the Charismatic / Pentecostal preacher

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murjahel

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THE PREACHERS’ BEAUTIFUL FEET


WHAT ARE ‘BEAUTIFUL FEET’?​



Romans 10:15
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
who bring glad tidings of good things.



Preachers have ‘beautiful feet’. That is a strange statement. I read, re-read, and studied it, and tried to figure out what it meant. My feet are not so pretty. I have seen many feet in my life, and have not found a ‘pretty’ set yet. So, what is the Scripture saying?

The calling of ‘preacher’ elevates one to a spiritual state of having beautiful feet, at least in some spiritual way. One that comes with ‘good news’ was welcomed in those days. Messages did not arrive on one’s smart phone, their computer, their mail box, etc... No, messages were sent by foot, to run to the recipient, perhaps miles away. To watch a runner coming, to anticipate their soon arrival, to see that lonely, tired, runner coming from the valley, up to the mountainous home, was a pleasant sight, if the news were good. The foot washing sign of welcome that was done, made the recipient of the message to see the tired, aching, blistered, and dirty feet of the messenger. While he was washing those feet, his thoughts were ‘how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news of peace.’

In our age, we don’t see the tired achy feet of the preachers. The pulpit hides their feet from us. Shoes cover better than sandals of old. The pulpit holds up the tired minister that spent hours with the Lord, and with His Written Word, getting this gospel of peace that he is delivering in his sermon. His spiritual feet are still beautiful.

Romans 10:15 starts with ‘how shall they preach except them be sent?’ The word for ‘preach’ there is “kerusso”, meaning ‘to herald as a public crier’, to proclaim divine truth.’ This is the ministry of one called to preach.



The spiritual feet of such a ‘preacher’ are ‘beautiful.’ The word for ‘beautiful is the Greek word ‘horaios. This means ‘timely, flourishing, beautiful.” Because the message of preachers is timely, and God’s Word brings ‘life’ to make it flourishing, it is a beautiful message.

The words ‘those that preach the gospel’ is actually one Greek word, the word ‘euaggelizo.’ We get from it, the word ‘evangelize’. It means to preach, proclaim, declare glad news’.


The news in a sermon is ‘peace’. Peace is the Greek word ‘eirene’ meaning quietness, rest, set as stable again.’

The result of the message of preachers is always to be ‘peace’.

Jesus said ‘peace’ to the storm on the sea, and the waves calmed, the wind stopped, the boat made it to shore. His goal with us is the same. The waves of life, the winds of changing and threatening events, are meant to be made to ‘peace’ by the sermons of preachers.


Romans also said it is to bring us ‘good things’ which is the Greek word ‘agathos’. This word means ‘of benefit, beneficial’.

God calls some to bring messages, that may sound scary as they describe the problem, but the solution to the problem discussed in the sermon is always ‘beneficial, good, and engenders peace.

Paul likened himself to a ‘runner’ with a message several times in Scripture.

Philippians 3:14
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the highcalling of God in Christ Jesus.’

Paul rushed with a message, given by God, for him to preach. He calls that job to be a ‘high calling’. The ministry of preaching is a ‘high calling’. It should be appreciated, loved, and supported by the recipients. But even if it is not, it is a calling from God, and He loves, blesses and rewards the ones who use their spiritual feet to get the message of good, peaceful news to the world.

II Timothy 4:7
“I have run my race...’

Paul compares his run with the sermons he preached to an olympic race. He knew the crowds were watching, and he knew that God was also observing.

Hebrews 12:1
“...so great a cloud of witnesses, so let us run with patience (endurance) the race...’


The race is one that takes patience and endurance. The recipients of the messages in the past sometimes stoned, or crucified the one with the message. Sometimes there were no ‘ears to hear’ the messages, and the ones there seemed deaf. This is a ministry that takes patient endurance.

QUOTE FROM ISAIAH AND NAHUM

Paul was quoting from Isaiah’s words when he spoke of the ‘beautiful feet’. Isaiah was also quoted by Nahum. So, the illustration of ‘feet’ being ‘beautiful’ in that day, due to the message being carried being so desirable, is one that is not so easily observed today. Yet the truth remains, and we need to understand this passage better, for it is important enough, that God had it put in Scripture three times.



Isaiah prophesied from the death of Uzziah, through the life of Hezekiah, and into the reign of Manasseh. Nahum was from Galilee, and prophesied until the fifteenth year of Hezekiah. Since Nahum lived in the same years as Isaiah was prophesying, the words of Isaiah must have been carried about, by messengers, or Nahum must have visited Isaiah, for they were contemporaries. Joel and Micaiah also were from that period, and the words of one prophet seems to have been heeded and studied by the various prophets.


Isaiah 52:7 (KJV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!


Nahum 1:15 (KJV)
15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.


Paul had left out the “mountains part”, but the runners with messages had to often be running up the mountains to the cities. The ones watching the ascent of the tired carriers of the messages, would appreciate the hard w ork of the messenger. This passage from Isaiah, Nahum, and Paul is reflective of that appreciation.

The Hebrew word for ‘beautiful’ is ‘naa’, meaning ‘to be pleasant, suitable, beautiful.’ The thing they saw as ‘beautiful’ were the ‘feet’. Isaiah said that those that ‘bring good tidings’ and ‘publish peace’, and ‘bring good tidings of good’, that publish salvation, and that announce ‘God reigns’ are the ones with the beautiful feet.

‘Basar’ means to ‘announce good tidings’. Shama means ‘to publish’ peace (shalom, happiness, peace, safety).

The ‘good things’ discussed are ‘tob’ meaning good things, good men, good women. The gospel preached does promote the good results of this message, there are good men, good women, and good results to the message.

The ‘salvation’ that Isaiah prophesied about being the ‘message’ is the Hebrew word ‘yeshua’, which is the same word as the word we call ‘Jesus’. Knowingly, or unknowingly, this was a prophetic announcement of the message of all preachers today. Then we are told in this passage that our ‘God reigns’, meaning that this ‘Yeshua’ we preach will reign (Hebrew, malak, meaning ‘to ascend the throne’). Our Jesus has ascended the throne, and is seated now next to God the Father, ruling and reigning.


THE NEED OF KEEPING OUR FEET CLEAN


Jesus said in John 13:10:
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

So, the feet need frequent washing. This was true literally, for they wore sandals, and the roads were dusty, dirty, muddy. So, often they had to clean their feet. Spiritually, this is also true, for we walk in a dirty world of sin and rebellion against God. We are defiled by the contact with the world. So the frequent washings spiritually help make us the preachers with beautiful feet that God wants us to be.

The word for ‘clean’ is ‘katharis’, meaning ‘pure, clean from anything that soils or corrupts.’ We are ‘clean’ from sin and its curse at salvation. But there is the often defilement from our own sins, and from the sinful environment of the world around us.


In the Old Testament, God had them build a laver, a wash basin made from the shiny brass looking glasses of the women. These bronze mirrors were items of luxury. The laver made from these held water for the priests to wash their hands and feet, whenever they noticed soil or dust upon them. If they failed to wash their hands and feet when they noticed the soil upon them, they would drop dead. God would not allow the priestly ministry to be done by soiled priests.

God is still adamant on having His preachers to be pure and clean. No preacher is perfect though. Thus we must constantly re-clean our hands feet in the laver of the Word of God. Study of, love for, obedience to ... the Word of God will cleanse us over and over during the preaching ministry.


Ephesians 5:26-27 (KJV)
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.



The washing of the preachers’ feet is a mandatory feature of those in this preaching ministry.

Another passage of the Word, instructs preachers who go about preaching that if they come to a place where the preaching is rejected, to ‘shake the dust off’ and depart. Preachers do not preach to those who do not want to hear, who refuse the message of the preacher. One needs to shake that dust of rejection off, and move on. We force no one to accept, we do not waste our time on rejecters. We find those who will listen, will accept, and we disciple them to do the same.


Luke 9:5 (KJV)
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.


THESE BEAUTIFUL FEET NEED SHOD


Ephesians 6:10-18 (KJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

We need to ‘whole armor’ but we also need to remember that the ‘feet’ need ‘shod’ with the ‘preparation of the gospel of peace.’ If we are to proclaim, as preachers, the ‘peace’, we need to be prepared in the Word of God.

The truth of the Word protects our feet as we walk in this defiling world. We are stronger and more prepared for the battle, when our feet are shod.


Psalm 91:13 (KJV)
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.


Luke 10:19 (KJV)
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Preachers need to be stomping with these beautiful feet all over the serpents and scorpions (devils and demons). We are not to be intimidated, we have the feet shod with the Word, and we can walk over the enemy.

We do not need to fear being hurt by these demons, for our feet are not unprotected.

In fact, the devil is scared, for we are going to use these ‘beautiful feet’ to bruise his head.

Romans 16:20 (KJV)
20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.


WE NEED TO GET OUR FEET SET UPON THE ROCK

Psalm 40:1-2 (KJV)
1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.


God has changed us from being guilty in sin, to being cleansed of all filth of sin. As preachers’ with ‘beautiful feet’, we are now standing on the solid Rock, i.e. Jesus, the Rock of Ages. We can now, in this preaching ministry have more than ‘beautiful feet’, we can have feet upon the Rock. We are safe, secure, assured, rejoicing in our Lord. We preach the gospel of peace, of Jesus our Yeshua.

more to come on the Charismatic / Pentecostal preacher

Peanut Gallery Discussion Link:
http://www.christianforums.com/t7826552/
 
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murjahel

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2. THE PREACHER’S CALL



Isaiah 52:7 (KJV)
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

This passage, as noted in the first lesson, shows the duties of preachers.

Preachers are to bring good tidings, i.e the gospel message.

Preachers are to publish peace. Peace comes when Jesus does.

Preachers are to publish salvation, the Yeshua, i.e. Jesus.

And preachers announce that God reigns, is Sovereign Ruler of the universe. The Lord rules now from a heavenly Mt. Zion, but soon, He shall come to reign upon the earthly Mt Zion.

All that is the message of preachers.



When Jesus came to earth, He came as God in the flesh. He is One of the Trinity. One of the Trinity was dwelling amidst us. Jesus preached, but being One Person, in one place, with one voice, He had a plan to expand on what He was doing, by the call of many to all do that same work and more.

John 14:12-14 (ASV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.

Jesus came and did wonderful works. His children are now to do His preaching work, and with it will come ‘greater works’ than He did. He came, as as a seed, died in the planting, and is now reaping a harvest of many preachers. The harvest of His life, is the church, and its preachers.

Homiletics is a word derived from the Greek word, homilia. It speaks of a mutual talk, a discourse with a purpose. Preachers have a purpose, a calling to that purpose. In some quarters, the sermons are still called ‘a gospel talk.’ The art of speaking in ministry for Jesus, doing His works, speaking His Words, is preaching.

