A good questrion every preacher should ask is, “Who is the hero of my sermon, Jesus or me?” Far too often preachers boast about their family, their vacation, their heroics, their courage, their generosity, their cleverness, etc. “Me, me, me.” This type of preaching leaves hearers empty. It is totally uninspiring.

Consider the following;

“But when [Uzziah] was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction” (2 Ch 26:16).

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4:6).

“I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another” (Is 42:8).

Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” (Jn 12:32).

Make much of Jesus, not yourself. True Christian preachng is all about exalting and magnifying the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is never to be self-indulgent or self-serving!

Maybe we need to get back to praying the way the old preachers used to pray, “God, hide me behind the cross.”