A charge to preachers
When you mount the steps to the pulpit and are about to speak God’s Word on His behalf, let these exhortations come to mind:
• Preach to honor God’s Word.
• Preach to reach the unconverted.
• Preach to please God.
• Preach to equip Christians for the work of the ministry.
• Preach to lift up the downhearted.
• Preach to be more effective this time than last.
• Preach to bring conviction of sin and repentance.
• Preach to compete with no one but yourself.
• Preach to refresh the spiritually weary.
• Preach to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.
(MacArthur, Rediscovering Expository Preaching, 331-332)