A Word for Preachers...Preaching as Worship

"The preaching and the hearing of the Word of God is in the last analysis worship, worship in its most profound sense.  Preaching is not an auxiliary activity to worship, nor is it some kind of preparation for worship which one hopes will follow...The proclaiming of the Word of God, simply in itself, is high service to God.  The solemn reading and preaching of Scripture in the midst of the congregation is a cultic act, if we may use that term, in continuity with the sacrifices of the Old Testament.  Even more it fulfills these ancient cultic acts.  The Old Testament sacrifices were the type, the foreshadow, of something far greater, the proclamation of the gospel.  The reading and the preaching of Scripture is worship of an even greater intensity, an even greater depth, and an even greater magnificence than were ever the sacrifices of the Temple."

Hughes OliphantOld