Preaching is the proclamation of the good news of what Jesus has done, and is still doing. We have in our message a Person Who is the Truth, and a


Personality with Whom we, and our hearers can have a relationship. The Jesus revealed in the Word of God, and the Jesus revealed in our relationship with Him is what makes up our message. We do not just preach the Word, we preach the Truth revealed in the Word and in the Person Himself. The sermons of preachers may make mention of politics, current topics, many other themes. Yet, the heart of the sermon is the Person of Jesus, His truth, His offer of relationship.

The preacher lives the relationship with Jesus, thinks on the Truths that are in the Written Word of God. Discussion and contemplation with Jesus as our Confidant, Consoler, Advocate, and Friend leads to the sermon outflow from the preacher.

The sermon is never the preacher’s. The message has no right to be claimed in ownership. The message is to come, inspired by the Lord, confirmed in the Word of the Lord, blessed by the signs and wonders that follow its proclamation. The sermon may be perceived as belonging to the preacher, but the true preacher, if anointed in his/her work, will know its true Owner is the Lord.

Preaching...

The Hebrew word ‘naba’ speaks of the preaching done in the Old Testament. It is usually translated ‘prophesy’, and is used 110 times.

The Greek words for preaching are ‘kerusso’ meaning ‘to proclaim’ (60 times), and ‘euaggelizo’ meaning ‘to declare good news’ (50 times).

Several other words are also used, ‘kataggello’ (17 times) meaning ‘to tell thoroughly’, and ‘didasko’ (97 times) signifying ‘to teach’.

We can also add another word, oft used to refer to what preachers do. The word ‘parakaleo’ (103 times) meaning ‘to beseech, to comfort, to exhort.’

The ministry of a preacher is understood as one contemplates those words, for the preacher takes the message from the Lord, thoroughly proclaims, teaches, exhorts, and declares the great news of Jesus.

Some may question the ‘teaching’ part, and wish to make that a separate ministry. Yet, ‘kerusso’, and ‘euaggelizo’ are sometimes used interchangeably with ‘didasko’.

Compare:
Matthew 4:23 (ASV)
23 And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people.

Mark 1:39 (ASV)
39 And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

Teaching and preaching are inseparable. One cannot be a preacher without have teaching material from the Lord all through the sermon. One cannot teach without having exhortations that the facts of the teachings require to be proclaimed.

1 Timothy 3:1-2 (ASV)
1 Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach...

Some think it is teaching if done ‘sitting’. Yet, in the first century of the church, and in the synagogues, they sat down to preach. In our day, most often they stand to preach.

Some think that if done with great emotion, it is preaching. If it is done with calmness, it is teaching. Some preach with calmness, some teach with emotion. Most have both in each message. Some think if it is done from a platform with a pulpit, it is preaching. If some give the same message, sitting at the dinner table, talking to one person, does that become then to be ‘teaching’? The crowd size, the location, the position of one’s body, the emotion or lack of it, does not change whether it is preaching or teaching. In reality, it is impossible to do one without the other, if anointed in its presentation.

Both teaching and preaching are communication of the Word of God. The word ‘euaggelizo is used of Paul when he spoke in the synagogue in Psidian Antioch, and the same word is used of Paul speaking to the multitudes in the shopping part of town. It is also used of Philip speaking to the eunuch in the desert while riding in the chariot.

This preaching/teaching that preachers do, is the highest calling. Paul commanded Timothy to preach the Word. This preaching that we are called to do requires that we know about God. We must also personally know God and His nature.

God speaks the Word into us, and we are to preach it out. The message filling within and wanting, demanding to be allowed to flow out, is a proof of the calling.

The Bible is God’s sermon. Preachers are to use His sermon, His rhema, and with His counsel, His anointing deliver sermons from our mouths, our pens, our keyboards.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

So, the Word of God ‘furnishes’ us with all that we need. It is profitable for preaching doctrine, for reproving, for correcting, for instructing. It fills the heart and mind of the preacher and comes flowing as rhema out of the heart of the preacher.

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

God’s Word accomplishes what God intends for it to do. Preachers preach that Word, and even coming from the mouth of the preacher, it still has all the power of when it came originally from God.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Word of God, written, or spoken by the preacher is still quick, powerful, piercing, discerning. The sermons of preachers, because they are the rhema of God, have power beyond the most eloquent of speeches by the scholars of the day.

The preacher is a shepherd. He is an under-shepherd for the Great Shepherd. The feeding of the sheep is his work. Preachers are commanded to ‘feed My sheep’ (John 21). Preachers are to ‘take heed... to the flock” (Acts 20:28).

The preacher has a special calling.

Ephesians 4:11-16 (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:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The pastor teacher is the office calling of the preacher, and is part of the team that God instituted to perfect the saints, and bring to an end the ‘childish’ and easily deceived by various doctrines.

The calling by God of some to the office of preacher may be dramatic, may be an inner awareness. Paul and Isaiah had dramatic callings. Matthew and Peter had an inner awareness of their calling. However it comes, there will be an assurance of the call. This assurance gives the preacher a determined resistance to any doubt.

If the assurance of the call is accompanied with a trust in the authority of the Word, and a trust in one’s relationship with God, the preacher can then walk confidently in his/her ministry.

Jeremiah had a burning assurance that would not quit, nor let him quit.


Jeremiah 20:8-9 (KJV)
8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.
9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

The Tasks of the preacher...

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (KJV)
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
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;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

The calling indicates that the words will include reproof, rebukes, and many will not endure the words of the preacher. People will seek out preachers who speak to their ‘itchy ears’ that want only fables, not truth. There shall be ‘afflictions’ for the preaching given, but that ‘full proof’ of one’s calling is that same rejection of their ministry.

Notice in that passage, that the command says to ‘preach the Word’. This preaching of the Word is to be done ‘instant’, i.e. urgently. It must also be relevant preaching, for it is to ‘reprove, rebuke, and exhort.’ It is to be intelligent, for it is to include ‘doctrine’. Study must be done to make sure the preaching is all of those. In addition, one on One communion with Jesus is also vital in order to preach as called to preach.





 
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murjahel

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THE PREACHER'S CALL part 2



Moses was called to go speak a message of deliverance to Israel, while in the backside of the desert. Elisha was called while plowing. Amos was called while following the flock. Some of the disciples were fishing. Matthew was working as a tax collector.

The calls to preach are not all fanfare and standing ovations. They have come under strange circumstances, to people one would not guess would have the call to preach.

Gideon was hiding behind a winepress, trying to thresh a bit of wheat for a meal for himself. Gideon was in fear of the neighborhood in which he lived. The Amalekites were an oppressive, hateful people and had moved into Gideon’s neighborhood. Stealing, killing, and oppression were their specialty. Gideon was in the poorest of neighborhoods. He was hungry, but afraid to be seen with food, lest it be taken from him. God stepped in, and did not supply great abundance, did not slay all the Amalekites for him, did not rescue him to a perfectly safe home elsewhere. No ! Rather, God called him to preach. Gideon was obedient to God’s calling. It was new work, but it would require a faith beyond the normal. Accepting God’s call turned a fearful, hungry, oppressed man into an extraordinary preacher.

God does not often call the lofty, rich, powerful, wise, and talented. He calls the ones who have little talent of their own. Of Aaron it is said ‘he can speak well’. (Exodus 414). Yet, we have no recorded sermons of Aaron. Moses was said to have ‘no eloquence’, ‘slow of speech’, and had a ‘slow tongue’. Yet, it was he that was chosen of God.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (KJV)
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 glory all goes to the Lord when a preacher is called. The ministry has to be sourced from God, for no preacher is wise enough, nor is mighty enough, and cannot be noble enough. The foolishness and weakness of the called preacher proves that the power was all of God. Preachers are despised, rejected, thought to be less than nothing by the world, that when God’s blessings, signs, and wonders come, then only God can be seen as the Source.

Every truth that a preacher expresses, every message that the preacher preaches, is not the preacher’s proclamation, but is the expression of the Lord through the vessel we call a preacher. The individual personality is seen, the person’s own vocabulary and accent may be heard, but the power demonstrated, the emotion felt, is from God.

Some imitation preachers have tried to imitate another preacher. They fail in sometimes comical ways. For one cannot imitate a preacher’s style and be ‘anointed’, for every person’s anointing anoints their own personality, and it is not like God to anoint another’s personality into a different preacher. God wants to anoint our own peculiar personality, and therefore every preacher is best when God is working with the peculiarities He has designed them to be.

The preacher should always be a man of supreme devotion to the Lord. That devotion, dedication, and commitment will keep the communication reception lines open, and a message will be heard, and an inner burning fire will cause it to be preached. To keep that devotion, dedication and commitment, the preacher will be sure to stay holy, separated from anything that would hinder their spirit from tuning in to the Holy God they love.

The preacher will cleanse himself/herself from any defilement. As Paul exhorted Timothy, ‘flee youthful lusts’, the preacher will flee that which
would dirty his/her life. The preacher will ‘perfect holiness in the fear (reverence) of the Lord’. The preacher can therefore become a ‘vessel unto honor, meet, and prepared for the Master’s use.’

Others think the preacher is called to be as:
a lawyer to those with legal problems...
a social worker for those with relationship problems...
an editor for news letters to the congregation...
a philosopher for those with spiritual and intellectual questions...
a scholar for those with desire for deeper knowledge...
a visitor of the sick...
one who spends hours a day in prayer and Bible study
one who marries lovers to each other...
one who buries the dead...
one who consoles the sorrowful...
one who admonishes the sinners...
one who is kind to those who scold him for inconsequential details...
one who plans and executes many plans...
and finally, one who preaches to those who were not too tired to come...​

That is not the calling of a preacher. One may do many or most of those things, but that is in addition to what God truly has called preachers to be. Jesus told Peter to "Feed My lambs!" (John 21:15). Feeding and tending a flock of sheep is the ministry God has called preachers to do. Preachers are ‘under-shepherds’ with the Lord as their Master, and the sheep as the ones they are called to speak His words.

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

Many in the flocks that ministers feed and tend are abusive to the ministry, offensive toward their families, spiteful toward their work. The preacher’s ministry is overwhelming, difficult, and awesome.

THE CALLING GOD PUTS ON EACH PREACHER


There is a calling that a preacher has, and answers to God for, that the world does not understand, comprehend, or acknowledge.

First, it must be a sincere and truthful ministry...

II Corinthians 2:17
"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."

There are many preachers who do not give a truthful ministry. It is difficult for many of us to comprehend how any minister of God could conceive of God Who would condone a dishonest, deceptive, and lying ministry... Yet, I have seen ministers who cover up lies, condone lies, tell lies, and give a dishonest message from the pulpit.

We must be truthful, for we preach "in the sight of God". God watches, listens, and knows every word, every thought, and every motive in our ministry. He knows our thoughts, and we cannot fool Him

Even in Jeremiah's day, there were preachers who were liars.

Jeremiah 23:14
"I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in lies, they strengthen also the hands of the evildoers; that none doth return from his wickedness, they are all of them unto Me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah."

They did not fool the Lord, and neither do the deceptive liars of today. God is disturbed by "lying" ministries. We must be truthful, for we are to be led, taught, and empowered by One known as "The Spirit of Truth..."

