THE ESSENTIALITY OF EXHORTATION

The writer of Hebrews had diagnosed a serious virus in the church—falling away. Under pressure of persecution, some Jews who had professed faith in Christ, were returning to Judaism. The disease demanded a prescription—exhortation. Nothing else works like this—to employ the Word of God to shore up a sagging faith. This is the essentiality of exhortation. 

There is both a positive and negative dimension to exhortation.    I heard John Maxwell say that “exhortation is a pat on the back or a kick in the seat,” as applicable.  All believers are to engage in this ministry, but teachers and preachers of the Word have a particular focus to this end.  If the preacher in the pulpit does not consistently offer exhortation then it is unlikely the people in the pew will!

In preparing a sermon, the man of God must ask, “How can I cheer the people on?”  Disheartened people will enter the church building.  They have been beaten down all week by a brutal world that despises God.  Little by little their resolve is drained. It is the pastor’s duty to encourage them—to put courage in them, as the term signifies. We are as a coach urging them on toward victory, even as the “Amens,” come from the stands, with other saints cheering them on.  

Yet, the pastor must also ask, “What should I confront the people about?”  Divisive people will enter the church building. These must be confronted, lest their departure from the faith spread like a plague in the congregation. These are not content only to depart the fellowship, but are intent to divide the fellowship. Paul put it to a preacher named Titus, “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” (Titus‬ ‭3:10-11‬‬).  The coach will at times confront a player whose performance is hurting the team. If he does not soon respond, then he must remove him from the playing field.

This is the essentiality of exhortation. Pastor, who needs a word of cheer—a pat on the back?  Does someone need a word of confrontation—a kick in the seat?  Do not get out of balance. If you only cheer them, then you may encourage the saints, but also you will encourage the sinners in their ungodliness.  You do not want to give people a pat on the back on their way to hell—to have their “best life now,” with damnation for eternity!  If you only correct them, then you may drive out the wicked, but you will also discourage the weak. In our haste to pull weeds, we may yank up wheat. 

CONFRONTATIONAL PREACHING

There is a need to include rebuke in our preaching. We are not to be pugilistic in nature—always spoiling for a fight and yearning to beat people over the head with a Bible. Yet, the Scripture is called the Spirit’s sword for a reason. There will be enemies and at times these are not outside the church, but within it.

The old grizzled veteran, General Paul, carried many scars of past conflicts. He challenged the young Lieutenant, Titus, to stand up, speak up, and make his enemies stand down and shut up!

Consider first THE NATURE OF OUR FOE. We can identify the enemy. 

Such are described as, “insubordinate.”  They promptly resist the Word of God and those who preach it. Their sinful autonomy refuses to submit to Scriptural authority. 

They are, “idle talkers.”  These are renowned for the volume of their words—both in the loudness of their speech and the quantity of their words.

Worst of all, they are, “deceivers.”  Such are in league with the father of lies, Satan. False teaching marks them. It is a cancer in the church that must be surgically removed or it will kill a congregation.  You cannot just ignore it and hope it goes away. 

Weigh then, THE NECESSITY OF OUR FIGHT. Their “mouths must be stopped.”  You must confront it or such will, “subvert whole households.”  

If someone were to break into our house and threaten our family in the middle of the night, love would compel us to resist them by whatever means. False teaching places the church family in jeopardy.  The hope for the saints is in confrontational preaching. Likewise, it is the only hope for these sinners—in that a call to repentance might turn them from error to the truth and the salvation of their souls.

Titus was being sent to a difficult church field. It was hard ground, filled with weeds, and spiritually shallow, yet there would be a harvest if he would faithfully sow the seed. Fertile ground was there too.

There are times in our preaching we must be delicate with the straying—for they are a bruised reed and smoldering wick (Matt.12:20). A soft word and a gentle breath is needed. But, there will be those where we  “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.”  We must be direct with the seductive. May God give us the discernment to know which to apply (Jude 22, 23).

