Preach only Christ crucified

For Dec 17, Chambers writes, "The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel." And he goes on to demonstrate why this is a good thing. The things of God are foolish to the natural man [1 Corinthians 2:14, which is the text for this devotion.] Thus we don't know we need the good news until we hear it. While "Creating the need it satisfies" is a rather offensive kind of religious system to a worldly man---even though he uses the same thing in all his advertising and promoting his own business or wares---we surely have the need already. The gospel doesn't create a new need, but removes our ignorance of it AS it offers the one and only solution.

Anyway, the point he makes that is so beautiful is in the second paragraph. He writes,

Jesus said, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is "lifted up," the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him.

What this means is that my preaching, if it does nothing else whatsoever, must lift up Jesus Christ. I have done nothing to advance Christ and his kingdom if I have only convinced my listeners of some moral or made a good point or entertained them with poetic and humorous anecdotes. Even if I bring them to tears with emotional stories or work them into a frenzy with sensational polemics, if I have not lifted up Jesus and shown people their need of HIM and his Truth, I have done nothing at all.

Lord, let me lift up Jesus alone. As my name Christopher means "bearer of Christ", let at least live up to that name. And when you are ready to use me, please send me in your Power to do it with all my heart and soul. Yes, you have already sent me. Lord, please forgive me for lifting up other things. Lord, I resolve to know nothing and preach nothing except Christ and him crucified. [1Cor 2:2] Father, help me to this end. IJNA