Preacher, you are in Christ’s hand. Today, as you gather in His name, He has promised to walk among His people. The church is meant to be His lamp stand, shining into the darkness of this world. Whatever challenges you are facing, whatever infirmities you feel, whatever enemies you fight—just know that you are held by the nail-scarred hand of Omnipotence. None can pluck you out of His hand! Be faithful to proclaim the Word, for the Living Word will be faithful to you!
I know that with many of us there is a tendency to sit down and say, “All things are wrong, the world gets darker and darker, and everything is going to the bad.” We sit and fret together in most delightful misery, and try to cheer each other downwards into greater depths of despair! Do we not often act thus? Alas! it is so, and we feel happy to think that other people will blend in blessed harmony of misery with us in all our melancholies; or if we do stir ourselves at little, we feel that there is not much good in our service, and that very little can possibly come of it. This message of our Master seems to me to be something like fine sound of a trumpet. I have given you the strains of a dulcimer, but now there rings out the clarion note of a trumpet. Here is the power to enable you to “go.” Therefore, “go” away from your dunghills, away from your ashes and your dust. Shake yourselves from your melancholy. The bugle calls, “Boot and saddle! Up and away!” The battle has begun, and every good soldier of Jesus Christ must be to the front for his Captain and his Lord. Because all power is given unto Christ, He passes on that power to His people, and sends them forth to battle and to victory.
I don’t know all that the future holds, but I know Who holds the future. God has made the outcome clear, but the timing is only known to Him. May we have the desperate drive of the four lepers who sat starving outside the besieged city of Samaria and asked, “Why are we sitting here until we die?” (2 Kings 7:3). God not only provided a miracle for them, but poured out blessing on His people through them.
I think of the thousands of starfish that washed up on the beach in a storm, where they would die. A little lad knowing this picked one up and tossed it into the water, again and again. An old fellow watched with amusement and asked, “Son, do you think that will make any difference?” The boy picked up another and cast it into the surf. He said, “It did for that one!”
So, whatever challenges you are facing today—get up and go forward. Stop whining and start winning.
Spurgeon said concerning Christ’s commission:
If any of us would receive a commission for Christian service, it must come from Christ Himself; if we would carry out that commission, it must be in loyalty to Christ; and if we hope to succeed in that commission, it must be in a perpetual, personal fellowship with Christ. We must begin to work with Him, and go on working with Him, and never cease to work until He Himself shall come to discharge us from the service because there is no further need of it. Oh, that we did all our work in the name of the great Head of the Church! Oh that we did all Christ’s work consciously in the presence and in the strength of Christ! (Service and Honor, Spurgeon, p. 42, Kindle edition)
We have all heard the expression, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” When God sent His Son as the Incarnation of Himself, Jesus was, “The Word made flesh.” Certainly, Christ spoke the truth about God, but He also showed the truth of God. To see Him was to see the Father.
While the preacher will not accomplish this absolutely as Jesus did, nevertheless our objective is in speaking the Word in our communication of it, to also show the Word in our submission to it. Paul calls on us to do so in Philippians 3:16, “Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”
There must be OUR DECLARING OF TRUTH, “Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained…”. This is the apprehension of the Word of God. We have attained a degree of truth, and should persistently seek to apprehend the message increasingly—to get a grip on the truth in such a way that the truth grips us. If the sermon does not move us, we may be sure it will not stir the people! This is what it means to apprehend something, and in this case, it is to understand the meaning of the text. We grow our people as we grow in our understanding and help them to do so. Yet, with the clarity of God’s revelation, there comes responsibility—for the preacher, as well as the people, to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only,” (James 1:22). That brings us to our second point.
