TO THE GLORY OF GOD THROUGH US

As the Westminster Shorter Catechism properly puts it, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  The pastor effectively leads the church, when he models this to the church. Our ministry is about the majesty of God. It is not about making a name for ourselves, but magnifying the name of our Savior.  Paul states that he—as a preacher—along with other men of God, like Silvanus and Timothy, lived “to the glory of God through us,” (2 Cor. 1:20b). Let us explore 2 Corinthians 1:8-22. 

The passage begins with Paul acknowledging his PAST DESPAIR, “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life,” (v. 8 ). Gospel ministry is not all sunshine and daisies, but often storms and difficulties. Being in the heat of spiritual battle can make us weary and worn. We can reach the point of despair, as did Paul. If a man of such faith could, “despair even of life,” I certainly may. I think of the mighty prophet Elijah, sitting under a juniper tree wanting to die. Many have been taught that “God will not put on you more than you can bear.”  Paul clearly contradicts that. He says, “we were burdened beyond measure, above strength…”. But though Paul was in despair, he did not stay there. 

We may experience a POWERFUL DELIVERANCE, “Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.” (v. 9-11). Adrian Rogers said, “God will put more on us than we can bear, but not more than He can bear.” (Adrian Rogers Legacy Bible, p. 1299). Paul was about to die, but had a Deliverer—the Lord Jesus who conquered death, hell, and the grave. Nothing then is beyond His power to overcome!  The Lord worked through His Body, the church at Corinth, to bring the Apostle’s deliverance through the power of their prayers. We must remind our congregation to lift us up in prayer, as Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses until the deliverance came. The Corinthians not only supported him with their fervent prayers, but their financial possessions.  Over and again, I have seen the bank account depleted, but then a kind church member’s generosity enabled me to make it through another week. 

Thus, Paul maintained a PURPOSEFUL DEVOTION, “For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus. And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit— to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea.” (v. 12-16). Paul may have been sidelined in despair, but because of the Lord hearing the pleas of the saints on his behalf, he was restored in devotion. He lived with purpose. His conscience was clear. He was in the world, but not of the world. His lifestyle was marked by “simplicity and godly sincerity.”  He did not rely on “fleshly wisdom,” but “the grace of God.”  We are to emulate him in living for eternity—“the day of the Lord Jesus,” and summon others to do likewise.  What a crowning moment it will be, when we stand before the Lord of Glory, with those we have shepherded safely to the other side!

The preacher must make a PURE DECLARATION, “Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (v. 17‬-‭22‬‬). God is faithful and we as preachers must faithfully proclaim Him. We do not say one thing in the pulpit and another outside it—yes to one member and no to another. There must be consistency in our communication—purity in our preaching. It is pointed: “the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us.”  As the old saying goes, “Wherever you take your text, make a beeline to the cross!”  The glory of preaching is in the glory of the cross of Christ.

My brothers, do not despair, many—including me—are praying for your deliverance, so reinforce your devotion, and refocus your declaration.  “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

THE WORTHY WATCHMAN

 

God called Ezekiel the prophet to be as a watchman on the wall, (cf. Ezek. 3:16-27 and 33:1-11).  He had the spiritual duty as a sentry to be vigilant for the enemy’s approach and with the trumpet of truth to sound the alarm. Paul seems to draw from that same analogy in 1 Corinthians 16:13 when he writes, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”  I want to use this word picture to challenge the preacher to be a worthy watchman. Here is the anatomy of a faithful man of God.

We must have DISCERNING EYES—“Watch.”  The keener the vision, the more readily will the approach of an enemy be detected. The sooner the alarm is sounded, the better. False teachers are subtle in their approach, and vigilance is required of the worthy watchman. We dare not sleep at our post. Jesus rebuked the disciples in Gethsemane for their slumber: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation,” (Matt. 26:41). They would be unprepared for the crisis that was approaching. If Satan can bring down the shepherd, he can scatter the flock. As shepherds, we are not only watching for predators that would devour the flock, but are watchful against temptation that would ensnare us.

We must also have STABLE FEET and “stand fast.”  When the enemy is on the march, the worthy watchman does not run and hide in fear, but stands resolute with conviction. His responsibility is to be at his post, not looking for a way out.  It is always too soon to quit. When trouble comes in the front door of the church, it is tempting to run for the back door.  Some churches have established a pattern of attacking the watchman when they weary of him. They brand him an alarmist. Content to be in spiritual slumber, they do not want to be disturbed. If there is any hope for that congregation, some pastor has to take a stand.

