A preachers' beautiful feet

[murjahel]

HINDRANCES TO PREACHING
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THE BIGGEST HINDRANCE TO PREACHING IS OURSELVES

The Lord calls ordinary people.
Preachers are not Superman, not even Batman.
Preachers grow weary, get grouchy, have physical problems, are not the wisest nor most educated on earth, are not rich and famous.

1 Corinthians 1:17-31 (KJV)
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.


The message of preaching is going to be considered ‘foolishness’ by many of the hearers, at least all those who ‘perish’.
The word ‘foolishness’ is the Greek word ‘moria’ (G3472), meaning ‘silly, absurd, foolish.’


For those that are ‘saved’, the preaching is ‘the power of God.’
The preaching of the gospel presents the message of God, that message brings salvation to save the souls of people.


Romans 1:16 (KJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.


The ‘wisdom’ of those claiming to be wise is destroyed by the preaching of the rhema words of God, Surely, they lie, they abhor the preaching, them mock it, they challenge its wisdom. Yet, in the final analysis, the wisdom of the wise is "destroyed", the prudent (or so they think) is proven to be ‘nothing’.


God is ‘pleased... by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." It pleased God to befuddle the wise men of that day by the preaching of a crucified Jesus. They expected a Savior would be a mighty conqueror. When He came to die for our sins, they stumbled at that kind of salvation.

God then began to choose the foolish ones of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak ones of the world to confound the ones who think they are mighty.


God chose:
1. Foolish ones to confound the wise
2. Weak ones to confound mighty
3. Base ones to humble the exalted
4. Despised ones to humble noble
5. Powerless ones to bring defeat to the powerful


Jesus is made unto us to be our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
As weak and foolish as we are, Jesus becomes the ‘power of God’, the ‘wisdom of God’, the ‘righteousness of God’, the ‘holiness of God’,
and the ‘redemption of God.’
We need no more.
With those things we can glory in Him.
He makes us to be more than fit to preach.
We need not hang our heads when the world mocks us.
We are His, and He is in us, empowering us to be far greater than we are of ourselves.


Our biggest hindrance therefore is allowing the old man to be who is preaching, who is taking credit for the message.
The message is God’s, the power is the Lord’s, and the results are to His glory.
We are the ‘weak, foolish, base, despised, and powerless ones that He is using.

Socrates is said to have had an ‘ugly’ face. He refused to let that fault hinder him, and he pushed forward to be a renowned person.
We have more than just an ugly face, we are totally depraved of power or strength.
Yet, with Jesus in us, we do mighty things.

When called to deliver Israel,
Moses said: "Who am I, that I should...?"
To this God answered:
‘Certainly, I will be with thee..."

Just to trust and obey, and God did miracles, showed signs and wonders, miraculously provided for Moses and Israel.
If we recognize our weakness and stupidity, but still push on with Jesus as our Source, we will likewise see God’s power.


When Gideon was called to deliver his people, he said: "Wherewith shall I save Israel?’
Yet, the Lord said ‘Have not I sent thee?’
God became his sufficiency, his wisdom, his power.


Solomon was chosen king in Israel, but his words were ‘I am but a little child, I know not how to go out or come in."
The gift he requested from God was ‘wisdom’, and since then the wisdom of Solomon has been considered the greatest of all in the Old Testament.


The apostles were ordinary men.
They were fishermen, tax collectors, angry zealots, just common people.
God used them, empowered them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.


What excuse do preachers today offer to God for not feeling worthy to do the work?
Whatever they are, they are actually the reason God called preachers to be preachers.
He wants to take those who totally are unworthy, unable, and unwilling, and make them great due to His power.​

 

[murjahel]

TIME IS A HINDRANCE TO PREACHING
　
There are 168 hours in the week of all people. It does not get less for the preacher than for anyone else. The problem is not lack of time, it is the crowding of too many things into that time.

The preacher sows spiritual seed into the garden of a congregation. The preacher delivers sermons authored by God and by His Word, requiring much study and prayer. The preacher educates of the Word of God, showing principles which are guidelines for the lives of the hearers. The preacher must organize the mundane things of living, with the spiritual requirements of his calling.

The day, the week, the month, and the year get so full of things to do, that the preacher can sometimes manage their time by ‘reaction.’ The preacher can feel like they are on a sliding board, sliding faster and faster on a slope that makes stopping to be impossible. The bottom of the drop may look fearful and the preacher becomes frustrated. The telephone and its unexpected demands on one’s time, can rule the day. The physical body with its weakness, sickness, and weariness can overrule what a preacher had deemed vital and important. Too often, what was not expected yesterday, becomes the deciding factor for today’s use of time.

A preacher can begin to think there are no real accomplishments, for one’s evaluation of accomplishment of the tasks of the calling find few things really done, but many non-essential things.

The list of people preached to, sometimes one at a time, sometimes when they were sick or dying, sometimes when they did not want preached to, is a long list. The preacher wanted to preach to one huge crowd of praising saints, but instead preached to many small groups of persons unwilling to hear what the preacher had to say.

Was that week a failure for the preacher? No, the preacher preached many sermons, fulfilling the calling of God, even if he/she did not satisfy any of the hearers of the sermons.

Almost all problems are spiritual in origin. They may result in addictions, in crisis, in jail or in hospital, but they started in the spirit of mankind and a sermon to the root of the problem. The sermon is not wanted, it is resented and criticized, for they want the jail to disappear, the hospital to not be needed, and the addiction to cease its bondage, and the person causing them a problem to repent . Yet, they are unwilling to admit the root of the problem is a spiritual problem in themselves. The preacher is the one who confirms the real problem is their spiritual problem. It seems like a waste of time to the preacher, but it truly is their calling. Preachers get frustrated with spending much of their time preaching to unwilling, and unchanging people.

The mundane need replaced with the spiritual. I heard of one pastor, leading a person to Jesus, and he heard the telephone ring while the man prayed the sinners’ prayer. The preacher asked to be excused to answer the phone, leaving the man alone. The mundane had distracted the preacher from what is of eternal value.

Preachers need a plan. Organization of time needs to be a priority. To hurry, one does not throw all the ingredients into a bowl, stir, and then read the recipe. The recipe is the organization of those ingredients, and the proper way to end up with the food delicacy desired. If a plan is followed, a good result is to be expected. If the recipe is for a cake, baking before stirring is foolish.

Plan your time with extended goals. Do not plan too short. If you were the fullback, and the ball is handed to you, the defenders all fall down, the blockers are all surrounding you, and you only had a plan to push as far at the next yard marker, you would be foolish to not have an extended plan for running the whole 80 yards to the goal line. Plan for great results, and be ready to just make the first down, if things do not go as well as you could hope.

Do not plan for failure, but use failures to give reason to push on more and more. The fullback that gets hit at the first step, and gets up with a bloody nose, and no gain, could say ‘I quit’. Yet, the Coach is looking for the fullback who will say, ‘Give me the ball again, this time I am going to score a touchdown.’

Planning is vital. What is not done on today’s plan is moved to another day. If you could not get it done yesterday, do it today. If the devil hit you hard during your efforts yesterday, make the devil miserable today by claiming what he tried to keep you from doing. Do your ministry, your preaching even harder to discourage the devil who tried to discourage you.

Attack the time hindrance. Start early. Be early where you are expected. Do not come late, and have to hurry and cut corners of what you intended to do.

Take breaks during the day.
Prayer breaks, refreshment breaks, rest breaks, fellowship breaks.

Jesus was on a fellowship break when He turned water into wine.

He was on a refreshment break when He broke five loaves and two fish into a meal for many thousand.

He was on a prayer break in Gethsemane.

He was on a rest break when He awoke and stilled the waters.

Great things happen on breaks.

Then, after breaks like those, it is inspiring to get back to the big tasks of the day.

The mid day review needs to be done.
Right after mid day, check on what you have accomplished, what is next, what is yet to get done.
Have the unexpected events of the day made it wise to revise the rest of the day?
If so, make adjustments.

The coming to raise Lazarus from the dead was an interruption of the schedule of Jesus.
Our interrupted, changed schedule can be ‘divine appointments’ as some call them.
We do not know God’s schedule for our day.
God does.
Let Him make unexpected changes.
He is Lord.

