Pointed Preaching - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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Pointed Preaching

Ecclesiastes 12:11

I. His Obligation – 9 “…still taught the people knowledge…”

·       Jeremiah 3:15 “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

·       Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

·       1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

Ephesians 4

The pastor’s job is not to visit you in the hospital.

It’s not to marry your kids and bury your dead.

It’s not to pat your hand and listen for hours about your ingrown toenail.

Ephesians 4 gives the pastor’s job – his duty.

II. His Observation – “…gave good heed…”

A. To the People of God

Proverbs 27:23 “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.”

B. To the Precepts of God

1 Timothy 4

·       13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

·       14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

·       15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

·       16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

III. His Organization – 9 “…sought out…set in order…vs. 10 …sought to find…”

·       10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

The hours of deliberate planning, organizing thoughts, verses, constructing messages.

Driving home a point.

Proving the plan and purpose of God with Bible teaching.

Proving what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

IV. His Optimization - vs 11 “…words of the wise are as goads…”

In this one verse, we see 3 different occupations.

Herdsman, carpenter and a shepherd.

·       11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

His words are:

A. Goading Words - as goads

This is biblical by the way.

·       Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

·       Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

·       Acts 5:33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

·       Acts 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

They are Sharp Words

They are Shocking Words

They are Stirring Words

They are Spurring Words

B. Guiding Words - directing

·       Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

They will Prick You

They will Prod You

They will Provoke You

They will Point You

They will Push You

C. Growing Words - building; edifying

Carpenter analogy – master craftsman building something; (assemblies)

They are Strategic Words

They are Systematic Words

D. Guarding Words - one shepherd

They are Shepherding Words