Further, we must have BRAVE HEARTS—“be brave,” the Apostle commands. Here is the promise, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him,” (Is. 59:19b). That standard is placed in the hand of the preacher. We are at the front of the fight. I think of the movie, “Braveheart,” as William Wallace rallies the troops to face the foe: 

“Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!”

We want the people of God to be free from the tyranny of sin, and that starts with our example and exhortation.  Now, raise the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and rally the troops!

Finally, Paul calls for SPIRITUAL MUSCLES with “be strong.”  It is time to hit the gym—now, I don’t mean literally, but spiritually. While it might not hurt some of us to get in better physical condition, that is not Paul’s meaning here. He calls for the building of spiritual muscle. Our “gym” is the study where we meet with God and feed on His Word, and then wrestle against the enemy in the time of prayer. Some may think that being a preacher is a life of leisure.  Such do not know the reality of the task and immensity of the responsibility. 

May the Holy Spirit open our eyes, ground our feet, embolden our preaching, and strengthen our leadership!

THE CALLING OF A MAN OF GOD

 

There are many Scriptural qualifications for one who is to be a pastor. The foundational text is 1 Timothy 3:1-7. At the heart of this service is a Divine calling. Moses, the man of God received such a call. Let us consider this as we study Exodus 3:1-14. 

First, we focus on THE PREPARATIONS FOR OUR CALLING, (v. 1-3). 

Moses was prepared through shepherding, (v. 1a). He was prepared by his life experiences to shepherd God’s flock. That is what the word, “pastor,” means—to lead, feed, and be willing to bleed for the flock. What we have done is God’s training ground for future duty. Moses led his father-in-law’s sheep through the same desert where he would later lead the nation of Israel. If we are faithful to lesser responsibilities, then God will assign us to greater ones. The Lord never calls a lazy man. Gideon was threshing wheat when the Lord called him to lead Israel’s armies; David was tending sheep when the Lord called him to govern the nation; Elisha was plowing the field when called to be a prophet of God; Peter was fishing when the Lord called him to fish for men.

He was prepared through solitude, (v. 1b). The leader will often stand alone, so he must get used to it!  In quietness, Moses could be available to hear the voice of God. We need a daily quiet time for spiritual growth. It has been the persistent pattern of my Christian life that enables me to hear from God that I might then speak for Him. If I do not get still before the Lord, then I will not be fit to stand before the congregation.

Moses was prepared through signs, (v. 2). Moses would always remember the burning bush. God will confirm His call.  While our call may not be as dramatic, it is to be just as definite! 

My grandfather was a preacher. As I was in his room, as he died, a lady looked at me and said, “Maybe you will take his place.”  So, I began to seek the will of God in this. 

As, I moved to full surrender of my life—whatever God wanted me to do—I had a wife who was willing to do likewise. We heard a message from Stephen Olford as he summoned us to say, “Lord Jesus, anything, anywhere, anytime—I am ready.”  

A few days later, I heard a terrible excuse for a sermon, and the Lord said to my heart, “I have enough of this. I need someone to preach my Word.”  God’s voice was not audible to my hearing, but was indelible in my heart!  

When I announced my call that day, many came to me, and affirmed that they had seen God working in my life. That afternoon, a former youth pastor and mentor to me, showed up in the parking lot, and said, “We are having a youth service at Victory Baptist Church (where he was serving) and I want you to preach.”  Trusting God—for I had no idea how to prepare and deliver a sermon—I told him I would. God enabled me and as I gave a Gospel invitation, a twelve year old girl came to trust in Christ. I have been at it ever since—nearly 50 years. 

What is your burning bush?

Moses was prepared through separation, (v. 3). Moses chose to turn aside. We are called to turn aside from the world, and devote ourselves entirely to God. A man of God is God’s man—wholly His. There needs to be that definite dedication—no turning back. Burning bushes demand burning bridges!

Second, we see THE PLACE OF OUR CALLING, (v. 4-6). 