Secondly, we cannot depend on words of commendation. We cannot depend on others commending us. We also cannot depend on our own self-commendation. Many preachers do as the world does, and seek to get many others to give them high praise, get others to stand up and give great recommendations. If that fails to impress others, they give themselves praise.

II Corinthians 3:1
"Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?"

The only One we need commendation from is God. This is a demanding task. We must keep ourselves humble, honest, sincere, submissive, and then speak the Word of the Lord with boldness.

II Corinthians 3:5
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves; to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God."

Thirdly, we need to preach the truth and not the lies the congregation would rather hear, reveal the sins in the congregation, not just preach about the sins in the other side of town, study the deeper truths of the Word, not just the "milk" of the Word, aggravate the devil by our constant conquests of his territory.

Fourthly, we minister 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 minister to the ones blinded, as were the Pharisees of the times during the first visitation of the Lord Jesus. 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, and though they claim to be religious, does not hinder their blindness.

Like Jesus, we try to inform them of the truth, and they seek to harm the messenger. Look at Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah, etc. They killed the prophets. They imprison the spokesmen for the Lord. They hate and attack, plot and scheme, lie and prevaricate against the ministers who preach the truth.

These awesome tasks are hard and overwhelming, for as a preacher does them he finds that he is the "savor of death" to some, and the "savor of life" to others. A preacher for the Lord will be unable to please everyone, and sometimes it seems that a minister of the Lord does not please anyone but the Lord.

Someone wrote to John Wesley and said:
"The Lord has told me to write and tell you, that God can do without your book larnin'"
John Wesley replied:
"The Lord does not need your ignorance either..."

What the preacher needs is the calling of God, the Word of God, and the communion with God. That is the preacher’s main calling, and if that can be done, there will be a message in the heart of the preacher, that will flow out.
 
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murjahel

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THE WOMEN PREACHERS



There are women who are called by God to preach. There has been for millennia. This is not new. The subject of women has long been debated in Christian circles. The church has backslidden from the truth proclaimed by the Word of God. The Word of God proclaims that God does not see us as male or female. He sees us all as equals, regardless of the gender. So why would God favor one gender over another? He does not, and when Christians teach otherwise, they are misapplying, and misinterpreting Scriptures.

Galatians 3:28
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

In the church that Jesus heads, there is no room for prejudices, bias, and discrimination. Jesus brought equality of the races, of the various social classes, of both genders into the church. If the church reverts back to the carnal bias of cultures, it hurts the church and its ministry. The prejudice also grieves the Holy Spirit, Who is the power Source of the church.

All races, classes, and sexes are equal in rights and privileges. In Christianity, there is an equality for women that is unlike any other culture of the past. In the Bible days, women were thought to be inferior to men. They walked humbly behind their mate. They served him in total subjection and fear. If he chose, he could divorce her for combing her hair in an unpleasing manner. He could send her from his home and from his life with a few words.

Then came Jesus. He taught a new equality for women. He taught that God saw all of mankind as equal. The women were delighted in that day.

Moses prayed long ago, ‘Would to God that all of the Lord’s people (men and women, bond and free, Jew and Gentile, all races) were prophets, and that God would put His Spirit upon them.” Numbers 11:29

Joel prophesied that in the last days, men and women would prophesy.



Joel 2:28
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon ALL flesh, your sons and DAUGHTERS shall PROPHESY...”

We see the beginning of this last day fulfillment started in the Book of Acts 2:16-21
“... and on My servants and HANDMAIDS, I will pour out My Spirit,
and they SHALL PROPHESY...”

Yet, despite this plain prophetic word, that there would be women prophets, for a long time, false teaching about women, has hindered their ministry.

Jesus said ‘Preach the gospel’ (Mark 16:15), and He did not limit it to men. The command must be obeyed by both men and women.

Paul said women ‘prophesy’. In I Corinthians 11:5, he said that ‘for every woman that prayeth or prophesieth...” So, women in Corinth were not told to stop prophesying. The Hebrew word ‘nebrah’ and the Greek word ‘proph’ are used for ‘prophetess’ and a female preacher. The word ‘prophesy’ indicates divine inspiration. A woman can be divinely inspired, and who can object? If God chose to inspire a woman to prophesy, preach, to ‘every creature’, we have no right in the church to limit, hinder, or deny that calling of women.

1 Corinthians 14:3 (KJV)
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Since prophesying is ‘edification, exhortation, and comfort, then it is also ‘preaching’. How could anyone edify, exhort, and comfort without preaching? The ministry of preaching includes those three things of necessity.

Not one Scripture in the Bible prohibits women from preaching the gospel. In fact, if there were even one passage, then it would have many passages that would disagree with it, and the Word of God is harmonnious, not disagreeing with itself.

Acts 10:34
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons..."

All races, all ages, both genders are loved alike by God, are called to ministry alike by God.

God used a ‘rod’ (Exodus 4), He used a donkey (Numbers 22), He used ravens (I Kings 17), He used a rooster (Mark 14), and He uses men and women, educated and uneducated, rich and poor.

Today, in Christianity, we find the doctrines of putting women as inferior to men, having crept back into the dogmas of congregations. This is regrettable and sinful. It is contrary to the true teachings of the Bible. All Christians are as one in God's eyes. He does not care what your profession is, and He does not care what your skin color is. He does not care if you are Jewish or Gentile, and He does not care if you are male or female.

Romans 2:11
"For there is no respect of persons with God."

Ephesians 6:9
"...neither is there respect of persons with Him."

I Peter 1:17
"And if ye call on the Father, Who without respect of persons judgeth..."

How many times does God have to have that statement in the Bible? Still with the four times shown here, we find some who preach and teach that God sees women as inferior to man, and unable to preach. Can God be any clearer? Does He need to put handwriting on the walls of the buildings of the congregations of today? The truth of the New Testament's teaching is that God sees no difference in the rights and privileges of men or women. The congregations of Christianity have often perverted some of the Scriptures. Many have tried to teach that women are inferior to men. Let's look at the Scriptures and examine their teachings.

more to come on women preachers...
 
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murjahel

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First, let us look at the question of women preachers.

Reasons for women preachers:

I. The Spirit was proclaimed to be poured out on women, and they are supposed to prophesy. Preach. If it only takes two or three to make a church, how are they to prophesy if not within a church?


The word ‘prophesy’ means to speak God’s rhema. There is no limitation as to it being to only one gender. I Corinthians 14:4 says that one ‘who prophesies, edifies the church.’ Prophesying is done in a church. A church is where two or three gather in Jesus’ name, and therefore, women must be in a church in order to prophesy.

II. In I Corinthians 12, Paul compares the church to a body, and all parts (men and women) are members of the body and are to function as the Lord directs.

III. Women were used of God in the Old Testament and in the New Testament as prophetesses, preachers. The last age has seen such false teaching about women, and their callings to speak in the church, that we have much forgotten that God is no respecter of persons.

There are many women preachers in Scripture:

1. Miriam (Exodus 15:20)
“And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.”
She was a prophetess, preacher, and worship leader.

2. Deborah (Judges 4:4)
Would God have inspired Deborah to do something sinful? She ruled men and women for 40 years. She gave orders from God to the army and its leaders. She was an evangelist, a prophetess, a judge, and a preacher. God gave her authority over the mighty. (Judges 5:13)

3. Huldah (II Kings 22:14, II Chronicles 34:22)
She preached to a congregation of men about the law. Her message brought a revival.

2 Chronicles 34:20-22 (KJV)
And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam ...saying,
Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah,...
And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess,...”

The men were sent to a prophetess, to inquire of God, and she spoke to the men concerning the message that God gave her for them.

4. Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Isaiah’s wife) (Isaiah 8:3)
She was a prophetess, and preached alongside Isaiah.

5. Elisabeth (Lk 1:41-45)
She preached a sermon to Mary, and her husband, and the babe in her womb jumped and somersaulted at the words of it.

6. Mary, mother of Jesus (Lk 1:46-55)
She preached to Joseph, she was first pastor and preacher to Jesus, she preached to her other sons, who finally came to the Lord after Jesus’ resurrection.

7. In the gospels, several women preachers proclaimed the good news. (Matt. 28:1-10, Lk. 24:9-11, Jn. 4:28:-30, Jn. 20:16-18)

One of these was Mary Magdalene. She was given the first resurrection sermon by Jesus, told to take it to a group of men, and there proclaim, preach that word. That was quite a church service. I imagine no one thought to complain it was delivered by a woman. The bias was not there. Jesus had chosen the vessel to be the preacher of that first resurrection service.

8. Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21:9)

Acts 21:8-9 (KJV)
And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

Paul was a man, Philip was a man, there were others in Paul’s ‘company’ that were men. These four daughters of Philip prophesied while all those men were in the church service.

9. Anna (Luke 2:36-38)

She stayed in the Temple. Her sermons had to be preached there. She spoke prophetically about the soon birth of the Messiah. She proved it was God inspiring her sermons by the sign following that she would see the Messiah before she died.


10. Phebe, Priscilla, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, and Julia (Romans 16)

Romans 16:1-2 (KJV)
I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant (diakonos) of the church which is at Cenchrea:
That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

The word ‘servant’ there is the same as the word used for Philip, who preached in Samaria, and to the Ethiopian eunuch. It is used of Stephen, who preached till his stoning. Are we to believe Phebe, with that same ministry did it without preaching?

11. Euodias and Syntyche are mentioned as leaders of the church in Philippi.

Philippians 4:2-3 (KJV)
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel...

Those two women had ‘labored’ with Paul. They were co-workers in the church. They had authority to speak, to have opinions, to work with Paul in ministry. They had come to some disagreement, and Paul was encouraging some ‘help’ for them. They were not to be the ‘helpers’ for the ‘others’ i.e. the men and women of the church to be the helpers of these women in their leadership of the church.

12. Corinthian women

They prophesied and prayed in church. (I Cor. 11:4-5) ( I Cor. 14:34-35 refers to women who talked out loud to husbands across the room during the service, thus interrupting the preacher. )

A prophetess is a woman who prophesies. Prophesying and preaching both involve speaking words inspired and authorized by God. So, the women who prophesied had to have also preached. There have been many, there will be many, many more women preachers.

Christian women in the early church period after the close
of our canon of Scripture


Blandina died in 177 AD, she was a famous martyr in France, died for her preaching of Jesus.
Perpetua and Felicitas died early in the second century as martyrs for their preaching.
There were many more, far too many to name.


In later ages, God found women to answer His calling to preach.


Anne Hutchinson was a preacher in the seventeenth century in Massachusetts.

Margaret Fell co-founded the Quakers with George Fox. One of the books she authored was called ‘Women Speaking Justified, Proved and Knowed of the Scriptures’.

Many of the Methodists preachers in the 18th century were women.

Catherine Booth was a preacher. She married William Booth and at first he disagreed with her being a preacher, until he heard her preach, and then changed his mind. They founded the Salvation Army.

Agnes Ozman was one of the first preachers in the revival of pentecost early in the 1900's.

Aimee Semple McPherson was probably one of the most popular women preachers in the 20th century.

