thorough on insisting on the adherence to Bible authority. As the listeners were filing by, an elderly man approached him and referring to the sermon said, “That was a real cow bell!” This man went on to explain what he meant by this and that his comment was intended to be the highest compliment, which for our purposes now, was along the lines of understanding why milk cows used to wear loud bells around their necks. The owner of the cow could hear where his cow was when the bell sounded as it walked. This told him if his cow was close or far. So, his remark meant that the sermon brother MacDonald had preached had the sound of telling him what he needed to know, the truth.
Suffice it to say, this surety of sound in gospel preaching and teaching has been termed, the Jerusalem ring. The bell that elderly man heard that evening in brother McDonald’s preaching was purely and simply the will of God expressed clearly and undeniably. To brethren of times past, to say a sermon had the Jerusalem ring was taken as the highest compliment possible. In fact, it was the goal of all faithful preachers to have the Jerusalem ring.
Another expression of sound and this time used by no less than the apostle Paul is found in 1 Corinthians 14:8 where we can read, “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” Even in our time of the new millennium, we well understand this. How will the army of God know when to stand ready to face down the forces of unrighteousness if the preaching they hear does not have the Jerusalem ring? To hear any other sound will at the very least cause confusion if not defeat.
To accomplish this godly and honorable goal, gospel preachers must impress upon their listeners that the things they preach are of God and not from some other source. This necessarily means that Holy Scripture must be referred to for every element of their sermons. Scripture must be used to prove that what they are teaching is founded in God’s will.
Often, preachers are tempted to refer to current trends or popular written material to rely upon, as their authority to prove what they have preached is true. But if they do this they are giving an uncertain sound. If people follow the wisdom of man and not God they will always be misled in some way, though they may think they are doing God’s will. After all, a preacher said it, didn’t he?
Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 7:22-29, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Christians listening to the sermons of various preachers must insist that those preachers give them sermons on which they can build their faith. The foundation of our faith must be the gospel of Jesus Christ, unadulterated by mans wisdom. The preacher is supposed to be the mouthpiece of God, not a mouthpiece for himself or any other purpose. As preachers go about this task they have set themselves to they must remember the original intent given to the apostles by Jesus Himself in Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Even though the Great Commission was specifically given to the apostles for them to accomplish, virtually the same commission is given to every single one of us. The apostle Paul said in 2Timothy 2:2, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” In the minds of all of us should be this commandment from Paul. And also ringing inside our heads must be Christs words to the apostles, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Jesus has all authority, not man. From the very beginning of the ministry of Christ this was to be thoroughly understood. Matthew 17:5, “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.” This is the clearest statement I can think of about whom God wants us to build our hope of eternal salvation upon.
The apostle Paul was so devout and focused in his preaching and teaching that he said in 1Corinthians 2:2, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Really, all that was important in his mind was preaching the living Christ. But, the natural inclination of well-educated people is to rely heavily upon their worldly knowledge to impress people with the points they hope to make. Paul was apparently a well-educated man and makes reference to his upbringing in Acts 22:3, where he says, “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.” Paul did not credit this background and education at the feet of the most preeminent teacher of his age, but rather repudiated it by saying, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus and him crucified.”
The information that we need to be saved must come directly from the mind of God. Man cannot know the spiritual world while yet in this life. We are totally dependent upon God’s wisdom to understand this vital information which man’s science or philosophy can never fully understand. 1Corinthians 1:23-24, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” The wisdom of God is different than the wisdom of man.
What about preachers we have all heard of who seem to enjoy using words and terminology in their lessons that have nearly required some to bring dictionaries along with them because of their use of what some have called “fifty-dollar words?” Well, these are playing by different rules completely than what actual gospel preachers who are honest with God’s word are attempting to accomplish. These men-pleasers and hirelings are working to please themselves because of their immense egos and they are seeking to please those who think that if they are going to pay a preacher, they might as well get one that impresses everyone with their intelligence and education. But both preachers and those who desire this kind of preaching are going by principles that give an uncertain sound and are not going to save anyone with such words. 2Corinthians 10:12-14, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
The Lord clearly does not want this kind of thing, knowing that it is counter-productive to His purpose. When we begin to respect the word of God as the source of all true knowledge we will have a completely different attitude. 1Corinthians 3:18, “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.” We must humble ourselves before the wisdom of God, finally realizing its vast superiority over anything man can come up with. When we hear a gospel sermon that has the Jerusalem ring we will be listening to a preacher who knows this great aspect of godly wisdom. Ephesians 5:15-17, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
Something we cannot fail to be impressed with is the fact that the Lord wanted us to know clearly His will. He did not want anything hidden from the knowledge of any believers. Look at Paul who caused his letter to the Colossians to be read to the Laodiceans, in Colossians 4:16. Or note what he said in 1Thessalonians 5:27, “I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.” Or note what Paul said to Festus about preaching the gospel and that it was not a secret but widely known in Acts 26:26, “… for this thing was not done in a corner.”
Our preaching must be clear, easily understood, and authoritative. So, out go the references to the latest research in psychology and any trendy information as proof or authority of what we teach. And out goes any references to Max Lucado and any others of his scattering breed, and out goes the self-inflated, the hireling, the self-promoting preachers from among us.
It is time for the certain sound. And that certain sound must be the Jerusalem ring!