It was a place of commission, (v. 4). God issued a commission, and Moses committed to it. The Lord’s call to young Samuel led him to say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears,” (1 Sam. 3:10). Isaiah was in the Temple when He saw Holy God and heard Him ask, “‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then [Isaiah] said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’” (Is. 6:8). Matthew was collecting taxes when Jesus passed by and said, “Follow Me,” (Matt. 9:9). He got up and followed. Paul was on the Damascus Road when Jesus shone on him with blinding light and spoke to him with booming voice—and that experience would not only bring Paul salvation, but a call to service. 

It was a place of cleansing, (v. 5-6). He was to take off those dirty sandals for Moses was standing on holy ground!  An encounter with God brings a call to cleansing—that we might be a fit vessel for Holy God to use. The scoundrel Jacob had to be broken by God in order to be blessed by God. Isaiah had a burning coal put to his mouth to purify his lips to speak God’s message. God can use a crude instrument to do His work, but it must be a clean instrument.

Third, we turn to THE PURPOSE IN OUR CALLING, (v. 7-10). Our purpose may be summed up as to get people out of Egypt’s bondage and into Canaan’s bounty. 

Our task is to liberate the slaves. Moses was to lead people out of bondage. This is evangelism. The preacher is called to go to those enslaved to sin, that by the blood of the Lamb they might be liberated to new life. 

Our job is also to lead the saints. Moses was to lead the people in to blessing. This is discipleship. The preacher is to help the saints to go forward and grow in faith. There is not only life—but we can know it more abundantly!  

Fourth, we find THE POWER FOR OUR CALLING, (v. 11-14). 

There was the request for God’s power, (v. 11-12). Moses recognized his inadequacy and appealed to God. God assured him of His presence and power. The preacher can do nothing unless God be with Him. Our ministry will be unfruitful without abiding in Christ. We must seek God’s anointing!

Then, consider the result of God’s power, (v. 13-14). People would know that God had met with Moses. I think of the Apostles, “they realized they had been with Jesus,” (Acts 4:13b). If God’s work is evident in our lives, people will know that a prophet has been among them. They may not like what we say, they may not follow what we say, but they will know that we speak for God. Our only authority is that we are sent by the Lord and speak His word. We are not hirelings employed by the church, but shepherds called by Christ. 

This call is a great privilege. God only had one Son and He made Him a preacher. You would have to stoop to become the President. 

This call brings a great pressure. Moses had an immense responsibility. Eternal souls hang in the balance. Ours is the strictest scrutiny and severest accountability. If we fail, we drag down many with us. 

Yet, there is a great promise. The Lord’s resources are available and the Lord’s reward is attainable. Faithful shepherds will gain a special crown, when Christ calls us home, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away,” (1 Pet. 5:4).

ALL OF GRACE

 

From start to finish, the Christian life is all of grace. Before we entered this world, God had set His sight on saving us—and not because we deserved it, but all because of grace. When we exit this world and enter glory, it will be all of grace. In between—every step of the way—it is grace that sustains us. 

We sing of that progression in John Newton’s beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace,” from the first verse stressing grace “that saved a wretch like me,” to then sing of its preciousness even more than “the hour I first believed,” which continues “through many dangers, toils, and snares…and grace will lead us home,” when in heaven we will “sing God’s praise,” for it is all of grace. 

In 1 Corinthians 15:9-11, Paul stresses that amazing grace in particular relationship to Gospel ministry. What is true for the man in the pew is especially descriptive of the man in the pulpit. 

There is THE GRACE THAT SAVES, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” (v. 9). The Apostle had no room for boasting. He stresses the sinful state from which Christ rescued him. He never got over that transforming experience with the Risen Christ. The preacher must ever be in awe of the grace that saved us, that he may have a sense of wonder at God’s amazing grace toward him and possess a passion for the lost.

Then, there is THE GRACE THAT SELECTS, “But by the grace of God I am what I am…” (v. 10a).  The Lord who saves us, selects us for gifts that He might use us in service to Him.  Again, these spiritual gifts are not merited, but are all of grace. Paul was an Apostle not because he chose that as a vocation, but because God chose him by the impartation of grace gifts. All God’s children are called and equipped to serve Him, but in varying ways. Not all are called to preach, but some are selected for that task. That we stand above the congregation and lead them is not because we are better than they, just different by God’s design, directive, and dynamic. A good preacher does not seek his own glory, but the glory of God. Apart from grace, we would not be in such a position.