Now in the 21st century, we have many women preachers. And more are on the way, for the call of God is upon men and women for this final age.
Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy Graham, has related that her father and mother disapproved of her, a woman, being a preacher. When they heard her preach, they changed their mind, and ‘could see that God had called’ her.

stay tuned for part 3
 
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murjahel

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The reason some think God excluded women from preaching:

Some, to excuse the teaching of not allowing women to preach, use I Timothy 2, and its mention of Eve’s sin. They totally misconstrue the message of that passage in trying to affirm a reason for their bias against women.

1 Timothy 2:10-15 (KJV)
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

The false idea that women are forbidden to preach is Scripture-
less, there is no Scripture to validate a ‘why’ on that. Some use I Timothy 2:10-15, saying that there it shows Eve had the greater wrong in the garden, and women ever since are being punished by not being allowed to preach. They justify their exclusion of women as being based on that passage. They misconstrue some words, they miss the whole point of that passage. There are many wrong suppositions, some statements totally in conflict with Bible passages in that explanation. Let me explain.

Genesis 2:16-18 (KJV)
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Notice the command not to eat of the tree was given to Adam. He alone heard the command direct from God. Eve had not yet been made from Adam’s rib. So, Eve heard the command only from Adam.

This was their only test to pass. If they could have not eaten of that tree... all other righteousness would have been natural. Yet, as easy as it was, mankind failed.

The devil came to Eve, who would be more easily tempted, due to her having heard the command second hand, not from God Himself, but only as passed on to her from Adam.

Genesis 3:6
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

Adam and Eve were created without sin, but had the power of choice. If God had not given the power to mankind to choose sin or righteousness, mankind would have simply been robots. God's purpose was to see if mankind could remain innocent, and be true to God's trust, and thereby remain perfect under all conditions. Mere untried virtue does not deserve the name. Goodness is not a passive quality, but a deliberate choice between right and wrong.

It took the devil, and his insinuations against what Adam had told her, and his tempting her to find something more that would be good for her and her husband, to bring Eve to her failure.

For Adam, he had knowledge of what God had said, and the temptation of ‘’did God really say?’, and ‘did God really mean?’ should not have tempted him. His failure was a knowledge failure. He knew he was doing evil. He knew of a certainty that God had truly revealed the evil nature of disobedience, and its consequences. Eve was sinning in some ignorance, some lack of full knowledge. Adam was sinning willfully, in order to please his wife.

In Paul’s day, the women were not educated in the same way men were, and they were ignorant of many Bible passages. They needed to learn, now that Jesus had come and was calling many women to ministry, as well as the men.

Jesus had complimented Mary, and mildly scolded Martha. For Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to learn, to gain knowledge. We find in the New Testament some women had been learning, though the society and culture of that day did not encourage such.

Priscilla took Apollos and taught him what he had failed to learn. The wise and scholarly Apollos learned from one of the first women preachers.

Concerning the problem of women in church services who would freely, and with the authority they now had, question their husbands, interrupting the service to do so, Paul had to explain to Timothy what to do. The women were told to be ‘silent’ during the service, and at home ask their husbands the questions that arose during the sermon. That way they could ‘learn’, and thereby be able to teach and preach themselves after their learning process.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 (KJV)
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

This says that Adam ‘was not deceived’. In other words he sinned knowingly. Eve was ‘deceived’ and sinned in ignorance of the full import of what she was doing. The word ‘deceived’ used of Adam and Eve is the same, it is the Greek word, apatao meaning to beguile, to deceive, to delude. Adam was not ‘deluded’, Eve was ‘deluded’.

2 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled (exapatao, wholly deluded) Eve through his subtility (panorgia, trickery, craftiness), so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The Bible is very clear that Eve sinned in deception, but Adam was not deceived, not deluded. He sinned knowingly. That is why the Bible speaks firmly about the guilt of the sin being more on Adam than on Eve.

I Cor. 15:22
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

It does not say, ‘as in Eve, all die’. Yet, some male declaration of women not preaching wants to put the blame mostly on Eve. God saw it as man’s willful sin that brought death into the world. Eve does not escape punishment for her sin, but it was lesser a sin, and spoken of in lesser condemnation than was Adam’s sin.

"Adam was not deceived." Rather, he was willing to go against God’s way to have his own way, no matter what God had prohibited. This was a calculated aforethought of defiance and rebellion against God.

By Adam's sin came physical death upon a mankind. Also spiritual death ensued. This death passed upon all of mankind since. Yet, God says in the Word, that ‘Adam’ is the main culprit in these sins of the two, not Eve. So, if her sin is why she cannot preach, what punishment is for the greater sinner here?

Romans 5:12-21
"Wherefore by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned... For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many... judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification .... Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience, man were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous..."

The freedom and equality in Christianity overjoyed the women of that day. They began to go unveiled as a token of their equality with men. This brought great outrage from the society. Paul had to speak several times to the subject. Here, to Timothy, and to us, Paul shows that God intends woman to learn, and since ignorance of the Word of God in the garden led to her failure, women should learn diligently.

The learning should not interrupt the services though, and Paul was instructing the men, to ignore society and its culture, and to teach the wife at home.

People are quick to seize on particular Scriptures which seem to fit their wishes and ignore other Scriptures which seem to disagree with their desires. It is intellectually dishonest to divide and interpret the Word to suit our convenience. Some who have wanted to have men as the despotic bosses of women, and put women into a role of subservience have grasped from the chapter an excuse, and twisted the meaning of Paul into a view that has resulted in unhappy marriages, and doctrinal divisions.


When it says that Eve ‘sinned’, it is the Greek word parabasis. It does not excuse her sin, but conveys a certain kind of sin. Parabasis means "overpassing of a line, stepping over a boundary." Just as there is a normal tendency to touch the wall where one sees a "WET PAINT" sign, so people are often tempted to step past the boundaries that God has set up for us. When one sees a sign that says "NO FISHING", one naturally begins to wonder how good the fishing would be there. It is a fact that God has set up boundaries for us. He wants to protect us from areas that would do us harm. He has drawn lines of separation, and does not want us to trespass on territory that is dangerous.

Eve was told of the ‘boundary’ and was tempted to sin. She yielded. This was beyond excuse.

Romans 4:15
"for where no law is, there is no transgression. (stepping over the boundary)"

Romans 2:23
"... through breaking the law (stepping over the boundary) dishonourest thou God..."

Many people are like the three prospective stagecoach drivers who applied for the position. The three were asked how close they could come to the edge of the cliff with the stagecoach without falling over the cliff. The first thought he had to impress in order to get the job, so he bragged - "I could come within three feet, easily." The second thought he had to do better if he wanted the job. He answered, "I could come within one foot!" The third said, "I'd stay as far from the edge as I could!" The third one was hired. God wants us to see how far we can stay from sin and from parabasis. He does not want us walking so close to the boundary that we occasionally step over. Parabasis is sin.

Eve was deluded, beguiled, tricked, and sinned the ‘parabasis’ sin. Adam was not deluded and beguiled. He knew what he was doing. His sin was different.

Romans 5:12 ‘whereby by one man sin entered....

This word for Adam’s sin is hamartia and means ‘missing the target’. Adam had been told what to do, and the consequences of not doing it. He failed in that, and it was hamartia sin.

It is also referred to as an ‘offense’, which is another Greek word for sin.

Romans 5:15 (KJV)
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

The word ‘OFFENSE’ is the Greek word paraptoma. Paraptoma means "failing where one should have stood upright."

Ephesians 2:1
"And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses (falling when you should have stood) and sins (hamartia)."

Romans 14:23
"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin (falling where one should have stood upright)."

Galatians 6:1
"Now if a man be overtaken in a fault (falling where he should have stood upright), ye that are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, less thou also be tempted."

Matthew 6:14
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses (falling where they should have stood upright), your heavenly Father will also forgive you."

How often we misunderstand, and judge harshly when we see someone fall, sin, paraptoma, where they should not have. When others fall like this, we should be forgiving. When we paraptoma (fall when we should have known better), God is willing to forgive us.

God not only was willing to forgive Adam but had a plan to send Jesus, Who would undo the willful, choosing to fall, missing the mark sin, by His atonement for them on the cross. To degrade Adam’s sin, to being minor, and to punish Eve’s to not let women preach due to hers, is to totally misread that passage, and to pervert the meaning of a number of other verses.

more to come
 
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murjahel

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Must women be silent in a church?

Now, about the rest of that passage and others whereby some try to say women are told to be silent, to not teach, to not preach, not even to speak.
Let’s examine these passages that they use.

I Corinthians 14:34-35
"Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak... And if they learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."

This refers to the confusion caused when the women talked out loud to husbands in the midst of sermons. The women of the day were not educated as the men, and often did not understand what the preacher was saying. In Christianity, the women were being given equality, and were being taught as the men in this new Christian faith. Paul was only saying that the women should question the husband at home, and not disrupt the service.

I Timothy 2:11-12
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

This passage in Timothy also refers to the same situation as I Corinthians 14:34-35. The women were not to interrupt the sermon with talking out loud to their husbands.

The word "subjection" is from the Greek word "hupotage" which means "a voluntary yielding in love."

There is a time for women to question their husband about the sermon. In love and respect for the service and for the husband, the wife should voluntarily wait. They were also not to not argue with the man's interpretation of the sermon during the service. This in no way lessens her equality, it only emphasizes a restraint of embarrassing a mate in public by flaunting her equality. It also was to encourage her to respect the sanctity of the service.

This new found freedom in Christianity had now allowed a woman to disagree with her husband. Sometimes, in a service there was probably a desire of the wife to say - "I told you so!" She may want to teach her husband something she had learned before he had.

Paul simply instructs the woman not to "usurp authority" over the man, but to silently listen. The Greek word for "usurp authority" is the word - authenteo" which means "to exercise one's power over..."

In Christianity, the wife does have "power", and she can exercise it to question the husband, and to even teach the husband. The translators were all men, and questionably translated this Greek word improperly.

A whole different meaning is found in the original word. It shows that women have an "authority" to speak their mind, and have an opinion different from the husband's. Paul is not removing the authority from the woman, that Christianity had given her. No! Rather he is only saying that she should not exercise that power in the middle of his sermon.

The bias against women should end,
so the revival can have its full effect.

The revival was hindered in many ages, where the prejudice of some has caused the misconstruing of the Word of God.

Charles Spurgeon was a great minister, and preached many messages regarding God’s call from sin, back to righteousness. His wife, Susannah Thompson Spurgeon (1832 - 1903) had also a calling to preach. Yet, because of the evil prejudice of the false teaching about women, she was hindered from sharing her message in the churches and in the school of her husband’s ministry. She wrote three books, to put her message in writing, so her message could get out.

The hindrance of women being able to preach should be ending, and God will force out of the church, the false teaching that hindered it for so long. We are in this age, seeing the emergence of women, who always have been called to preach, but have for ages been hindered in delivering that message.
 
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murjahel

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The church gave the world a grand charter of liberty. There is no difference in the eyes of God as far as race, culture, class, or gender. In government, the liberated nations have sometimes gone too far, and have allowed freedom and equality to mean anarchy. In the Christian church, the excesses of liberty have sometimes also gone too far.


