Proverbs 15:4 Tenderness not harshness

The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
It is easy to fall into scolding a congregation, using what this proverb calls a harsh, bitter, rough or grievous tongue. Much better to use soft and soothing words, ones that are wholesome and healing not to ingratiate oneself with a congregation but in order to win them over - in order to be a tree of life  This is the fourth and final time Proverbs uses the phrase tree of life (see 3:18, 11:30, 13:12). It is referred to wisdom and understanding, the fruit of righteousness and to a longing fulfilled.If we can speak of these things in a winning way, what good may result. Proverbs 12:18 and 16:24 are similar - The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing and Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. In Matthew Henry's words a healing tongue is "healing to wounded consciences by comforting them, to sin-sick souls by convincing them" and, we may add, healing to despairing hearts by pointing them to the Saviour. Our preaching should not be harsh but we should speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

Preaching on Psalm 103:13, 14 Spurgeon once said

The drift of this lesson, is this - s your heavenly Father has pity on you, have pity on one another. He remembers that we are dust; remember this of others. You, who live in the same house, do not fall out with each other. You, who are members of the same church, do not criticise and judge each other so severely ... Preacher, mind you learn your own lesson - be as tender towards those who sin as the Master was.

Proverbs 26:23-26 Fervency

Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbour deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
It is generally agreed that preachers ought to speak fervently. There ought to be a zeal and an ardour when they preach the Word. That is most appropriate. One danger for those who know this and yet lack fervour is to work it up, to pretend that there is more enthusiasm than there is. This is the mark of an enemy not a friend. It is a deceitful and wicked way to proceed.

You have heard it said, perhaps, "strike while the iron is hot not to make the iron hot". Practically, if you are not striking oil it is perhaps best to quit boring.

Here in Proverbs 26:23 the picture is of earthenware that has been glazed with silver dross. It can look very pleasant but no-one is fooled. They are not drinking from a silver cup. Few people will think a preacher who works himself up is really full of spiritual fervour. They will see through him as Lonnie Donegan made clear in 1957 singing an old American folk song that includes this verse

Preacher in the pulpit roars with all his might

Sings "Glory Hallelujah" puts the folks all in a fright.

Now you might think he's Satan that's comin' down the aisle

But it's only our poor preacher, boys, it's puttin' on his style.

Merely putting on the style won't save sinners or comfort saints. What is needed is genuine, heartfelt, God given fervour. Away with disguise, with mere charm. Expect to be found out if you merely pretend.

Proverbs 26:7, 9 Poor preaching useless and dangerous

Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. ... Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

It is not enough to know proverbs in order to be wise. You need to know how to apply the proverbs found in the Book of Proverbs. Similarly, it is not enough to know Scripture in order to be a good preacher. You need to know how to preach Scripture. There is a school of thought that says that preaching is just a matter of telling them what the Bible says. It is akin to the idea that simply reading oriverbs will make a person wise. No, there is more to it than that. And so just as a fool quoting a  proverb can be as useless as a man who is lame and as dangerous as a drunkard with a thornbush (wath out!) so those who know their Bibles but can't preach are both useless and dangerous.

Talking about the Puritans Dr Lloyd-Jones says

What was it that turned the world upside down? Was it just theological teaching? Was it mere enunciation of correct doctrine? Over and above that there was this mighty ‘demonstration of the Spirit and of power.’ How did those people turn the world upside down? The answer is that in the Book of Acts we have an account of a great revival, of the Spirit outpoured. What happened could not have happened otherwise. How did all these churches come into being? Was it merely that the apostles taught correct doctrine? Of course not! It was the Spirit’s demonstration and power which accompanied the correct doctrine. Correct doctrine can leave the church dead; you can have dead orthodoxy, you can have a church that is perfectly orthodox but perfectly useless. Over and above, there was this demonstration, this unction, this authority, this outpouring of the Spirit’s power. It is the only explanation of the astonishing things that happened.

Proverbs 19:2 Knowledge as well as enthusiasm

Desire without knowledge is not good - how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

Paul tells us that to desire to be an overseer is a good thing. To wnat to be a preacher is good. It is right that Christan men should want to see people converted and the saints built up. If that desre is to be met, this proverb reminds us, then knowledge is necessary. If a preacher is to be of any use then he needs to know certain things. He needs to know his Bible and a knowledge of systematic theology, church history, pastoral work and other matters will also be a great asset. In the rush to be out there sharing the gospel, it would be foolish to fail to get the requisite training simply becasue a man cannot wait the few years it takes to get such a training.

Proverbs 20:5 Drawing people out

The purposes of a person's heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.

One thing a good preacher should be able to do is to draw people out. It is important that we remember that those who hear us may well have all sorts of things hidden in their hearts - ambitions and desires and sins and fears - that we will certainly not see in their faces and are not likely to discern simply by talking to them briefly. If we are able to preach as we ought, however, then we will be able to bring these things to the surface and begin to deal with them in ways laid down in Scripture. We need to learn to be searching preachers.

