POWERFUL PREACHING

Paul was a powerful preacher. His impact is still felt two millennia later, and has shaken earth and eternity. It was not his personal charisma (he had none) nor his persuasive communication (he could not). In fact, this is what others said of him, “his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible,” (2 Cor.‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬‬). 

The Apostle would not deny the description, as he said this, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Cor.‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭5‬‬). 

Paul gets to the reconciliation of these polar opposites—human frailties overcome by heavenly force. This is what makes for powerful preaching as defined in 1 Thess. 1:5. 

Powerful preaching demands EXPOSITION THAT IS ACCURATE, “Our gospel.”  The Gospel Paul preached was accurate. The message was comprehensible, and convictional. If the message is not accurate, then God will not bless it. One may draw a crowd, but will not build a church.  People do not need novelties and entertainment. They need the Gospel, whether they know it or not and whether they want it or not.

Further, powerful preaching requires EXHORTATION THAT IS ANOINTED, “did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit.”  Paul knew what Martyn Lloyd-Jones called, “The Sacred Anointing.”  Being accurate is essential, but it is not enough. As old Vance Havner said, “You can be straight as a gun barrel theologically, and empty as one spiritually.”  We must have the Holy Spirit’s anointing abiding on us if there is to be true spiritual fruit. This is reinforced in the old hymn, “Brethren, We Have Met to Worship.”

Brethren, we have met to worship

And adore the Lord, our God

Will you pray with all your power

While we try to preach the Word?

All is vain unless the Spirit

Of the Holy One comes down

Brethren, pray, and holy manna

Will be showered all around. (George Askins)

Also, powerful preaching calls for an EXAMPLE THAT IS ASSURING, “and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”  The Apostle did not just declare the truth—he demonstrated it. The old saying is, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”  Something may look tasty, but you do not know for certain, until you put it in your mouth. Assurance that the message is from God is that the preacher does not just speak the Word theoretically, but shows the Word visibly.  The people will receive the message when they see it modeled.  Otherwise, we are heralds who are hypocrites. This short-circuits the power of the Spirit. 

Weigh these words from the aforementioned Lloyd-Jones:

What is this [anointing]? It is the Holy Spirit falling upon the preacher in a special manner. It is an access of power. It is God giving power and enabling, through the Spirit, to the preacher in order that he may do the work in a manner that lifts it up beyond the efforts and endeavors of man to a position in which the preacher is being used by the Spirit and becomes the channel through which the Spirit works (Preaching and Preachers, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, p. 305).

God, help us be clothed in power when we speak Your Word!  That is the prayer for myself and all men of God who will preach the Word.

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 PERNICIOUS PURSUIT OF POWER

Seeking power is not a bad thing. Power is what enables us to do what we ought to do. Jesus commanded His disciples to cloister in the Upper Room and seek the power of the Spirit that would equip them to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, (Acts 1:8). As the story unfolds in Acts, we see that transforming power extending and impacting life after life, region after region—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria. 

When we reach Samaria in Acts 8, we are introduced to a sorcerer named Simon, who apparently was converted and baptized. Yet, as Simon—accustomed to wielding satanic power in the dark arts—saw the power of the Holy Spirit displayed, his lust for power disclosed the evil still lurking in the shadows of his soul. Consider what Stephen Olford said about this text.

Motivations for ministry matter. It is not just what we do, but why we do it that matters to God. This can make or break a Christian leader.  If what we do is about our status and success, then we are following the seduction that enticed an angel of heaven into becoming the devil of hell!

Let us humble ourselves before God and seek the power of God for His glory and man’s good.

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

There are two primary offices in the New Testament church: elders and deacons. Paul lists the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3, where we see that in terms of character, they are basically the same, with only the matter of capacity being the difference. The elder must be a capable communicator. The elders are shepherds of the flock and the deacons are servants of the church. Although the title “deacon” is not used in Acts 6, it is clear that the godly men, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, were the prototype of what deacons are. 

There was A PROBLEM, (v. 1). Their selection was motivated by a problem that had arisen in the church. 

There was a conflict that needed to be settled. Imagine that!  The church is in its infancy and already there is conflict. That needed to be nipped in the bud. 

There was A PRIORITY, (v. 2). What did the church do?  They dumped it in the preachers’ laps!  They knew that to be diverted to this issue would distract them from their priority of praying and preaching. 

There was A PROPOSAL, (v. 3-6). The elders cannot do all the work. They need partners and we see that deacons can be the servants required. 