The women, in Paul's day, had been enslaved to their husbands and families. They had few rights, if any. They were in bondage, and treated in ways that would make today's women cringe. The freedom and equality in Christianity overjoyed the women of that day. They began to go unveiled as a token of their equality with men. This brought great outrage from the society.


The only women of that day who went unveiled were the prostitutes. Some of them had their hair shaven off, as a punishment for having been caught in the act of adultery. Some other of the prostitutes had their head shaven to sell for some extra cash. The hair was made into wigs.


The women of the church not only shed their veils, but some of them also had their heads shaven to give the money to the church. When the sinners of Corinth saw men walking with unveiled, and head-shaven women into a home wherein there were church services, they assumed these were prostitutes who were frequenting these meetings... and the men were thought to be hypocritical in their new Christian profession.


The women had championed the liberty of the Christian faith, but had brought shame and reproach upon the church. Christianity did teach that women were not inferior, but that did not mean that they were to appear as prostitutes, and thereby shame their husbands and the church.


People are quick to seize on particular Scriptures which seem to fit their wishes and ignore other Scriptures which seem to disagree with their desires. The churches have read the first part of I Corinthians 11, and made it a source of much error of doctrine and practice. We need to use Scriptures as a guide to conduct, not an excuse for conduct. It is intellectually dishonest to divide and interpret the Word to suit our convenience.


Some who have wanted to have men as the despotic bosses of women, and put women into a role of subservience have grasped from the chapter an excuse, and twisted the meaning of Paul into a view that has resulted in unhappy marriages, and doctrinal divisions.


People find it easy to champion mistaken causes. While their loved ones go to hell, they will argue over who is the boss in a marriage. Much energy has been poured into these sidetracks of Christianity. They are petty side issues that are not worthy of time. Let's champion the truth... Some Christians debate petty doctrines, and are like Nero who "fiddled while Rome burned."


Paul spends a little time here to set straight the issues of customs, traditions, and fashions in Corinth. He begins this treatise with a reminder of the order of office in the family. God is not greater than Christ, for both are equal in the Godhead. Yet, in office, God has taken the superior role, and Christ has placed Himself in office a bit lower than God the Father. Christ prayed to the Father, and prayed "Not My will, but Thine be done..."



In the family, the wife is equal to the husband. There is equality of worth in God's eyes, but not an equality of duty for men and women. The wife is to place herself in office a bit lower than the husband. This does not mean that the husband is the "boss", but that the wife has chosen to submit to his direction whenever the issues are unresolved. The husband bears the greater burden of loving the wife as Christ loved the church, and this means being a servant to the wife.



In that society, the custom had been for ages that the wife was to be veiled to indicate an almost slavery issue to the husband. The Jewish law had forbade the women to go into the public unveiled. The Romans and the Greeks followed that same custom.


In Christianity, the women were equated equality with the men, as God and Christ are equal, and only in office was the man considered the "head."


In I Corinthians 11:5, the phrase "every woman that prayeth or prophesieth..." shows that women did take part in the church services. Women did have a vital part in the Christian faith in those days.


Yet, to go into the church services with her head barren, the wife was bringing shame to the husband, her head. Paul was not indicating that she should return to the custom of returning to the husband being a despot and ruler...



If these women had thought it through, they would not have gotten into such a controversial issue, and so embarrassed their husbands. Like many today, some take up the issues of rights, opinions, and debate them until no one is at peace in the assembly.



Our actions do affect others, and our mates may suffer humiliation or shame due to the inconsideration of the thoughts, customs, and traditions of society. We, as Christians, may not always realize how our liberty in Christ may be interpreted in the eyes of society. When in doubt, about the rightness or wrongness of an action, restraint is usually the wisest choice.

The subject of women has long been debated in Christian circles. The church has backslid from the truth proclaimed by the Word of God. The Word of God proclaims that God does not see us as male or female. He sees us all as equals, regardless of the gender. So why would God favor one gender over another? He does not, and when Christians teach otherwise, they are misapplying, and misinterpreting Scriptures.


Galatians 3:28
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."


All races, classes, and sexes are equal in rights and privileges. In Christianity, there is an equality for women that is unlike any other culture of the past. In the Bible days, women were thought to be inferior to men. They walked humbly behind their mate. They served him in total subjection and fear. If he chose, he could divorce her for combing her hair in an unpleasing manner. He could send her from his home and from his life with a few words. Then came Jesus. He taught a new equality for women. He taught that God saw all of mankind as equal. The women were delighted in that day.


Today, in Christianity, we find the doctrines of putting women as inferior to men, having crept back into the dogmas of congregations. This is regrettable and sinful. It is contrary to the true teachings of the Bible. All Christians are as one in God's eyes. He does not care what your profession is, and He does not care what your skin color is. He does not care if you are Jewish or Gentile, and He does not care if you are male or female.

Acts 10:34
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons..."

Romans 2:11
"For there is no respect of persons with God."

Ephesians 6:9
"...neither is there respect of persons with Him."

I Peter 1:17
"And if ye call on the Father, Who without respect of persons judgeth..."

Can God make it any clearer? Does He need to put handwriting on the walls of the buildings of the congregations of today? The truth of the New Testament's teaching is that God sees no difference in the rights and privileges of men or women. The congregations of Christianity have often perverted some of the Scriptures. Many have tried to teach that women are inferior to men. Let's look at the Scriptures and examine their teachings.

First, let us look at the question of women preachers.

Reasons for women preachers:

1. In the gospels, several women preachers proclaimed the good news. (Matt. 28:1-10, Lk. 24:9-11, Jn. 4:28:-30, Jn. 20:16-18)

2. The Spirit was prophesied to be poured out on women, and they are supposed to prophesy. If it only takes two or three to make a church, how are they to prophesy if not within a church? (Acts 2:14-21, Joel 2:28-31)

3. Philip had four daughters who were prophetesses. (Acts 21:8-9)

4. Romans 16 tells of a number of women servants of the Lord who were leaders of congregations. These were Phebe, Priscilla, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, and Julia.

5. In Philippians 4:2, Euodias and Syntyche are mentioned as leaders of the church in Philippi.

6. Corinthian women prophesied and prayed in church. (I Cor. 11:4-5) [ I Cor. 14:34-35 refers to women who talked out loud to husbands across the room during the service, thus interrupting the preacher. ]

7. In I Corinthians 12, Paul compares the church to a body, and all parts (men and women) are members of the body and are to function as the Lord directs.

8. Women were used of God in the Old Testament as prophetesses. (Ex. 15:20, Judg. 4:4, II Ki. 22:14, Neh. 6:14, II Chron. 34:22, Isa. 8:3, Luke 1:39-56, 2:36)

In the marriage bond, God takes two people, who are equal in His eyes, and allows them to join as one. In His eyes, He then sees them as one person. The wife has an equal position with the husband in regards to God. God did institute certain regulations for the marriage bond. The husband is to accept God's instruction for his office as husband. This is command:

Ephesians 5:25
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it."

This is a tough order. How can men love their wives that much? It takes total giving. It requires seeking to please and satisfy the wife in every way. It requires living one's life in a giving way, seeking the safety and well-being of the wife. It is sacrificial and giving. Any wife that is loved this much does not need to worry about having a dominating, bossy husband. He could not be that way, and still be obeying God's command to Him. If this God-obeying husband ever had to ask his wife to submit to a command of his, it could only be for the well-being and safety of his wife.

The wife is ordered of God.

Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."


In the same way that all of us are to submit ourselves to the direction of Jesus, the wife is to accept the subordinate position of submission to the husband at times. The reason that she should do this, is that if the husband is living up to his part... he will not be asking the wife to do something that would be even remotely bad for her. Just as Christ came to be the Savior of the church, the husband must be the protector, the covering, the guardian for the wife. She should therefore accept his role and allow him to protect, serve, and love her with a love beyond understanding.

This is not God's attempt to put women in a subservient role. Rather, it is God putting husbands in a servant's role, and asking wives to allow the husbands to love the wives that much.

Matthew 20:28
"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life for many."

To minister means to serve. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. The teaching in Ephesians concerning husbands and wives, teaches a servant's role for the husband, and an acceptance of that role for the wife.

 
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murjahel

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Ephesians 5:21
"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."

This is the most overlooked verse in Ephesians 5. It tells both husbands and wives to be submissive. Many men want to overlook this verse, and try to get the women to also miss seeing it. It is not only wives who should submit, it is also the husbands.

If a man loves his wife as he is commanded, he will often be in submission to her wishes, desires, and needs. He will plan his life and time around pleasing his wife. He will never seek to dominate for pride's sake. He will not be demanding that she bow to his "headship."

A wife can respond in love to such a husband. If he ever determines that for her good and safety, he must ask her submission on a point, she can safely trust this loving man is only doing so because he truly loves her. Few women could complain about such a relationship.

Coverings for the head, hair, hats and veils have been hotly debated in congregations. Covering for the head was a symbol of willing subjection in those days. In the culture of the day, the subjection of the woman was almost universal. Christianity had come with this new doctrine and teaching of equality. Many Christian women began to cease wearing the veils and hats indicating subjection to the husband. Some went too far in their freedom, and began to embarrass their husbands by looking too much like the prostitutes of the day.

Customs have changed, but principles do not. The principle taught in the Bible by Paul was that one was not to dishonor their mate. Even to this Paul added, "If any man seem contentious, we have no such custom..."


I Corinthians 11:16
"But if any man seem contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God."

Peace in a church was more important than trying to not anger some by departing from custom and tradition. The only reason Paul gave a suggestion about hair, hats, and veils was to not create embarrassment for the men of the church. He made sure the Corinthians knew this was just a suggestion, and not a rule for all ages of Christendom.

The women at Corinth had gone a little far in their new found liberty in Christianity. They began to go to church, not only unveiled (as a token of their equality), but they had shaven their heads to sell the hair and to give the money to the church. The prostitutes in the city shaved their heads when they were short of money. The hair was sold for the making of wigs. This made the women of the congregation appear as prostitutes when they walked into the home where the services were to be held that day. Their husbands were embarrassed.

Paul mildly rebukes them with "Is it comely... judge in yourselves." (I Cor. 11:13) He wanted the women to think about how it looked. He suggested they use a veil, hat, or leave their hair for a covering. He did not require they put the veil or hat back on to indicate subservience to the husband. He told them their hair was given to them for all the covering they needed, but if they did shave their hair, then wear the hat or veil so that the husband would not be embarrassed.

From Paul's mild rebuke, many denominations have created rules regarding women wearing hats, veils, or never cutting their hair. They have tried to teach that women were inferior to men. This is an un-Scriptural misconception of the true teaching of Paul in I Corinthians.

God's divine order of the Trinity is:

** God > Christ > Holy Spirit **

The three of the Trinity are all equal, but in office - God has precedence. Christ prayed to God and obeyed Him. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ.