A bed time evaluation can be done. This needs to be done with the Lord. Ask Him to evaluate your day. Seek His advice. Ask Him for forgiveness for any failures, ask Him to bless your efforts for Him. Relax in His love and mercy. Say ‘good’ (not bad, not frustrated, not irritated) night’. He can make the worst day to be your greatest. The worst day of Jesus’ life here on earth, was the best day of His life for us. The worst sermon we preach can be the day of salvation, or of revelation to another. They may never share with the preacher what happened in their heart till much later. Trust the Lord to share with you, His evaluation of your day and of your life.

 

[murjahel]

PUBLIC RELATIONS CAN BE A HINDRANCE TO PREACHING

The preacher has to deal with the public. Preachers are to preach to people whether to one at a time, or to huge crowds. These people will have opinions of the preacher and of the sermon. They will criticize, praise, or ignore the sermon.

The preacher must preach a message that does not make public relations to be the main concern. One can try to be eloquent enough to get a standing ovation, and never win a soul to Jesus. One can explain in beautiful detail the facts of the Bible message, but be so alert to reactions of the crowd, that no real application of the message is given, lest it upset the public. Some distort the message, taking out all the inconvenient parts, all the hard truths that suggest that repentance is needed. Some though are as forceful and needed, as accurate as one can be, as demanding as the Author meant it to be, and then watch the Spirit of God convict, bless, and save. The preacher needs to put public reaction to be of far lesser importance than God’s opinion of what is preached.

Sometimes the pay of the preacher depends on the reaction of the hearers of the sermon. Remuneration can be on the top of some preachers’ list of important things. Low salaries are not from God, but concern of the salary must not allow a change in the sermons. The preacher is used of God to do spiritual surgery on the congregation, but the preacher is not paid like the surgeon in the hospital. The preacher can explain God’s law in preciseness better than a lawyer can explain mankind’s laws, yet the preacher is not paid as the lawyer. The preacher is the scholar to explain a book written by an Author that has omniscience, yet the professors in the universities who explain the rules of mathematics receive greater remuneration on earth. The preacher needs to trust the Lord to reward, here and later in heaven, in a far fairer way than mankind has devised to reward a preacher of God’s Word.

Trying to make the public want to pay one more money will result in a loss of God’s anointing, for that aim of repayment is not to be our goal in preaching.

Concern for public relations improvement may make a preacher mow a lawn, fix the plumbing, and receive more applause from the congregation. Yet, the unseen time in prayer, intercession, Bible study is thought by the congregation to be just rest time. The most vital use of time is the prayer and Bible study. The time preaching to one or two at a time in the church office, at the local mall, or at a diner downtown, is more important than the time standing in a church pulpit where half the congregation is sleeping and the other half are planning dinner. Public relations may make a preacher seek to improve the parts of ministry that God sees as less important.

The everyday ethics of a preacher may speak a louder sermon in public relations than the sermon does. A bus driver saw his preacher getting on his bus. The preacher gave him a dollar bill, and the driver gave him the wrong change. The preacher went to the back of the bus, counted the change again, and saw it was too much. ‘Shall I give it back?’, he wondered. It was not that much, but finally the preacher went to the front of the bus. He explained the mistake and gave the overpayment back to the driver. The driver smiled and said, ‘I just wanted to see if you practiced what you preach. You preached Thou shalt not steal last Sunday. Now, I know you really believe that.’ The world watches every preacher. The public relations improvement comes when they see you live what you preach.

Sometimes, no matter how hard a preacher tries, he/she finds that some will never like them. The message of Jesus is a message that many will never accept, and the messenger is often attacked due to the unaccepted message.

One child listening to someone read the 23rd Psalm asked if there were really ‘green pastors’. The child had misunderstood the word ‘green pastures’, where God leads us. Well, there may not be ‘green pastors’ but there are many ‘black and blue’ ones, that have had abuse from the hearers of the sermons.

To be a light to this dark world, one needs their wick deep in the oil, and the flame of the Holy Spirit burning bright. The preacher is only the wick, God has the fire to ignite, the oil of the Spirit’s gifts of power make us able to light this dark world. The light burns amidst a people. The wick is burnt more and more, but to give light to this world, a preacher must sacrifice of themself, willingly let the wick burn, so that the light is given off from the lamp.

The devil will tempt preachers to identify with the world, to be at home with them, to be comfortable with them, and make them comfortable with the preacher. As preachers of the gospel, we are in the world not to make them comfortable in their sins, but to make them uncomfortable in their sins.
Someone once said, ‘Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.’ That goal of preaching is for us all. Their relationship with the preacher then depends on whether they accepted the message from God.
　
Romans 11:27-29 (KJV)
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
　
　
John Wesley received a letter from a man who said: ‘The Lord directed me to tell you that while you know Greek and Hebrew, He can do without your book larnin’. John Wesley answered: ‘... I already knew that God can do without my book learning, yet, I wish to say ...the Lord does not need your ignorance either.’

Truthful, poignant, and a needed statement was made by John Wesley. One could worry over the feelings and thoughts of others. Insult, berating, shunning, even false accusation can flow from lips of the carnal in this world. We need to just make sure, we please Jesus.

John 15:18-25 (KJV)
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
　
This passage tells us that Jesus predicted a hatred, public relations problem for preachers. The world hates reproof, and evils are exposed by preachers.
Preachers shine light where the world wants it still to be darkness. The world is blind to the intent of preachers to help, so many will declare war on preachers. Preachers hate the sin in the world, and live separate from it. The world is ignorant of God, and of His plan of salvation. They are kept blind to salvation by the hatred put into their hearts by the devil. The sermons shine light on the sins, exposing them to the need for repentance.

 

[murjahel]

HEARERS OF THE PREACHERS
​

Have you ever been criticized? falsely accused? verbally attacked? Those are silly questions, for most all have been. Yes, probably all of us have been. Sometimes, other people believe the attackers. Some believed the attackers of Jesus. Some believed the attackers of prophets, preachers, witnesses of the Bible times.


Revelation 2:10 (KJV)

10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.


James 1:12 (KJV)

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.


The hearers of preachers can become very adamant against the message of the preachers. Joseph preached what he was shown in dreams, and was sold into slavery by his brothers. Moses was accused of bringing the people out into the desert to die.

Stephen was stoned. Paul was shunned, refused to be heard by the church in Jerusalem. Job was told to curse God and die by his wife. The attacks against those who preach the gospel are still numerous.


There is a story about a young boy, who after the church service, told the preacher of the church: "When I grow up, I am going to give you some money.’ The preacher asked, ‘Why?’ The boy answered: ‘My daddy says you are the poorest preacher we have ever had.’ The comments from others do hurt, do sting. One can do their best, and still there will be harsh, hurtful comments.


Jesus was the epitome of a preacher. Yet, they misquoted His sermons, they lied about Him, questioned every decision He made. One criticism that seems to some to be valid, is Jesus’ preaching to Judas. Three years Judas heard Jesus’ preaching, and it did not change him. Judas was an apostle, ordained to preach, ordained to heal, baptized others, had eternal life. (Mark 3:13-19, John 4:1-2, 17:2-12)


Jesus even knew from the beginning that Judas would betray Him.


John 6:64 (KJV)

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.


This friend of Jesus was there to be preached to, there with Jesus knowing what his failure would be. How could the preaching of Jesus not bring a change to Judas? Were the sermons of Jesus ineffective? Of course the sermons of Jesus were better than anyone else’s ever. But, the best of sermons, with the gift of discernment, word of wisdom, etc active in them, still God allows mankind to resist the rhema words. Judas failed in spite of the sermons, not because of them. We find many who will criticize a sermon for lack of results. Jesus’ sermons to Judas had lack of good results. Yet, it was not Jesus that was to blame. Many preachers, pray, study, and preach up a storm, and still feel like they failed, and are criticized as though they failed.


Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands always before eating. Did not Jesus preach to them of the customs. Were His sermons lacking? They attacked Jesus for the manners of the disciples.

Most of us today wash our hands before meals. We consider it proper. Jesus’ sermons, His preaching, did not discipline the disciples to all that society thought proper. His hearers were not perfect. The critics attacked Him for that.