There must also be OUR DEMONSTRATING OF TRUTH, “let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.” This is the application of the Word of God. The rule of truth is established to gauge the straightness of our walk. The revelation of truth is expounded to grow the measure of our understanding. The old cliche’ is, “Practice what you preach.” The familiarity of that phrase does not lessen the necessity of its performance. This is the hardest part of preaching. While grasping the meaning of the text and conveying it in a clear and compelling manner is a challenge, the rubber meets the road when we not only share the sermon, but show the sermon. Am I not a hypocrite if I urge the people to do something (read Scripture, pray, evangelize, give, pursue holiness, etc.) that I will not? This is expressed in a poem by Edgar Guest.
The first is OUR DYNAMIC FOR SERVICE. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure,” (v. 12-13). The dynamic for successful service is seen to be the power of God at work in us and through us. We work out what God works in. It is not about what our skills can accomplish, but what God’s strength can do. Our reliance is on a Sovereign Lord “to will and to do for His good pleasure,” and thus He gets all the glory. It is about His name and not our fame!
The second is OUR DISPOSITION IN SERVICE. “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” (v. 14-15). If any man had a reason to gripe about his conditions and seek to get even with his enemies it would have been Paul. All he did was seek to serve the Lord and share the good news. For this, he was beaten cruelly and bound unjustly. Yet, he exhibited a disposition that was “blameless and harmless.” He reflected the image of His Father and calls on us to do so. We labor “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,” and so can expect mistreatment. Yet, having such a sacrificial spirit as that of the Lord Jesus—the Light of the World—and is how we “shine as lights in the world.” This world is a dark place, but that makes our light even more needful.
That brings us to the third standard of OUR DECLARATION IN SERVICE. We are to be, “holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain,” (v. 16). As mentioned in the previous verse, our light is to shine—to show the way of salvation. Every church should be a Gospel Lighthouse. Gospel light is needed. Often our pulpits promote Gospel-lite instead! We must hold fast to the truth and then extend it as a lifeline to the lost. The old hymn urges:
1 Throw out the lifeline across the dark wave;
There is a brother whom someone should save;
Somebody’s brother, O who then will dare
To throw out the lifeline, his peril to share?
Refrain:
Throw out the lifeline! Throw out the lifeline!
Someone is drifting away;
Throw out the lifeline! Throw out the lifeline!
Someone is sinking today.
2 Throw out the lifeline with hand quick and strong;
Why do you tarry, why linger so long?
See, he is sinking, O hasten today;
And out with the lifeboat, away, then, away! [Refrain]
3 Throw out the lifeline to danger-fraught men,
Sinking in anguish where you’ve never been;
Winds of temptation and billows of woe
Will soon hurl them out where the dark waters flow. [Refrain]
4 Soon will the season of rescue be o’er;
Soon will they drift to eternity’s shore;
Haste then, my brother, no time for delay!
But throw out the lifeline and save them today. [Refrain}
We cannot make others grasp the Gospel, but we can assure that we give it out! To be faithful no matter the response means, “that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
There is a fourth matter and that is OUR DEVOTION IN SERVICE. “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all,” (v. 17). Our service is an act of worship—as we pour ourselves out on the altar as living sacrifices, (cf. Rom. 12:1). Successful ministry is about sweat and sobs; labor and lament; work and weeping. It is ultimately not about recognition here, but reward hereafter. Far better to be a little-known humble servant in this world that we might be summoned to the head table by the Lord. What a day of rejoicing that will be! Don’t be a glory hound sniffing the trail for headlines in the Baptist Press, but a devoted servant wherever God assigns you. The Lord sees and knows and He is the ultimate arbiter of success!
That brings us to the fifth and final issue of OUR DELIGHT IN SERVICE. “For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me,” (v. 18). Rejoicing is the theme of this little letter. Three times in these six verses Paul repeats the word, “rejoice,” as he speaks of the delight he felt despite the difficulties he faced. We cannot control our circumstances, but we can control our response to them. This is a a decision, even more than an emotion. Feelings will fluctuate and circumstances will change, but our satisfaction in the Lord can be steadfast.