God's divine order of the family is:

** Man > woman **

Men and women are equal in respect to God, but in the family, men and women have different offices. Women are subordinate in office, but not in person. God is "no respecter of persons."

The rules given for men in Ephesians, when compared to the rules given for the wives, show greater burden to the husbands. Husbands are told to love the wife, as Christ loved the church and died for it. With that kind of love coming from the husband, would he ever cruelly brow-beat a wife to demand domination? No! Husbands would have a harder time living up to this command than the wives' command to submit themselves to such a loving husband.

I Corinthians 14:34-35
"Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak... And if they learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."

This refers to the confusion caused when the women talked out loud to husbands in the midst of sermons. The women of the day were not educated as the men, and often did not understand what the preacher was saying. In Christianity, the women were being given equality, and were being taught as the men in this new Christian faith. Paul was only saying that the women should question the husband at home, and not disrupt the service.

I Timothy 2:11-12
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

This passage also refers to the same situation of I Corinthians 14:34-35. The women were not to interrupt the sermon with talking out loud to their husbands. The word "subjection" is from the Greek word "hupotage" which means "a voluntary yielding in love."

There is a time for women to question their husband about the sermon. In love and respect for the service and for the husband, the wife should voluntarily wait. They were also not to not argue with the man's interpretation of the sermon during the service. This in no way lessens her equality, it only emphasizes a restraint of embarrassing a mate in public by flaunting her equality. It also was to encourage her to respect the sanctity of the service.

This new found freedom in Christianity had now allowed a woman to disagree with her husband. Sometimes, in a service there was probably a desire of the wife to say - "I told you so!" She may want to teach her husband something she had learned before he had. P

aul simply instructs the woman not to "usurp authority" over the man, but to silently listen. The Greek word for "usurp authority" is the word - "authenteo" which means "to exercise one's power over..."

In Christianity, the wife does have "power", and she can exercise it to question the husband, and to even teach the husband.

The translators were all men, and questionably translated this Greek word improperly. A whole different meaning is found in the original word. It shows that women have an "authority" to speak their mind, and have an opinion different from the husband's. Paul is not removing the authority from the woman, that Christianity had given her. No! Rather he is only saying that she should not exercise that power in the middle of his sermon.
 
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murjahel

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There is one verse of the hoax gospel called 'THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS', that even the gnostics are trying to delete from it.

They know it is not only un-Christian, but it is politically incorrect. So now they are trying to say that this verse must have been added later. Some are trying to reword it in more modern translations, and some more are trying to find some metaphysical definition for its words. But... try as they may, this verse is the most troubling to them:

gospel of Thomas (a gnostic hoax gospel) vs. 114
“SIMON PETER SAID TO THEM, MAKE MARY LEAVE US, FOR FEMALES DON’T DESERVE LIFE. JESUS SAID, LOOK, I WILL GUIDE HER TO MAKE HER MALE, SO THAT SHE TOO MAY BECOME A LIVING SPIRIT RESEMBLING YOU MALES. FOR EVERY FEMALE WHO MAKES HERSELF MALE WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN


This shows the depth of the bias against women in that age. Jesus dispelled and did away with the prejudice against women, but it has resurfaced from age to age... In the early church, some apostatized to Gnosticism, and they took back that bigotry against women.

They took the vss of 'if any man' and made them be that women could not go to heaven, it was not for them...

Mark 4:23 (KJV)
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

Luke 9:23 (KJV)
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

John 6:51 (KJV)
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 7:17 (KJV)
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 10:9 (KJV)
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

John 11:9-10 (KJV)
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

John 12:26 (KJV)
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Romans 8:9 (KJV)
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Are we going to take all these 'if any man' vss and make them only for those of the male gender?? The 'if any man' means both genders in all these verses... we call it a form of figurative language... it does not exclude women in any of the passages.


Synecdoche

A synecdoche is a part that is put for a whole, or a whole is put for a part. A more exclusive term is used for a less inclusive term or vice versa. Sometimes a singular is put for a plural or plural for a singular.

Examples:
'if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation'...

Does that mean that women cannot be 'in Christ', and cannot become a 'new creation'? Of course not, it is figurative, and men and women can come to Christ.

‘then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave’ (Gen. 42:38, writer has in mind, not just grey hair, but all of himself)

‘give us this day our daily bread...’ (Matt. 6:11)
We know this refers to whole meals, not just bread...

The gnostics went back to the ill-advised bigotry of the times, and did not even want to believe that women went to heaven. So, in their hoax book of Thomas, when a disciple asks 'what about Mary?' is she going to heave?, they have Jesus tell them that He will transform her into a man so she can go to heaven... Laughable is it not...

But in our time we see bigotry against women creeping back into some churches, and it is wrong.

The first 'resurrection' sermon was preached in a congregation of disciples (men) hiding in a room, with windows and doors locked, but a woman preacher, Mary Magdalene, following the command of Jesus, preached the first resurrection sermon. She taught, she preached... and the congregation were a bunch of men too afraid to have gone with her to the tomb... where Jesus had been.

If we returned to the freedom that Jesus gave women, we would have more souls saved, and the hiding male preachers of today might be shamed enough by their calling and willingness to obey it, that they might get out of their hiding places.

If the gnostics were really right then or now... the women would need a sex change operation to get to heaven even.... Some today have not gone that far into error... but some are nigh close.
 
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murjahel

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THE PREACHER’S SHEPHERD NATURE



A preacher is to have a 'shepherd' nature. We call preachers to be 'pastors' often. The name refers to being a 'shepherd.' Of course, a preacher is never the 'Good Shepherd', i.e. Jesus Christ. Yet, we are commanded as was Peter, to 'feed His sheep'.


Imagine a shepherd who leads to green pastures, makes still water for the sheep to drink, protects, and anoints their wounds. That is all beautiful.
Yet, imagine that same shepherd having a nature that allows those sheep to wander near the cliff of destruction unhindered. Imagine a shepherd who would make himself feel less convicted by those sheep who fall over that precipice, by saying 'there is no precipice'. Denying the danger that is there, does not alleviate the guilt of the false shepherd who simply denies the danger they allow the sheep to fall into.


To deny 'hell' in sermons and in shunning the many, many Scriptures that speak of eternal hell, does not alleviate the guilt of shepherds who let sheep go unwarned.


When the Good Shepherd came, and while He walked amidst His sheep here, He warned of 'hell' more than He promised of heaven. Not to scare them to heaven, for no one gets to heaven by fear of hell. The only way to escape hell is to accept the loving invitation to forgiveness in the One Who will someday take us to heaven.


The shepherd nature??? Do we have it? Do we want to 'make the sheep to lie down in green pastures?' or Do we allow the sheep to wander, unhindered by the precipe of danger?


Beautiful are the feet of the many saints who not only promise heaven to accepters of Jesus Christ, but who also warn the rejecters of hell fire's judgment and eternal nature.


That loving shepherd will be recognized by the flock seen grazing quietly, walking safely near a ravine, because they trust the love of the shepherd. In the same way, preachers of the gospel, have the nature to make the ‘sheep of the Lord’ to feel the peace and harmony of the Good Shepherd they serve.


The chores a typical flock try to add to the preacher, pastor, are a complex variety. They want many things to fill their time. The works and service they demand oft will keep the preacher from the communication and work that the Good Shepherd wants to bestow upon the preacher.


Homiletics is the preparation of the preacher, the preparation of the message that he/she delivers from God, and the art of delivering the message in a loving, informative way. The sermon is not the only product of
homiletics, the shepherd nature must also be a product of homiletics if it is to have done its true work. This study of homiletics is not designed just on how to make a sermon outline, and how to deliver it. The ‘shepherd nature’ of the preacher must be achieved, or the homiletical study is worthless.


Shepherding is not a pastime, it is a serious calling. The work of a preacher is not just the sermon, it is the feeding and sustaining of the flock for which he has been given that sermon. The preacher is not charged with forcing the sheep to obey the message, not even Jesus would do that. The preacher is charged with obedience to God in delivering the sermon, the message from God. If the preacher does that, he/she has accomplished their work. If the sheep reject the message, that is not the failure of the preacher.


The failure of a preacher is to not have the shepherd nature, giving them the love for the flock, the desire to bring sustenance, healing, and rest to the flock. The shepherd nature causes the preacher to extend all effort to find the ones of the flock that wander, and to bring healing to the wounded of the flock. Yet, if the lost do not return to the fold, if the unhealed resist the healing balm messages of the preacher, the blame is not the shepherd/preacher’s.


If the preacher/shepherd does fail to deliver the sermon that God has bestowed to them, then the shepherd does bear some of the blame for the danger and doom that comes to the flock.


GAINING THE SHEPHERD NATURE


Many could write a book on this topic. Yet, with all the ideas out there to show us many variations, many of the very good, we need to see what God teaches us.

Jesus conftonted Peter with some teaching about being a ‘shepherd’ to the Lord’s flock.


John 21:15-19 (KJV)
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.



In order to preach as the Lord wants us to preach, to speak His message to this world, then we need to have a "perfect love". Preachers speak God’s message to Gods sheep, and are to be an under-shepherd for the Good Shepherd. Jesus wants to embolden us, and to empower us to do the works of the Good Shepherd in these last days without fear.



What is this "perfect love"? Jesus taught this to the disciples when He was manifesting Himself to them, on the shore, as they ate the bread and the meat.

John 21:15-17
15. "...Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (agapao) thou Me more that these?
He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love (phileo) thee.
He saith unto him, Feed (Gk = bosko = to feed, tend a flock, take care of, lead, defend)
My lambs (Gk = arnion = young Christ-like ones, for this word is used elsewhere in the Bible only of Jesus).
16. ... the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (agapao) thou Me?
He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I lovest (phileo) thee.
He saith unto him, Feed My sheep (Gk. = probaton, older Christ-like ones, saved men in general).
17. ... the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (phileo) thou Me?
Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time,
Lovest (phileo) thou Me?
And he said unto Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things;
Thou knowest that I love (phileo) thee.
Jesus said unto him, Feed My sheep (Gk.= probaton = saved men in general)."



Much ado has been made by Bible scholars about the use of the words "agapao" and "phileo" here in these verses. There is a great truth to learn, but often, I believe, it has been missed.

"Agapao" means “to love, respect, see the worth of...” and it is the same word for which we are commanded to love our enemies.

“Agapao’ is a high spiritual love that one can have for anyone, even enemies, for it does not denote any relationship except to recognize that even the most despicable of persons has spiritual value and potential in God.

"Phileo" is a love as close friends have for the other, it is stronger in that sense, for the agapao love would also be present in anyone having "phileo" love, and yet, because of respect, admiration, and a close relationship. There is more love to have, a valued love.



Twice Jesus asks Peter... "Do you love (agapao) Me?" Peter says "Yes, Lord, I go beyond just recognizing your spiritual value, I admit to (phileo) a loving relationship and a valued close adoration for You."


Peter was not going to tell the Lord that he had learned to love Him as he had been instructed to love his enemies. Rather, Peter wanted the Lord to know of his relationship-based admiration, esteem, respect, and adoration for Him.

