THE TASTE OF TRUTH

 

There are many symbols that the Spirit  gives  in the Scriptures that describe the Word of God. For example: it is a light, (Ps. 119:105), a fire, (Jer. 23:29a), a hammer, (Jer. 23:29b), a sword, (Heb. 4:12-13), a mirror, (James 1:23), a seed, (1 Pet.1:23), and milk, (1 Pet. 2:2). It is not surprising then, that in a book filled with symbols, we would find in Revelation 10, a scroll sent down from heaven that would be food for God’s messenger. There is the taste of truth.

Consider, THE SUSTENANCE FROM THE TRUTH. John is commanded, “Take and eat it,” (Rev. 10:9).  The man of God who is to speak a message from God must ingest and digest the truth, if he is to be strong enough to proclaim it faithfully, fearlessly, forcefully, and fruitfully.  Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” (Matt. 4:4, quoting Deut. 8:3). As literal bread sustains our physical life, we need the manna from heaven of God’s message as the sustenance of our spiritual life.  Are you partaking of this soul food with regularity?

When we do, then there is THE SWEETNESS OF THE TRUTH. John tastes the truth and affirms it is, “sweet as honey,” (Rev. 10:9-10). Bread is nourishing, but when it is lathered with honey, it is mouth-watering! The saints of God find His Word as sweet as honey. This is the taste of truth. It is in the Bible that we encounter our Savior as the Bread of Life, (John 6:48-51). In the Word, we experience our salvation—the sweet forgiveness of sin and new life in Christ. That sweet truth presents the wonderful promises and purposes of God for us, that can enable us to serve and encourage is to stand. We will pursue the study of God’s Word, if it is sweet as honey to us!  

Yet, there is also THE SOURNESS IN THE TRUTH. John was warned, “it will make your stomach bitter,” (Rev. 10:9-10). As truth tastes sweet to the saints, it becomes sour to the sinners. John was given a message of hope for God’s people, and how sweet it was! But, it was also a message of horror for the wicked—so bitter and so sour!  

The reality is that sinners do not like the light of the Word that exposes them. They scurry away as nasty bugs, hiding under a rock, when it is flipped over and light shines on them. The fire of the Word scorches them in reminding them of the eternal flame awaiting them. The hammer of Truth crushes them with conviction and they want nothing of it.  The Sword of the Spirit wounds them. They do not like the mirror of the Word for it reveals the ugliness of their sin. The weeds of the world choke out the seed of the Scriptures before it can bear fruit. Sinners consume the Devil’s delicacies and so have no appetite for the milk of God’s Word.

Yet, the man of God must preach the Word without fear or favor—whether the people want to hear it or not. I must confess there are sweet sermons that I salivate to deliver, but also there are sour sermons that I preach because I must, knowing they will be bitter for people to swallow. As the Apostle Paul, may it be said of us:

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭26‬-‭30‬‬)

THE MAN OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD

Titles can tell us a lot: President, Principal, Chairman, Coach, Doctor, Deputy, Attorney, Actor.  Titles convey a person’s authority and activity.  Some titles are impressive—“Lord” like those of a royal family; others are infamous—“Don” like those of a crime family.  Titles can speak volumes.

One of the most honorable of titles is to simply be called, “the man of God.”  That means you are His man—God owns you and you have surrendered your life in totality to His service.  The world may not hold that title in high esteem, but in heaven it is a title rarely bestowed and of exceeding worth. 

There is a special authority—you are God’s representative.  There is a select activity—you carry God’s revelation.  You have been sent into the world to proclaim God’s Word.  You are a herald of the King of kings and ultimate allegiance belongs to Him.

When we think of Moses, David, Elijah and Elisha we think of heroes of faith who stood tall for God and so whether having other titles like leader, king, and prophet, the best designation was the simple “man of God.”

Others who bore that title, carried no other—sometimes they were not even named.  They are as one of the men in our text: the man of God.  That’s it—no proper name given, no family designation.  He is God’s man—and that is enough to know.

The authority of the man of God flows from the Word of God.  He has been given the Word, and must speak the Word.  He has it engraved in his heart, utters it from his lips, and reflects his submission to it in his life.  The man of God is inseparable from the Word of God.

In these days of moral confusion and doctrinal compromise, how much we need the man of God with the Word of God!  Whether that man is a produce manager in the marketplace who stands for truth on the job or is a pastor in the church who speaks for truth from the pulpit—laity or clergy—there is a dearth of men who will surrender to God and speak for God!  There were few in Bible times, and there are fewer still today.

What are some lessons we can glean from the man of God with the word of God, as we study the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of 1 Kings?

We see that the man of God has A COURAGEOUS WORD FROM GOD, (1 Kings 13:1-10).

“Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, ‘O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: ‘ “Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.’ ” And he gave a sign the same day, saying, ‘This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart, and the ashes on it shall be poured out.’ So it came to pass when King Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, who cried out against the altar in Bethel, that he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, ‘Arrest him!’ Then his hand, which he stretched out toward him, withered, so that he could not pull it back to himself. The altar also was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.” (13:2-5).

From a human viewpoint, to stride into the presence of a king, and as a simple man to utter words of judgment, took great courage!  Surely, the man of God knew the danger involved.  Jeroboam was not happy!  The order came to have this man of God thrown into prison.  Whether it was Jeremiah in the Old Testament or John the Baptist in the New Testament, God’s spokesmen seem to spend a lot of time behind bars.  This is one reason why the church has often been known as a “non-prophet” organization.  People don’t line up to be cut in two, as Isaiah was thought to have been, or have their head cut off, like John the Baptist did.  When the deacon Stephen spoke God’s Word, the congregation gnashed their teeth in fury, took up stones and battered that man of God into a bloody pile of shattered bones.  No wonder there are not many applying for the prophet position!