Further, we find THE GRACE THAT SECURES, “and His grace toward me was not in vain,” (v. 10b). As we do cannot save ourselves, nor do we select ourselves, we can neither secure ourselves apart from the grace of God. How often we hear of preachers who stumble and fall into scandal.  Never think that it cannot happen to you. We must ever say, “There, but for the grace of God, go I!”  Yet, if we will look to God and lean on grace, the Lord’s call to us need not be in vain. Again, I remind you we may testify, 

Through many dangers, toils, and snares
We have already come
‘Twas grace that brought us safe thus far
And grace will lead us home.

Also, we have THE GRACE THAT STRENGTHENS, “but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me,” (v. 10c). The labor of Christian ministry is too great for a mere man. It is a supernatural work demanding supernatural resources. Yet, that is what grace is all about. We labor indeed—as Paul and every other man of God who fulfills his calling does—yet, are reminded once more that it is all of grace. God’s grace not only saves, selects, and secures—it strengthens. The Lord comes alongside us and enables us.  One such incident Paul experienced is documented in Acts 27. He was a prisoner on a ship, bound to be tried in Rome, when a terrible storm made the sinking of the ship inevitable. Yet, hear the man of God, 

“And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.” (Acts‬ 27‬:‭22‬-‭25‬‬).

Storms will come in Christian ministry.  Perhaps you are in one today. God’s grace is enough to see you through!

Finally, there is THE GRACE THAT SPEAKS,  “Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed,” (v. 11).  I look back over nearly a half-century of ministry, read sermons that I have written, consider how time and again I have stood behind the sacred desk and preached, and my heart is overflowing with wonder. God has never failed to speak through this old clay pot!  It is not because of my talent, but because of the treasure God has placed in me. The Apostle said it, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us,” (2 Cor.‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬‬). Out of our mouths, God pours His message, and it powerfully changes lives, by His grace!

Let us give thanks to God for His amazing grace!

THE GREATEST GOAL IN MINISTRY

We all have goals in life. Preachers have them too. Sadly, our goals often set the bar much lower than what God would have for us. To be a man of God who fruitfully serves the Lord, we are to pursue love for God and our fellowman. That is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 as the pinnacle of our passion and pursuit in Gospel ministry. 

A preacher is about effective communication—and rightly so. Yet, the Apostle warns that soaring oratory that wows the congregation is ineffective unless motivated by love for the One we speak of and the ones we speak to. Without love, we are just a lot of noise insofar as the Eternal Judge is concerned.  If we are not careful, we may be more obsessed with impressing our hearers instead of leading them to be captivated with Christ.

A preacher should pursue theology—getting deep into his knowledge of the Word. It is commendable to grasp the prophetic Scriptures and be able to share eschatological insights with excellence. Yet, if we want to awe the people with our knowledge instead of leading them to be in awe of the Lord who is returning we have utterly failed. Our goal is to love the Lord who is coming again and to create a longing in the hearts of the hearers to desire Him. When there is love for the Lord and the congregation then that will be our goal. Should people walk away amazed at our knowledge we have failed.  Our objective is for them to leave the message enamored with the hope of seeing the Lover of their souls coming in the clouds.

A preacher ought to engage in service. Sacrifice and Gospel ministry walk hand in hand. Yet, even the giving of our time, talent, and treasure may be motivated for others to brag on us and give us a pat on the back.  

Recall how Jesus spoke of the religious leaders of His day who fasted—not to seek God, but to seek men’s applause. He told of the same ones who gave—not out of concern for the good of others, but for the commendation of others. Then, Jesus warned of how these self-centered men prayed magnificent prayers—all for show, as those prayers rose no higher than the ceiling. Such service is all, “hay, wood, and straw,” burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ without eternal reward, (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12-15).

Paul exhorts us to love. He tells us what love does not do and what love will do. We may fail to speak as we would want, to know all we ought, and to attain all we might wish in ministry. Yet, if we relentlessly pursue love, then we are successful as God evaluates it. 

I will reach the end of ministry with still a lot more to learn. But, if I have sought to be a man of faith, hope, and love—and to lead those I have served to be the same, then I have been aiming at the right target. Even of those three great Christian virtues, love is preeminent. It is the greatest goal in ministry. Don’t take my word for it—Paul wrote it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

THE DANGER OF DISQUALIFICATION

 

God’s preachers are ever but one stumble from falling. There is the danger of disqualification. Paul feared it—and if such a champion was “running scared,” how much more should I be alarmed at the possibility!

