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. 

THE PLAIN TRUTH

 

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

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

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

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

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