Every time I read Paul's words to the young Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 I am reminded that being prepared, mainly in the area of preaching, is very important. Paul writes ,"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed , rightly handling the word of truth." The thing that gets me here every time is the phrase "rightly handling the word of truth." Yes, contrary to popular belief, it is very important to know what you are teaching to those who sit under you on a weekly basis. Is it possible that we, as ones who preach, wrongly handle the word of truth? Yes it is and it happens all the time. There is a solution to this- being prepared. Preparation not only helps us to understand what we are teaching to others; it also helps us to bring glory to God while correctly handling the words he has given us.
It is very easy to stand up in front of a crowd and "wing" it for 25-30 minutes, but when you think about it this is anything but the correct handling of God's word. It actually cheapens it and in most cases puts the speaker in the lead role and puts God's word in some kind of supporting role. Now don't get me wrong we all have our "go to sermon" but at some point this is not going to cut it. If every message you preach is the same, in the end it will be your hearers who actually suffer because they are not learning and being challenged by the Word of God. Preparation is key in this area. Preparing well will not only help you to know and understand what you are teaching, but will also ensure that your hearers are getting the very best of what God has laid on your heart for them.
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