Luther's emphasis on the need for sinners to have preachers who can provide them with the comfort and support they need for their faith in Jesus Christ and life is as relevant today as it was in his time.
As Martin Luther famously wrote, "the sin that you see in your flesh, this you should not observe in your neighbor's flesh. You should see your own sins, and make a plank of them, but look at your neighbor's sins as motes in comparison with yours" (Luther, "First Sermon on the Nativity," LW 52:17).
Luther recognized that all people are sinners, and that each person must confront their own sins before they can effectively address the sins of others. This is particularly true for preachers, who are called to proclaim the gospel of Christ to a world full of sinners.
Luther saw the role of the preacher as that of a messenger, chosen by God, sent to proclaim the good news of Christ's salvation to all people. As he wrote in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, "Preaching is not the performance of the law or the doing of good works; rather, it is the proclamation of the Gospel, which gives us Christ." (Luther, Commentary on Galatians, LW 26:7).
The preacher is not sent to scold or shame the congregation into good behavior, but rather to announce the message of hope and forgiveness that is found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Perhaps just as important, or even more importantly for preachers, is acknowledging the fact that they are also sinners, and so they too need the Gospel message that they proclaim. As Luther wrote in his Treatise on the Ban, "Even the person who preaches the Word of God must recognize that he is also a sinner and must stand under the judgment of God's Word" (Luther, LW 40:235).
The preacher is not sent to scold or shame the congregation into good behavior, but rather to announce the message of hope and forgiveness that is found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This understanding of the preacher as both messenger and sinner allowed Luther to emphasize the importance of humility in preaching, and to remind preachers that they are not above the people to whom they are preaching. This points both preachers and listeners to the importance of preaching in the context of the church community. As he wrote in his Small Catechism, "The Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith." (Luther, Explanation of the Third Article of the Apostles' Creed).
When he opens his mouth to speak God’s Word, the preacher is not just addressing individuals, but is speaking to the entire community of believers. Because preaching is a communal activity, the church becomes a place where sinners can find support and encouragement on their journey of faith.
"Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17). This means that the church, as the community of believers, must have preachers who are well-versed in the Scriptures and can clearly communicate the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Luther writes, "Since faith comes by hearing, the Word of God should be preached publicly" (LW 26:18).
All this raises the question, If God sends us preachers, what makes a good preacher? According to Luther, a preacher must first be someone who has been called by God. In his Treatise on the Ban, he writes, "Those who are to preach must be rightly called, so that they may know that they are not preaching by their own authority, but by the command of God" (LW 40:25). This calling is not something that can be self-appointed, but must come from God through the church. Additionally, Luther believed that a good preacher must be someone who is constantly studying and meditating on the Scriptures. In his preface to the Book of Romans, he writes, "Let him who would become a good preacher diligently read the Scriptures and be certain that he has grasped their meaning" (LW 35:361). A preacher who is not well-versed in the Scriptures is like a musician who cannot read music or a chef who cannot cook - they simply cannot do their job effectively.
Luther also recognized the importance of preaching as a means of combating the forces of evil in the world. In his Treatise on Good Works, he writes, "The devil is a proud spirit and cannot stand to be mocked or opposed. Therefore, when we proclaim the gospel of Christ, we are striking at the root of his power and depriving him of his prey" (LW 44:34). This understanding of preaching as a means of spiritual warfare is echoed in the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote, "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4).
But most of all, Luther believed that a good preacher must be someone who understands the plight of sinners and can empathize with their struggles. In his Sermon on the Mount, he writes, "For the sake of the sinners who are weak and wavering in their faith, we must be able to come down to their level, so that we can lift them up and carry them along with us" (LW 21:155). This understanding of preaching as a communal activity underscores the importance of the church as a place where sinners can find support and encouragement on their journey of faith.
In a time when so many people do not know Jesus Christ, and so many Christians don’t have a preacher, Martin Luther's writings on preaching offer us valuable insights into the role of the preacher in the life of the church and the importance of the communal nature of preaching. Luther reminds us that preaching is not just about delivering a message but also about forming relationships and creating a sense of community among the faithful through the proclamation of the good news that gives sinners their Christ. Luther's emphasis on the need for sinners to have preachers who can provide them with the comfort and support they need for their faith in Jesus Christ and life is as relevant today as it was in his time.