If you pursue and practice these principles, then no matter what men may think, our Master will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
Is God sovereign? Of course He is or He would not be God. That being the case, do we affirm that when problems come, they are according to His providence? The Apostle Paul affirms it to be so. Writing to the Philippians, he does not merely resign himself to be confined in chains, but rejoices that he is.
“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” (Philippians 1:12-18 NKJV)
Joy is the note that sounds over and over in this small letter. Perceiving providence in his problems led to praise. How are you responding to your adversity and dealing with adversaries? These are inescapable realities in ministry. Being a preacher does not mean we escape them, but assures that we will face them. You either recently faced trouble, or are in the midst of a conflict, or soon will be in one.
Paul calls on us to STAND FAST, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast…” (Philippians 1:27a). This is a matter of conviction. I am at an age where I can no longer run fast…but I can stand fast! The man of God dare not compromise. While we seek peace—it is not “peace at any price.” The preacher who is surrendered to the Word must never surrender to the world. In this sinful world, we will always face strong winds and surging waves. Dig in your heels! Providence has brought you where you are.
We stand fast when we STRIVE FEARLESSLY, “in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God,” (1:27b-28). This is a matter of courage. Satan whispers, “Flee!” God speaks and says, “Fight!” The providence that brought you to the problems will bring you through the problems. You can be fearless, when you recall that you are not in this fight alone. Of course, our Commander is there and He is more than sufficient, but it is also helpful to know we have other warriors alongside us. Paul calls for unity—to strive together. Too often we fight with each other. How many churches become a circular firing squad? Do not see your fellow pastor as a competitor. See him as a fellow soldier!
To stand fast and strive fearlessly, requires a resolve that by the grace of God, we will SUFFER FAITHFULLY, “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me,” (v.29-30). This is a matter of consistency. Whatever our circumstances—and problems will often be present and in seasons be powerful—we must consistently embrace that God’s providence has brought us there. He has supplies us with faith to come to Christ and therefore will give us grace to suffer for Christ. Paul was a great man of faith, yet still a man. The same Spirit that empowered him is with us. Others have suffered faithfully, so may we. Old Isaac Watts asked us:
- Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follow’r of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?- Must I be carried to the skies
On flow’ry beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?- Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?- Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord;
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.- Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith’s discerning eye.- When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of vict’ry through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.
Our words have amazing potential. James tells us that the tongue—though a small part of the body—has a large potential, (James 3:1-12). He likens the tongue to the bits that direct a horse—and that horse properly led can propel us on a journey or launch us off a cliff. There is the illustration of a rudder that can steer a ship to safely reach its destination or crash it upon the rocks in destruction. Further, he says, “the tongue is a fire,” and the fire can warm your house all winter, or burn it down!
Likewise, Paul gives command concerning the power of the spoken word in Ephesians 4:29, when the Apostle says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
While this is generally applicable to every believer, it should specifically direct the preacher, whose fundamental duty is to speak God’s message. This places a great responsibility and a grave accountability on him, so much so that we are also warned by James, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment,” (3:1). The quantity of words spoken by the preacher and the potency of those words elevates the possibility our speech may become destructive rather than instructive.
Therefore, Paul calls for THE EXCISE OF EVIL SPEECH, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth…”. Evil speech is a malignancy in our mouth that must be excised. It is cancerous communication that if allowed even in small measure will spread with deadly consequence.
Certainly, this would include crude language, but also deceptive speech, manipulative conversation, doctrinal error, boastful talk, and bitter expression. All of this, as James states it, “is set on fire by hell,” (3:6b). We say so much and speak to so many that the weight of our words increases exponentially.
The heart of our problem is the problem of our heart. Your tongue is a bucket and it draws out what is in the well of our heart. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” (Matt. 12:34b). The fruit of our speech is derived from the roots of our soul. This dark, desperate, depraved, demonic heart we have is poisoned beyond cleansing and wild beyond taming, (James 3:7-8).