It takes courage to speak with eternity’s authority against earth’s authority.  It requires courage to underscore there are objective standards in a world that has bought into the idea that there are no absolutes.  It takes courage to stand against the tide, to shout into the fury of the prevailing winds, and be faithful to God; it will cost us something and it may cost us everything!

We also detect a danger to the man of God in that there might be A COMPROMISED WORD FROM GOD, (1 Kings 13:11-34).

“Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, ‘Which way did he go?’ For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah. Then he said to his sons, ‘Saddle the donkey for me.’ So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it, and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, ‘Are you the man of God who came from Judah?’ And he said, ‘I am.’ Then he said to him, ‘Come home with me and eat bread.’ And he said, ‘I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. For I have been told by the word of the Lord, ‘ “You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.’ ” He said to him, ‘I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘ “Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (He was lying to him.) So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water. Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘ “Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you, but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the Lord said to you, ‘ “ ‘Eat no bread and drink no water,’ ” ‘ your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.” ’  So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back. When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse.” (13:11-24).

The greatest peril to the man of God is not from the wrath of man due to our faithful stand against sin, but from the displeasure of God as we are unfaithful to submit to His Word ourselves.  The man of God committed a “sin leading to death,” (1 John 5:16), which is a capital crime in the high court of heaven.  This man of God who had courageously faced the king and pronounced God’s message, falls in an unguarded moment of leisure.  One thinks of how David was able to face down a giant in that hour of crisis, but in the night succumbed to the lure of a slender woman.

The man of God had a clear word from God—and he compromised.  It seems like a little thing, but compromise never is.  It is defiance.  It is sin—and God doesn’t take it lightly.  Another “prophet” was complicit in this.  For his own personal benefit—his desire to entertain the “man of God”—he presents this ruse.  You see now why that old prophet who lived in the neighborhood was not sent by God to Jeroboam; that God instead, had to send someone from distant Judah.  That fellow was already a compromiser—and the old spider spins a web that traps the man of God.

It is interesting that there was a claim that an angel had given a different message.  There was a rejection of a clear word from God in favor of an additional revelation from a celestial messenger.  How many cults and false religions have sold the same lie—whether packaged as Mormonism or Mohammedism. This fascination with messages from angels is characteristic of New Age occultism.  Don’t be seduced.  You have a Bible—that’s enough!

Paul said a few things about this:

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things. Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows! But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Cor. 11:3-15).

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:6-10).

This is no small matter!  When the Word of God is compromised, we cease to be the man of God.  We have been swayed by spiritual deception or the desire to please man.  This is deadly.

The man of God has A CONVICTING WORD FROM GOD, (14:1-11).

“Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, ‘Here is the wife of Jeroboam, coming to ask you something about her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus you shall say to her; for it will be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman.’ And so it was, when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another person? For I have been sent to you with bad news. Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘ “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘ “ ‘Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you; and yet you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes; but you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back— therefore behold! I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, bond and free; I will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as one takes away refuse until it is all gone. The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field; for the Lord has spoken!” ’ ” (14:5-11).

One man of God falls and God raises up another.  Ahijah had been faithful and will be faithful to the end.

Jeroboam knows who to turn to when he needs to hear from God.  Ahijah had already prophesied that Jeroboam would become king—and the Word had been fulfilled.  So, he seeks the man of God for guidance about the future, as he had proven reliable in the past.  Speaking for God will seldom bring us popularity, but it will demonstrate integrity. 

Do you want a doctor who tells you what you want to hear or what you need to hear?  My first surgeon had the personality of a cardboard box, but the ability of the best in his field.  That’s the one I wanted for my operation.  He cut me; it hurt, but I was healed.  This is what the Word of God spoken by a man of God can do.

Jeroboam would not take the prescription, even though he respected the physician.  That was the case of King Herod who loved to listen to John the Baptist’s preaching, but would not repent; it was like Pilate who knew Jesus was innocent but caved in to political expedience.  I am fairly certain that both men are in hell—and that is what rejecting the Word of God will do.  Judgment fell on Jeroboam and his household accordingly.

Thankfully, the man of God also has A COMPASSIONATE WORD FROM GOD (14:12-20)

“Arise therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.” (14‬:‭12‬-‭13‬‬).

Even on the darkest days, God will sometimes send a shaft of sunlight breaking through the clouds—in wrath He remembers mercy, (see Habakkuk 3:2).  That is how the gracious God treats a little boy born into a wicked family.  His death was a precious gift.  He would be buried rather than consumed by dogs.  People would be mourning at his funeral instead of celebrating his death.  The little fellow would be welcomed by his Heavenly Father into heaven rather than following the wicked path of his human father, had he grown up in Jeroboam’s palace.

The man of God must share the Word of God, whether people want to hear it or not.  Sometimes, it is blunt and confrontational, smelling of fire and sulfur.  Then, there are times is it blessed and comforting, smelling as Eden’s flowers.

No matter how people evaluate it, ultimately, it is what God says that matters.  Let us be faithful to proclaim and practice the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—so help us God!

THE HORROR OF THE HERETIC

The focus of 2 Peter 2 is the features of false teachers. If the Devil cannot beat the church, he will join the church. His best weapon is to place a man in the pulpit as a pied piper to lead the people to their doom. Often, such preachers seem solid and sound, but inside they are hollow and rotting—as a tree destined to fall. Their crash not only destroys them, but those who have gathered under their branches.  The horror of the heretic is not only experienced by him, but by those he influences.  How does this happen?