Disqualification begins with IGNORANCE. The Apostle asks the question, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” (v. 24). We may be ignorant of the peril, sprinting along without an awareness that Satan has set his snares to snag us. The Devil is intent on bringing the man of God down and if you think you cannot fall, then you are headed for one!

Disqualification becomes more likely through INTEMPERANCE. “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.” (v. 25-26). Temperance—self-control—does not come naturally, but is the fruit of the Spirit. To the contrary, the works of the flesh mark the intemperate man. When we focus on the pleasures of this world rather than the prize of the world to come, little by little we weaken by intemperance. Paul says you have to fight to stay fit!

Disqualification becomes inevitable through INDIFFERENCE. “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (v. 27‬‬). Ignore the warnings of the Holy Spirit, become indifferent to the proper nutrition from the Word of God, and the prayerful direction in seeking the face of God—and this spiritual atrophy of the faith muscles turns a potential champion into a pastoral casualty. We are often shocked when we hear of someone who has stumbled—someone once held in high regard and now a stain on the church’s testimony.  It did not happen all at once. The practice of spiritual disciplines is not optional!

I think of King Saul. He was a man of such potential. God might have used him, but in his arrogance, he did not draw close to the Lord, and in the end he lost his crown!  It can happen to any of us. It can happen to me. As I am headed down the homestretch toward the finish line, I must be ever conscious of the danger of disqualification, “lest having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.”  If I do not deny self, die to sin, and direct my heart to the Savior, then I am headed for a fall. 

When you hear of a preacher in shameful scandal, never say, “I would never!”  Instead cast yourself on the grace and mercy of God, and plead, “Jesus hold me up, or I will fall!”

I am praying for my brother preachers today and ask you to pray for me.

LET IN THE LIGHT

Spurgeon had this to say about the use of illustrations in a sermon:

We are of the same mind as Joshua Shute, who said: "That sermon has most learning in it that has most plainness. Hence it is that a great scholar was wont to say, Lord, give me learning enough, that I may preach plain enough.'" Windows greatly add to the pleasure and agreeableness of a habitation, and so do illustrations make a sermon pleasurably interesting. A building without windows would be a prison rather than a house, for it would be quite dark, and no one would care to take it upon lease; and, in the same way, a discourse without a parable is prosy and dull, and involves a grievous weariness of the flesh. The preacher in Solomon's Ecclesiastes "sought to find out acceptable words," or, as the Hebrew has it, "words of delight": surely, figures and comparisons are delectable to our hearers. Let us not deny them the salt of parable with the meat of doctrine. Our congregations hear us with pleasure when we give them a fair measure of imagery: when an anecdote is being told they rest, take breath, and give play to their imaginations, and thus prepare themselves for the sterner work which lies before them in listening to our profounder expositions.  

Riding in a third-class carriage some years ago in the eastern counties, we had been for a long time without a lamp; and when a traveler lighted a candle, it was pleasant to see how all eyes turned that way, and rejoiced in the light: such is frequently the effect of an apt simile in the midst of a sermon, it lights up the whole matter, and gladdens every heart. Even the little children open their eyes and ears, and a smile brightens up their faces as we tell a story; for they, too, rejoice in the light which streams in through our windows. We dare say they often wish that the sermon were all illustrations, even as the boy desired to have a cake made all of plums; but that must not be: there is a happy medium, and we must keep to it by making our discourse pleasant hearing, but not a mere pastime. No reason exists why the preaching of the gospel should be a miserable operation either to the speaker or to the hearer. Pleasantly profitable let all our sermons be. A house must not have thick walls without openings, neither must a discourse be all made up of solid slabs of doctrine without a window of comparison or a lattice of poetry; if so, our hearers will gradually forsake us, and prefer to stay at home and read their favorite authors whose lively tropes and vivid images afford more pleasure to their minds.  

Every architect will tell you that he looks upon his windows as an opportunity for introducing ornament into his design. A pile may be massive, but it cannot be pleasing if it is not broken up with windows and other details. The palace of the popes at Avignon is an immense structure; but the external windows are few that it has all the aspect of a colossal prison, and suggests nothing of what a palace should be. Sermons need to be broken up, varied, decorated, and enlivened; and nothing can do this well as the introduction of types, emblems, and instances. Of course, ornament is not the main point to be considered; but still, many little excellences go to make up perfection, and this is one of the many, and therefore it should not be overlooked. When wisdom built her house she hewed out her seven pillars, for glory and for beauty, as well as for the support of the structure; and shall we think that any rough hovel is good enough for the beauty of holiness to dwell in? Certainly a gracious discourse is none the better for being bereft of every grace of language.  