Thomas Prince writing about Gilbert Tennent in The Great Awakening in America in the 18th century characterises it as a searching ministry. He says his ministry was "frequently both terrible and searching." He wrote
"Such were the convictions wrought in many hundreds in this town by Mr. Tennent's searching ministry: and such was the case of those many scores of several other congregations as well as mine, who came to me and others for direction under them. And indeed by all their converse I found, it was not so much the terror as the searching nature of his ministry, that was the principal means of their conviction. It was not merely, nor so much, his laying open the terrors of the law and wrath of God, or damnation of hell; (for this they could pretty well bear, as long as they hoped these belonged not to them, or they could easily avoid them) as his laying open their many vain and secret shifts and refuges, counterfeit resemblances of grace, delusive and damning hopes, their utter impotence, and impending danger of destruction; whereby they found all their hopes and refuges of lies to fail them, and themselves exposed to eternal ruin, unable to help themselves, and in a lost condition. This searching preaching was both the suitable and principal means of their conviction."
Ezekiel Hopkins referring to Psalm 26:2 and noting how "God, indeed, hath many ways of trying us; but especially by the word and ministry" asks his readers
"Do you love the word of God, because it is a searching word because it brings home convictions to you, and shakes your carnal confidences and presumptions Do you love a soul-searching ministry, that speaks as closely and particularly to you, as if it were another conscience without you; a ministry, that ransacks your very souls, and tells you all that ever you did Do you delight in a ministry, that forceth you to turn inward upon yourselves; that makes you tremble and look pale at every word, for fear it should be the sentence of your damnation ? This is a sign, that your condition is good, because you are so willing to be searched. He, that doeth evil, saith our Saviour, John iii. 20. hateth the light; neither cometh he to it, lest his deeds should be reproved. But, if you are pleased only with a formal, general ministry; and such prophets, as sing only pleasant songs to you; such, as never touch the conscience to the quick, that keep aloof off, and, instead of brandishing the word that is sharper than a two-edged sword, rending the heart with it, only make a flourish of it: if you can brook no other, but such a quiet, unconcerning ministry as this is, this is a bad sign, that yet you are unsound.£

Proverbs 20:4 Be warned against laziness

Sluggards do not plough in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

This proverb against laziness and drawing on agricultural metaphors is applicable to many situations. The pastoral ministry is a particularly obvious one, especially given that the work of the minister is chiefly one of ploughing (and sowing) with the prospect of a harvest in due time. One clear disadvantage is if the pastor is lazy and neglects the work. There can be no harvest then.

Martin Luther has written

It is the devil, it is the world, it is our flesh that are raging and raving against us. Therefore, dear sirs and brethren, pastors and preachers, pray, read, study, be diligent. Truly, this evil, shameful time is not the season for being lazy, for sleeping and snoring. Use the gift that has been entrusted to you, and reveal the mystery of Christ.

And

Some pastors and preachers are lazy and no good. They rely on these and other good books to get a sermon out of them. They do not pray; they do not study; they do not read; they do not search the Scripture. It is just as if there were no need to read the Bible for this purpose. They use such books as offer them homiletical helps in order to earn their yearly living; they are nothing but parrots and jackdaws, which learn to repeat without understanding, though our purpose and the purpose of these theologians is to direct preachers to Scripture with such books and exhort them to plan to defend our Christian faith after our death, against the devil, the world, and the flesh.

Proverbs 20:29 Preachers young and old

The glory of young men is their strength, grey hair the splendour of the old.

The point of this proverb is not to suggest that the young are better than the old or the old better than the young. The point is that each has his glory, his particular contribution. If you want help moving house then get a young man in. He will probably be best able to help you. But if you want advice on how you can handle arguments you are having with your wife, you might be better to consult an older man. When it comes to preaching there are differences too and although young and old can have their weaknesses they also both have their strengths.

We are in danger of caricaturing but we can say two things.

Firstly, the young can be nervous, too quiet, poor at dividing the material and not very good at application. They can be insensitive and too cerebral. However, ideally, there is a zeal and a directness, a freshness and excitement that older preachers can often lack. The younger man takes no prisoners and hearers are disarmed by the powerfully exaltation of Christ and the eager call to follow him. His thorough preparation and his careful exegesis give him authority. 

Older preachers, on the other hand, can ramble, have too many illustrations, lack exegetical rigour and make applications that are off the mark. Ideally, however, they speak with a depth of experience, a warmness and love that melts the hearts of their hearers in a way that too often does not happen with younger preachers. They avoid exegetical and homiletic pitfalls that younger preachers do not and avoid wasting the congregation's time on theological points of interest only to seminary students.

It is useful for preachers old and young alike to rightly assess their strengths and weaknesses. Young men will preach young me's sermons and old men old men's sermons but is they can be the best that they can preach that is all to the good.