There is REFORMATION.  “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning,” (v. 20). The sad reality is that you can have a knowledge of the Lord and Savior intellectually and even emotionally without knowing the Lord and Savior personally. We see this often in people who will make a profession of faith and yet do not have a possession of faith as there is no perseverance in faith. This not only happens to people in the pew, but preachers in the pulpit!  They exhibited behavior that attested to salvation at first. But it is reformation and not regeneration. The outside conduct was clean while the inside character was still corrupt. Jesus described such hypocritical religious leaders in his day as “white-washed tombs,” beautiful outwardly, but inside there was death. Eventually, such become entangled again in the world and are overcome by it.

There is then REGRESSION.  “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them,” (v. 21).  They had facts in their head, but without faith in their heart. The doctrinal facts about Jesus are essential, but are not enough. They can stir the  feelings but unless they move us to submission—to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior—there is no salvation. Eventually, these depart from the faith. Today it is called, “deconstruction.”  We have heard of notable preachers who have departed from the faith. 

Peter illustrates it this way: “But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’” (v. 22‬‬).  Dogs and pigs behave as they do because of what they are. You can take a dog to the most exquisite cafe and he will still consume what he regurgitates. You can wash and perfume a pig, but it will roll in the mud at first opportunity. Without regeneration there is eventually regression.

The horror of the heretic is the end—and that is RETRIBUTION. Peter states it, “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning,” (v. 20), and stresses, “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them,” (v. 21). The ultimate horror of the heretic is hell—something he no longer believes in. It often begins with him avoiding the topic in his sermons, and moves to questioning it in his heart, to denying it in his unbelief. When he discovers the reality of God’s wrath it will be too late. The gravity of that judgement will be immense as it not only is in measure of his own apostasy, but increases in intensity due to those he has dragged down to hell with him!

God help us—help me—to not have such an end, but rather have the testimony of the Apostle Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim.‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬‬).

Peter once wavered. He denied the Lord three times!  Yet, he did not stay there. He fell in the mud, but got up and cleaned up!  He repented because he was regenerated. If you are struggling, listening to seductive false teaching, then cast yourself in brokenness upon the Lord. Trust in Him! Believe His Word.

Without question, the greatest evangelist of the last century was Billy Graham. Yet, his grandson, Will, recounted that it almost did not happen.

He wrote, 

“a very good friend and contemporary of my grandfather’s, a man named Charles Templeton, had begun challenging my granddaddy’s way of thinking. Mr. Templeton, who had preached with Youth For Christ as well, had gone on to study at Princeton, where he began to believe that the Bible was flawed and that academia – not Jesus – was the answer to life’s problems. He tried to convince my grandfather that his way of thinking was outdated and the Bible couldn’t be trusted….

One night at Forest Home, he walked out into the woods and set his Bible on a stump – more an altar than a pulpit – and he cried out: ‘O God! There are many things in this book I do not understand. There are many problems with it for which I have no solution. There are many seeming contradictions. There are some areas in it that do not seem to correlate with modern science. I can’t answer some of the philosophical and psychological questions Chuck and others are raising.’

And then, my grandfather fell to his knees and the Holy Spirit moved in him as he said, “Father, I am going to accept this as Thy Word—by faith! I’m going to allow faith to go beyond my intellectual questions and doubts, and I will believe this to be Your inspired Word!’

My granddaddy wrote in his autobiography that as he stood up his eyes stung with tears, but he felt the power and presence of God in a way he hadn’t in months. “A major bridge had been crossed,” he said.

(From an article by Will Graham, https://billygraham.org.uk/p/the-tree-stump-prayer-when-billy-graham-overcame-doubt/)

SEEING A SERMON

 

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.

Sermons We See

I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day; 
I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. 
The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear, 
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear; 
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds, 
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done; 
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. 
And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, 
But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do; 
For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give, 
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind. 
When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind 
Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me 
To become as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be. 
And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today 
Is not the one who tells them, but the one who shows the way.

One good man teaches many, men believe what they behold; 
One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told. 
Who stands with men of honor learns to hold his honor dear, 
For right living speaks a language which to every one is clear. 
Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence, I say, 
I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one, any day.

BEFORE I GO: Some Final Instructions, Part 3–KEEP TRUE

 

America is in a perilous position. The nation has faced many assaults in the past. Growing government tyranny and the attack on cherished freedoms such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the right to bear arms, along with the decline of our economy and open borders—while embracing the butchering of babies in the womb and parading of perversion in the streets is horrifying.  I commented recently to a lady who mentioned this that, it is “national suicide!”  

The church is no longer looked upon as a benefit to society, but an enemy. How will the church respond to living in an antagonistic world?  The choice of many churches is to cave to the culture by compromise. At first they grow quiet while still claiming to maintain their convictions. Yet, it is only a matter of time until such churches take the next step away from the faith. 

That is a bleak picture, and mirrors the one Paul paints here. The encouragement is that the church in its infancy grew and flourished in a pagan culture where they were hated and hurt.  So, may we.  

Jesus promised that His church would march to victory and the gates of hell would not be able to withstand her. Paul was in bonds, but the Gospel was not bound (2:9). He was leading prison guards and prisoners to faith, and some of those soldiers would wind up as Imperial guards and witnesses to those of Caesar’s household!  He was penning powerful words that are still changing lives today. 

There are foes we must face and a weapon we must wield as we examine 2 Timothy 3.

First, we will consider THE FOES WE MUST FACE (v.1-9). The Apostle warns that difficult times are coming. I believe they are right around the corner. I pray I am wrong, but I am persuaded that I am right. We face a foe that is mostly overt and one that is more covert. 

One foe we face is the hostility of the world (v.1-5). Watch the news on TV.  Go out into public. What Paul describes here might as well be America in the 21st century. 

Rather than loving people and using money, we will love money and use people as “lovers of self” and “lovers of money” (v. 2a).  Arrogance will be apparent as mankind is “proud” and “abusive,” (v. 2b). 

