It is Saturday night and the preacher is walking nervously throughout his study memorizing and practicing his sermon so that it is polished and ready for delivery. He’s going to “light it up” tomorrow with some old-time preaching for those in attendance. He stomps hard on the floor as he screams out “Repent, and be baptized every one of you…” as he powerfully quotes Acts 2:38. His sweat is pouring as he is in the midst of a rather impressive practice presentation. He smiles with joy thinking, “boy, they’re going to be amazed at how much I know.” He continues on: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted…” citing Acts 3:19. He sighs, and says, “man, I’m ready to eat some Baptists for lunch. The brethren sure are going to love this sermon.” At the end of hours of presentation polishing, the preacher decides he needs his sleep. After all, they’re coming to hear him preach! It is now Sunday morning. The preacher runs from the shower into his bedroom to get dressed in his preacher clothes. He looks in the mirror. He smiles as he says, “IT’S SHOWTIME”. Off to the building where the cars are already pulling in to hear the preacher. Many have brought their friends and neighbors to hear a good sermon. Many say that he is the best preacher they’ve ever heard. A few songs are sung and prayer is offered. Now, the reason they’ve all come together, it’s time to hear the preacher. The members murmur as they wonder what good scriptures this man is going to fire off like a machine gun today. One woman says, “we pay him well because he preaches sooooooo good.” The preacher stands ready in his pulpit. He tells them “good morning” as he stands straight with a big smile on his face. Within, this preacher is thinking, “boy, look at how many I have brought in the house of the Lord today.” He begins to warm up and shoot like the gunner everyone said he is. Smiles go throughout the audience as the people say, “tell ‘em!” and “that’s right preacher!” The show has begun. Sadly, this is only a fictional story of a true account of events that happen on a weekly basis in many churches of Christ. Preacher worship is the illness. Paul and Barnabas once had an audience who heard the word of God spoken through them and saw the wonders God accomplished in them. That audience then decided they would worship Paul and Barnabas. The text says: “And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people” (Acts 14:11-13). Brethren, this is not a far cry of what happens when congregations pay homage to a preacher today. Notice what happens in that text next: “Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein” (Acts 14:14-15). True Gospel preachers are like Paul and Barnabas and will not allow themselves to be revered as some sort of gods. True preachers realize that God is to get the glory for all things! “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen” (Romans 16:27). Whatsoever we do is to be done to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31). It is rare to hear lessons today about worshipping God and glorifying the Almighty. Could it be because such lessons would take glory from man and give it back to God? Brethren, preachers are guilty in many ways of being glory-seekers. However, that is only possible if brethren will give them the glory they seek after. It is brethren who “come to hear the preacher” rather than coming to worship God. Paul made things most abundantly clear when he instructed that no flesh should glory in the presence of God (I Corinthians 1:29). Preachers are merely men who serve God by taking the Gospel to others. Such a work is, to those of us who truly know it, something we cannot help but do (Jeremiah 20:8- 9). If a true preacher of the Gospel could do something else, he likely would. There is no glory in that. Paul said: “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” (I Corinthians 9:16)! Preaching is not even a gratifying work. Those who truly do God’s bidding realize that the more they do right the less they’ll be loved for it (II Corinthians 12:15). True men who preach the Gospel to save souls never try to be impressive (I Corinthians 2:1-5). Preaching is about saving souls (I Corinthians 1:21). Read the words of a true preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). DON’ T EVER COME TO “HEAR THE PREACHER”! Come to hear the Gospel. Glorifying preachers is the equivalent of asking God to move over from His throne so that “your preacher” can sit there. Let me ask, who created you? Who gave His only begotten Son for you? Let me answer, not the preacher! If you really want to honor the preacher that is trying to help you get to Heaven; come to worship God, not the preacher (John 4:23-24). If you want to show the preacher you appreciate his work, hold him accountable to preach the truth and help him get to Heaven too. If you want to do something good for the preacher, understand the burden of his work and help anyway you can. Glorifying him and tempting him to take an honor that is not his will cost him his soul and you your soul too. Hear the message, not the messenger! |
| Volume VII ~ Issue XXVII ~ April 1st, 2007 |
Words of Truth Weekly - Online Edition
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What must one do to be saved (Acts 2:37)? Hear and believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16 & Romans 10:17),
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
| Edited by: Brian A. Yeager |
| “That Boy Can Preach” By: Brian A. Yeager |
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| Preacher Worship |
| Glorify God, Not Preachers |
| True Preachers Will Not Seek Glory of Men |
| Conclusion |