Jesus’ disciples picked grains along the pathway to eat, on the Sabbath. The Lord dismissed that as inconsequential, for He said, ‘the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’ The law was not to punish the hungry, the purpose of the Sabbath was to illustrate the spiritual rest to be found in Jesus. Jesus went by the real intent of the law, not man’s interpretation. Jesus saw the high principle of that rule, and the pictorial use of it.


Many listen to sermons and criticize poorly chosen words, bad grammar, too short, too long, too loud, too soft. The message gets rejected for reasons other than for heresy, or for true errors.


The critics are predictable. They have an agenda, i.e. to find fault. It is their goal, their hope, their chosen profession. They gain a feeling of import, a feeling of superiority when they can criticize the sermon.


A preacher was trying hard to make his sermon comprehendible, and said, ‘That should have been as plain as A B C.’ ‘Yes’, replied another, ‘but your hearers are D E F.’

　
AN UNCORRUPTED MESSAGE TO THE HEARERS​

​

Paul did not ‘corrupt the Word’ but was sincere in his sermons. Yet, he was horribly criticized for his preaching. He preached as clearly as he could. He ignored the critics, concentrated on the overwhelming message of God.


II Corinthians 2:15-3:18

15. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them who are saved, and in them that perish.

16. To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17. For we are not as many, which corrupt the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God we speak Christ.

1. Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

2. Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.

3. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves; to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.

6. Who also hath made us able minsters of the new testament...

7. But if the ministration of death written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away;

8. How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious.

9. For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

12. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech.

13. And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.

14. But their minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.

15. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

16. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

17. Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18. But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.


People have long thought preaching is easy. They see six ushers carry baskets of money up to the front each Sunday and think preaching is a life of wealth and ease. They see a preacher preach one sermon a week, stand and speak for those few minutes, and think "How easy!"


Yet, the preacher will preach his/her best, and few learn! He is asked to pray for the sick, but few will clean up their lives so God can heal them.​

more to come　

 

[murjahel]

THE WEIGHT AND BURDEN OF THE PREACHER

The preacher of the gospel must be as:​

a lawyer to those with legal problems...
a social worker for those with relationship problems...
a philosopher for those with spiritual and intellectual questions...
an entertainer for the weak who need amusement to pay attention...
a salesman for those who are not sure if the Lord is worth the cost...
a scholar for those with desire for deeper knowledge...
one who spends hours a day in prayer and Bible study...
one who consoles the sorrowful...
one who admonishes the sinners...
one who is kind to those who scold him for inconsequential details...
one who preaches to those who were not too tired to come...

Paul preached and carried with the sermons a great weight and burden. The hardness of the hearts of hearers, and their continued sinfulness place great burden on the preacher. Consider that Paul wrote a sermon in I Corinthians to

Christians who were:
cliquish (1:10)
immoral (6:18)
immature (3:1)
doctrinally in error (15:12)
troubled in marriage (7:10)
abusers of spiritual gifts (14:23)
misusers of their liberty in Christ (8:11)

Jesus told Peter to "Feed My lambs!" (John 21:15). Feeding and tending a flock of sheep is not too difficult. The still waters, green pastures accompanied by some meek and quiet sheep hardly seem to be more than we could bear. Yet, many who preach, as did Peter, find that there are many goats and mules in the flock. The mules are stubborn, obstinate, impatient, obnoxious, and a test to any one's fortitude. The goats keep trying to take over the flock and lead them where they want to go. They refuse to be followers, as are the sheep.

Jesus is "not willing that any should perish" (II Peter 3:9) so a preacher keeps trying to inspire some mules to become sheep. The preacher must also keep trying to make wayward goats to follow the Lord, and not to lead sheep away.

Many in the flocks that a preacher may feed and tend are abusive to the those same preachers. They can be very offensive toward their families, spiteful toward their work.

C.M. Ward once said: "I never had a deacon that I could not use and love, once I knocked the devil out of him..."
　
BLIND HEARERS

The ministry is overwhelming, difficult, and awesome. We minister sometimes to people who are blinded, or veiled to the truth.

II Corinthians 3:14-17
14. But their minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.
15. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
16. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
17. Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

We preach to the ones blinded, as were the Pharisees of the times during the first visitation of the Lord Jesus. Even the disciples did not understand much of what the Lord spoke to them. They certainly were not prepared for His crucifixion. Jesus came and spoke to many who did not understand what He said.

The blindness affects the those who know the Word, or claim to know it. Though they may claim to be religious, that does not hinder their blindness. Like Jesus, we try to preach them the truth. Yet, the spiritually blind seek to harm the messenger. Look at Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah, etc. Some preachers have been killed by the hearers. The hearers imprisoned many spokesmen for the Lord. The hearers hate and attack, plot and scheme, lie and prevaricate against preachers who speak the truth.

 

[murjahel]

UNAPPRECIATIVE HEARERS


Preachers will not see many of their accomplishments. They may not see nine of the ten healed lepers return with a "thank you" as did Jesus. Often they preach hope to the troubled, despaired, and persecuted. Though they pray, encourage, and strengthen, the ones delivered fail to ever thank them. Many times when the same preacher is involved themselves in those same afflictions, but the one previously encouraged forgets to be there for the preacher.


The preacher:

tends the flock...

preaches spiritual guidance...

intercedes for those unworthy of blessings...

evangelizes to bring souls to Jesus for forgiveness...

teaches to make disciples...

speaks the message of God to an unbelieving people...


These awesome tasks are hard and overwhelming.

The preacher finds those heavy burdens to be the "savor of death" to some, and the "savor of life" to others. A preacher of the Lord will be unable to please everyone, and sometimes it seems that he/she does not please anyone but the Lord.


STIFFNECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS



Stephen grew angry at the ‘hearers’ who were so harsh and condemning. Of course, right after he said the following, he was gnashed on with their teeth, and then they stoned him to death.


Acts 7:51-53 (KJV)

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.


Therefore, some hearers cannot be pleased, even if the message is from God, and there is love in the heart of the preacher who speaks it.

　
HEARERS WITH A SPIRIT OF SLUMBER


Some have chosen to not hear the Lord and His message. They have rebelled so long that the Lord has given them over to a "spirit of slumber". This spirit is very prevalent in these last days. This demonic spirit of spiritual deafness had attacked and conquered many in the congregations today.


They have sat through many prophetic messages and not heard them. They have read the Bible, but not understood what the Spirit is saying. They have ignored the truth, and the Spirit of truth, so long, that He has left, grieved, and vexed. They have heard false and lying accusations against some of God's children, and not understood or accepted what the Lord was speaking. The Lord always defends His own, and if people tune in to hear the Holy Spirit, they will not be fooled by the lies, twisted truths, and perverted slanders of abusive saints, of lying false prophets, and of backslidden members.


Romans 11:8, 11

"According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this day. ...I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid, but rather through their full salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousy."


In the Old Testament period, the Israelites failed to hear the voice of God, spoken through Moses, and spoken through Joshua and Caleb. They were judged for such hardness of heart, such deafness of ears. They listened to Korah, and to sinners who wanted to return to Egypt. They became fat with the words of others.


ITCHING EARS HEARERS


When people refuse, neglect, or shun the truth, they need to accept something. These ones begin to listen to other teachings, perverse doctrines, and heresies. This desire to hear the inconsequential messages is what the Bible calls "itching ears". They refused "sound doctrine", and now are swallowed up into the darkness of false doctrines. "Itching ears" are those ears that are tired of the sound of truths and desire for something new, even if it is deceitful.


II Timothy 4:3

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears..."

All of these kinds of hearers make the job of being a preacher very hard.

more to come

 

[murjahel]

FAMINE OF HEARING



There are so many today who are in a spiritual darkness. They are blind to the truths being revealed by the Spirit today. Truths we find so evident in Scripture, many cannot perceive, remember, or comprehend... The darkness is getting greater and greater...


Amos spoke of a famine to come in the last days, when men would run to and fro about the earth seeking food and water and there would be none... and he spoke of spiritual food and water. Yet, Habakkuk spoke of the same time as being one in which "the knowledge of the Lord would cover the earth as the water cover the sea." Both are true, but the abundance of truth, the abundance of spiritual revelation is being not heard, not seen in our day by many who call themselves "saints".


