John the Baptist was one whose garment was a leather girdle and whose only food was locus and wild honey and whose only pulpit was a field on the east side of the Jordan River; yet his name was a household word throughout the land, even unto the kings court. He needed no media to announce his coming, nor did he need a limousine service to get him to an auditorium for a meeting, nor did he need a posh hotel to accommodate him. No rock and roll music was necessary in his meetings. He had no fat salary to protect, if they were not happy with his message: what had he to loose? He had no popularity to protect. He had no Church board to threaten him, if he preached on subjects that were not popular. He had no ego to protect, this was evidenced when he said, Behold the One whose shoe latchets I am not Worthy to unloose. He was a man sent from God with a message and he would deliver it , without fear or favoritism. When will preachers preach again with such courage and authority? He scarcely would be welcomed into the most humble and unpretentious pulpits today! What church today would give him a call ? He was a preacher of Repentance, a message that is largely conspicuous by its absence today. What we have today, he did not want - what he had then, we do not have today or want - How sad! May God restore and raise up men like John today. Men who without fear, favor or compromise will thunder the Word of God on the ears of a generation of rebels that have closed their ears to the Truth. He cried, Make your paths straight, Yet all Jerusalem went out to hear him. To the Pharisees and the Sadducees he thundered, You are a generation of vipers, who hath warned you of the wrath to come. Moses that great man of God, who stood before the burning bush and saw and heard God, was ready to speak for Him. Once we have seen and heard Him and had our hearts set aflame with His love, Our message will be His message. Our words will be His words. Our words will go forth as aflame of fire, proclaiming His righteous judgments. It is then that sinners will see the awfulness of their rebellion against God and His laws. It is then that they realize the justice of God in punishing them. For they have broken His holy laws and trampled the blood of His dear Son beneath their feet. May God give us again men like Moses -With Pharaoh he did not negotiate a treaty, but delivered an ultimatum. Let my people go he said. Doubt and fear was conspicuous by its absence and Pharaoh saw it and let them go. As this man displayed the scepter of Divine authority, the kingdoms of satan crumbled. The powers of darkness trembled. Who can stand before such a man of God, neither gods or devils. The early church Believers were social revolutionaries. I believe we are justifies in saying in some cases political revolutionaries - John the Baptist lashed out at Herods corrupt way of life - Jesus lashed out a Herod - Paul stated his case in no uncertain terms before Felex and Agrippa - and John again at the Roman harlot in Revelation. Primitive Christian testimony was the inspired message of anointed Preachers. A Prophet is a spokesman for God - who is worthy to speak on His behalf. Too often today the term preacher means the typical television preacher who continues to assure you that God loves you and that all will turn out alright; so long as you keep the letters coming. The Biblical meaning of the word, preacher is derived from the word prophet, one who speaks for God. Those who hear us want to hear God speak through us His truth, not our sentimental platitudes that do not more than delude and deceive multitudes. Those who hear want to feel that the ultimate authority of our message is not Plato, or Freud, or Luther, or Cranmer, or Peale; But the God of Moses David Jeremiah, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Men like Joshua, men of purpose, perspective and posture. Men with an anointed message for our times. John Knox said, It is better to have no preachers, than preachers that compromise the truth. The conflict of the ages is upon us as preachers! The sinners destiny is linked to our preaching. Will their blood be required at our hands? Oh, how the world lies in rebellion and darkness! Oh, the need for anointed preachers with a message that will go as a flaming arrow straight to their hearts. Hear Luther standing in the presence of the crowd with the flaming paper in his hand, See here, this the Popes Bull! Spurgeon, referring to this said, What cared he for all the Popes that were ever in or out of hell! He was Gods instrument. Mr Gladstone charged the clergy of his time with not being severe enough with their congregations. They do not, he said, Sufficiently lay upon the souls and consciences of their hearers their moral obligations and probe their hearts, and bring up their whole life and action to the bar of conscience. The curse of superficiality is upon us, the preaching of today is not the preaching of the New Testament - Dr. A. W. Tozer Our pulpits often have become a laboratory for dissecting doctrines and lifeless dogma. We have unsuccessfully attempted to substitute higher learning, better education and better organization for the lack of results in our preaching. The anticipated answer no doubt will be, You are extreme and out of touch, plain old fashioned. Yes, perhaps as old fashioned as the Apostle John, who in Revelation, when he exhorted the Church of his time to repent and renew Its love for Christ. Repent said he and do the first works. The First works of that Church met with much opposition and persecution. Discipleship and commitment cost them very dearly! - Dr. Steeves
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 19:20:10 +0000
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