Brush Your Teeth and Preach the Word Over 9800 Times.

My children are 14 years/11 months, 11 year/3 months, and 4 years/2 months.  We begin the montra of “Brush your teeth before bed” or “Have you already brushed your teeth?”  by the time they are about two years old.

Since we began the brush your teeth marathon, when our kids were approximately 2 years old, I have done some estimating.  Figuring their current ages — and allowing for getting home late some nights and missing teeth brushing, getting busy and forgetting, or just slipping up and missing it – I allowed for missing the “Brush Your Teeth” patrol about 10% of the time.  With a deduction of 10% of their days, I figure I have instructed and encouraged my kids (Elissa and I are one unit on this) over 9800 times in the last 13 years.

Why in the world would two people repeat the same thing over and over again for so many days?  Why would we expend so much oxygen repeating the same statements over, and over, and over, and over again….?  It is quite simple.  Elissa and I fully understand the value of taking care of our teeth.  Recently, our four year old had to have work done on a baby tooth.  With dental insurance, we still had to pay over $200.00.  It does not take long to see the incredibly important impact of healthy teeth on the family budget.

The fact is that, when we see something that is critically important in the lives of our children or loved ones, we will repeat it 9800 or 98,000,000 times if necessary.  The same must hold true for a pastor and his people that he shepherds.  There are certain truths that simply cannot be repeated too much by a pastor to his sheep.  These truths are critical to the very existence and health of his flock.

At the church I pastor there are certain ideas and statements I issue over and over again.  In the same way that teeth brushing is important enough to speak repeatedly for physical health, certain spiritual disciplines and ideas are crucial enough to speak repeatedly for spiritual health.  One of those ideas I chant over and over again is the regarding the accurate teaching and preaching of God’s Word. 

Why, you may ask, is this idea so crucial?  What is so critical about preaching and teaching the Word of God?

Let’s consider 2Timothy 4:1-5.  In it, Paul is writing to his young protege’ Timothy.  He is in jail and nearing the end of his life.  It is cold and lonely.  His body hurts, and the winter months do not help matters any.  Timothy is his son in the faith, and Paul simply wants impart wisdom for this precious young man.  Toward the end of this pastoral epistle, Paul declares:

The first reason preaching and teaching God’s Word is crucial is a matter of…ACCOUNTABILITY

2Timothy 4:1  “ I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and     the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

As Paul is about to command Timothy to preach the Word, he proclaims that the accountability that we have before the great judge of the universe.  In other words, we will not give an account of our actions before people but before the God of the universe. 

I must be more concerned about God’s desires for me than for man’s expectations of me.  When it is all said and done, my explanation of my activities on this earth will be toward God.  In that day, I want to be able to say that I have preached faithfully and accurately God’s Word.

 The first reason preaching and teaching God’s Word is crucial is a matter of…ACCESSIBILITY.

1Timothy 4:2:  “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

Here Paul describes when and how the Word is to be preached.  If I am committed to the Word and its proclamation when people want it and when they do not want it, that covers about every part of every day. 

In addition, by every means possible I am to preach it.  Someone might ask, “When am I to preach?”  A paraphrase of Paul’s answer might be, “Preach when it is light, when it is dark, when it is cold, and when it is hot.”  Wait…there is no time not to preach. 

^The next reason preaching and teaching God’s Word is crucial is a matter of…APATHY.

1Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ^ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Paul warns that people will become apathetic toward God’s Word.  As they do, it will become even more important for God’s people and God’s leaders to be consistent in the Word.  Someone MUST sound the alarm of salvation and righteousness.  It does not matter if people want to hear sweet messages that make them feel good.  They need real truth that calls them to God.  We must be the people who provide that truth. 

The final reason ^preaching and teaching God’s Word is crucial is a call to…ACTION.

“But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”