Our only hope is in regeneration. That which man cannot cure, God can heal. He gives us a new heart. Then, the Holy Spirit within us can tame our tongue. Yet, the potential in regeneration, must be practiced in sanctification. The cross must be applied to every area of the believer’s life. It must be for the preacher, and particularly his tongue. Let us pray, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips,” (Ps. 141:3).
The negative to avoid is not enough, there is the positive to apply in THE EXPRESSION OF EDIFYING SPEECH, “but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Whereas, the speech of Adolph Hitler ignited a world war, the oratory of Winston Churchill extinguished those flames and helped propel the rebuilding of a civil society. God calls men to preach His Word and by that power He saves sinners and strengthens saints. While Paul demands the excise of evil speech, he directs us to the expression of edifying speech. Do not tear down with your words, but build up!
There is supernatural power in the preached Word. Here is the promise, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11).
It is “A word fitly spoken [that is] like apples of gold in settings of silver,” (Prov. 25:11). It is proper speech precisely spoken that is a thing of beauty and value. This is the preacher’s awesome privilege and power:
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim. 3:16-4:5).
The Apostle Paul reminds us that edifying preaching when it is received is helpful, but for those who reject it, it is hated. Truth that will grow the children, will grind on the counterfeit. The Word is a double-edged sword. Be faithful in your preaching and leave the results in God’s hands. Just make sure that you seek to edify.
Most evangelicals are familiar with Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” We ought to have those words embedded in our mind.
Yet, we may not be as acquainted with the next verse, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them,” (v. 10). These go together—two sides of the same coin of salvation. While we are saved apart from our works—the root of salvation is solely in the work of Christ—our salvation is never apart from producing works—the fruit of salvation is seen in the work of Christ in Christians. The quote attributed to Martin Luther states it, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”
We are saved to serve. That is true of every child of God. This Gospel message must be preached. It must also be observed in the preacher’s life as well as heard from his lips. Otherwise the words ring hollow and we may be branded a hypocrite. The call is, “Practice what you preach!”
Ours is a POETIC LIFE, “For we are His workmanship…”. The Greek word for “workmanship,” is poiema. Our English word, “poem,” is derived from that. We might say it is a life that is “poetry in motion.” I heard my mentor, Dr. Stephen Olford, put it, “a life of rhyme and reason.”
God is the Author. He has written the script in His providence. As I look back over the course of my nearly seventy years of life, I can see how God has worked in me and through me. What may seem isolated events at the time, are now seen to be lines of sacred verse that God has been putting together. Since we are still here on earth, we may be sure there are more stanzas to be written.
Ours is also a PRACTICAL LIFE, “created in Christ Jesus for good works…”. Orthodoxy in our doctrine leads to orthopraxy in our duty. If our belief is Biblical, then our behavior will be practical. God sovereignly created Adam and Eve for a sacred responsibility—to steward the creation and to shun the temptation. Yet, they failed. Sin is now part of our natural state.
Jesus came to give us a new nature—to fashion a new creation in Christ. This is regeneration. Yet, we are to flesh out our faith in daily duty. In Christ, His crucifixion means we die to self, sin, and this sphere of the world system (cf. Gal. 6:14), as we have been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, we live, so in Christ’s resurrection we live for Him—yet, not I but Christ living in and through me, (cf. Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6).
Further, ours is a PREPARED LIFE, “which God prepared beforehand…”. Before you were born, God already knew you. He fashioned you in your mother’s womb, infusing you with personality and capacity to be His choice servant. Then, He directed your life to the point of conviction of sin and conversion to salvation by the Gospel of grace.
How all this transpired has been the topic of theological debate for two millennia of church history—so I will not attempt to resolve every question in this brief devotion. Yet, we cannot deny that God is sovereign and He orchestrates all things to the fulfillment of His will. This all redounds to His glory.
Perhaps you are familiar with the quote, “Try to explain predestination and you may lose your mind. Try to explain it away and you may lose your soul.” I am content to accept there is mystery in the harmony of God’s sovereignty in His choices and my responsibility for my choices. To paraphrase the Shorter Westminster Catechism, “The chief end of [Dennis] is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” You can insert your name into that, as well.