There was A PRODUCTIVITY, (v. 7). The problem was solved and even better there was exponential growth that resulted. 

This is the power of partnership. Blessed is the church where elders and deacons devote themselves to their priorities and work in harmony to see Kingdom progress!

SALTY SERMONS

 

We need preachers who will deliver salty sermons!  Jesus did—and all preachers who follow His example will.  His mandate here encompasses a wider audience than preachers and a larger application than preaching, of course. All believers are to be salt in this society. Yet, it is unlikely that the church will be if her leaders are not setting the standard of saltiness and speaking salty sermons.

Salty sermons have a SEASONING CAPACITY.  Jesus said, “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?” Salt in the proper amount enhances the taste of the meat or vegetables for consumption. Too little salt and it is tasteless, and too much is overpowering. So, in our sermons, there needs to be the proper mixture of reproof, rebuke, exhortation, and doctrine delivered with patience, (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2). “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt,” (Col.4:6a). This makes our preaching palatable. If the congregation instantly spits out what we offer them, then what good have we done?

Salty sermons have a STERILIZING EFFICACY. Salt is applied to meat as a preservative. It arrests the spread of rottenness. Salty sermons equip the church to be in the world, yet not of the world. The people need to be preserved from the contamination that would corrupt them. Yet, they cannot be isolated from the world they live in. What we can do is help through our preaching to cleanse them—and that salt will sting—but then they will be challenged to be salt themselves. Otherwise, what good are they, and what point is there in our preaching?  So, our Lord warned, “It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out.”  If our sermons are not salty, then the members will not be salty, and the world will reject the church as good for nothing!  Are we not seeing that today?

Salty sermons have a SOFTENING POTENCY. The hardness of ice can be melted by the softening potency of salt. So hard hearts that are resistant to God can be softened by salty sermons. The Holy Spirit has power and speaks through the Gospel to accomplish His effectual calling. This past week I spoke with a man who had not communicated with me for years. In fact, I did not recall him when he gave me his name. But, he was someone who rejected our outreach to him a long time ago. He had a hard heart and harsh language for me and my partner as we were doing outreach. Yet, the Gospel did its work. His heart melted in a time of crisis and he came to Christ!  He searched for my phone number so he could ask me to forgive him for his unkindness. That is what the salt of the Gospel can do!  Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him hear!”  Our task in preaching is not to soften the Gospel, but share the Gospel and trust God to soften hearts. Those who have spiritual hearing will respond—even if it takes awhile!

Men of God, give the message of God with faithfulness and fearlessness. This will lead to fruitfulness. May the Lord give us grace to deliver salty sermons!

WHEN JESUS SHOWS UP!

 We know that the glorified Christ is omnipresent and therefore always in the church house, but what we need is the MANIFEST presence of the Lord—to experience Him in the house of God. In a sense, we may “shut the door” to His ministry—as the church at Laodecia did (cf. Rev.3:20). Let us pray for the glorious encounter with Jesus as we gather as His people. May we open the door of our hearts to Him. He has promised to come in!  Consider the words of Stephen Olford for what happens when Jesus is “in the house.”

READY TO DO HIS WILL

 

There is a fascinating contrast in our Lord’s ministry witnessed in John 14. On the one hand, the multitudes are seeking His ministry and He serves them, while later He sends them away and seeks solitude!  From telling the disciples, “They do not need to go away,” we read a short time later that “He sent them away.”

God is limitless, but humans have their limitations. Christ was God Incarnate and able thus to multiply the small supply of loaves and fish to feed thousands, while also needing to withdraw for rest and to hear from His Father. That time of prayer was our Lord’s means of receiving new direction and replenished power for His ministry. In so doing, Jesus shows us how man is meant to live—taking in that we might give out. 

All of us can sympathize with the disciples when they felt their resources inadequate for the demands. They told Jesus to send the masses away. Yet, when we are in the will of God, He will always supply us with what we need to do the work. There is no excuse for laziness in Christian service. When we reach the point of exasperation, we have not necessarily come to the point of exhaustion. Little is much, when God is in it.  You may have a little more gas in the tank when the needle rests on empty.

Yet, there will come a time that the ministry must be set aside that we may be refreshed. Praying alone is not wasting time, but is making the best use of our time. While it is true that sometimes we face a challenging time and know what we need to do, yet refuse to do it for how costly it is—making the excuse, “Let me pray about it.”  That sounds spiritual, but may be cowardice. That was not the case for Jesus. He had reached His limit for the day and now it was time for solitude. 