FACING LIONS WITHOUT FEAR

Satan is pictured as a roaring lion seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). We may be sure that his offspring—lions and lionesses, often in the church—will lurk, ready to pounce. Paul spoke of such here, and God’s servants will face them. You may hear their roar, smell the stench of their breath, and even feel the pain of their fangs clamping down on you and claws leaving you bleeding. Preacher, you will face lions—maybe dressed as deacons, or a slanderous woman—not only in the world, but in the church. Hope this encourages you to do as Paul, “so that the message might be preached fully through [you]”!  Do not back down and do not tailor the truth to fit the whims of the critics.  Paul tells us that we can face these lions without fear.  

We can STAND for the Lord stands with us. Get your eyes off the lion and look to the Lord.  Ravenous beasts are no match for Jesus Christ!  He is the Creator and Conqueror and since He is with us, we don’t have to flee in fear. He will never leave us nor forsake us.  Nehemiah was threatened and answered, “Should such a man as I flee?”  Stand your ground.

We are STRONG for our strength is from the Omnipotent. The power of the Spirit indwells us.  While in myself, I am weak—in His strength I am more than sufficient to overcome my adversaries.  They whimper and slink into the shadows when the Lion of Judah, King of the jungle of this world roars!

We are SECURE since none can truly harm us.  What is the worst an enemy might do—kill us?  But, our times are in God’s hands. He numbers our days and when He is through with us, by whatever means He sovereignty selects, He will take us home. Paul was spared from the lion before, but soon would lose his head!  Yet, He was secure in knowing that would only deliver him to glory and the greatest gain of all!  As Luther sang, “the body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever!”

You can face the lion without fear!

THE SERVANT OF THE LORD

 

Preachers should make much of Christ and be cautious not to make much of themselves. Some pastors have the capacity to strut while they sit and swagger as they sleep. They appear to read their press clippings as often as they read their Bible. Success to them is the number of “likes,” and “shares,” on social media and in the frequency of invitations to appear on a stage in some denominational event.

We are servants of the Lord. Some want to climb the ladder. Others want to ascend a pedestal. God’s expectation for us is in the opposite direction. We are here to take the basin and towel, stooping to serve, as did our blessed Lord!  There are some dirty feet in need of washing.  This is being like Jesus. 

BE PEACEABLE, and not pugilistic. “The servant of the Lord must not quarrel.”  There is much evil to fight against—inside us, in the hearts of the church members, and especially in our fallen world. Yet, do not be famous for your feuds. Have an open hand to lift others instead of a clenched fist to slug them. Don’t go looking for trouble. It will find you often enough without your aid.

BE GENTLE, and not harsh.  Paul says, “be gentle to all.”  Some may be characterized as “a bull in a china shop.”  They may not build a church up, but have a proven track record of knowing how to blow it up!  Picture a physician who treats a child with a broken bone. He does not grab their shattered limb and jerk them around—only increasing the pain and compounding the damage. Rather, he gently sets the bone in place, stabilizes it, and facilitates healing. We have many broken people in our pews who need such gentle care.

BE CAPABLE, especially in teaching. The Apostle says God’s servant is “able to teach.”  If a pastor cannot feed the flock, then he cannot shepherd them. We may lack competency in many areas, but we cannot be ineffective communicators. Our position calls for teaching the truth. God has spoken through His Word and uses his men to proclaim it with authority, clarity, urgency, and to do so capably.  You may not be the best, but you cannot afford to be bad. Teaching is a gift, but also a skill that can be improved if we labor at it.

BE DURABLE, and not given to quitting. We are to be “patient.”  The farmer in the field knows he cannot sow seed and reap a crop the next day. There is a season of dealing with drought, facing a deluge, winds that blow, weeds to pull, bugs to kill, varmints to stop, disease to fight, and then the work of gathering the harvest. Our church field will be like that. Do not give up or give out. Claim this promise, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart,” (Gal.6:9).

Dear God, 

Will you strengthen your servants today who shepherd your flock. May your peace abide in them and cause them to be peacemakers and not troublemakers. As you have been gentle to us, remind us to be tender with the broken. When we stand to speak, enable us to be effective.  To the disheartened man out there who is contemplating quitting, renew his patience.

In the Name of the Model Servant, Jesus Christ,

Amen!