Amos 8:11-13

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for later, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst..."


Habakkuk 2:14

"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."


Are you in the group that is hearing the Spirit and understanding the Lord??? Or are you in darkness, fooled by the devil, and blinded by the abundance of trash you have accepted??? It is time to evaluate ourselves, and time to understand why some that we know are so blind, deaf, and dumb to the truth.


HAVING EARS TO HEAR


In Revelation 2 and 3, we find that Jesus reveals that the Spirit is trying during this church age to speak to the churches. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. It is found 7 times, once for each of the seven churches, and one for each of the church ages. The Spirit is trying to speak but many do not hear Him, even when He has revealed clearly what He is saying. The Spirit speaks through the Written

Word and has it spoken by the preachers.


The saints in the early church sometimes would use an ear pick, a small tool used to clean ear wax and dirt from the outer ear canal. This was a religious symbol to them. In our day, we use a Q-tip to do a similar thing physically, but these early-rain revival saints did this to symbolize something spiritual.


We must, in this last days, open our ears, clean out the garbage poured into it - by the world, and - by the devil. We need an ear pick, a spiritual Q-tip, to eliminate the false, the perverted, and the sinful trash. The early church was aware of this, but in these last days, too many have forgotten the truth.


The Bible, God's Word, has tried to make it plain and evident how important it is to listen to the Lord, and to the preachers who preach that Word.

We need to keep our spiritual ears from being hindered by the trash of the devil. Preachers need to keep preaching even when there are no ears to hear.

 

[murjahel]

THE VULNERABILITY OF PREACHERS

PREACHERS WEEP AND LAMENT
​

​

Joel 1:13
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God..."

There is much weeping, sorrow, pain and misery in preaching. The minister can want to run and hide, quit and look for other things to do, or realize that the vulnerability of preaching is part of the job.

THE GREAT PRICE A PREACHER
PAYS TO PREACH​

​

Preachers who preach the unadulterated, simple gospel will pay a great price for such a ministry.

Let’s look at how Paul evaluated the vulnerability of the preacher’s life.


I Corinthians 4:9-13

"For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last,
as it were appointed to death:
for we are made a spectacle, unto the world,
and to angels, and to men.
We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ;
we are weak, but ye are strong;
ye are honorable, but we are despised.
Even unto this present hour,
we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked,
and are buffeted,
and have no certain dwellingplace;
and labor, working with our own hands;
being reviled, we bless;
being persecuted, we suffer it,
being defamed, we entreat:
we are made as the filth of the world,
and are the offscouring of all things unto this day..."


Paul says a preacher is made a "spectacle".
The Greek word indicates the idea of a Greek parade, which at the end of such a parade were brought criminals, bound and fettered to make them suffer public humiliation before the crowd. In the same way, the preachers of this gospel are often subjected by some in the congregation to humiliation for their simple cross-bearing presentation of the gospel.


Paul also says that preachers are "fools" for Christ.
The Greek word is "moros" which is the word from which we get "moron." A minister is often considered a moron by some in the congregation for the simple, cross-bearing gospel message.


A preacher is "weak", for it does take more energy to preach a half hour sermon, than it takes the average man to work an eight hour day.

Ministering the Word of God with authority, with conviction, and with zeal is demanding, and drains all the strength of the minister.


The preacher of the gospel is "despised."
There are many households where "roast preacher" is served for Sunday dinner. These people criticize the sermon, his haircut, his manner of delivery, his emphasis, and his not beating them to the door so he could shake their hand.


Paul also said preachers "hunger", "thirst", are "naked", are "buffeted", and have "no certain dwelling place."
This is because a minister is seldom overpaid. Their job is to preach for the Lord, but humans who are often carnal, often guilt ridden, and sometimes self seeking think they are controllers, bosses, and directors of the preachers. Only God truly has that job, but many attempt to rob God of the authority He owns. The preacher of the gospel speaks with the Almighty God, seeks His counsel and guidance. He is the under-shepherd of the flock that belongs to the Creator of the universe.


Preachers "labor".
This labor is too often a physical labor. The church congregations often think it is the minister's job to clean the church, fix the plumbing, change the light bulbs, and shovel the snow. Then they wonder why his spiritual being is weak and burdened.


Preachers "being reviled, we bless, ... persecuted, we suffer it..."
Paul is showing that the insulting abuse that preachers often receive, is usually taken without defense. The preachers usually continue to allows the lies, innuendos, insults, and abusive treatment of the gossips, critics, and tares of the church. They need to attend to preaching, and most often they do.


"Defamed, we entreat..."
and the preacher is thus rejected.
Often as ministers have tried to preach, they have had attacks, and still keep entreating the people.


The preachers are often treated as the "filth" and the "offscouring".
This "filth" refers to the sweepings of the house that one brushes out the door. Many a preacher has felt pushed away, in that same way. The "offscouring" is a word that referred to the scrapings from a pan of burnt on food, charred and worthless, they are scraped off and washed down the drain. The vulnerability of their work for God has allowed them to be hurt and shamed before the world.


There was a custom in Greece to incarcerate certain worthless criminals, who in time of plague, famine, etc. were thrown into the sea in the belief that they would "cleanse away" the guilt of the people.

In that same way, many a preacher has been shunned, hated, criticized, persecuted, expelled, and fired by some who want to blame him (or her) for the problems of the congregation.
Instead of searching their own judgmental, hypocritical, bitter hearts for the problem, it is easier to throw the true minister to the sea.


I Corinthians 4:1-2
"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards, that a man be found faithful."


Preaches are "ministers of Christ", not of man, nor of the church, nor of the board of deacons, nor of the denomination.
Jesus alone is their Lord.

The preachers of this and of every age are "stewards of the mysteries of God." They administrate the presentation of the whole truth of God. They show in the Word, how the Christian life should be lived. They have a grave responsibility to not add to, nor to take away from its message.

They must faithfully preach it, not dilute it.
They must preach it even when some will try to embarrass them for it. When others will want to contend with them, and hope the minister will change the message to avoid the confrontation, they must forcefully hold fast to the truth of the Word of God. This is their burden of responsibility given them by God.


I Corinthians 4:3-4
"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment; yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judges me is the Lord."​

 

[murjahel]

HIDING FROM THE HURTS


One day, God came to the garden, and called out: Adam, where are you? (Genesis 3:8) Adam and Eve were making fig leaves, to cover themselves, and still, with those, they had a desire to hide from God. So, man’s existence on this planet, began early with a hiding from God.


In Revelation 6:16, we see some cry out: "said to the mountains, Rocks, fall on us, and hide us from...’ So, in the end days, we find mankind is still often looking for a hiding place.


Criminals hide from the authorities. Escaped convicts hide, change appearance to not be recognized. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid had a hideout called the ‘hole in the wall’.

The persecuted hide. The Jewish people in Germany, during WWII, hid from Hitler’s death squads. The ones that are taunted and hurt by the school bully, will oft try to hide.

Teens want locks on their bedroom doors. Adults pull the blinds to hide from neighbors. Trees are planted to block the view, fences are put up to keep others from walking near to see. ‘


Preachers often try to hide. They surround themselves by walls, hide behind the pulpit, preach scary messages to try to scare the trouble-makers, and make rules to keep any who might be a troubler from getting into the church. Yet, the job, as shown by Paul, is fraught with trouble, if one simply does what he/she is supposed to be doing. Preachers can try to hide from those who make trouble, but in so doing, they are not able to do their job for the Lord. The preaching ministry requires one speaks God’s messages to those who then try to crucify (figuratively) the one speaking the words of Jesus. Preachers cannot hide from God.


Jeremiah 23:24
‘CAN ANY HIDE HIMSELF IN SECRET PLACES THAT I SHALL NOT SEE HIM? SAITH THE LORD.’


Moses


Moses hid in the desert. God called him, and he tried to lead the people out, but it ended in the murder of an Egyptian, and the people were too fearful to plan an exodus. Many like Moses, meet troubles along the way of doing God’s will, and decide to hide. The people are rebellious that we are sent to lead, the leaders of the area are anxious to eliminate us, and so, many in the army of prophets are hiding.


