1. “Foolish questionings and those arising from an untrained mind refuse” (2 Tim. 2:23).
When we preach the gospel, we must avoid debating with people. Debating brings in questionings, which can cause people to reject us or become angry. Debating does not help.
1. “Bearing with wrong; in meekness correcting those who oppose”; “Being always ready for a defense to everyone...yet with meekness and fear” (2 Tim. 2:24-25; 1 Pet. 3:15-16)
When we preach the gospel, we will always meet people who mock, question, oppose, and accuse. We need to be meek in order to answer and correct them in meekness. We should not become angry, lose our temper, or fall into our flesh. No matter what someone else does or says, we should speak in meekness.
1. “If I love you more abundantly, am I loved less?” (2 Cor. 12:15).
In preaching the gospel we must have love toward others; that is, we must have a love for their souls. Having only methods, ways, doctrines, and exhortations will not work. We must have love. We must love people’s souls from our heart. Paul loved the Corinthians. He spent and was utterly spent on their behalf. He spent his very being and all he had so that he could bring them to salvation. If we want to bring people to salvation, we must have a heart to love them.
1. “Your fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now”; “Stand firm in one spirit...with the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:5, 27).
The power of an individual who preaches the gospel is small, but the power of the church is great. On the day of Pentecost the church preached the gospel, so the preaching was powerful. In our localities we must pay attention to the gospel preaching of the church. The first thing that is needed in order for the church to preach the gospel is fellowship, participation. Brothers and sisters, everyone must have one spirit, one heart, and one will so that the power and blessing of the gospel can be brought into the church.
1. “With one soul striving together along with the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27).
When the church preaches the gospel, the brothers and sisters should not merely fellowship but also strive together with one soul. Fellowship, participation, is the consideration in our heart concerning the gospel. Striving together with one soul is our outward action for the gospel. Having only the consideration of fellowship is inadequate. We must also have the action of striving together with one soul. Those who can pray should strive to pray. Those who can offer money should strive to offer money. Those who can pass out tracts should strive to pass out tracts. Those who can invite people should strive to invite people. Those who can preach should strive to preach. Those who can lead in the singing of hymns should strive to lead in the singing of hymns. Those who can visit people should strive to visit people. Everyone should strive according to his ability, carrying out his function. This is striving together with one soul. If the church preaches the gospel this way, there will be a rich harvest.
1. “If I do this of my own will, I have a reward” (1 Cor. 9:17).
There is a reward for preaching the gospel. If we act according to the Lord’s will, we will receive His reward. We need to be faithful in this matter.
1. “Those who sow in tears / Will reap with a ringing shout. / He who goes forth and weeps, / Bearing seed for scattering, / Will no doubt come in with a ringing shout, / Bearing his sheaves with him” (Psa. 126:5-6).
Those who sow the gospel in tears will reap with a ringing shout. Today we rejoice when we see people being saved and coming to the Lord as a result of preaching the gospel. In the future we will rejoice when we see the harvest that our gospel preaching has produced. Joy is a reward for preaching the gospel.
1. “He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit unto eternal life, in order that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together” (John 4:36).
The Lord promised that those who preach the gospel would receive wages, gather fruit unto eternal life, which is to gather saved souls into the heavens and keep them for eternity, and rejoice. These blessings are a reward for preaching the gospel. Many brothers and sisters are busy with the things of this world and do not pay attention to the gospel. They receive material wages, but they do not receive spiritual wages. They gather up much money on earth like a temporary night-blooming flower, but they do not gather up many souls in the heavens as fruit unto eternal life. They have an earthly joy today that brings only sorrow, but they will not receive the heavenly joy of glory. This matter is too important to ignore.
1. “My brothers...my joy and crown” (Phil. 4:1; see also 1 Thes. 2:19-20).
Those whom we save are our inward joy and our outward crown, our glory. This is a reward for preaching the gospel.
1. “Always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).
Our labor for the gospel is not in vain. Our fruit will be according to the extent of our labor. This fruit is a reward for preaching the gospel.
1. “Having shod your feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15; see also Luke 15:22; Rom. 10:15).
The Holy Spirit associates the gospel with shoes for our walk. Preaching the gospel is like shodding our feet with shoes. Shoes help us to walk, protect our feet from injury, separate our feet from the earth so that they do not get dirty from the dust of the ground, and enhance our beauty. If a brother or sister preaches the gospel often and well, their feet are shod from a spiritual point of view. This helps them walk in the Lord’s way, protects them from being injured by the world, separates them from the world so that they are not dirtied by the filthiness of the world, and enhances their spiritual beauty. If a brother preaches the gospel to his associates at work, they will not ask him to go to a show or to gamble on the Lord’s Day. Instead, they will say that he is a lover of Jesus and will not ask him to participate in sinful things. Thus, he will be separated from the world and not dirtied by the filth of the world. His spiritual walk will not be injured by the world; instead, he will walk in the Lord’s way with a spiritual beauty. Preaching the gospel is an item of spiritual armor because it has such a strong effect on believers. It enables us to overcome the power of darkness. We must not despise the gospel or have a lack in this area.
1. “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth...Then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14).
The end of this age will come when the gospel is preached in the whole inhabited earth. Thus, the impact of preaching the gospel will result in the ending of this age.
1. “Until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in...‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion’” (Rom. 11:25-26).
When the fullness of Gentiles comes in, the Lord will return. Preaching the gospel hastens the Lord’s coming.