Don’t Drown Your Preaching in Common Grace.
There are certain blessings that everyone on earth gets to enjoy, whether they believe in God or not. Things like sunshine, rain, beauty, laughter, music, and family. These are often called “common grace,” gifts that show God’s kindness to all people, just like Jesus said:
“He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” – Matthew 5:45
But here’s the thing: common grace doesn’t save anyone. It reveals that God is good, yes, but it doesn’t tell people how to be right with Him. That’s why, when we preach, we need to be careful. If people leave our sermons thinking only about how inspiring, funny, or talented we are, then we’ve missed the point. We might have just drowned them in common grace.
Common grace should point people to God – to the One who provides every good thing. But because of sin, people often take God’s kindness and turn it into fuel for their idols. Instead of worshipping the Giver, they worship the gifts. That’s why we need something more than just inspiring stories or moral lessons.
We need to give them special revelation – the gospel. The truth about Jesus Christ. The news that saves.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:18–20
Common grace can’t rescue someone from sin or judgment. It can show people that God exists and is good, but it doesn’t show them the cross. It doesn’t explain grace, repentance, or salvation. In fact, Romans 1 tells us that people who only experience common grace will still stand before God without excuse.
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness… so that people are without excuse.” – Romans 1:18, 20
So if someone walks away from our preaching and all they remember is, “What a great speaker,” “What a funny sermon,” or “What a powerful story,” then all they’ve received is the same kind of grace they could’ve gotten from a TED Talk or a Netflix special. It might move their emotions, but it won’t save their soul.
What Are We Really Preaching?
Sometimes people will miss the point of our sermons, no matter how gospel-focused we are. That’s on them. But it’s a whole different problem if we, as preachers, are intentionally aiming to entertain rather than proclaim Christ.
It’s one thing to use humour, illustrations, or storytelling to highlight the gospel; that’s healthy. It’s another thing to let those things overshadow the gospel.
The Worship Songs Trap.
Many of our worship songs have fallen into the same trap. The worship music industry has become more focused on what charts, what sells, and what makes people feel good than on what’s true, doctrinally sound, and glorifying to God. Lyrics are often vague and soaked in sentiment rather than saturated in Scripture.
We’ve replaced theology with aesthetics. We’ve become spiritually vague.
It’s also tempting to become soft-edged in preaching, trying to avoid offence or retain goodwill. But clarity in preaching is not cruelty – it’s kindness.
I attended a funeral recently, and hearing the gospel preached clearly, without being disguised in flowery words, was like breathing fresh air in a stuffy room. The ions in the air were different. It was reviving.
Both sinners and saints need to hear the gospel in clear tones.
- For the sinner, it’s a lifeline.
- For the saint, it’s a reminder of who we were and who we are now.
Make Scripture the Star.
Everything we do when we preach, our words, our tone, our visuals, should lift up the Word of God. Through Scripture, God has revealed who He is, who we are, what’s broken, and how it’s fixed through Jesus.
Our job is to let that shine. Not just in what we say, but in how we say it. Our sermons shouldn’t be about showing off our skills; they should show off the glory of the gospel.
It’s not about homiletics, stage presence, or polished presentation and prose – though all are important. It’s about clearly articulating the gospel without fear or favour.
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you… that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day.” – 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
Don’t Serve Garnish Instead of the Gospel.
Common grace is like garnish; it makes the dish look good, but it’s not the meal. The gospel is the meal. Don’t serve garnish with no substance.
Let’s preach Christ crucified and risen. Let’s not drown our hearers in what they could get anywhere else. Let’s give them the truth that can save.
- Preach the gospel. Don’t just entertain.
- Preach the Word. Don’t just impress.
- Preach Jesus. And watch God work.
Scripture Focus.
- Matthew 5:45
- Matthew 28:18–20
- Romans 1:16–32
- 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
- Psalm 123:1–124:7