Wise financial investing pays good dividends. Wise investments of time and energy in study will pay great spiritual dividends.

He will experience his own life being more and more changed into the image of Christ.

Study carefully (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Peter 2:21-22). We are what we eat.

He will be balanced in his preaching.

He will have 20/20 vision; that is, seeing matters, and responding accordingly, as Paul taught in Acts 20:20: “I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable” (ASV).

His preaching will be rich and full.

He will have dug rich nuggets from the treasure house of God’s word. He will preach from the overflow, always just quitting but never getting through.

His preaching will be as fresh as the morning dew.

In other words, he does not feed the church warmed over meals.

He will avoid frustration.

Batsell Barrett Baxter used to speak of the tyranny of preaching in that every week had a Sunday; and, on that day preachers had two sermons to deliver. Without proper study habits, and with these precious but sobering responsibilities coming so frequently, the preacher will constantly stay frustrated.

His work will be the subject of commendation, rather than criticism.

He will hear, “I have been enriched, I have been instructed, I have been helped, that answered my questions, etc.,” rather than “he preaches too long, his material is too fragmented, he is shallow, etc.”

His preaching will always be relevant.

Much of the civic-talk-type sermons being preached in our pulpits today result from preachers not studying the Bible; and, not knowing their Bibles. Congregations need more than mental health or interpersonal relationship type sermons. Additionally, they need sermons on sin, the saved, and sanctification. This is relevant preaching. However, such requires study.

He will keep himself in the pulpit.

Rex Kyker penned, “Often, we hear of men leaving the ministry. I think one of the major reasons for this exodus is that men, thoroughly capable of delivering a masterful sermon, simply cannot find time to properly prepare them. We have never discovered short cuts that enable men to prepare a great message in a short time.”

Conclusion

Our great need today is “prophets,” not promoters, pushers, psychologists, and pleasers. The answer to the need? Study!