Saul


Saul hid in the baggage. He was afraid of a call to lead. Pew sitters in churches, hide behind tall hats, or find someone of good size to hide behind. Saul did not want the responsibility of the calling. Some preachers do not want the responsibility of the calling. God gave Saul a chance, he failed miserably.


Elijah


Elijah hid beneath a juniper tree. He felt discouraged, alone, feared being killed by Jezebel, and was weary and tired. God knows when we are physically and mentally drained. He is merciful in those times. God sent an angel to Elijah, provided food, and had Elijah rest. then Elijah was sent to a cave, and there he heard the ‘still small voice’ of God. Elijah, despite his inclination to hide and pout then, was still chosen to return to finish his ministry during the tribulation.


Jonah


Jonah hid in a ship. God had called him to go to Nineveh. Jonah hated the Ninevehites, and only wanted to see them judged. Often, God calls some to take a message of love, forgiveness, mercy, etc. Sometimes the unloving do not want to preach love. They have been vulnerable for so long, they reject preaching love for those who have hurt them and their loved ones. The unforgiving do not want to offer forgiveness from God. The unmerciful do not want to offer mercy. God will still call and commission, even knowing the reluctance of those called. He wants to teach, to encourage us to His love, mercy and forgiveness.


John Mark

John Mark went home to his mother. He was immature, and the hardships and trials of ministry intimidated him. He wanted to hide near to his mother’s care. This world can be intimidating, especially to a preacher. God sent Barnabas, the son of consolation, to help and encourage John Mark. Sometimes, preachers today need a strong, and forgiving person, to help them with the intimidation of the world against the young saints.


Peter

Peter hid by the fire, ‘afar’ off from the trials and beatings of Jesus. He was fearful of ridicule, and of the same fate that Jesus was suffering to come upon him. Many try to blend in with the devil’s crowd today also. Some can say a few curse words, tell a dirty joke or two, and no one will suspect that they are religious. The crowd will be more comfortable, if they think one is as hell bound as are they. The Lord forgave Peter. He ceased from his hiding ways, and began to stand up for Jesus, even if it meant prison and crucifixion.


Disciples after the crucifixion

The disciples hid in a room, the doors and windows being locked, afraid of suffering the same death as did Jesus. The hatred of the world can be so intense upon preachers, that they will seek to hide from it. The disciples locked the door, locked the windows, and still Jesus paid them a visit. The fear and hiding were unnecessary, but they let their rebellion against the truths that Jesus had told them about the reality of the crucifixion, to blind their hearts from faith. They thought denial of the facts that we suffer if we are Christian from attacks from the devil would save them. It did not, so then they hid.


All but one of the disciples were martyred. Even that one, John, suffered, for he was put in boiling oil, and did not die, and he was exiled to Patmos, a prison island, and still survived. So, the wrath of the devil and the world can come upon preachers.


Demas


Demas hid in the pleasures of the world. Those pleasures, or lack of attacks from the devil, may seem to be good, for a time. But to forsake the call of God, to forsake the enlistment in the army of prophets, is going to take one to misery. The guilt of leaving Paul, was taken upon himself, to avoid the pain and turmoil of suffering along with Paul. He tried to hide from the guilt by enjoying pleasures of the world


NON HIDERS


Anna and Simeon did not hide. They were at the temple daily watching and waiting for revelation, so that they could see the Christ when He would be brought to the Temple for dedication.


John the Baptist did not hide. He gathered a crowd wherever he was, and preached repentance, and mentioned by name the sins that needed repentance, even the sins of Herod. It cost him his head, but it gained him the title of the ‘greatest’ of all the Old Testament prophets.


If some would quit hiding, and begin searching for God, they would find Him, and all the power and answers that they need.

They may be afraid to preach truth, to offend those who may then seek to hurt them, but if they do, the Lord will do miracles to save them, or welcome them to heaven. How bad is that?


Jeremiah 29:13
"Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.’


If some preachers do not quit hiding, they will suffer the consequences of the desiring to hide. They will miss victories they could have had. Jonah would have missed being the preacher to the biggest revival of the Old Testament period.

 

[murjahel]

THE VULNERABILITY BRINGS MIRACLES, IF ACCEPTED
​

The disciples observed a great miracle of the Lord. Then they put themselves into a boat, and soon when far from shore, a great earthquake and a horrible storm hit at the same time. Similar scary events can befall preachers, and the desire to hide seems all so normal. Jesus takes them to a new level of faith, calms the storm, ends the earthquake. These events gave them more faith, that they would shortly need for the sermon on the bread of life. They needed more faith, and the trial that could have made them just cover their head and give up, ended up building their faith. In the sermon on the bread of life the next day, they were the only ones who had faith to understand it, and stay with Jesus. All others ceased following Jesus.

That ‘storm and earthquake’ had a purpose. Things happen that seem horrible, but if we turn to Jesus, let Him deliver, we will find our faith grows to the level we will soon need it to be.


Elijah faced hundreds of false prophets upon Mt. Carmel. This was a dangerous place, and Elijah’s life depended on God doing something he had never seen done before. All the other preachers of that day were hiding in caves. Elijah stayed there bravely. Soon Elijah would be under a juniper tree, fearing for his life, due to the death sentence on him from Jezebel. It still took a bit more help from God Who sent an angel to recommend rest and food to the weary prophet. Yet, the events that seemed so horrible, like the events on Mt. Carmel, built Elijah’s faith, and he survived all the later trials.


God allowed Joseph to be thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, be lied about by his master’s wife, sit in a prison with criminals, so that later, he could rise power, and be ready to save his own people from starvation in a time of long famine.

Sometimes the hard things in life, that might make us to want to hide, are really times of preparation for the great miracles of God to come.


Job was called the ‘greatest’ by God. God bragged on him to the devil. Then the devil was allowed to strip from Job, his wealth, family, friends, possessions, and health. Suddenly, he was in a place where it would have been normal to want to hide. But Job stood firm, refused to ‘curse God and die’. He stood strong in faith, and God delivered him.


John the Baptist was given revelation about Who the Lamb of God, and His arrival. He had a great number of disciples. The crowds were huge, and many were repenting and being baptized. Then he was suddenly arrested, imprisoned, and was to face the ‘beheader’. Why? He had fulfilled his mission, and had become the ‘greatest of all’ the Old Testament prophets. His honor for eternity is great, due to these trials he had faced.


Paul had revival or riot in his ministry. He started many churches. Yet, he was beaten many times, stoned once, imprisoned often. Finally, he was beheaded. Yet, during all that time, he had visions or visits to paradise, revelations from the Lord aplenty. The troubles of his life, were faced with contentment, and he rejoiced in these troubles, for he saw the great blessings that came with them.


John the beloved disciple walked with Jesus three years. He was prominent in the group of disciples. He pastored in Ephesus. Yet, he was also arrested, put into boiling oil, and lived, to face the exile to a lonely island with only the worst of criminals there. He received a great revelation there, and wrote down what he was shown, and thrills all saints now with the revelation of coming events and the glories of heaven.


So, the preachers are going to suffer things that will make them want to hide, and it would be easy to hide. But, if they stand firm, fight the enemy in faith, they will find miracles and be overcomers for the Lord.


Why do preachers face trials, persecutions, mockings, and battles? Those things come so we can be overcomers. We are told that ‘all things work together for good to them that are called of God and working according to His will...’


The messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3 says ‘to him that overcometh will...’ God has ‘will’ for each overcomer. The overcomer will receive great blessings for their stedfast faith, for their willingness to not hide. If there were no mountains, not barriers, no burdens, no trials, no persecution, not battles, there would be nothing to overcome.


God gave preachers armor, not tuxedos and wedding dresses. God gave a sword, not a lazy boy chair. God gave a shield, not a ping pong paddle. God said preachers would be hated, not loved. God said ‘many are the afflictions’ not many are the carnal rewards.