There is disrespect of authority, beginning in the home, “disobedient to parents,” (v. 2c), and defiance at home breeds disregard of heaven, “ungrateful, unholy...” (v. 2d)—rejecting our earthly fathers translating into rejection of the Eternal Father. Then follows despising His rule and throwing off moral restraint (v.3-5). Religion will be present, but an empty shell—mere ritual with deadening effect. 

This leads from the hostility of the world, which is overt, to that which is covert—the subtlety of the wayward (v.6-9). The devil manifests himself at times as a roaring lion seeking to strike fear into his prey.  On other occasions, he is a sneaky snake that crawls in and waits in the darkness before injecting its deadly venom of sin into the victim. This is how the serpent attacked Eve—first to doubt the accuracy of the Word of God with a question, “Did God actually say?” (Gen. 3:1) and then to deny the authority of the Word of God with a contradiction, “You will not surely die,” (Gen. 3:4).

The Devil uses creeps—“those who creep into households and capture weak women,” (v. 6a). They creep in on a podcast, a popular book, and so forth. If discernment is not exercised, they will be, “ever learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth,” (v. 7).  

The Apostle had previously warned, 

“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” (1 Tim.2:11-15). 

The culture is increasingly feminized—masculinity is under attack as “toxic”—and this spirit is growing in the church in the name of equality. Of course, there is equality of dignity among men and women!  Neither sex is to be valued above the other. Yet, while there is no difference in dignity and worth, there is a difference in duty and work. We have different roles. 

The elders of the church are to be men who are the gatekeepers of sound doctrine while the women are to be the homemakers of young disciples. Timothy’s faith had been birthed and built due to the effort of his godly mother and grandmother, (cf. 2 Tim. 1:5). Women have a different role in the church and men have a different role in the home—neither less essential, but not identical.  

Beware of counterfeits like Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses with their fake miracles, (v. 8-9). They really didn’t seem that different on the surface, but at the heart it was the distance between heaven and hell. They learn it in a liberal seminary and export it to the local sanctuary. Little by little, they inject the serpent’s venom into the church with deadening effect.

How can we endure the hostility of the world and overcome the subtlety of the wayward?  There is THE WEAPON WE MUST WIELD (v.10-17). The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.  This is how Jesus conquered Satan, and so must we with, “It is written!”  

This mighty weapon must be wielded with endurance (v.10-15). Paul stresses endurance in v.10, 11, and the need to “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed” (v.14). This is my call to you today—“Keep true!”  It is a fight to the finish.  

In those days, soldiers engaged in hand to hand combat, and endurance was demanded. This is true spiritually. How many have we seen who wearied of the fight, were wounded in the battle, and finally have thrown down the sword in surrender to the enemy? I first heard Warren Wiersbe say, “This world is not a playground; it is a battleground!”  

The enemy is strong and on the march. Persecution is likely to become an increasing reality.  Paul mentions it in v.11 twice and again in v.12. We have known a period of protection in America and the church has become flabby and soft.  I heard a preacher, Stuart Briscoe talking about the difference between our churches and other churches in places across the ocean that suffer persecution. I paraphrase, “In the west, we face problems and cry, ‘O God, take these burdens off my back.’ And in the east they pray, “O God, make my back strong to bear these burdens.”  

The period of protection eventually yields to a period of persecution. The world is not going to get better (v.13). Those of us who are saved will endure. The seed of Scripture has brought us faith in Jesus—and that is eternal life (v.14-15). 

This is the message which we must share with endurance and can do so with confidence (v.16-17). We can be confident in the perfection of the Word (v.16a). It is God breathed.  As God breathed into Adam and made Him a living soul, He has breathed into His prophets during the Old Testament era and His apostles in the New Testament age so that what they wrote down is a supernatural Book filled with miraculous power. 

We can be confident in the perfection of the Word, and in the profit of the Word (v.16b). It is profitable for doctrine, “teaching.”  Our beliefs are based on the Bible. It is profitable for discipline, “reproof.”  Our rebellious nature must be broken—and Scripture chastens us. It is profitable for direction, “correction.”  A light for our path to correct our wandering tendency and direct us from the path of sin and onto the path of sanctification. It is profitable for dedication, “for training in righteousness.”  Moody proposed, “This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”  

We can be confident in the perfection, profit, and purpose of the Word (v.17). The purpose of the Word is to make us “complete,”—that is, spiritually mature; capable, “equipped,”—trained for the task; committed, “for every good work”—and this is real success as God sees it.

Have you received the seed of salvation—the Word of the Gospel which brings faith in Jesus Christ?  If so, have you publicly confessed that faith?  The lines are being drawn. We get on one side or the other. It is time to take a stand for Jesus. 

Having received salvation, are you standing tall and staying true?  Is there an unwavering commitment to follow Jesus?  We must swim against the current of the culture or be swept back. 

A solid Bible-believing church is the place for the reinforcing of that faith. There you will be taught the Word of God. You will be encouraged in your walk with God. If you are not a member of such a church, why not?  If you join such a church, you can seek to keep true together!

Maybe you are in a liberal church. You don’t like it, but tolerate it. You argue, “But my grandparents are buried in the graveyard!”  The fact is that they would leave if they could. A former generation would find it heartbreaking to see what many churches degenerate into by the erosion of faith.

BEFORE I GO: Some Final Instructions, Part 1—HOLD ON!

If you knew that today would be your last day on earth, what would you want to say to those you love?  That is what we have in Paul’s last letter in 2 Timothy. The Apostle was on death row, and wanted to give his young protege some final instructions for the church.  His first call is to “Hold on!”  He exhorts Timothy, “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1:13). How can we hold on?

BY GROUNDING IN FAITH (v.1-7). Paul mentions the “sincere faith” (v. 5), the genuine faith in Christ that Timothy had received in his home that flowed from his grandmother Lois, to his mother Eunice, and now to him. 