In conclusion, ours is a PROGRESSIVE LIFE, “that we should walk in them.” Perfection is not attainable on earth. That awaits eternity—to be glorified when we see Jesus face to face, “but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” (1 Jn. 3:2b). While perfection is not attainable, progression is achievable. John also said, “Beloved, now we are the children of God…. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure,” (1 Jn. 3:2a, 3). More and more, as I express the life of Christ within, I exhibit more of His likeness without.
Jesus is the Model Servant. He set the example for us. We are being like Him than when we are serving others. We are saved to serve!
“Practice what you preach!” That is an expression we have often heard; but are we heeding it? If we make prayer a priority, then it will be a passion in our practice and our preaching.
Prayer is caught before it is taught. People need to see a sermon before we share the sermon. If, however, prayer is a priority in our practice, it will claim a place in our preaching. People need to be inspired to pray and instructed in prayer.
Andrew Murray put it this way:
“He sends His servants out to call them. Let ministers make this a part of their duty. Let them make their church a training school of intercession. Give the people definite objects for prayer. Encourage them to devote a definite amount of time to it, even if it is only ten minutes every day. Help them to understand the boldness they may use with God. Teach them to expect and look out for answers. Show them what it is first to pray and get an answer in secret, and then carry the answer and impart the blessing. Tell everyone who is master of his own time that he is as the angels, free to tarry before the throne and then go out and minister to the heirs of salvation. Sound out the blessed tidings that this honor is for all God’s people. There is no difference. That servant girl, this laborer, that bedridden invalid, this daughter in her mother’s home, these men and young men in business – all are called and all are needed.
God seeks intercessors. …As ministers take up the work of finding and training intercessors, they will feel the urge to pray even more themselves. Christ gave Paul to be a pattern of His grace before He made him a preacher of it. It has been well said, “The first duty of a clergyman is humbly to beg of God that all he would have done in his people may be first truly and fully done in himself.” The effort to bring this message of God may cause much heart-searching and humiliation. All the better. The best practice in doing a thing is helping others to do it. O ye servants of Christ, set as watchmen to cry to God day and night, let us awake to our holy calling. Let us believe in the power of intercession. Let us practice it. Let us seek on behalf of our people to get from God Himself the Spirit and the life we preach. With our spirit and life given up to God in intercession, the Spirit and life that God gives them through us cannot fail to be the life of intercession too.” (The Ministry of Intercession, pp. 123-124, Kindle Edition)
Preacher—be the spark that ignites a flame of intercessory prayer!
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians should be the prayer of every expositor: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,” (Eph. 1:17). When there is the application of truth from the Holy Spirit—“the spirit of wisdom”—and the apprehension of truth from the Holy Scriptures—“the spirit of…revelation”—then expository preaching will be effectively powerful.
We should seek to be DISCERNING OF THE WISDOM OF GOD, “the spirit of wisdom.” Wisdom commences with the understanding of the meaning of the text—proper interpretation. But, it does not stop there. We continue with the message of the text—practical application. We then conclude with the mandate from the text—persuasive exhortation. Simply put, we pray for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the truth, that we may open our mouths to speak it, and then open the hearts of the people to receive it. Wisdom goes beyond the facts in the heads of the listeners, to seeing those facts become a force in the hearts of the people. We help them see that the Holy Spirit will guide them in day to day decisions that impact them and influence others. We must help the congregation to know, “Here is what God says,” and then declare, “Here is what we need to do about it!”
We should seek to be DIRECTED BY THE WORD OF GOD, “the spirit of…revelation.” While the Holy Spirit brings us into application of the truth, the Holy Scriptures lead us into the apprehension of the truth. To apprehend means to grasp something—in this case we get a grip on God’s Word. In so doing, the Word will also grab hold of us! The will of God is disclosed in the Word of God. We are not getting direct revelation—new truth—as those in the first century before the New Testament was completed. Paul prayed for them to have a direct pipeline to God’s revealed will from heaven. With the completion of the New Testament and the deaths of the Apostles and prophets, we are not receiving new revelation, but fresh illumination from the Word of God. Then we will not only be guided by God’s wisdom, but governed by God’s Word.