When Jesus asked Peter the third time, He used the word "phileo" and this broke Peter. He had twice told the Lord that he "phileo" loved Him, and now the Lord questioned that?!

Peter had denied the Lord three times, and now he had to affirm three times that he loved the Lord. Peter was humbled, and perhaps thought that Jesus was truly in doubt of Peter's love. He tells the Lord, "Thou knowest..."

We need to recognize that the Lord wants a special kind of love from us, if we are to be His preachers, to feed His sheep. A perfect love, a relationship kind of love with Him. We should not simply love Him because of Who He is, or because of What He did for us, or because He is One of the Godhead. We need to have a relationship with Him, land able to speak to Him on a personal basis, have Him dwelling in us, and able to speaking through us. Peter claimed that type of relationship.



EVIDENCE OF HAVING THE "PERFECT LOVE"


Jesus tells Peter, that this relationship, that He is letting us know is a perfect love, will be evidenced by one fact, that we will "feed His sheep and lambs..." That means, if we come into the wonderful relationship with the Lord, we should only do it if we have the love (John 14:18-21, I John 4:15-19) that He demands.

"Sheep" are referred to 500 times in the Bible in referring to believers. There are many similarities between sheep and believers. Both often go astray. When astray by themselves, they are helpless. The shepherd can lead sheep, and they do not need to be "driven" as cattle. Sheep know the voice of their shepherd, and will not follow another shepherd.

John 10:5
"And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers..."

Remember, that the Lord wants to be in us, and we in Him, and then His "word" is to fill us, and we are to be speaking it, and the true sheep of the Lord will recognize His word, as it comes from our mouths. When we preach, if we are speaking words of the One with Whom we have a close, loving, relationship, the words will be recognized as being the Words of God.

John 7:17
"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself..."

Therefore, our preaching in these last days, is to speak forth the rhema word of the Lord to His sheep. We need to warn, exhort, comfort, teach, encourage, and uplift His sheep. This is a feeding ministry for the last days...

Peter is told to "feed" other saints. Do we do that? If we want the manifestation, the revelation, the blessed presence of the Lord, we must be about His work! If we love Him... "Phileo," not simply "agapao" love, we will feed His lambs and sheep. Proof of our love will be the caring for, helping, leading, defending, and providing pasture for His flock. "Perfect love" is evidenced by the giving of love, not in simply receiving of love. We as a body of believers are told to "gather together" and to "exhort", that is to encourage, uplift, and strengthen each other.

Hebrews 10:25
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching."

So, as a shepherd watches and cares for the flock, we should do the Lord's work of tending to the sheep, caring for the lambs of the Lord. The disciples had been taught by the Lord that He was the good Shepherd, and they were part of the flock.

see part 2
 
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murjahel

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part 2

Speaking of a "flock", let us recall that portion of John's gospel. Jesus tells us in John 10:
7. "I am the door of the sheep...
8. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers...
9. I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.
10. ...I am come that they might have life, and they might have it more abundantly...
11. I am the good Shepherd, the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep...
14. I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine..."



We have this good Shepherd Who so loves His flock, that He tells us that if we truly love Him with a perfect love, we will be feeding, and tending to His flock. He is in us with rhema power, with words of resurrection life, and will manifest Himself to us, but we must be about His work. We are to be the, body of Christ, because we have partaken of the Bread of Life, and become part of His body, and therefore we do His work. We are to tend to, care for, feed, help, etc. His flock. We, therefore, in the nature of a shepherd, preach.


John 15:13
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man shall lay down his life for his friends..."

Jesus was about to be that kind of good Shepherd, and He tells His disciples to be ready to assume that kind of shepherding role also. We must be ready to lay down our lives. We must be ready to suffer for those the Lord calls "His sheep..."

John 13:35
"By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if ye have love one for another..."



THE "PERFECT LOVE" WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SUFFERING


This kind of love, the "suffering" kind of love, is what the Good Shepherd had, and commands us to have. This kind of love will mark all who are truly called to preach, for the nature of one of the Lord’s preachers, is the shepherd nature. Jesus is the Good Shepherd Who will leave the 99 sheep to go and seek the one that is lost.

Living a shepherd-nature preacher’s life will mean SUFFERING. We all want peace, blessing, and joy. Now, if we want to be a preacher, we are told it is a suffering, sometimes life giving, loving ministry of feeding His sheep.

Then Jesus tells Peter:

John 21:18-19
18. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou (Peter) wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkest whither thou wouldest, but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thou where thou wouldest not.
19. This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify god. And when He had spoken this, He saith unto Him, 'Follow Me!'"

A life of love means suffering. Peter was told that in the future, he would follow the Lord and suffer much as the Lord did. Tradition and history records that Peter was crucified, only at his request he had them crucify him upside down, instead of right side up.

So many reject suffering. Truly to have perfect love, a close phileo love relationship with Jesus will mean a life of suffering and persecution. Do you love Him? Are you serving Him? Are you feeding His flock? Are you willing to suffer for Him?

To do so, will mean a life of having many times of fellowship and communion with the Lord. We can and will have His rhema word, a ministry with nets full, and a life of helping others

There are many who want this communion with the Lord, and desire to be in the presence of the Lord in a special, unique, and real way. But the Lord teaches us that we must be about His work, toiling for Him, casting our nets out of the right side of the boat, and then reminds us to continue to "feed" His flock in these last, perilous days. It will mean suffering, and sometimes heartache. We must continue to do our ministry to the flock, to continue in the shepherd nature. If we are so willing, we can have a relationship with the Lord that others will miss.



MINISTERING LIKE THE GOOD SHEPHERD DOES


Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

If we have the nature of the Good Shepherd, we will also want to be sure the sheep we ‘feed’ do not have any ‘want’. Preachers listen to the Good Shepherd, will be feeding a ‘balanced’ diet, and it will meet the ‘needs’ of the flock.

Psalm 23:2a
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

Notice that He ‘maketh’. This is not a choice whether to have good feed coming from the preacher. The Good Shepherd is the One Who decides what is to be fed, and it will be from ‘green pastures’.

Psalms 23:2b
He leadeth me beside the still waters.

The ‘still waters’ are peaceful refreshment. This is where the preacher ‘leads’ the flock of the Lord, as the Lord would Himself lead. The ‘leading’ shows not ‘driving’, it is not forcing. No one has to accept the leading of Jesus, nor His words that come from His preachers. If they follow them, they will find ‘peace’.

Psalms 23:3a
He restoreth my soul:
Restoration to the blessings that sin has robbed from us, will result if the preacher has the nature of the Good Shepherd. The preacher will preach the messages that the Good Shepherd would have spoken had He been the One speaking.

Psalms 23:3b
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

For the Lord’s sake, preachers preach righteousness. Many speak words encouraging sin and soften the effect of conviction from the Spirit. So, the true preachers, the ones with the shepherd nature, preach and lead others to the righteousness of the Lord

Psalms 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

The shepherd-nature-preacher will be with those in the flock of God that come to times of death, evil. They need exhortation and leading at those times, so the ‘rod and staff’ get much use in the ministry of a preacher.

Psalms 23:5a
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

The words of a preacher, provide a buffet table of God’s messages. Even though the enemies of God may be round-about, the preacher, who has the shepherd nature, will prepare a table.

Psalms 23:5b
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The wounds of life, the dryness of life, need anointing balm, need refreshment. The preacher preaches healing messages, preaches refreshing and encouraging messages from the Lord, our Good Shepherd.

Psalms 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The Good Shepherd wants to give us ‘goodness and mercy’. The preacher will work with the Lord, in feeding the sheep, to bring that goodness and mercy. The goal is to dwell in the fold of the Lord forever.

The preacher has the nature of the shepherd. The Good Shepherd demands that if we want to ‘feed’ the sheep for Him, we need this kind of shepherding love.
 
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GOALS OF PREACHING

I Timothy 4:11
These things command and teach.


Preaching is a combination of relating God’s commandments, instructions, and policies, and teaching how and why God so instructed. This is preaching. Many try it, many of those efforts have been sadly lacking. Many do not even know the goals of a sermon. Without knowing the goals, one cannot find a path to them.

Goal 1. Deliver the message that is sourced from God.


Homiletics is from the Greek word ‘homilos’ which means ‘assemble together’. When we ‘assemble together’ in a church, in a home, on a street corner, at a web site, on a conference call, or at a work place, all of those places would become a place where a sermon could be preached. Homiletics is the application of general principles of rhetoric to the art of preaching. However, it is far more than ‘rhetoric’ for the preaching is not just discourse of facts, opinions. The preaching is the gospel message, rhema from God, and therefore take on far more awesome significance than just ‘public speaking’ ever could. The study of the composition of sermons, and the goals of those sermons, is more than can be comprehended by natural man.

Hermeneutics is from the Greek word ‘hermeneuo’ meaning ‘to translate’. The science of interpreting the rhema of God is hermeneutics. This kind of study and work is far more intense, for the words being interpreted are from the infinite mind of God, not just words from the finite minds of mankind. To understand ‘hermeneutics’ is vital in delivering a homiletical sermon.

This brings us to ‘exegesis’. Exegesis is the ‘narration or explanation’ of the truths discovered in hermeneutical study of the Word of God. The word ‘exegeis’ is from the Greek word ‘exegeomai’ meaning ‘to lead out of...’

John 1:18 (KJV)
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Jesus exegeted God to man. The word ‘declared’ in that verse of John 1:18, is the Greek (1834) exegeomai. Jesus did not just preach about God, He preached a revelation of God, and of God’s message to us.

Exegesis is correctly explaining what the Bible is saying. The first goal of preaching is exegesis, to explain God’s message to mankind, in a way that makes that message from an infinite mind, somewhat understandable to the finite mind of the sermon’s hearers.

This is an awesome task. It requires hermeneutics to comprehend and understand God’s written and spoken words. It also requires the becoming the kind of person who can deliver the message, and then becoming able to use methods to deliver that message (homiletics). Then, finally ‘exegesis’, i.e. the act of explaining it properly, is needed to deliver the message properly.

Finding the ‘things’ which we are to ‘command and teach’ is the first goal of preaching. This goal requires many things. The becoming a person who has the ‘shepherd nature’ that is descriptive of the Lord, is necessary to even get the chance to learn what God wants to say to His people. One does not have to have had an unblemished life, a life of perfection, to preach. For this is impossible for us to have had. Yet, all of the Lord’s preachers need to have an illustrative life of what God can do with a repentant sinner. That testimony is absolutely vital.

GOAL 2. Know your authority, but remember your lowly position, compared to the One of Whom you preach.


John 1:19-27 (KJV)
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

John was not Isaiah, not was he Elijah. So, with what authority did he preach? He preached with the authority of the Lord, announcing the Lord and His coming to the world.

Jesus preached with authority. John the Baptist preached with authority. Not many in that day felt an authority. We do not have any of ourselves.