This is the ground upon which a life, a home, a church must be built—the solid Rock of Jesus Christ, whom we have received by a sincere faith. Is yours a “sincere faith” that fits you for heaven? Peter enjoined, “be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election,” (2 Pet.1:10). Having your name on a church membership roll won’t matter if it isn’t written in heaven in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  

Hear the words of Jesus in Matt.7:21-27. 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’  Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

I am haunted by the fact that some people who have sat in pews under my preaching, or read these words that I am posting, will hear those awful words, “Depart from me.”  If the foundation is not stable, then nothing else you do will stand.

Hold fast by grounding in faith, but also BY GROWING IN GRACE (v.8-12). The Apostle underscores the manner of salvation as the grace of God that has been bestowed on us (v.9). 

This is God’s free gift.  If we are saved, it is not based on anything we have done, but on Him.  If you could lose your salvation, you would. But, it isn’t our commitment to Christ, but His commitment to us that takes believers from start to finish (v.12). We can hold on because He holds on to us!  

Yet, there is always a danger that the fire of passion for Jesus may become a faint flicker (v.6). That devotion to Christ will require fueling.  Do you need to be rekindled today?  God’s Spirit is within us to empower us (v.7). 

I’ve heard that some of us have Christianity like an old iron bedstead—firm on both ends and sagging in the middle!  We are firm on the front end that God saves us from hell, and firm on the back end that He will save us for heaven, but right now we are sagging! 

God’s purpose in giving us grace, is not to sit, but to serve (v.11). When can we stop growing and going? Not, “until that Day” (v.12). The old hymn exhorts: “We’ll Work ’Til Jesus Comes.”  That is God’s intention for each of us. We may retire from a job, but we can only retire from serving Christ when Jesus comes for us.  Our retirement community is called, “Heaven!”

So hold on by grounding in faith, growing in grace, and BY GRIPPING THE TRUTH (v.13-18). Paul is saying to this young preacher boy to get an unbreakable grip on the truth—sound doctrine and systematic theology.  

Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest commented, “Particular words are to be retained and used so that the doctrinal statements of the truth may remain accurate and a norm for future teachers and preachers.”  

Do you have a grip on the meaning of words like, “justification, reconciliation, sanctification, glorification,” and what do you believe about the nature of God, the work of Christ, the person of the Spirit, the authority of Scripture, the mission of the church, etc.?  

False teachers are to be condemned (v.15). They are a cancer to be cut out!  

Faithful workers are to be commended (v.16-18). Nothing so refreshes a preacher as to see those who serve diligently!

It burdens me at times when I see a post on social media or hear someone quote some false teacher—a doctrinal deviant!  But, it blesses me when I see those who are solid in sound doctrine—who immerse themselves in truth and teach it.  That is refreshing!  

Pastors need refreshing!  We get weary and worn and weak.  We are not super human.  I want you to make a commitment today to be a refresher to your pastor. So many have been to me!  To all my pastor friends reading this—particularly those men who lead the Haywood Baptist Association member churches that I serve—know that I am here for you and praying for you!

Do you have a genuine faith?  If you were to die today and stand before the Lord, and He asked you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” what would you say?  I prayed a prayer.  I got baptized. I try to be a good person.  I believe in God. All that is good, but will not get you into heaven. A genuine faith is grounded in the work of Jesus Christ.  You look to Him alone for your salvation. 

Do you have a real faith, but it needs to be rekindled?  Will you recommit yourself to be faithful until Jesus calls you home?

Are you committed to studying the Word, submitting to it, and sharing it?  Will you say today, “I am going to be a refresher!”

A SACRED STEWARDSHIP

Pastors have a sacred stewardship. Paul underscores this by his personal example and pointed exhortation in 1 Timothy 1. He speaks of “the stewardship from God that is by faith,” (v. 4). A steward was one who was “entrusted,” (v. 11) with his master’s riches as a household manager. This was his “charge,” (v. 5, 18)—the “appointing…to his service,” (v. 12). In this case, Paul was entrusted with the glorious Gospel. Paul testifies that His Master, “Christ Jesus our Lord…judged me faithful,” (v. 12). Now, he will say to his young protege, “This charge I entrust to you Timothy,” (v. 18). This is the sacred stewardship of every God-called preacher.

The Apostle begins with THE GREETING, (v. 1-2). This is more than a formality, but sets the context for this pastoral letter. Paul immediately identifies himself as the author, speaking with authority as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,” (v. 1). He is fulfilling his calling by enlisting and equipping “Timothy, my true child in the faith,” (v. 2). It is vital to the church’s continued witness to raise up future leaders. As an apostle, Paul is not offering good suggestions about what might work in a local church, but demanding God’s essentials as imperatives. 

God is our Savior—the Father who has ordained salvation’s plan, and Christ Jesus is our hope—the One who is the object of faith who has brought redemption. Our only hope is in a relationship with Him by faith in Him. Now, we have the responsibility to carry that message to the ends of the earth. Through the preaching of the Gospel, we are regenerated as Timothy, “a true child in the faith,” (v. 2a). 

The Gospel is one of “grace.”  We receive what we could never deserve—heaven. It is one of “mercy.”  We do not receive what we do deserve—hell. The Gospel is one of “peace.”  God is no longer at war with us, as we have surrendered to Him. Peace with God flows from the grace and mercy we have experienced. This is the Gospel we are to faithfully proclaim.

Next, Paul warns of THE GODLESS, (v. 3-10). Timothy is warned of those who would dilute the truth with liberalism or distort the truth with legalism—but, either way, godless messengers preach a perverse message and promote godlessness in their hearers.  False teachers will either subtract from the Gospel or add to the Gospel—and, thus, subvert the Gospel.