If we pray for this and preach like this, then our exposition will be effective. Biblical information, practical application, passionate exhortation, and compelling illustration will produce powerful transformation.
If we do not want this, then why do we stand in the pulpit and speak to the people?
If we are too use to pray, then we are too busy. Consider these challenging words from Andrew Murray:
Though God had His appointed servants in Israel, watchmen set by Himself to cry to Him day and night and give Him no rest, He often had to wonder and say that there was no intercessor, none to stir themselves up to take hold of His strength. And He still waits and wonders in our day, that there are not more intercessors, that all His children do not give themselves to this highest and holiest work, that many of them who do so, do not engage in it more intensely and perseveringly. He wonders to find ministers of His gospel complaining that their duties do not allow them to find time for this, which He counts their first, their highest, their most delightful, their alone effective work. He wonders to find His sons and daughters, who have forsaken home and friends for His sake and the gospel’s, come so short in what He meant to be their abiding strength – receiving day by day all they needed to impart to the dark heathen. He wonders to find multitudes of His children who have hardly any conception of what intercession is. He wonders to find multitudes more who have learned that it is their duty, and seek to obey it, but confess that they know but little of taking hold upon God or prevailing with Him. (The Ministry of Intercession, pp. 120-121, Kindle edition).
The old hymn reminds us to “Take Time to Be Holy.”
1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
3. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above. (William D. Longstaff)
We are called to reach the sinner, but also to restore the stumbling. All of us have known church members who have been “overtaken in [some] trespass.” These did not keep their guard up and have their armor on—were not diligent and vigilant. Thus, the temptation crept up on them and the trespass overtook them.
One thinks of Peter—a genuine follower of Christ. Yet, he was in slumber when he should have been in supplication. He relied on the strength of his flesh rather than the power of the Spirit. He did not heed the Lord’s warning. His resolve in which he boasted proved insufficient in the hour of trial and he was overtaken by trespasses—denying the Lord. Yet, he would be restored by the Lord, (John 21). Read that for it is the perfect pattern for the principle Paul presents here.
How do we restore the fallen?
We do so MATURELY with the resource of God as “you who are spiritual.” The spiritual man is the one who is filled with the Holy Spirit. Such are mature in faith and robust in devotion. Paul describes the spiritual man in contrast to the natural man (a lost soul) and the carnal man (an immature believer) in 1 Cor. 2:12-3:3. There is maturity for such a one has wisdom from the Word—their faith nourished by moving beyond the milk of Scripture to the meat of Truth. They have a Biblical worldview, seeing everything through the lens of the Word. Such have discernment against error and evil creeping up on them. They have cultivated right thinking and righteous living. Yet, it is not dependence on human resolve, but reliance on heaven’s resource that keeps them from stumbling and equips them to restore those who have been overtaken.
We do so maturely and TENDERLY, for to restore the fallen not only demands the resource of God, but also the requirement of gentleness, “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.”
The Greek word “restore” was used in the ancient world for a physician setting a broken bone and in the New Testament of a fisherman mending a torn net, (Mk. 1:19). Both of these would require a gentle touch. If someone has a broken arm, they will not recover use of it without setting it, but you do not go twisting and yanking on it or you will do more damage. A torn net is useless in catching fish, but it needs to be mended gently, lest a bigger hole results.
My wife has accused me of being “a bull in a china shop” when it comes to repairs around the house. The repairs needed to be made, but sometimes I have pursued them with such zeal that I did more harm than good. Some in the church may possess a spirit of legalism instead of love. They are right to detect where someone has stumbled, but they express condemnation instead of compassion. Rather than lifting the fallen out of the mud, they stomp them down further.