The key whether immersed in service or isolated in supplication is to be in the will of God. The old hymn stated it:

1 Ready to suffer grief or pain,
Ready to stand the test;
Ready to stay at home and send
Others if He sees best.

Refrain:
Ready to go, ready to stay,
Ready my place to fill;
Ready for service lowly or great,
Ready to do His will.

2 Ready to go, ready to bear,
Ready to watch and pray;
Ready to stand aside and give
Till He shall clear the way. [Refrain]

3 Ready to speak, ready to think,
Ready with heart and mind;
Ready to stand where He sees fit,
Ready His will to find. [Refrain]

4 Ready to speak, ready to warn,
Ready o’er souls to yearn;
Ready in life or ready in death,
Ready for His return. [Refrain] (lyrics by A.C. Palmer)

Jesus would come down from the mountain of prayer and go to His disciples as they were toiling in storm-tossed seas. He was ready. Are you?

THE POWER OF UNBELIEF

As I read these sobering words I thought how many times God might have used me in a greater way had I only trusted Him more. Pastors may be struggling to lead their flock forward because either they or their congregation just do not trust God. Our preaching on faith will have little impact if our practice of faith is absent. Lord, increase our faith!

A WARNING ABOUT OUR WORDS

The calling to be a preacher and teacher of God’s truth is an awesome privilege.  We stand and speak on behalf of God. In our hands we hold the Word of God, and it is infused with a supernatural power because of its Divine source. But as the famous line from the Spider-Man movie reminds us, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

James writes from the perspective of one who was pastor of the Jerusalem church. He reminds us that there is power in words—not just the Word of God—but all words. They can hurt and they can heal. Hitler’s speeches set a world ablaze and wrought horrendous evil, while at the same time Churchill’s words galvanized the forces of freedom and stirred them to victory.

Preachers deal with words—a lot of words. People show up to listen to us. Whether in the pulpit or in a line at the grocery store, sitting in a cafe or in the stands of a sports arena—wherever those who know us are present, they are listening to us. 

James reminds us of the danger. Because of the depravity of our heart—even the regenerate—the tongue is untameable by man.  Yet, the Holy Spirit can do what we never can. He possesses all power. We must be dependent on Him. 

The call to preach is a compulsion from God that we cannot avoid, or we ought not do it. The duty to speak for God, and what the effect can be, should drive us to our knees before we stand to speak!  The more light we have the more intense will be the scrutiny of Christ’s judgment. God opens our minds to comprehend His truth and we open our mouth to communicate that truth.  God help us!

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 HONOR OF SERVING GOD

There are times we as God’s leaders go to the House of God with dread and leave with discouragement.  We may know there are critical people who lie in wait to eviscerate us with the sharp sword of their tongue.  Pastors encounter vexing decisions where all options are painful.  You prepare a meal—a sermon you pour yourself into—and many choose to stay away, gorging themselves on the world’s candy.  Then, there are members you once counted on now counted among those who abandoned your flock for the mega-ministry down the road.  It is hard.  We are human.  God understands.  All that I have said is true, but it is not all the truth.

Psalm 84 reminds us that it is an honor to serve God in any capacity.  If our heart is on God, and worshipping Him, we can “have a spell,” in His house, whether anybody else is moved at all.  We can overcome the dread and discouragement with delight and have a passion for experiencing the presence of God among the people of God!

May God give us this perspective:

How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! 

My soul longs, yes, even faints

For the courts of the LORD;

My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

And the swallow a nest for herself,

Where she may lay her young—

 Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,

My King and my God. 

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;

They will still be praising You. Selah (Ps.84:1-4)

As a man of God, I am still a man—and so as not to give in to discouragement, I need the strength of the Lord—and it is available!  We may call on Him as these worship leaders:

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,

Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. 

 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

They make it a spring;

The rain also covers it with pools. 

They go from strength to strength;

Each one appears before God in Zion. 

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;

Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 

O God, behold our shield,

And look upon the face of Your anointed.  ‎(Ps.84:5-9)

I am convinced that God gives grace and glory.  He has been faithful to me in nearly four decades of preaching the Gospel.  When I look beyond my circumstances to my God in faith, it makes all the difference in my service.

Make this your conviction:

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly.

 O LORD of hosts,

Blessed is the man who trusts in You!  (Ps.84:10-12)

I count it an honor to be employed in the service of my Lord.  Can I get a witness?