Paul and Silas sang in the dungeon.
Job said ‘though He slay me, yet will I trust Him...’
Peter said to Jesus ‘bid me come’ when the Lord was walking on the water.
Elijah heard the still small voice,
Joseph was made second to pharaoh in Egypt.
Why?
They were not hiders, they were overcomers.​

 

[murjahel]

RECOGNIZE YOUR VULNERABILITY



God is calling for a time of accepting the vulnerability. We need to speak God's message. Sometimes the message that 'calling God a liar' is 'blasphemy' is not popular. Some will defend those who do speak blasphemy, some speak it themselves. The preaching of messages like that will spur anger from some. That anger may make them speak harsh words to and about the preachers of the Word.

This hurts preachers. They do not choose to preach the Word of God to be denigrated by others. They came to win souls, but the evils of the day can turn on the preacher.

For this reason, the Lord knows that preachers in these last days will be weeping. They will spend much time in prayer, with weeping for lost souls. They will feel the pain of rejections, of attacks, of hate from those to whom they preach.


Joel 1:13
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God..."


Joel 2:12,13,15
"Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil... Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly..."


Joel 2:17
"Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"


Some may question, 'Why weep and lament?' Joel answered this question in his book. Sometimes we don't understand our God, and His ways. There are many other reactions one could have rather than weeping, but none work. Weeping does have the result God wants. We should heed God's advice that during the last days there is supposed to go out a call for the people to weep and lament.


Joel 1:9
"The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord: the priests and the ministers mourn..."


When the meat offering and drink offering, representing the joy and gladness of believers toward the Lord is cut off, the preachers mourn, and weep. Joy is absent from many of the congregations of preachers. The lives of many are filled with bickering, gossiping, jealousies, self seeking. Preachers will weep for the false doctrines that have robbed the blessings from the church.


Joel 1:10-11
"The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen: Howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished."


Joel 1:17-20
"The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered. How do the beasts groan! The herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of the sheep are made desolate. O Lord, to thee will I cry; for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. The beast of the field cry also unto Thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness."


Preachers weep for the sins of those to whom they preach. The Lord wanted us to bring forth a great harvest for Him. He wanted the same thing of Israel, but finally cut them off the vine because they yielded no harvest.

The church of today is offering little of a harvest to God. Many congregations are void of truth, false doctrines pervade many buildings called "churches." Churches argue, split, prevaricate about each other, gossip, criticize, etc. The rapture of the church is near, and they live as though the church is little more than a social club. Some altars are not tear-stained... some buildings have forgotten to put the altars within the church.

The hunger for souls, the idea of crying before the Lord, the desire to learn the prophetic truths revealed by a God Who wants us to know the signs and the times, is not found in many, too many, church buildings. For this preachers should WEEP!



Joel 1:15
"Alas, for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come."


Joel 2:1
"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand."


Surely, the preachers of today need to "tremble" for the day of the Lord is very near, and the church and the world are still unprepared. The weakness and sorrow one feels for this unprepared church and world is hard to bear. We are vulnerable to sorrow, and wish we could run from the work of the Lord. Preachers will sense this urgency. They must proclaim a message of urgency to the world.


Joel 2:17
"Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"


The preachers need to weep because of the terrible reproach upon us as Christians. When many invite someone to their church, the common response is ... 'NO! there are too many hypocrites there!' The problem is, they are right! There are a great many hypocrites, spiritual abusers, liars, perverts, false prophets, etc within many congregations.


Joel 2:21
"... for the Lord will do great things."


Joel 2:24-26
"... the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore unto you all the years that the locusts have eaten...ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord you God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed..."

The preachers of the Word need not be 'ashamed', for it is the Lord's Word that they preach. It is God's Word that makes some angry at them. God does not let us be ashamed of His message.


God wants to restore, to give a double portion of revival, to give a great harvest to the church of the last days, to take away our shame and reproach, to pour out the Spirit in a wondrous way, to show signs and wonders, and to give deliverance to His people.

He awaits preachers to obey His command found in the book of Joel, to WEEP... to WEEP... to WEEP. The restoration will come for those who heed this command to WEEP.

 

[murjahel]

GOD HAS MANY PROMISES
TO THE VULNERABLE PREACHER



Isaiah 41:10-16 (KJV)
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.


11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.


FEAR is tormenting and crippling to the preacher who feels the fear due to the sins of others toward them for their message.

God assures us of hope when the preacher feels ABANDONED.

God promises His presence:

"Do not fear, for I am with you" (vs. 10)
"Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God." (vs. 10)


When the preacher feels HELPLESS, God promises His strength:

"I will strengthen you." (vs. 10)
"I will uphold you." (vs. 13)
"I will help you." (vs. 10, 13, 14)




When the preacher feels VULNERABLE, God promises you His protection:
"Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; those who contend with you will be as nothing, and will perish. You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent." (vs. 11, 12)
When preachers feel ILL-EQUIPPED – God promises to make you into His powerful instrument:
"Behold, I have made you a new sharp threshing sledge with double edges: You will thresh the mountains, and pulverize them, and will make the hills like chaff. You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the storm will scatter them… " (vs. 15, 16a)
Instead of being stymied by fear, anxiety, helplessness, abandonment, and being without help, instead, you will:
"Rejoice in the Lord" and (vs. 16)
"Glory in the Holy One" (vs. 16)

The vulnerable preacher can try to hide in a cave, can deny many of the words he is sent to preach, can build walls between himself/herself and the attackers, but he will not have the peace, truly wanted.


"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you… let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27)


Yes, preachers are vulnerable. Preachers can be hurt, injured deeply. The weeping can be for self, in self pity, or for God and for His work. The latter weeping will lead the preacher to speak more forcefully the message of God. Some will say ‘ouch’, and others will cry ‘foul’ and attack. But the peace of God comes on those who weep for God’s work.

 

[murjahel]

THE PREACHING OF JESUS
​

Jesus’ first sermon was in a synagogue. He took a text from Isaiah 61, and preached on several verses. That was a textural sermon.
Jesus preached on hillsides, from a boat, sitting at a dinner table with publicans, walking through a marketplace, from a garden, at a tomb site, hanging from a cross.
Jesus was not limited to standing behind a pulpit, not limited to a congregation of more than 500, and not concerned with formal style and eloquence of wording.


Jesus loved to preach, and taught whether it was two or three, or thousands.


His sermons are memorable, were often accompanied with signs, wonders, and miracles. Sinners challenged His Words, some slept through His messages, but His sermons should be studied, and with them, we should gain understanding of how to preach a great message.
​

​

The preaching of Jesus sometimes resulted from major events.
​

​

a. The departure of John’s disciples.

Matthew 11:1-9 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
..
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

Jesus used the events of the day to have the ears of the hearers, and He spoke pertinent exhortation with the current events as the interest point of the sermon.

　
b. The encounter with the rich young ruler.
　

Matthew 19:16-30 (KJV)
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.


Many are interested in riches. Jesus has a rich man come to Him, and with this event, many were standing there to see what Jesus felt about riches, what He would say to this rich man.
The teachings in this sermon are still not accepted by many in our day, but Jesus took this event, and preached a sermon for the ages.



c. The last supper.


Matthew 26:17-21 (KJV)
17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you,...


The passover supper was being observed early by Jesus, for the three day passover would be observed by Jesus in the heart of the earth, in paradise, after His crucifixion.
The disciples were ‘all ears’ so to speak, wondering on the timing, and the significance of this special dinner with the Lord.
Sitting in this upper room, eating a special dinner, and the Lord speaks to them a sermon they would never forget.
Many a sermon is preached at restaurant or dinner tables.
​

​

Sometimes, Jesus’ preaching were answers to direct accusations by His enemies.
​

​

a. Pharisees accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath law.

Matthew 12:1-8 (KJV)
1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.


Jesus taught that the Sabbath laws were to teach a pictorial message, and He is that message.
He showed that the details of the sabbath laws were not to hurt man, but to bring them true rest in Jesus.
They may try to accuse Him and the disciples of breaking a law, whereas they were only fulfilling that law.


b. Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub.


Matthew 12:22-37
Matthew 12:22-28 (KJV)
22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.


Many a preacher has been accused by some who want to denigrate the sermons.
Jesus preached a sermon as the answer.
They probably hoped the accusation would make Jesus hide in fear, or make the hearers of His sermons cease following Him.
Yet, Jesus took the accusations as reasons to preach another sermon.
We should learn from Him.​

 

[murjahel]

Some of Jesus’ sermons were in response to questions.




a. What about fasting?


