Yesterday I preached a sermon from Acts 21:37–22:5 that is Part 1 of Paul’s Account of What Christ Has Done. His appeal and address before both the tribune and the crowd led him to give a powerful account of how a real encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ transformed his life, showing that faithful witness flows not from eloquence but from genuine experience with Christ, even in the midst of suffering and opposition. 

As I was preaching, I found my mind drifting toward how the sermon might be received. Some points I made from the passage felt like they could be misunderstood. For example, when Paul says, “I am a Jew,” I became aware of how statements like that can feel controversial in today’s cultural climate. With the rise of antisemitism and even phrases like “Christ is King” being misunderstood or politicized, I realized my concern wasn’t wrong, but I may have drifted from the focus of the text. These issues have become sensitive in our culture, but it raises a deeper question: why have truths that are clearly presented and historically understood in Scripture become controversial even within the church?

This is where my mind went, I became distracted by how these issues are often misunderstood in the culture. While it’s important to be culturally aware, the danger is becoming preoccupied with it, or worse, turning into cultural warriors instead of remaining faithful heralds of the gospel. This affected me in that I began to think not only about how the culture is handling these issues, but also about how our church, our own people, are thinking about them.

Something I pointed out is how Paul was seen as someone who wasn’t a good speaker. In 2 Corinthians 10:10, some criticized Paul by saying, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” Paul himself acknowledges in 2 Corinthians 11:6 that he was “unskilled in speaking,” though not in knowledge. He explains in 1 Corinthians 2:1–4 that he did not come with lofty speech or human wisdom, but in weakness, fear, and trembling, so that people’s faith would rest in the power of God rather than in human eloquence. Also, in 1 Corinthians 1:17, he makes clear that he did not preach with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Although I know this is true of Paul and am encouraged by his example, I still find myself wrestling with my delivery and exposition, especially what it means to preach through my own personality. I want to be faithful to God’s Word while also being myself, recognizing that we are all uniquely wired. I am not John Piper, nor am I meant to sound like others in my theological camp who hold to the doctrines of grace.

I find myself thinking about what others expect of me, especially newer people who come with expectations I may not be able to meet. At times, this leads me to question whether not meeting those expectations means I’ve failed or that I’m not good enough. This is where Paul’s example is so helpful. Eloquence can scratch the ear yet be empty of the Spirit of God, and that’s something I never want for our church. Even if I stumble over my words or struggle in my delivery, my hope is that the Lord is with me, and that I am seeking to glorify Christ and encourage His people. I may not be the most polished speaker or a great orator of Scripture, but if I rely on Christ and aim to please Him in both my study and my preaching, then my confidence is that He will use it for His glory.

Moments like this are helpful reminders to be intentional when discouragement comes. Even as I write this, I feel some relief knowing that it is both routine and common for pastors to wrestle with their calling. The struggles may differ, but at their core they are the same, we are imperfect in all our efforts, and at times we will fall short. Yet God remains our portion and our present help. I have to return to the truth that I am doing what God has called me to do, and that calling will include moments of weakness and struggle. There may even be some truth in what we feel, that the sermon wasn’t our best or that we could have said or left out certain things. Still, when reflecting on a discouraging Sunday, we should bring it before the Lord in prayer, and maybe even write about it.