Satan does not always undermine the church by direct confrontation, but often through subtle infiltration. They “teach…different doctrine,” of “myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations,” (v. 3-4). The faithful preacher must found his message and fortify the members on the pure Gospel of Christ. This means he will not only speak the truth, but confront its twisting by false teachers. 

Older pastors have the duty to the church to raise up younger men who are throughly vetted, solidly instructed, and consistently monitored as to their faithfulness to the Gospel. The results will be “love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith,” (v. 5). 

“Swerving,” from the truth, (v. 6) is to wind up in a wreck.  Satan does not care which ditch he diverts the pastor into—liberalism or legalism—the church is off the straight and narrow road of truth.  The opposite effect of the Gospel is experienced: schism instead of “love,” a perverse heart instead of “a pure heart,” a guilty conscience instead of “a good conscience,” and fraudulent faith instead of “a sincere faith.”  False teachers may speak eloquently and carry an air of authority, but they have “wandered away into vain discussion…without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions,” (v. 6-7). 

Paul hits the matter of legalism head on in verses 8-10. The law of God is good for it is of God who is only good. It is an expression of His holiness. The problem is not in the law, but in us. We cannot keep it. An external code can condemn us, but cannot change us. That can only be accomplished by the Gospel which internally transforms us. The proper preaching of the law is meant to convict us of sin and call us to salvation in Christ alone. It is meant to drive us in despair to Him.

This brings us to THE GOSPEL, (v. 11-20). Our preaching is to be “in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which [we] have been entrusted,” (v. 11). This is the sacred stewardship of the preacher. The law is only bad news as it condemns us, but this message is good news—the literal meaning of “gospel,” in that is converts us. It is glorious for it is all of God’s grace and thus for His glory. We are accountable to Him for faithfulness in preaching it, (v. 12).

Paul bears testimony to the power of the Gospel that transformed him. He had been “a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent,” of Christ, (v. 13a). But the Lord had extended “mercy,” in his ignorance and unbelief, (v. 13b). Overflowing grace washed him as he came to faith in Christ and love for Christ, (v. 14). It was a radical change from a man who saw himself as the foremost of sinners, (v. 15). He is an example of the difference the Gospel makes, (v. 16). How grateful we should be for God’s “patience,” in bringing us to Himself and exclaim with the Apostle, “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (v.17). 

Paul concludes by driving home the seriousness of our stewardship, (v. 18-20). We are on a battleground not a playground, (v. 18). We must be tenacious in holding onto faith and a good conscience. The church is a Gospel battleship, and to fail to chart a straight course is to make “shipwreck of…faith.” Paul pointedly presents Hymenaeus and Alexander as false teachers. They had been excommunicated from the church—where Satan would hurt them, in hopes that the discipline would bring them to repentance and restoration, (cf. 1 Cor. 5).  We had best take the stewardship of the Gospel seriously, for it is evident that God does!

TRUTH THAT FREES

I was reading this devotional from the late Stephen Olford and wanted to share it with you:

“The truth shall make you free.” – John 8:32 

It is interesting to note the working powers of the Word of God or Truth as revealed in this Gospel. Here are just a few: 

Its Liberating power. “The truth shall make you free.” The Word of God is that which snaps all chains of bondage. 

Its Pruning power. “You are already clean [pruned] because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). This is pruning for greater fruitfulness. 

Its Sanctifying power. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Herein lies the secret of a sanctified life. 

Its Rejoicing power. “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17). The keeping of His commandments has a special reward of happiness for the obedient believer. 

Thank You, Lord, for the liberating power of Your Word.  May Your Word have its way in my life. 

(According to Your Word, p. 76, Kindle Edition)

This is a reminder of another reason to preach the Word of God faithfully and fervently. It is the truth that sets people free!  During almost half a century of preaching, I have seen this again and again in people’s lives. May God give you liberty as you proclaim it with expectancy tomorrow!

TURNED BY TRUTH

 

How did we ever get anywhere without GPS?  I get in my car and tell Siri where I want to go, and directions are spoken me. I am told of hazards to avoid, and navigated to my destination.

Preachers are to be like that. We are meant to navigate people accurately through this world and into the world to come. Zechariah is told by the angel Gabriel that his son John will be such a messenger of God.  He will turn them with truth. 

The problem is that we are all headed the wrong direction. Sin has brought darkness and we cannot see the way. To continue on that path is to end in the wreckage of wickedness—a fiery crash. People must be turned by truth. John would do that. Truth would turn me to God, and now it is my job to direct others. 

We turn the hearts of sinners to the Father. This is the basic course correction required. Gospel truth has the power to do so. John would minister in that spiritual power, as had the prophet Elijah. You recall that Old Testament man of God and how he called a depraved culture to turn from paganism to the Living God. Sadly, many would not, but some did.  For most it made no difference, but for those who responded it made all the difference. John the Baptist would point people to the Lamb of God—the Lord Jesus. Preacher, are you confronting sin and calling for repentance?

Further, we turn the hearts of fathers to their children. The home is the discipleship factory. When fathers turn to God, their hearts are directed to evangelizing their children. I cannot imagine a dad who is right with God who would not have a passion to bring his children to heaven with him. Yet, fathers must be encouraged and equipped. That is the church’s role, and it begins with the pastor in the pattern he sets and the principles he shares.

Thus, like John, we turn people from being disobedient to being justified. This is accomplished by the truth of God’s Word faithfully proclaimed. We prepare people to meet God.

PERSECUTION AND PERSEVERANCE

 

Mystery Babylon has been with us since the flood and will be until the final days. Out of the polluted fountain of her false religion, every abominable belief system has flowed.  It will consummate in a global religion in the last days.

Although its form has manifested itself in varying ways, it is ultimately about deception versus truth, and thus, an assault on Him was is the True and Living God. The war is waged against Truth Incarnate—the Lamb of God.  Yet, we are confident that He will prevail and so we, as His followers, must persevere.