Matthew 9:14 (KJV)
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?


b. What about ceremonial washing?


Matthew 15:1-2 (KJV)
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.


c. What about paying taxes to Caesar?


Matthew 22:15-19 (KJV)
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.


d. What is the greatest commandment?


Matthew 22:34-40 (KJV)
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.


e. When will these things happen?


Matthew 24:1-4 (KJV)
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them,...


Preachers will always by given more questions than they think they can answer. The answers, as Jesus shows, should be made into sermons of the gospel truths. These questions that He was asked, are now in sermon answers, for all who would ask the same questions today.

 

[murjahel]

Some of Jesus’ sermons were:​

​

​

​

1. Wisdom sayings​

Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-10

Ask, seek, knock Matthew 7:7

Golden rule Matthew 7:12


2. Antithesis (attacks a position taking a different point of view)

"Ye have heard it said, ... but I say unto you...’
Matthew 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43
indirect antithesis
Matthew 6:2, 5, 16, 19
Matthew 6:1-4 (KJV)

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.


3. Debate


In the sermon we call the ‘Bread of life’, some took issue, and Jesus preached a debate sermon to them.


John 6:24-27 (KJV)
24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

　
His identity (Some debated Jesus on Who He was)


John 7:14-44,
John 7:15-17 (KJV)
15 And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.


John 8:12-59
John 8:13-16 (KJV)
13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

　

4. Figures of speech


a. metaphor and simile

In Matthew 9:36, Jesus spoke of sheep without a Shepherd.

In Matthew 9:37, the sermon of Jesus was on the harvest that is plenteous, but the workers are few.

Then in Matthew 10:6, Jesus warned that He was sending His disciples as sheep among wolves.

And in Matthew 23:27, Jesus referred to the pharisees as whitewashed tombs, looking pure on the outside, but inside full of death.


b. paradox


Matthew 16:25 shows Jesus preached that whoever wants to save his life shall lose it.

Matthew 20:26 shows that Jesus preached whoever wants to be great must be your servant.


c. hyperbole


Matthew 7:3 Tells if a speck of dust... versus a plank in your eye.

Matthew 19:24 says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.


d. Parables


Parables are extended similes. They illustrate truth, and make it clear by comparison with something that is familiar. They instruct without causing offense. The parables create interest and hunger for more information. Jesus used parables to reveal new truths. Jesus was quite plain in explaining His reason for using parables.


Matthew 13:10-17, 34-35

"AND THE DISCIPLES CAME, AND SAID UNTO HIM, 'WHY SPEAKEST THOU UNTO THEM IN PARABLES?' HE ANSWERED UNTO THEM, 'BECAUSE IT IS GIVEN UNTO YOU TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT TO THEM IT IS NOT GIVEN... THEREFORE I SPEAK UNTO THEM IN PARABLES, BECAUSE THEY SEE NOT... FOR THIS PEOPLE'S HEART IS WAXED GROSS, AND THEIR EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED... BUT BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES, FOR THEY SEE, AND YOUR EARS, FOR THEY HEAR. FOR VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT MANY PROPHETS AND RIGHTEOUS MEN HAVE DESIRED TO SEE THOSE THINGS WHICH YOU SEE, AND HAVE NOT SEEN THEM, AND TO HEAR THOSE THINGS WHICH YOU HEAR, AND HAVE NOT HEARD THEM. ..ALL THESE THINGS SPAKE JESUS UNTO THE MULTITUDE IN PARABLES; AND WITHOUT A PARABLE SPAKE HE NOT WITH THEM; THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET, SAYING, I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN KEPT SECRET FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.'"


Thus, a parable is told to reveal "MYSTERIES" (vs. 11). A mystery is a previously hidden or non-understood truth. In the revelation of God to mankind, there are many mysteries that the finite mind of mankind has had much difficulty in understanding. A parable can illustrate truth in a pictorial manner. Many, in that time, and even still now, do not want to understand certain truths. As Jesus describes, they have closed eyes, and ears. Their minds are "WAXED GROSS" (vs. 15). This means their minds are over-full of other things, and unable to bear the truth. Jesus said plainly that He was teaching in these parables a truth that had been "KEPT SECRET" (vs. 35).​

 

[murjahel]

Content of Jesus’ sermons​

​

​

​

1. About God
​

Jesus preached that God is the Creator.


Mark 10:6 (KJV)
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.


Mark 13:19-20 (KJV)
19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
　

Jesus presented God to be our Father.


Matthew 11:25-27 (KJV)
25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Jesus preached that God is King.


Matthew 6:10 (KJV)
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.


2. About the kingdom, present and future


Luke 10:18 (KJV)
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.


Luke 11:19-22 (KJV)
19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.


3. About Himself


Jesus preached sermons telling us much about Himself. He said ‘I am the Way, the Truth, the Life..." He taught us that ‘I am the Good Shepherd...’

He explained His work as a suffering Servant. Jesus told of His mission to die and be resurrected, to go away, and there in heaven to intercede, finally about His return.


4. About the Holy Spirit


The Holy Spirit was to come and do the comforting work that Jesus had been doing. Yet, He would be able to do it for all disciples in the world, and do the convicting of all sin in this world. Jesus preached much about this One to come.


Luke 11:13 (KJV)
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?


John 16:7-8 (KJV)
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:


5. About ethical living


Jesus preached sermons on prayer, stewardship, marriage/divorce, loving one’s neighbor, loving God supremely, persecution, hypocrisy. These and other ethical issues were often the subjects of Jesus’ topical sermons.​

 

[murjahel]

Jesus preached and commissioned His disciples of that age, and of all ages to preach.​

The aim of preaching is to sow a seed, let it take root if it can, do all to make it grow. Matthew 13 is a famous sermon of Jesus, in which He shows us the aim of sermons, to sow seed.

We call this sermon the "Parable of the Sower". Great multitudes have heard sermon after sermon on this great parable. Jesus used it as His opening illustration of why the world did not understand the truth that He was about to teach the disciples with the next parable. The Parable of the Tares, is the main theme of this chapter. It has been much ignored.

Jesus showed with the Parable of the Sower, why many do not receive truth, and especially the teaching of the parable of the tares. The Parable of the Sower shows reasons for the rejection of truthful sermons.


Some truth falls by the
WAYSIDE (vs. 4). These are places that are unprepared for seed. The wayside is trodden down. This is like the hardhearted, unprepared people who may be at the preaching time, but are so trodden down of other things in life, that their mind is too distracted to concentrate on what the speaker is preaching. They do not understand, and sometimes cannot even tell someone what the subject was, let alone understand the subject. Satan is active in this group, for he will send many events to these lives knowing they are easily distracted. These will remain unaware of the truth, even when exhorted. The ministry of exhortation barely touches these people.


The second group are like the "
STONY PLACES." There is earth where rocks keep seed from being able to take root. These people receive the preaching with joy. They even may tell the preacher that the message is "great." Yet, the roots of the sermon cannot go deep into them. As soon as temptation comes, the truth gets pushed aside. The "rocks" that cause this condition are many. Disobedience, refusal to yield, deception of sin, anger, variances, rationalization, etc. enter into lives and make it hard to hold fast to truth. The ministry of exhortation will be accepted momentarily, but they are unable to continue in the faith as it is taught.


A third group is likened to soil "
AMONG THORNS." This soil is good, but other things growing therein hinder the seed. Those that are like this, have two crops striving for mastery. Cares, riches, pleasures, etc. are the thorns that choke out the truth before it can yield a harvest. These people may listen, and approve. Yet, the truth cannot grow much amidst the thorns. So there is no fruit to the preaching.


A fourth group exists, fortunately.
These are like the seed, the preaching, that falls into "
GOOD GROUND." This is soil that is plowed, furrowed, void of rocks and thorns, and is ready and waiting for the seed. People who are like this are a pleasure to any Bible teacher, or pastor. They listen, question, test the preaching. When they are satisfied that this is good seed, they let it grow and produce a great harvest. These listeners love God's Word. They place the Bible as the final authority in any question.


