Before God and Christ, the apostle charged the preacher Timothy to
“preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince,
rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2).
There’s a lot that needs to be preached! For example:

• Preach about Christ. His life, words and works, His sacrifice,
resurrection and ascension, His authority and reign as king, His
promised return and the judgment day, His plan of salvation (Acts 1:1-3;
17:1-4).
• Preach about the church. People need to know what it is, why it
exists, its work, its organization and its worship (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4;
5:23; 1 Tim. 3:15).
• Preach about the Christian’s life. Molding our character, attitudes
and conduct into that which is like the Master, our duties, our
blessings and our hope (Lk. 6:40; Acts 14:22).
• Preach on subjects of morality. There will always be a need for
warnings against immorality and encouragements to live soberly,
righteously and godly in this present world (Tit. 2:11-12; 1 Jno. 2:15-17).
• Preach about Bible characters. A wealth of instruction can be gleaned
from the lives of people found in God’s word (Phil. 3:17).
• Preach textual lessons. People need to know the Bible (Hos. 4:6; Jno.
8:31-32)! Explain the Scriptures and make practical applications that
exhort and admonish your hearers (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
• Preach topical lessons. The Bible addresses topics on life and
godliness, so study and teach all God has said on such things (2 Pet.
1:3-4; Psa. 119:160).
• Preach against false doctrine. Remember to “test the spirits, whether
they are of God,” because there are many false prophets (1 Jno. 4:1;
Matt. 7:15).

Many more examples could be given. Our principle responsibility and aim
is to declare “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). To preach the
whole counsel of God is to preach Christ. To preach Christ is to preach
His word, His church, His authority and His salvation (Acts 8:5, 12; 1
Cor. 2:1-5). To do less is to lose our soul and the souls of those we
teach (Acts 20:26; Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Tim. 4:16).

Preaching the whole counsel of God does not mean preaching some new
thing (Acts 17:21). The gospel of Christ is not a novel message. The
apostle John said, “Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an
old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old
commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning” (1 Jno.
2:7). Preach the word that was heard from the beginning, when the gospel
went forth from Jerusalem (Acts 1:8; Gal. 1:6-10). There is some truth
in the old adage, “If it’s from God’s word, it isn’t new, and if it’s
new, it isn’t from God’s word.” “Tell me the old, old story, of Jesus
and His love” – all of it.

By Joe R. Price via THE SPIRIT’S SWORD
(Volume IX, Number 14 - December 11, 2005)