Most Christians in general, but preachers in particular have hobby horses. We have issues that we like to talk about whenever we get the chance. These issues seem to find their way into many of our conversations and sermons.
This is really dangerous for preachers who are responsible for the preparation and delivery of the congregation’s weekly meal. For some guys it is just a matter of time before they launch into a diatribe against Rick Warren, evolutionists, Arminians, culture, psychology, post-modernism, dispensationalists, or covenentalists. Some of us trick ourselves as we veil our hobby horses with the cloak of nobility. We somehow think that because our issues are so important and so biblical that they need to be talked about all the time.
The problem with this is the simple fact that these things are not the most important thing. There is actually only one thing in Scripture that gets this superlative title.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (1 Cor. 15.3-4)
It is the gospel that is of first importance. This is critical for Christians, and in particular pastors to remember. The fact is that if we forget this not only will we be unbalance but our people will be as well. Can you imagine a baseball coach that spends all his time showing his team how to properly clean their spikes? This is important but it is not the most important! At some point you have to show the guys how to throw and hit. We cannot forget or much less assume that which is of first importance.
Are preachers even preaching if they haven’t somehow dipped their finger in the gospel’s ever-dripping fountain of grace to refresh their people? How can we exhort, encourage, plead, rebuke, and train our people without showing them Christ? After all, we are Christian ministers…aren’t we?
My plea for fellow preachers and Christians is to make your hobby horse, your issue, your big thing, make it God’s big thing…make it the gospel. Convince yourself everyday that this is the biggest deal in the world. It is that which is of first importance. Don’t let yourself go until you have been convinced of this. And then do this everyday until you walk to the pulpit and declare that which is of first importance to God’s people. Let them see this! Remind them every single week what is truly of first importance.