Truthful preaching needs this kind of hearer. Jesus indicated that the disciples were these kind of people. So to them, while they were alone from the rest of the crowd, He explained the parables.


The Parable of the Sower thus explains why many will not, or cannot receive the truth that Jesus is about to teach. In too many churches, a pastor has to spend so much time getting people to become like the good soil, that he doesn't have much time to get to the rest of the truths that require good soil to teach.



Therefore, the preaching of Jesus showed us in illustration, that many kinds of seeds need sown in the preaching. The soil will determine if the seed takes root. The preacher cannot bear responsibility for the lack of growth, if the seed falls on hard, stony, or trodden down ground. The preacher must sow seed.

The hard ground, the stony ground, the weedy ground makes it nearly impossible to bear growth for the seed. We find this in our preaching. We notice it everyday. Some are too hard, to distracted, to trodden down with others walking on them... they bear no fruit to the good seed. Jesus identified this as the problem for 'sowers of the seed', i.e. for the preachers.

 

[murjahel]

The Nicolaitan Heresy​

In the early church, a group began to teach that there was a higher order than Jesus. This authority was offered by these heretics to those known as Melchisedeceans. They taught that Jesus came in the authority of Melchisedec, and that they too were in the power of Melchisedec. The establisher of this doctrine was Theodotus, a banker by trade. This made the Christians of the day to see two levels of Christians, one in that Melchisedec image, and the others (laity).


This became one group of the gnostics, of which there were many groups. Simon magus started the gnosis ideas, and he claimed to be greater than Jesus, and that the spirit in him was the same spirit in Jesus, who he said departed before Jesus’ crucifixion. The Melchisedec heresy was another branch of this gnostic heresy.


Nicolaus was one of the seven chosen) to be deacons by the apostles. Later, Nicolaus departed from true doctrine, and began to add doctrines, not in the Bible, but justified by their claim to Melchisedecean status. They taught that it was not sinful for them, the Melchisedeceans to eat food offered to idols, not wrong for them to commit adultery, for they were a higher class of Christian than were


Ireneas confirmed that this one was ‘Nicolas’ of the seven deacons.


Ireneas said:
The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practise adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Wherefore the Word has also spoken of them thus: "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate."


Tertullian also confirmed the identity of the founder of the Nicolaitan heresy.

He said:
"...Nicolaus. He was one of the seven deacons who were appointed in the Acts of the Apostles."


Jesus in Rev. 2:6,15, that he "hated" the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. The group of heretics in the early church along with other doctrinal errors promoted a clerical hierarchy in the church.


Revelation 2:6 (KJV)
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.


Revelation 2:15 (KJV)
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.


To the church at Ephesus, and to the church of Pergamos, Jesus warns of the Nicolaitan doctrine. The word ‘Nicolaitan’ is from its founder Nicolaus, but it has a meaning also, it comes from the Greek word ‘nicao’ meaning ‘to conquer’ and from ‘laos’ meaning ‘the people’. The idea was that there were some people that were only the ‘laity’ and others were of a higher order of ‘clergy’ who were their ‘lords’, controllers, bosses.

These nicolaitan heretics were power-hungry, controlling, intimidating leaders of some churches.


Paul spoke of ‘wolves’ in Ephesus, and those are likely the same with the ‘doctrine of the nicolaitans’ that Revelation 2 spoke concerning.
　

Acts 20:28-31 (KJV)
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
　

Jesus forewarned of some with a ‘wolf’ nature in the church to come.


Matthew 7:15 (KJV)
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.


The nature of a ‘wolf’ is to encircle a victim. The church is to have some who are within the ranks of the church, but have a wolf-like nature. They were predicted in Jesus’ first coming, announced in Paul’s ministry, and already evident when Jesus dictated the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation. The abuse of many who think they are the ‘wolves’ and the rest of the people are ‘sheep’, of lower status and of lower authority.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (KJV)
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.


The Nicolaitans were dominating leaders of churches. To ‘dominate’ means to be over someone, to have dominion, lordship, rulership over others. Parents have dominion over their children, but pastors, prophets, apostles, etc are not to have dominion over other Christians. They are to be ‘examples’ and teachers, proclaimers of the Word. Yet, their words, their examples are to be tested by each person. If they are found un-Scriptural, or not to be from the Lord, the dominion is to be rejected.

Every teacher tries to get the students to grow, be challenged, and make wise decisions from the information gained. A true servant of the Lord seeks to preach the Word, encourage reference to God, so that they can make the right decision.


1 Peter 5:1-4 (KJV)
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

 

[murjahel]

The Word of God is to be preached. The unadulterated Word is still God’s message to the world. It needs preaching, but God needs no help in being "Lord". He is well able to speak to all of His own. He died on the cross so a priesthood would not be needed. He opened the veil that shut all out but the High Priest. The need of ‘super apostles’ to tell us what God wants us to hear, or to take messages from us to God, is no longer needed, nor is it permitted. God wants direct contact with us, and wants to be our only Lord.

Some want to be ‘lords’ over others. And the blame is not all theirs, for some look for humans to take the role of Jesus to us.

There are over dominating leaders, and submissive to man congregations. They are both wrong. Weak followers will follow religious overlords, thinking this is the eay way to know God.

They always have a scape-goat if they err, if they stumble. They can claim they were following those imperfect ones. Their gullibility of thinking some fallible human can lead them better than Jesus is not excusable by Scripture.

1 Corinthians 3:1-11 (KJV)
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.



We are all ‘God’s husbandry’, and we are all ‘laborers’. Jesus is the foundation, and no one else can lay a foundation for us. We build, each of us, on the foundation of Jesus.

Some of the nicolaitan leaders offer an emotional snow-job.

They proclaim themselves called to lead, to be your source of information from God. They belittle and remind of past failures to infer that others are not as able as are they to hear what God wants us to know.

Do not let the insults of others intimidate. The accusations are reflective of the devil’s work. The devil even denigrated Job, whom God called ‘perfect’. None of us have ever been, nor will we ever be, perfect. But, if forgiven, we are perfect in God’s eyes. Since Jesus paid the price for us, we can come ‘boldly to the throne of grace.’ The disguised accusations against other Christians for their human weaknesses are the way nicolaitans have gained allowance for their lordship rule.

We have the right to be angered at their ‘grace’ reducing accusations against us, but it is better to ‘defer anger’ and it is ‘glory’ to us to ‘pass over’ that transgression.

Proverbs 19:11 (KJV)
11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Thomas A'Kempis said: "
Many things must thou pass by with a deaf ear,
And think rather of the things that are for thy peace.
It is more profitable to turn away thine eyes from such things as displease thee, than to be a slave to contention."
​

 

[murjahel]

There are sometimes, that for the sake of others who are being led astray by the nicolaitans, one must expose their error.


John 3:20-21 (KJV)
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.


2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (KJV)
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.


Luke 4:8 (KJV)
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.


We need to be firm in resisting. If we are not firm, the attacks of these nicolaitan heretics will continue, and possibly lead others away into their doctrine.


These nicolaitans will distract and confuse issues. They are not direct and forthright. They use decoys, side-issues, to get some to allow their ‘rulership’. They will call it many other names, but it is still the un-Scriptural theft of the Lordship our Jesus deserves.


1 Peter 5:8-9 (KJV)
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.


These nicolaitan leaders attempt to get a stanglehold on members of their organization, and that is almost cult-like. They will use some Scripture to try to validate their superior attitude over others.


1 Corinthians 14:31-34 (KJV)
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.


This means that the prophets giving prophetic words to a congregation are still in control of what they do, and cannot blame extremes on being out of control. It does not mean that prophets can have others ‘subject’ to them.


Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:


Some use that passage to say that because ‘apostles’ are first in that list, they are the top in authority over the others. They seek slavery of others to them due to the misinterpretation of that passage.


Rather, each of us need to look to Jesus as our Lord, the Spirit as our Teacher.


Galatians 1:10-12 (KJV)
10 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.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul was concerned that some may be led astray by following men rather than Jesus Himself.


2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (KJV)
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.


There are false apostles that will try to do that.

2 Corinthians 11:13 (KJV)
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.