Meretricious ornament we deprecate, but an appropriate beauty of speech we cultivate. Truth is a king's daughter, and her raiment should be of wrought gold; her house is a palace, and it should be adorned with "windows of agate and gates of carbuncle." 

Illustrations tend to enliven an audience and quicken attentions.  Windows, when they will open, which, alas, is not often the case in our places of worship, are a great blessing by refreshing and reviving the audience with a little pure air, and arousing the poor mortals who are rendered sleepy by the stagnant atmosphere. A window should, according to its name, be a wind-door, through which a breath of air may visit the audience; even so, an original figure, a noble image, a quaint comparison, a rich allegory, should open upon our hearers a breeze of happy thought, which will pass over them like life-giving breath, arousing them from their apathy, and quickening their faculties to receive the truth. (Lectures to My Students, Charles Spurgeon, Kindle edition, pp. 350-351). 

DON’T BE A “KNOW-IT-ALL”

The context of this text was a conflict in the Corinthian church over whether one could eat meat that may have been offered to idols. Some felt they were free to eat good meat, for they were not sacrificing to pagan gods—indeed they knew there was only one God. Others, recently saved out of that background had a weak conscience and were offended and  might even be tempted back into heathenism. Liberty is not license to bring a brother or sister down. Love is the motivation to lift them up. 

Paul always called on preachers to be true to sound doctrine. But, knowing theology is never enough. Satan knows Scripture and can quote it—for all the good it does him!  

It is but one side of the coin. He said we are to be “speaking the truth in love,” (Eph. 4:15). The Pharisees were orthodox in doctrine, but the love of God was absent from their heart. They branded Christ as being of the Devil and demanded His crucifixion. 

LEARNING CAN BREED EGOTISM. The Apostle essentially says that a “know-it-all,” is actually a “know nothing!”  Leaders are learners. We should pursue knowledge with a humble awareness that there is always more to learn. We will never be omniscient. Yet, there are some so intense about the theological system in their head, that they forget to cultivate love in their hearts. These become Bible bullies who berate and belittle the man and woman in the pew. People leave the assembly driven down instead of lifted up. 

LOVE WILL BRING EDIFICATION. You certainly cannot help the saints to be built up without teaching them Biblical truths, but the learning in your head must flow from the love in your heart. We are not programming computers, but feeding lambs. I have said it many times—a lesson from John Maxwell—“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care!”  Leadership is influence, and you cannot lead people unless you love people. Adrian Rogers commenting on this passage, put it this way, “It is more important to influence people than to impress them,” (Adrian Rogers Legacy Bible, p. 1288).

May we remember that as we stand behind the sacred desk this Lord’s Day!  I have written this in my Bible as a reminder, “The mass of trouble in a congregation is quite unbelievable. And they come to the church, looking to you to help them, hoping for some word to bring them through.”  (A. J. Gossip). 

The ministry of the Word is not about you—it is about loving God and loving people. Don’t be a “bullfrog preacher,”—you hop up, puff up, and hop away!  Remember that one day you will croak! Then, “for every del word men may speak, they will give account of it on the day of judgment,” (Matt. 12:36). 

AN EVANGELISTIC CHURCH

“Great things are done by the Holy Spirit when a whole church is aroused to sacred energy: then there are hundreds of testimonies instead of one, and these strengthen each other; then advocates for Christ succeed each other and work into each other's hands, while supplication ascends to heaven with the force of united importunity; thus sinners are encompassed with a cordon of earnest entreaties, and heaven itself is called into the field. It would seem hard in some congregations for a sinner to be saved, for whatever good he may receive from the pulpit its frozen out of him by the arctic atmosphere with which he is surrounded: and on the other hand some churches make it hard for men to remain unconverted, for with holy zeal they persecute the careless into anxiety. It should be our ambition, in the power of the Holy Ghost, to work the entire church into a fine missionary condition, to make it like a Leyden jar charged to the full with divine electricity, so that whatever comes into contact with it shall feel its power. What can one man do alone? What can he not do with an army of enthusiasts around him? Contemplate at the outset the possibility of having a church of soul-winners. Do not succumb to the usual idea that we can only gather a few useful workers, and that the rest of the community must inevitably be a dead weight: it may possibly so happen, but do not set out with that notion or it will be verified. The usual need not be the universal; better things are possible than anything yet attained; set your aim high and spare no effort to reach it.. Labor to gather a church alive for Jesus, every member energetic to the full, and the whole in incessant activity for the salvation of men. To this end there must be the best of preaching to feed the host into strength, continual prayer to bring down the power from on high, and the most heroic example on your own part to fire their zeal: then under the divine blessing a common-sense management of the entire force cannot fail to produce the most desirable issues. Who among you can grasp this idea and embody it in actual fact?” (Lectures to My Students, Charles Spurgeon, pp. 346-347, Kindle Version).

