The Lightning and The Thunder

A man came on one occasion to the great George Whitefield and asked if he might print his sermons. Whitefield gave this reply; he said, 'Well, I have no inherent objection, if you like, but you will never be able to put on the printed page the lightning and the thunder.' That is the distinction - the sermon, and the 'lightning and the thunder'. (Preaching and Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones p 58)

Lloyd-Jones offers the suggestion that there is a difference between a sermon and preaching. And as Mr. Whitefield put it, that difference is "thunder and lightning". I believe, from a Biblical perspective, what they are getting at is the difference between dunamis and excousia. These are both greek words meaning power or authority. But here is the difference.

Every time the preacher gets up to proclaim the word of God, he should be dripping with spiritual authority (power). But should it be with excousia or with dunamis? The answer is both. Excousia has to do with the power or authority that a king has, or at least an ambassador of the king has. The preacher has this kind of authority if and only if they have crafted their sermon based on the word of God. This kind of authority is evident in someone who has taken time to make sure they are speaking the very words of God. They are an ambassador, a herald for the king. They sound the trumpet proclaiming that the kingdom of God has invaded the kingdoms of earth. This power (authority) is vital. But it is not the thunder and lightning.

Now dunamis. That's the power. Dunamis is where we get our english word dynamite. It is explosive, the power to change things. That's thunder and lightning. Dunamis is the element in preaching that just can't be explained. It's when you say to someone, "you just had to be there." Dunamis is what so many preachers want, but so many are missing. So how do we get the dynamite power of God? By believing it is real. Do you really believe God can raise the dead? Do you really believe He can heal illnesses? Do you really believe He can cure addictions? Do you really believe that He can save sinners destined for wrath? I don't ask if you know these things. I ask if you believe them. Because if a preacher believes them, he will have thunder and lightning.

"Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind." (Revelation 4:5-6)

What if that was in our preaching?