We do so maturely, tenderly, and HUMBLY, “considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” This is our reflection on danger.
How do we respond when a member of our church family is overtaken in a trespass? It is far too easy to say, “I would never…and how could they?” Instead, it is a call for us to consider our own peril and reply, “There, but for the grace of God go I!” The warning is, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall,” (1 Cor. 10:12).
Maturely, tenderly, and humbly let us restore the fallen.
Paul was a man capable of confrontation. His knowledge of Scripture and power of speech meant he could lacerate his listeners with the Spirit’s Sword—the Word of God. Yet, he restrained himself—though in his flesh was tempted to do so. Did he not have the right? Did he not write that the Word of God was the Sword of the Spirit? True on both counts. Yet, authority is to be used to bless others and not to blast them. The Scriptural Sword is to be wielded against the foe and not our fellow soldiers. The preacher is not to be a Bible bully! Let us examine 2 Corinthians 13:8-10.
We are to be CONVICTIONAL, “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth,” (v. 8). By no means did the Apostle compromise the message. He was a man of clarity and conviction. He did not go along with error to get along with people. The Corinthian church was planted in a pagan environment that sought to mold them into its image. The struggle to resist and rather be shaped into the image of Christ was real. Sometimes they faltered and Paul found it necessary to be very direct.
Our church members live in such a hotbed of heathenism. The peril of compromise with the culture is relentless. The temptation to be silent—like Lot dwelling in Sodom—is persistent. The Serpent whispers, “Believe what you want—but be nice and don’t try to force your beliefs on others. Jesus was nice and you should be.” Sadly, many pastors reinforce that flawed thinking. Our people are ill-prepared to make a difference in the world. They do not have the distinctive qualities of light and salt that push back the darkness and restrain the rottenness of the culture. Pastors MUST equip the congregation with truth. Being concerned for others in their struggles does not mean we cannot be convictional about their sins. Indeed, we must be “for the truth.” The Word of God will stand when all in this world perishes in judgment.
Yet, we are to be COMPASSIONATE, “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete,” (v. 9). Paul was willing to sacrifice for the cause of Christ. He would pour himself out on the altar for the glory of the Lord and for the good of the church. His joy was found in expending his energy for others and not for himself. Many an hour was invested in intercession for the saints and when he saw them making progress in sanctification, then he knew his labor was not in vain.
Being for the truth means that we are for the church. Elsewhere the Apostle spoke of the proper balance, “speaking the truth in love,” (Eph. 4:15a). Adrian Rogers expressed it this way, “Loveless truth is brutal. Truthless love is hypocrisy. Love in truth is necessary.” (The Adrian Rogers Legacy BIble, p. 1324). The result of conviction (truth) and compassion (love) is completeness (growth). Then we will see that the people “may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ,” (Eph. 4:15b).
Thus, we are to be CONSTRUCTIVE, “Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction,” (v. 10). There is a danger in “speaking off the cuff,” in our sermons. Paul faced the reality of this. He said that he was glad he was not physically present with the people—for in his emotional state he may have lacerated them with a sharp tongue.
If you preface a point in your sermon with this, “I might not should say this, but…” you probably should not say it. Paul was able to calm down and write a constructive message instead of a destructive one. God can use spontaneity in sermons. If the Spirit leads us to say something off script then we should follow His prompting. We are there to please God and not people. Yet, in the heat of the moment, it is more likely we may act on a fleshly impulse and blame the Spirit for it.
I advocate writing out your sermons as Paul did here. As you read over your notes and think through the text, you are more likely to resist the temptation to be a Bible bully. Our desire is to be constructive in using our preaching to build others up and not tear them down. We do not speak to “get something off our chest,” but to get Scripture into their hearts.
I think Paul was following the Jesus model in ministry. Our Lord pictured His method this way, “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory;” (Matt. 12:20). The bruised reed—a plant bent and bruised—must be tenderly straightened or it will break rather than heal. The smoking flax—the wick of a lamp barely glowing—must have a gentle breath to cause it to burn again instead of being blown out by a forceful breath. This is how we must deal with struggling saints—and we have pews full of them.