STAY THE COURSE

 

Paul reminds us in this text that God is sovereign. He sets the terms of our service. He ordains the place where we serve and the period for our service. We are tempted when seeing the apparent success of others to covet their status. Why them?  We may be tempted to give up when facing adversity. Why us?  We need to hear the Apostle’s challenge to us. 

He calls for COMMITMENT to our calling. “Let each one remain with God.”  It is not so much what we do for God, but who we are in God. He is shaping us into the image of Christ for His glory. Sometimes we will be painfully pruned in order to bear much fruit. Abiding is the key, (cf. John 15). I heard a pastor this week who had complained at a Bible Conference that he was being mistreated at his church. The evangelist asked, “Have they nailed you to a cross yet?”  Lesson learned. To follow Jesus is to walk the Calvary Road. 

Paul demands CONTENTMENT in our calling, “remain…in that state in which he was called.”  We must stay in that state—even if it is Arkansas!  God divinely directs us. In His providence, He places us where He knows best. God does not want us to be tumble-weeds but trees that are rooted.   For trees that are rooted become fruited!  Unpack your bags, hang the pictures on the walls of the pastorium, throw away the business card of the moving company, and be grateful for the high and holy privilege of serving Him. As my mentor in ministry told me, “God knows where you are and He can get you where He wants you to be!”

Love and prayers to you my brothers—may we stay the course!

THE DUTY OF DISCIPLINE

 

As concerning church discipline, when all is said and done, there is often more said than done. We may be hearers of the Word, but not doers of the Word—and that is self-deception. Too often we use grace as a license to tolerate the intolerable. That is what had occurred in the Corinthian church as we hear Paul forcefully confronting a matter of egregious promiscuity in 1 Corinthians 5. 

Paul underscores the duty of THE ASSEMBLY, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit,” (v. 4a). The saints assemble in the name of the Lord to proclaim the glory of His name. All that occurs in that assembly is to honor Him. If we tolerate that which He would never endorse, then we defame His name. Notice that Paul calls on the church to take action. He does not act on his own, nor tell the pastor to excommunicate the unrepentant member. The sin was public and so the correction was to be public also. 

Church discipline does not begin here. There is a process as our Lord declared in Matt. 18:15-20. But if one on one confrontation does not bring repentance, then there must be two or three to communicate the seriousness of the sin, and should that fail it is the duty of the assembly to demand repentance, or else the member is to be removed.

This action rests in THE AUTHORITY, “with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (v. 4b).  When the church assembles, the Living Lord Jesus Christ is present with the congregation. It is not human authority, but heavenly authority that is foundational to such a grave action. In Revelation, we see Jesus walking among His churches, (cf. Rev. 1-3), and over and over He calls out to them, “Repent, or else!”  

The church is not the pastor’s church.  It is not the people’s church. It is the Lord’s church—and He carries absolute authority. So, the body of Christ can act with authority in directing and disciplining the membership as those who are under His authority. The body cannot be healthy unless its immune system defends against the infection of iniquity. Failure to do so brings the eventual death of that congregation.

The seriousness of church discipline is seen in THE ACTIVITY, “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus,” (v. 5‬‬). When a member is excommunicated from the body, they are moved from the church’s spiritual protection and thrust into the domain of Satan. They will suffer physically in order to be saved spiritually. 

The activity of discipline is not ultimately punitive, but restorative. The church’s responsibility is not ended when the wayward member is removed. Through intercession and compassion, they may be led back to the fold as they confess their sin. The act of discipline reveals whether they are a straying saint or a stubborn sinner—the difference seen in Peter’s repentance after denying Jesus and Judas’ recalcitrance after betraying Jesus.