Not only must His preachers hold the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—with firm grip, standing on the solid Rock of truth, but wield it against error. It is the theme of Spurgeon’s great call to arms in, “The Greatest Fight in the World.”  If you have not read it, you should get that book and immerse yourself in it today. It was the final manifesto from the “prince of preachers.”

Do you not know that men of God still suffer and are martyred for their faith?  In America, we may not have faced such, but the ominous storm clouds are gathering—a storm is at hand. 

Will we stand, if it breaks in our generation?  How often have we stood before our congregations and sung the invitation chorus, “The cross before me, the world behind me…no turning back.”  Are those empty platitudes, or do they express the conviction we hold? 

May the Lord give us grace to stand!  Victory is assured!

MODELS IN MINISTRY

 

John writes as an elder (v.1). Doubtless, he is that in age, but he is also that in leadership. He is a spiritual father to God’s people. His desire is for the prosperity of the flock (v.2). He is especially thrilled when the church is walking in the truth (v.3-4). He affords an excellent model for ministry.

John begins with COMMENDATION. 

This letter is directed to his beloved Gaius—Gaius the Generous (v.5-8). This man loved the Lord and loved people—and put his money where his mouth was. In particular, he supported the missionaries and evangelists who came through on their journey. Jesus gave us one mission—the Great Commission, as we call it. We should imitate Gaius in giving to get the Gospel out.

John also commends Demetrius (v.12). I call him Demetrius the Devout. His devotion to Christ was a compelling example for all.  When you took the plumb line of truth and held it up beside him, he was in alignment with God’s Word. He sets a standard for us to follow.

Yet, John also brings CONFRONTATION.  There is another man in the church that needed to be confronted for his wickedness. I refer to him as Diotrephes the Dictator (v.9-10). His ego was extraordinary. He was a church boss—and for him it was, “My way or the highway.”  You groveled before him or you were driven out of the church. His works were diabolical and his words were demonic.  God calls us to lead the sheep and not drive them as cattle.

There was more that John might have said (v.13-14), but this is enough for now. Here is the bottom line, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” (v.11).  

An elder of the church should follow John’s pattern—commending the good and confronting the bad—fearless in our stand for the truth. We should exemplify generosity and devotion as Gaius and Demetrius.  The sad reality is that some church leaders have a swollen head and shrunken heart like Diotrephes. In that case, one should check their spiritual birth certificate. What model for ministry will we follow?

WALKING AND WARRING

“I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”  (2 John‬ ‭1:4, 10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

The preachers and teachers of the church are to promote and preserve doctrinal soundness.   That begins by insuring we ourselves are committed to being guided by and growing in truth, as well as guarding against error creeping into our minds and messages.

Error does not usually enter the congregation as a growling wolf, but in pretense of being a gentle sheep—a wolf dressed in sheep’s wool.  Discernment is needed by the watchmen of the Word who are posted to prevent such from access to the flock.  A podcast shared, a book promoted, and such is all that is required for heresy to gain access to the church house.

Usually, there is little deviation. What is said sounds mostly right—and it is typically stated in a very appealing manner, with Bible verses attached to it. But think of it this way: a ship setting sail from New York’s harbor, bound for England, that is only one degree off course will end up in Africa instead.   So false teaching is barely wrong at first, but once tolerated it moves one farther and farther away.

John calls us to walk in truth. Heaven rejoices when the pastor shows faithfulness to truth in his practice and shares fidelity to truth in his preaching.   

John also call us to war for truth. We must be vigilant—intolerant of error.  As old Vance Havner said, “The church has never been so much in danger from woodpeckers on the outside as termites on the inside.”  This battle is never over until Christ returns.

THE REJECTION OF OUR MESSAGE

We might pray that all our preaching will be received—and we should. We may present the truth with sincerity, clarity, fervency, authority, and urgency—and we ought. We can do all that in our preaching and yet there will be those who will not, “receive the love of the truth.” 

It is possible, of course, that the preacher may fail to speak the truth in love—and there must be that balance of conviction and compassion.  We love the TRUTH and so cannot compromise the content. We LOVE the truth and so must demonstrate our care for the listener.

Yet, there will always be those—no matter how faithfully we discharge our duty—who will not receive the love of the truth. The failure is not in the speaker, in this case, but in the hearer.  

Why?  When by receiving and believing the truth of the Gospel, “that they might be saved,” why would they refuse?  The mind of man is darkened by deception. The heart of sinners is depraved in passion. The will of man is directed by rebellion.

Thankfully, there will be those who respond to the Gospel—as its power in the Holy Spirit’s activity—opens their blind eyes, unstops their deaf ears, and break their hard hearts. By God’s grace, they repent—turning from the world and to follow the Lord.

Sadly, there will be those who perish for rejecting the message. That is not our choice, but theirs. We will give an answer as to whether we spoke the truth in love, but they will be held accountable as “they did not receive the love of the truth.”  Such cannot be saved. That ought break our hearts now. Their weeping and wailing will be for eternity.

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!

SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS

 

“The great truths of revelation are neither able to preach nor defend themselves. They must have soldier preachers who proclaim and defend them. They have never conquered as silent force; they have never won as a reserve corps.”  (E.M. Bounds)

Onward, Christian preacher!  As you march into the pulpit, you go to war. Make sure you have on your armor—each piece put on with prayer. In your hand is a mighty weapon—the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It is not a clever tongue, or a passionate argument that will prevail, but the unadulterated truth, delivered from earnest lips anointed by the Spirit of the Lord.  Put the enemy to flight!  Angels hover around you, to roll back the dark forces that would hinder you. Spend and be spent for the souls of those in your charge.

