Part One -Expository preaching Will fortify Our Families and Churches Against This Culture! 

Part Two - Expository Preaching Feeds the Sheep!

Expository Preaching Builds Biblical Knowledge and Understanding

There is a principle in law called "ignorantia juris non excusat," Latin for "ignorance of the law excuses not." This principle teaches that we cannot use ignorance of the law to avoid liability for running afoul of it. We all have access to the law. Therefore, we have a responsibility to know it. There is a similar truth found in the Bible. God will hold us accountable relative to our access to His truth.

Like many, you may wonder about the salvation of people who die without hearing of Jesus. Surely God wouldn't condemn someone who doesn't have access to the Bible, right? This question has tripped up many Christians. According to the Apostle Paul, those who haven't heard about Jesus are without excuse, because God has revealed Himself through His creation (Rom 1:18-20). They cannot use their lack of knowledge and understanding as an excuse because God has made Himself known to them. So, God will hold them responsible for not glorifying Him and not giving Him thanks (Rom 1:21).

Likewise, those who call themselves Christians must recognize the expectation to know God's truth to the level of their ability. The more access we have to knowledge of God, the more we will answer to Him for not knowing it, and for our actions. In the words of the Lord, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more" (Luke 12:48). Everyone is accountable to God and His Word, especially those who claim to know and follow Him. As Christians, we do not have an excuse for not knowing - and understanding - Scripture. 

Regular exposure to expository preaching helps solve this problem. God has given this generation of Western culture more access to biblical truth than any past generation. Yet, we are starving for the truth because many churches have chosen to water down the preaching and amp up the "worship experience." They have done this because they want to seem relevant to our culture. Sadly, they forget that God will hold us accountable for our willful ignorance of His Word.

God clearly shows us in His Word that, more than anything else, His people need to know and understand His Word. And we need to live accordingly. In 2 Tim 3:16-17, Paul wrote to Timothy, "All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

This text shows that those who preach and teach God's Word must understand its effectiveness and use it accordingly. Consequently, preachers must recognize that the Word will be effective when we let the lion out of its cage. We let it out of its cage by systematically reading and explaining Scripture, i.e., expository preaching.

God holds Bible teachers and preachers responsible for teaching biblical truth to His people. So, they must encourage Christians entrusted to them to long for the pure milk of the Word. They do this so the unbelieving world will come to know Him, and so believers will grow in their faith (1 Pet 2:2). We must recognize that growth in biblical knowledge will cause believers to grow in respect to their faith if they have tasted the kindness of the Lord (1 Pet 2:3). 

In conclusion, regardless of whether it is the law of the land or biblical truth, Christians cannot use ignorance as their reason for not acting upon the truth. God will hold them accountable for their access to the truth and will hold pastors responsible for teaching biblical truth. Expository preaching gives God's people a weekly opportunity to hear the Scriptures read and explained so they will grow in their longing for the Word and their walk with Christ. In short, they will grow in knowledge and understanding, thus, fulfilling God's requirement of His teachers and His people.