THE PLAIN TRUTH

 

Paul states his premise in writing this letter to the Corinthians.  In both the epistles we have to this church, there are issues confronted head on—problems that dared not wait until Paul could be present with them.  What these believers dealt with in trying to serve God in a pagan culture may today be dressed up in modern garb, but is yet the hostile environment to faith we face and calls for the plain truth.

The plain truth is a POINTED truth. Paul describes the “sharpness,” of his message. He used sharpness only as needed, not because he found pleasure in causing pain. The last thing a church needs is a bully in the pulpit that beats the membership with a Bible.  Rather, the sharpness is like that of a surgeon’s scalpel, with the intent to heal though it hurts.  Let none leave after our sermon wondering, “What was the point?”

Plain truth is POWERFUL truth. Paul wielded the Sword of the Spirit with “authority.”  His message was not the best advice of a man, but was the clarion call from the Master. It was not merely a good idea to weigh, but a grave imperative to obey.  Now, we Bible preachers are not Apostles, yet when we correctly interpret the writings of the Apostles and communicate them with the unction of the Spirit, we command authority and can speak confidently.

Plain truth is PRODUCTIVE truth. The result Paul was seeking was “edification.”  His aim was to build up and not beat down—edification rather than “destruction.” The preacher’s motivation and manner is important. Think of it as the difference between a parent who abuses a child and one who disciplines them.  Both are painful, but only one is helpful. Abuse is extreme and is about the parent’s problem while discipline is exact and is about the child’s potential.  

What people need from a preacher in the twenty-first century is no different than the message demanded in the first century. They need the plain truth—pointed, powerful, and productive. Our audience does not need to be told what they want to hear that makes them feel good while they get worse, but what they need to hear that perhaps makes them feel worse, but in order to get them better!

THE PATHWAY TO POWER

            

The Calvary Road is the pathway to power. We have heard the old cliche, “No pain, no gain,” as concerning exercise, but it is true of spiritual advancement, as well. In the flesh, Paul might have boasted of his accomplishments, but he knew that it was the power of Christ working though an earthen vessel that was to be credited.  The Apostle that preached grace for salvation from sin knew grace was just as needful for strength in service.  Humbling owning our weaknesses and dying to our self-sufficiency in brokenness, we can know the power of Christ in ministry. Nothing more is needed and nothing less will enable us to do Gospel work.

BURDEN BEARING

Paul catalogues some of the adversities he has endured in ministry—and it is astonishing in their gravity and severity.  

“Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Cor.11:23-27 NKJV)

Beyond these crises events—that would have been more than sufficient to cause even the hardiest among us to give up—he describes a relentless pressure, “besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2 Cor.‭11:28).  He does not seem to list this as an afterthought, but an accentuation.  This is the icing on the cake of trials!

I have not experienced much of what Paul lists as his troubles and trials, but this is one that any Gospel preacher who is faithful to proclaim the message and shepherd God’s people knows very well. You feel it when you wake up. You walk with it through the day. You carry it to bed at night. It can even haunt your dreams.  What the people of God face, we face with them. What hurt they know, we ache for them. When they fall, we feel it. When they grieve, we weep with them. Their need becomes our concern.  

Often we are there for others, and no one is there for us.  I recall sitting in my car in the parking deck of the hospital. One of our faithful members that had been a staunch supporter of mine had just died. I had sought to comfort the weeping family. Then it hit me—how much I would miss him—and I cried profusely. Yet, there was no one to hug me and pray for me. I was alone in my anguish. That is often the preacher’s lot. 

Yet, there is a special application for those who serve the church in an even broader context. Paul not only felt the weight of a local church, but of churches—plural—all of them. Those are the shoes I stepped into this year as an Associational Mission Strategist for Haywood Baptist Association. There are sixty two churches now that I serve.  ‬‬I walk with those pastors and seek to encourage them and counsel them. I pray for these churches and try to help them accomplish their mission.  Some are healthy and need to be fueled with encouragement to continue their effectiveness. Some are stuck and need counsel as how to get back on track. Others are sick and need guidance in how to end conflict, find a shepherd, refocus, and be revitalized. Then, there are those who are dying, and the praying for a miracle is intense.  Should they die, I will mourn.

Please pray for your pastors. Pray for other Christian ministers. Pray for me. Help us bear our burden and God will bless you for it!

BIBLICAL BOLDNESS

“A minister, without boldness, is like a smooth file, a knife without an edge, a sentinel that is afraid to let off his gun. If men will be bold in sin, ministers must be bold to reprove.” (William Gurnall)

That kind of boldness was manifest in the prophet Nathan. Imagine walking into the throneroom of a powerful monarch, pointing your finger in his face, and declaring David’s guilt before God!  Nathan knew he had a greater King that he served. He had an assignment from heaven and he would discharge that duty with courage and conviction. It took such rebuke to bring David to repentance. 

Will there be some in the congregation today who will need such bold confrontation?  Are they power brokers in the church who might well run you off?

THE GOAL OF GODLY GRIEF

Someone has well said that the object of our preaching is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. It is the second dimension that I want to focus on in this study. There are times when our preaching needs to have as its goal to incite godly grief in the congregation.  

The ultimate aim, of course, is repentance.  Without the conviction of sin—turning to the Lord and from the world—there can be no genuine salvation. For any sinners in the sanctuary seats, we need to use the law of God to bring the full weight of wickedness and impending judgment upon their minds and hearts, so to drive them to the sweet relief of justification. 

But, the saints need to repent also—to a salvation without regret. I think Paul alludes to being saved as by fire as he discussed in a previous letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor.3:11-15).  These will gain heaven, but lose reward. Pastors dare not let the flock settle in for a carnal, compromising, complacent life. Although there is much to say about the need for repentance for salvation in the New Testament, there is also significant content on the matter of repentance for sanctification directed to the churches (see Rev.2-3). 

A lack of godly grief can produce death—the second death for those who have not truly become broken over sin and birthed by the Spirit. It can also lead to death in the church—a spiritual deadness without vitality, “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Tim.3:5a). Jesus said to the church at Sardis, “you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead,” (Rev.3:1b).

What is the evidence of the efficacy of such exposition?=

Vindication, “eagerness to clear yourselves.”  They wanted a clear conscience before God and clean conduct before men. 

Indignation, “what indignation.”  They responded with a righteous rage against evil in their own hearts, first, then in the church, and also the world—a holy hatred of sin.

Trepidation, “what fear.”  This is the fear of a holy God before whom we must all someday give account.

Anticipation, “what longing.”  Looking for the blessed hope when we will be saved to sin no more—not merely being saved from sin’s penalty, nor even just its power, but its very presence!  This has a purifying effect, “And everyone who thus hopes in him [Christ] purifies himself as he is pure,” (1 John 3:3). 

Consecration, “what zeal.”  Godly grief that leads to repentance kindles a fire of consecration on the altar of our hearts. As was said of Jesus, “Zeal for your house will consume me,” (John 2:17; cf. Ps.69:9). 

Mortification, “what punishment.”  Taking sin and self to the cross. Elsewhere he put it, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Col.3:5). They had witnessed this in Paul, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified,” (1 Cor.9:27).

“Earnestness,” and “eagerness,” to pursue holiness was the result of Paul’s preaching to them. May we pray the Spirit to so work through our proclamation, as we recall our sacred charge, “reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching,” (2 Tim.4:2).

 Such preaching will not gain the approval of men (2 Tim.4:3-4), but it will gather the applause of heaven (1 Pet.5:4)!  In the end, both preacher and those he has impacted will rejoice together in glory!