Paul tells us to endure. Warfare is wearisome; it will drain your energy. Press on!  You want to be a good soldier, not a poor one.

Paul tells us to engage. The time for strategy is over. It is time to take the field. 

Paul tells us to not be entangled. The things of this world will trip you up and bring you down to defeat. Do not let your concentration be diverted. Focus on the fight!

Paul tells us we are enlisted. You were drafted by your Commander—the Lord Jesus Christ. He has placed you in this position of responsibility. You may not please all the troops in the congregation, but seek to please Him who called you!

LEAVING A LEADERSHIP LEGACY

Who is the man that fears the LORD?

Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. 

He himself shall dwell in prosperity,

And his descendants shall inherit the earth.  (Psalm 25:12-13)

I want you to picture your ministry as a relay race.  You have an assigned leg to run—we all have an allotted period of time.  You have an assigned lane to run—we all have an appointed place of service.  We carry in our hands a Bible baton.  It has been handed down to us and now the critical moment comes that determines victory or defeat—the exchange—where we hand the truth of Scripture to the next generation of leaders.  All of us are going to leave behind a legacy.  I believe that was on David’s mind as he writes Psalm 25.  From the context, it would seem to me that he writes from the perspective of a seasoned soldier—a battle-scarred veteran—concerned about the future of his kingdom.

Let us leave a legacy of TRUST (v.1-7). 

David’s testimony declares how his trust was rooted in the greatness of God (v.1-3).  We can trust His power to save us.  David knows where to run when he is in trouble.  Experience has taught the king not to trust in his own strength, but in God’s.  I can say that God has never failed me.  

David also trusted in the guidance of God (v.4-5).  We can trust in His precepts to steer us.  This does not exempt us from storms.  The good news is that if we yield the rudder to the hands of the Captain of our Salvation, we can set sail to new horizons and chart a course for those who come behind!

Furthermore, David trusted in the goodness of God (v.6-7).  We can trust His provision to secure us.  David wasn’t a perfect man.  His failures are documented.  That’s why we need forgiveness.  We don’t trust in our goodness, but in God’s.  Remarkably, He uses flawed people for His glory.

Let us leave a legacy of TRUTH (v.8-15).  Having learned these lessons—sometimes the hard way—we must pass on the baton of truth.  

Having a teachable spirit is the key issue here (v.8-12).  An attitude of humility, devotion, and reverence are essential.  No matter how much we know about ministry, we should never stop learning!  

Our success becomes part of the legacy we leave to our spiritual sons in ministry (v.13).  The blessings of God can be transferred to generations to come.  Success can’t be measured in the size of buildings, budgets, and backsides in pews—it is in eternal impact. 

Friends have no secrets from each other (v.14-15).  They share their heart.  There is a depth of intimacy with God suggested here that we can know.  I have been inspired by others who have walked closely with God, and now I want to share the secret of such a life with others.

Let us leave a legacy of TRIUMPH (v.16-22).  Don’t miss the sequence.  We face the reality of the crisis, but we focus on the God who gives us confidence!  If we only give a brief nod to God, then focus on the crisis, we will be defeated by unbelief.  This is not denying reality (v.16-19); not depending on some kind of positive thinking.  Problems are not permitted to be the focus, however (v.20-22).  The focus is on the Redeemer.  He is the God who is always victorious and our triumph is in Him.

That was the legacy of leadership David would leave.  What about us?

SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD: JONATHAN EDWARDS' IMPACT ON AMERICA

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God: Jonathan Edwards' Impact on America."

That was the title of a research paper that my son, Caleb, composed for a college history class. His document caused me to reflect on the power of the preached Word to bring transformation—to an individual, a family, a community—yes, and even a nation! It is difficult to imagine the birth of these United States apart from the spiritual awakening that swept over the colonies. Although there were certainly other preachers, most notably George Whitefield, who likewise played pivotal roles, Jonathan Edwards was a remarkable catalyst for the move of God that occurred. The hand of God at work in the church inspired and supported the founding of America. The activity of a Sovereign God brought forth a nation whose government system and laws were rooted in Scriptural principles. That is not to say that all the founders were Christians in the Biblical sense, but even those who were not, had a healthy understanding of truth and a fundamental belief in God and morality that was informed by Scripture. A good number were what we would call evangelicals. Without question, our forefathers had no intent to establish a theocracy. Having fled the unholy alliance of church and state that pervaded European nations—a union that wrought persecution and stifled freedom—they steadfastly refused to have a national church. There was no intent, however, to take the opposite extreme—to confine faith inside the four walls of the church—quarantining Christians as if they were some kind of contagion. Instead, the founders sought the favor of God and acknowledged the benefits of Christianity. Calls to prayer, offerings of thanksgiving, teaching of the Bible, and freedom for the church to advance its mission and ministry were woven into the fabric of America and given government protection—even promotion to an extent.

How things have changed! The mindset of many in power today give lip-service to freedom of religion—so long as it is kept to the church house and doesn’t impact the culture at large. The national conversation promotes political correctness. This new tolerance means that any idea, philosophy, or moral expression (really immoral or amoral) must not be confronted by the church. To do so is to be branded an extremist, a bigot, and a homophobe.

So, should we just accept this, cave in, bow down, and grovel?

We must be loving! That is not even negotiable! The most loving thing we can do is preach the truth that will deliver from hell and open up heaven when Christ is received by faith as Savior and Lord. What the church must do is not to tone down its message, but turn up the volume! Those holy words will only be heeded if spoken by those whose lifestyle mirrors their doctrine.

We need some men in the pulpit like Jonathan Edwards who are not fearful of warning sinners not to fall into the hands of an angry God, but fall on their knees in repentance! As we come to another birthday of America, there is a desperate need for a mighty move of the Spirit. It will not come unless some bold preachers preach the Gospel. History makes that abundantly clear.