Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Men who are called to be pastors
in the scriptural sense must be equipped for this task by
being given the heart of a shepherd who tends and defends the flock
over which they have been made overseers. They must give an
account for the sheep to the great shepherd. They must be
those who are apt to teach of sober mind and given to hospitality.
No man can teach them these traits, but they have them bestowed upon
them by the giver of all gifts. But unto every one of us is given
grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore
he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men. And he gave some apostles, and
some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
for the perfecting of the saints, for or unto the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ. A properly functioning
church is an assembly which is ministering one to another according
to the various gifts that each is given. The call to preach,
however, is not, in its plainest scriptural context, primarily
carried out as a function of being a pastor, nor is it solely
exercised in that capacity. While local churches might recognize
those who are fitted for the office of elders and set them
apart under this work, no church upon the earth can call a man
to preach. The Lord alone issues this call and equips those He
calls for the task quite apart from human interaction or approval.
Those so-called to carry out this task of preaching cannot
escape it, as Jonah found out. And as Paul testified, 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. Men cannot send men to preach,
nor can they prevent those whom the Lord has sent from performing
this work. How then shall they call on him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace. The Lord's
hand is not shortened, say, by many or by few, and He most certainly
does not depend on men to bring the gospel to those He gives
ears to hear it, but He does in most cases use the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe. Thus it is a great privilege
which He is pleased to grant to these heralds of His truth,
which He has fitted to the task, to declare the unsearchable riches
of Christ. The greatest preacher that has
ever lived is he who said, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon
me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto
the meek. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to
them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn. This is the pattern for all who
would hereafter preach. Those who preach are to do so
without regard for their personal benefit or safety. Their one
desire is to exalt Him who alone is worthy of all praise, both
as to His person as well as His work of redemption. As Paul said,
but God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ. They are to shun personal accolades,
privileges, and titles bestowed by men, that no flesh should
glory in his presence. The Hebrew word for preach, which
is used here in Isaiah's prophecy, literally means to declare good
news. The word used in the Greek by the Lord is the word from
which we get our English word evangelize, which again means
to declare good news. This is the very definition of
the gospel. Thus those who are given ears to hear rejoice at
its sound. The most important aspect of
all preaching is the substance and basis of the message which
is declared. This is that which Paul refers
to when he says, the word of faith which we preach. It does
not matter how properly a man may conduct himself or how well
spoken he may be. If his message deviates from
that redemptive work which Jesus Christ has performed in the behalf
of sinners, then he has not preached, but rather beat the air and been
as a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. The faith which we preach
must be Christ. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord. No other faith will do. Christ
is all and in all. The faith which we preach must
be clearly declared to be the gift of God, lest any man should
boast. The faith which we preach must
be concerned with its object more so than its activity. God
is not pleased with the act of faith, but rather the one in
whom that faith rests. As Paul said, I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which
I have committed unto him against that day. Christ is that one
faith, one Lord, and one baptism upon which all of our hopes firmly
rest. What faith do you preach? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.