I have written these words of A. J, Gossip in the front of my Bible as a reminder, “The mass of trouble in a congregation is quite unbelievable. And they come up to church, looking to you to help them, hoping for some word to bring them through.”
Will our speech be constructive “for edification,” or destructive, “for destruction”? Will we build up the church or blow it up? Do not be a Bible bully!
6 trillion dollars! Can you imagine such a sum? Yet, that is what has been obliterated in the stock market in only two days! Yet, any sum—vast or small—that is given to the Lord’s work is never lost and only pays dividends of eternal worth.
Thus, Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21).
The purse strings are directly connected to our heart strings. Our stewardship is a spiritual x-ray of our soul. Therefore, every pastor must preach on giving and set the pattern in giving.
Paul sets forth three goals to govern our giving in 2 Corinthians 8-9. These are not about the sum of what we give, but the spirit in why we give. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart!
The first goal in giving is GRACE, (8:1-15). Four times in these verses, the Apostle calls giving a “grace.” This is the means of our giving. It is not a legalistic obligation, but a loving motivation. It is not about how little we can give to satisfy God’s demand, but how large a gift we can give to celebrate God’s grace toward us.
That cannot be measured in dollars, for Jesus presented the example of a widow who gave only two “mites.” A mite would be equivalent to about 1/8th of a penny today. Still Jesus said she gave more than all the wealthy men, “for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood,” (Mark 12:44). She was motivated by grace, and that is what God is looking for in our giving.
Of course, Jesus is the perfect model and Paul underscores that here. All we are and all we have and all we will enjoy for eternity is all of grace—the incalculable, “indescribable gift,” of Christ, (2 Cor. 9:18). God not only mandates our giving, but models true giving (Jn. 3:16). I have no right to preach this, if I do not practice this!
The second goal is GLORY, (8:16-9:5). Twice, Paul uses the word, “glory,” in presenting a goal. This is the motive for our giving. Now, he does boast in the generosity of the Macedonian churches, using them as an example to inspire the Corinthians. Yet, that goes beyond and points to the glory of God as the Provider who makes all our giving possible. All we are, all we have, and all we do is to redound to the glory of God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Jesus warned to have the proper motive for giving.
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Matt. 6:1-4).
This does not mean that generosity cannot be celebrated. We already mentioned that the widow gave all she had and Jesus shone the spotlight on her. Then, I think of a very wealthy man, Barnabas, who sold all his vast possessions and surrendered the sum to the Apostles to distribute to any in need. The inspired Scriptures document that. In this text, Paul is giving a pat on the back to generous givers in stressing the Macedonian saints. Again, this gets to motive—and the heart’s passion. Is our giving for the praise of men or the praise of God?
The third goal in giving is GLADNESS, (9:6-15). “God loves a cheerful giver,” (v. 7). This is the mirth of our giving. It is not “a grudging obligation,” (9:5) in paying a bill, but a glad celebration in praising the Lord. I understand the use of online giving, or providing collection boxes, and the passing of collection plates. Any of these may be the means for offering worship to God. I do think highlighting giving in the gathering of the saints is important—as it is about worship. It is a personal matter, but a public celebration. How raucous is the rejoicing when the offering is received?
What is the business of the church when we assemble on the Lord’s Day? It is for the purpose of exalting God in corporate worship. We may participate in worship by our singing, and with our serving, in the Scriptures, and in our stewardship. Some give madly, angry that there is the expectation that they give. Some give sadly, as they worry that they won’t have enough after they give. Some give gladly, and only these receive the blessing of God upon their giving.
The passage closes with a summation of these goals in giving, as Paul stresses grace, glory, and gladness.
“For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (v. 12-15)
We need more liberal preachers and churches. Not in doctrine, morals, or politics—certainly not! But, liberal only in the matter of our giving—an abundance of grace, glory, and gladness!