PENTECOST: THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BLESSING

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (Acts 2:1-4)

Pentecost marked the birth of the church.  Should it not also be seen as establishing God’s blessing as the church’s birthright, as well?  We might debate how many of the supernatural signs of that original event are meant to be replicated today.  There are those who insist on ecstatic utterance as a valid gift still.  Do we then demand a rushing mighty wind and tongues of fire over our heads also?  My purpose, however, is not to degenerate into a debate on those matters, but to focus on where we all ought to agree—that it is certain that there are elements of the first century Pentecost that every pastor should seek for the church in the twenty first century.  I am not a Pentecostal in terms of denomination, but I ought to be in terms of dynamic!

The church’s birthright today, as then, is one of PENTECOSTAL PRAYER (v.1).  This is where the blessing began.  They didn’t work something up with a program, but they called something down in prayer.  Until the church recovers fervency and faithfulness in our prayer meetings, we will never see the blessing God desires for us.

The church’s birthright also includes PENTECOSTAL POWER (v.2-13).  We have come to a time Paul warned us about when churches have, “a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim.3:5a).  Old evangelist Vance Havner used to say, “You can be straight as a gun-barrel theologically, and empty as one spiritually.”  While we dare not abandon doctrinal purity, we must insist on divine power to accompany it!

Furthermore, the church’s birthright features PENTECOSTAL PREACHING (v.14-40).  Peter set the pattern that Spurgeon would later imitate, “Wherever I take a text, I make a beeline to the cross.”  Preaching that God honors is that which is founded on the Scripture and focused on the Savior.  There is exposition, application and invitation.

Another aspect of the church’s birthright is PENTECOSTAL PRODUCTIVITY (v.41-45, 47b).  Sinners were evangelized and saints were edified.  The church grew outward in its Gospel witness, grew upward in its glad worship, grew deeper in its grounding in the Word and grew stronger in their unity and support of one another.  Is that how it is at the church you and I lead?

Finally, the church’s birthright leads to PENTECOSTAL PRAISE (v.46-47a).  Joy was pervasive.  Celebration marked their gatherings.  They were swept away in love for Jesus and what He had done for them!  Nobody dreaded going to a gloomy church service, but were drawn to a glad worship expression.

I pray that our churches will experience a taste of Pentecostal wine this Sunday!

MOTIVATION AND MIGHT FOR MINISTRY

 

I will love You, O LORD, my strength.  (Psalm 18:1)

There are a number of motivations for ministry that are wholly inadequate.  Some pastors are motivated by guilt—they think God is ever standing over them with a lightning bolt poised to be unleashed if they do not do their duty.  Others are motivated by compensation—they are trying to compensate for some failure in the past, or a flaw in their soul which they presently struggle with, and so work to balance out that fault.  Then, we may be motivated by co-dependency—we have a need to be needed.  Maybe that Christian leader grew up in a dysfunctional family where they learned such behavior and now as an adult practice it in a church family.  Doubtless, there are those who are motivated by seeking gain or glory—lusting for the privileges and power that may accompany their position.  None of these are proper motivations—and they will eventually lead to disenchantment with ministry and our passion and power will be depleted.  All of these are to some degree carnal compulsions.  They are to be recognized when present and repented of promptly!

David seizes on the supreme motivation that is worthy of God’s service, and that will sustain us with enthusiasm and supply us with energy for the task: “I will love You, O LORD, my strength.”  There is no greater command—and so it is a decision of the will, “I will love You.”  I can choose to embrace love because His love has embraced me—and no matter the feelings I have or the circumstances I face, my love relationship with Him is a matter of decision.  As I meditate on His love for me, read His love letter—the Scriptures—and spend time with Him in prayer, passion is reignited in my heart and power is replenished in my soul to go out and serve Him because I love Him!  Old Isaac Watts captured this in the climactic stanza of His hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

If this day finds you exhausted from a demanding week of ministry, or weak from the barbs of critics that have wounded you, and now facing another Sunday of being spent in sermon delivery—a weekly pouring out of your soul on the altar called the pulpit—with motivation lacking and might lagging—look at the cross, my brother!  Consider the love manifested to you.  See how much Jesus gave, how much He endured, and yet, what immeasurable grace He displayed and inestimable good He did!  What great love is this!  Now, it is my motivation and might to respond in the ministry assignment, my dear Lord has given, with this, “I will love You, O LORD, my strength.”

SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY

 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  (Philippians 4:13)

When Paul penned these words, his ministry would not have seemed very successful by man’s standard.  He wasn’t preaching to throngs.  There was no denominational platform to laud his ability.  The trappings of accomplishment were absent.  He was in jail!  His congregation was some Roman guards and fellow prisoners—and some of those were the dregs of society—vile and violent men.

