Irrespective of the ministry office we were called into, preaching and teaching are the fundamentals of the job of the minister of the New Testament. Apostle Paul, though an apostle, was strong in both the teaching and the prophetic gifts, yet he said God had made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter but of the spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:5&6. Meaning it is for the preaching of the word of God that we are called.
And obviously, no minister ministers without talking, the problem is about what a minister speaks. How agreeable to the Spirit of the Word of God are his or her speeches?
There may be eloquent speakers, who have their ways with words, there may be wise speakers, who can unravel mysteries, answer hard questions and win arguments and debates, but they all may not be preaching God's word.
Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians how when he first came to them, he came not with excellence of speech and of wisdom, but that though he was with them in weakness, his speeches demonstrated the power of God so that their faith won't be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Some may have interpreted that to mean that he was just doing miracles and casting out demons without saying a word. No, that's not what happened and that's not what He meant by what he said.
We read about what happened at Lystra in chapter 14 of the Acts of the apostles.
Acts 14
6. They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
7. And there they preached the gospel.
8. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
9. The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10. Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
11. 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.
Paul and the team fled to Lystra. They preached the gospel there. One crippled man, heard Paul speak. And Paul saw that he had faith to be healed and commanded that he stood upright and he stood and was healed.
They just didn't get to town and immediately started ministering to the sick and healing them as if they were a medical team whose primary and sole focus was to administer healing.
They preached the gospel, and the man heard them and got faith through the word preached to be healed.
I see many people teach and preach cultures, moralities, natural concepts and many other good things aside the Word of God in the name of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Apostle Paul warned Timothy this way...
[My Offline Bible] 2 Timothy 2
15. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
[My Offline Bible] 1 Timothy 4
6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
[My Offline Bible] 1 Timothy 1
3. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
5. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
6. From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
He warned him against what he called profane and vain babbling, old wives' fables, endless genealogies, vain jangling and so on. These are things that we can get preoccupied with when preaching. Paul pointed out to Timothy how some have swerved away from preaching the truth unto vain jangling.
Faith in God should be the effect of preaching with the eagerness to do something about what's heard in the direction of trust, obedience and commitment to Christ. It isn't just something that should make people happy and entertained but a call into supernatural and heavenly things through deep awareness of divine operations.
Preaching must be the declaration of sound doctrines and teaching must be of understanding and light into divine desires and instructions not just mere words that tickle the ear.
Hear what Apostle Paul told Titus.
[My Offline Bible] Titus 2
7. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
And the same instructions come to everyone of us in the ministry.
In doctrine, we must show incorruptibility, gravity, and sincerity.
Integrity means incorruptibility, reliability, solidity, consistency, something not liable to change, something integral, something whole.
Gravity means seriousness, depth, heavy, something that makes you think, something reflective, something that can preoccupy thoughts.
Sincerity means being truthful and simple, transparent, not crafty, not complex, something plain, that can be seen through.
Meaning we must not handle the word of God deceitfully.
[My Offline Bible] 2 Corinthians 4
1. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
We, as ministers of God must renounce hidden things of dishonesty, we must put aside craftiness and worldly wisdom, we must not handle the word of God deceitfully...
But then, we must first seek knowledge with all sincerity from the heart. The desire for the knowledge of God's truth must be the driving force of every minister, because that's our stock in trade. When a soul lacks knowledge, it gets spoiled. Ours is to feed people with knowledge and understanding. The priest should have knowledge and out of his mouth should the law be sought.
Malachi 2
7. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Let's seek knowledge... Let's seek to be strong in what's true. Let's seek to promote divine truth, then we'll be worth those who should be called ministers of God.
I pray God open to us His treasure of knowledge and wisdom, may He release upon us the manifestation of the Spirit of revelation and make us all He wants us to be in Jesus name.
It's a great week
No comments:
Post a Comment