Yet, there was no whining!  In the midst of difficult ministry, there is unbridled joy that the Apostle expresses.  He was in submission to the sovereignty of God.  Paul knew his station in life in the present season was appointed by the Lord, so he didn’t chafe in his chains, but rattled them in celebration with hands uplifted victoriously!

He claims that he can do everything God has called him to do.  There were supernatural resources available.  The limitations of his surroundings and the harsh conditions of his circumstances could not hinder the Almighty from working in and through him.  The outward situation was irrelevant.  What mattered was being faithful and fervent in duty.

Maybe you feel your present place of ministry is much like a prison cell.  The place where you labor is small and confining.  The people you minister to seem uncaring and unresponsive to your message.  How could we possibly be successful in such a ministry?  A better question would be, “With God on our side, how can we possibly not be successful?”  Remember, it is His standard of measurement and not man’s that matters. 

Some more words written from that cell to a different church are these, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).  Should we find ourselves turning on the lights, putting a roll of paper towels in the men’s restroom, teaching a Sunday School class, listening to Mrs. Jones complain about being cold (or hot) right before the worship service begins, and then pouring ourselves out in preaching to a people that sit there like stones—the only movement in the service being as people close their Bibles, grab their coats, and head out the door to the café as quickly as possible—you can be absolutely successful!

Have you given yourself wholeheartedly to the work of the Lord?  Have you rendered service to Him as a delight rather than a drudgery?  Are you working to please Him or to get a pat on the back from man?  He appreciates what we do in loving service for His cause, whether anyone else does.  God will reward us in eternity whether there is any recognition on earth.  A man of God must be liberated from the bondage of people-pleasing, by being chained to the Master’s will.

Be thankful that everywhere you go and whatever you do that you are a soldier of the Conquering King!  Paul put it this way,

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?  For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.  (2 Corinthians 2:14-17)

Being true to diffuse the Gospel wherever we labor is our duty.  The response is up to them.  Some will receive our ministry as the sweet smell of Heaven’s bouquets, while others will reject our message as the sulfurous stench of Hell’s blast-furnace.  One thing is certain—we will have an impact.  God’s Word always accomplishes its purpose, as he promised.  Some are helped by it and some are hardened by it, but none are unchanged from it.  That is God’s promise in Isaiah 55:11,

“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.”

Do we feel insufficient for such a responsibility?  We should, because we are—if dependent on our own feeble resources.  But Paul would go on to say, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  (2 Cor.3:5-6)

We are not peddling the Word of God—not some hireling who hawks a product, cleverly packaged for a church consumer culture, for our profit.  There must be sincerity in our manner, integrity in our message and eternity for our motivation—and that is successful ministry!

THE GRAVITY OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY

 

It is easy to give in to the wear and tear of life—to become the professional.  It is another Sunday, and time to deliver a sermon once more.  We have no idea who or how many will show up—or which of those, if any, will give heed to what we say.

Years ago, I heard a story.  The young man was awakened by his mother as she called, “Time to get up and get ready for church!”  He rolled over and said, “I don’t want to go today!”  Her response was, “You have to!”  Burying his head in the pillow, he mumbled, “Why?”  She answered, “I’ll give you three good reasons.  Number one: it’s Sunday and we always go to church.  Number two: I want to go and you always take me.  Number three: you’re the pastor!”

Surely, every preacher can identify with that fellow.  There are times when the alarm clock goes off on a Sunday morning and we would like to throw it through the window!  Honestly, most Sundays I am happy to get up, and charge full speed ahead, but occasionally there are those days I feel like I need to be recharged by going back to bed.  Discouragement is a power drain in ministry and can kill our spiritual batteries if we aren’t careful.  Satan is all too happy to assail our minds with such stinking thinking.

For those moments, I can plug in some truths, which I have stored in reserve in my Bible.  I have written them down across the years when I need to bring out the jumper cables and connect with Heaven.  Here is one of them—a quote by Matthew Simpson:

“His throne is the pulpit; he stands in Christ’s stead; his message is the Word of God; around him are immortal souls; the Savior, unseen, is beside him; the Holy Spirit broods over the congregation; angels gaze upon the scene, and heaven and hell await the issue. What associations and what vast responsibility!”

Read that a few times, reflect on it, and then rejoice that God would call those like myself who are such poor specimens of preaching to such a high position of proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ!  Then, tuck your Bible under your arm, lift your chin up, and with a spring in your step, energized by the Holy Spirit, fulfill your responsibility!

It’s a great day to serve Jesus!