We are to minister with authority, and certainty. Many ministries have "maybe"s, "could be"s, "might be"s and end up with a gospel that leaves much room for heresy and false doctrines. Many preachers of our day are afraid to minister with the "Thus saith the Lord". They are unsure of what the Lord is saying. They do not have a working knowledge of the Bible that goes deep enough to be sure they are not wrong, and they do not tune in to the Holy Spirit to know what He is saying. Preachers need more authority and assurance of their message than that.

Preachers are supposed to be ready to give an answer to every man, but they have less firm beliefs than the local bartender, and therefore cannot offer answers to a sick and dying world.

If a preacher is uncertain about their faith, doctrine, and ministry, that preacher is miserable. After an earthquake, one person rushed to their pastor and said, "You can't trust the ground you walk on..." And if you are unsure of your faith, unsure of the answers you need to minister, unsure of your authority to preach them, and therefore cannot trust the ground you are walking on, you are as miserable and scared as that man in the earthquake when crisis comes.

God does not want us to be uncertain or unhappy.

Matthew 5:12
"Rejoice and be exceeding glad..."

James 1:5
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, Who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him..."

Certainty does exist. God wants us to have it! He does not scold us for asking for it! He will give it liberally! Do not believe the lies of the devil and of many so-called "scholars" who add doubt, despair, and the lie that you cannot know much with real assurance.

Certainty exists in Christ. We discover these certainties as we serve Him and as we study His Word. The Holy Spirit will confirm truth to us. The Holy Scriptures will harmonize as never before in our minds when we reach into real truth. The faith in our hearts will be so great that we can speak the truths we have learned with certainty, fortitude, and assuredness.

Salvation is certain! Though many question it, doubt it, and are told you cannot be sure that you are saved, still you can still sing "BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE..." for the Spirit of God will certainly bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God (Romans 8:16). The same certainty comes to a preacher. You know the message, you know the Messenger Who speaks that message, and you are certain you speak His Word.

There is chaos in many. The fears, insecurity, sinking feelings, half certainties, and scared feelings that some have are not from God. Perfect love for the Lord brings a security of one’s authority to speak.

God wants us to have certainty! Jeremiah preached with certainty that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed. The false prophets and the people could not believe it, and found fault with Jeremiah. They tried to stop his message by rejection, by mocking, by threatening, by imprisonment and torture, etc. Jeremiah stood alone and was lied about and still held onto his certain truths. The day came, and though Jeremiah sat weeping as he watched the truth that he believed and taught come true. The people had proof before them who was the preachers of truth and who were the false preachers of the day.


GOAL 3. Preach Jesus.


John 1:29-36 (KJV)
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

John the Baptist saw Jesus, had a revelation from God that this was the Lamb that is come to take away sins. He preached. He preached this Jesus. All preaching is to be ‘Jesus’.

Note the preaching about Jesus in the former rain revival.

In the first post-Pentecost sermon of Peter... Peter said:"
Acts 2:22
"Ye men and brethren, hear these words... Jesus of Nazareth..."

To the lame man, Peter said:
Acts 3:6
"...in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise and walk..."

To those who complained about this healing, Peter said:
Acts 3:13
"the God of our Fathers hath glorified His Son Jesus..."

The High Priest questioned about the ‘name’ that they had been preaching:
Acts 4:7
"...by what name have ye done this?"

The people of the day heard that name over and over in the sermons:
Acts 4:13
"...took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus..."

The persecutors said of these preachers:
Acts 4:17
"Let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in His name..."

The message of the preachers, to the world, was about Jesus.
Acts 4:33
"...with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus..."
Acts 5:28
"Did we not straitly command you that you should not teach in His name? and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine!"

They preached JESUS, and had success!

Acts 11:20-21
"...preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed..."

The key to their success was Jesus. The key to the persecution was Jesus. To avoid persecution, many today have avoided the key to success and revival. This results in a "form of godliness, denying the power thereof..." Jesus is the key to power and revival.

Some put much emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Yet, remember, the Holy Spirit Himself does not glorify Himself, but He glorifies Jesus. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, "He shall testify of Me..." So the truly Spirit-filled person will also be known by their glorifying of Jesus. As we fulfill the mission of the Holy Spirit (to glorify Jesus), we will receive more and more power in the Spirit.

Acts 11:23
"...exhorted them all that with purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord..."

Our preaching needs to be about Jesus.



GOAL 4. Win souls to Jesus.


John 1:38-51 (KJV)
38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Andrew led Peter to Jesus. Philip led Nathanael. The message spreads because one of the main goals of preaching is to lead mankind to Jesus.

The preacher is to be preaching the cross. We may have eloquence, genius, flowery poetry, the light of scientific knowledge, the precepts of morality, but if we do not make Jesus and His work on the cross the main part of the sermon, we have not led them to the only way of salvation.

The devil trembles at the preaching of the cross. When we preach the cross, the devil’s power is destroyed, and the righteousness of Jesus is found by those at the foot of Jesus’ cross.

Bringing people to a point of decision, inviting them to an altar of repentance, increasing the size of the family of God, are the vital goals of the cross preaching.


MORE GOALS TO COME... SEE PART 2
 
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GOAL 5. Stay with the program, of continuing your own relationship with Jesus and your own study of His Word.

1 Timothy 4:12-13 (KJV)
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Hebrews 5:13-14
“Everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

There are two characteristics of ‘babes’. They are firstly, ‘dull of hearing’ (Hebrews 5:11), and secondly, they are ‘unskillful in the Word’ (Hebrews 5:13). We are all ‘babes’ when we first come to Jesus. As we grow, let us remember we never come to the ‘stature of Jesus’, but all have more growing to do.

The word ‘dull’ is from the Greek word ‘nothros’ meaning ‘slothful’. Some think that one should just read the verse, and miraculously God will impart all that is needed to be known. I have seen many weird and perverted dogmas started by people with that idea. The Bible commands us to ‘study to show yourself approved of God’. To not study the Word of God, to not be skillful in researching, compiling, organizing, translating that Word,is due to slothfulness.

The word ‘unskillful’ is from the Greek word ‘apeiros’ and means ‘inexperienced’, which tells us that those who do not get experience and training in the Word will not have the skill of understanding the Word as those who do.

The characteristic of ‘of full age’ (adults) is that they are capable of ‘discerning’ the Word, understanding its message, discriminating what is truly being said (Heb. 5:14).

Scriptures were of prime importance to Paul. He valued the Word, had studied it in a depth probably few have equaled since.

II Timothy 4:13
“The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.”

We find many quotes in Paul’s writings. He must have carried a copy of ‘The Testimonies of the Twelve Patriarchs’, for he quoted it very often. Paul quoted even from non-religious writers. He was no stranger to the written word, and employed many books. As bulky as books of that day were, we find this itinerant apostle, carrying books, parchments.

When preachers seek to interpret the Word, they should have some main questions. As, ‘what does this word, passage, mean?’ and ‘Why is this said?’, and ‘What does this passage imply?’. To answer such questions, the preacher needs often to employ dictionaries, commentaries, encyclopedias, concordances, lexicons, etc. After some research in some or all of these, a preacher can integrate and summarize the findings. Then a preacher can verify the study with checking the interpretation of others.

Finally, preacher should go to God in prayer, ask for illumination. The preacher must be patient, for the Bible says to ‘meditate’ upon the Word of God. As he/she does, the Teacher, the Holy Spirit, will illumine.

Too many minds have closed, and too many feel they have all the illumination they need. What a shock they will have when they get to heaven. We need to have an open mind, ready to receive more. The Bible tells us to ‘thirst’ and ‘hunger’ for the Word. Someone said, ‘Wise men change their minds, fools never.’ And even Peter was corrected by Paul in his dealings with eating with the Gentile converts. Peter who had traveled with Paul, had an error of judgment, and understanding God’s will. We can also, and the more we study, the more the Lord corrects our errors of thought.

A preacher needs to keep an open mind to the Word, allow it to mold what their brain already thinks. The preacher can then throw out of the mind all that contradicts it.

When reading the Word, all of us are still seeing that Word with our ‘finite’ mind, and often the ‘glass’ that we look through is ‘dark’. So, those who are going to preach the Word need to go to Jesus, even after having checked the dictionaries, encyclopedias, lexicons and the like. He can illumine, make the pieces of the puzzle fall together. But, preachers should collect all the pieces of the puzzle that we can, so the Holy Spirit can illumine as to how to put it all together, or make them fall into place.

A preacher should develop study habits, have a plan of attack, have a goal in mind. The preacher should also read carefully, mark the Bible, make notes. The preacher must then be alert to the truths that pertain to the Bible’s main emphasis (salvation, faith, Jesus, second coming, etc.). This is a constant process. This is never stopped. One continues these things, just as one continues to plan meals, rest time, and refreshment. As those are necessary to continue throughout life, so also must the study of the Book written by the Infinite Mind of God. It is inexhaustible, and in a trillion billion years, we will still be studying it, and learning more.

GOAL 6. Exercise your spiritual gifts in the preaching.

1 Timothy 4:14 (KJV)
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Peter had just been filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. He spoke in tongues, as the Spirit gave utterance. He and the 119 others stepped out of that upper room, and Peter began to exercise the gifts of the Spirit. He spoke as an ‘ignorant and unlearned’ man, yet his words were prophetic words, with the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discernment of spirits all evident in his sermon delivery. The hearers were ‘pricked in their hearts’, their minds were convicted, the Spirit was working through the words of Peter’s sermon. The hearers cried out, ‘men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Three thousand were led to Jesus that day.

Soon, Peter was confronted by the Temple by a lame man. Such as they had, they ministered in that short sermon to the man, and the lame man walked, shouted and rejoiced in the healing. The gifts of God are to work through the preacher. Preachers deliver not only sermons, but

GOAL 7. “In so doing’, we gain not only souls, but our own joyous blessings of our calling.

1 Timothy 4:15-16 (KJV)
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in so doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Giving oneself, one’s mind to preaching ‘wholly’, will be a goal we cannot afford to miss. God never intended for preachers to have a dull, drab, lifeless existence. Rather, preachers become a ‘flame’ burning brightly for Jesus. The people are stirred, when the preacher speaks for God, and the preacher himself/herself is also stirred to full joy and peace when they do their ministry for the Lord.

When Stephen preached, he was quickly on trial for his witness. His face began to shine like unto an angel’s. The words that had flowed from his mouth were words that ‘they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke’ (Acts 6:10). The message, when it comes from God, and is preached by the preacher, is powerful to affect the hearers, and bless the speaker.

I Corinthians 3:9,14
"For we are laborers together with God... if any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward."

God is the architect of the building of the Church, and preachers are working with Him in the building of the church. Preachers work according to His specifications. Each does a part, As a building needs carpenters, plumbers, electricians, bricklayers, painters, etc. -- in the same way, God uses different ministers to each do a part of building a church. The preachers who want to single-handedly build a church, without looking for others to minister in their God-given ways, will have little success.

A true preacher will minister as charged by the Lord, even if the pay is insufficient, or non-existent. He will not be preaching so he can have a new Mercedes automobile, nor to get a full bank account. A true preacher will preach even if it costs them their own sustenance. This is because of his high calling.

I Corinthians 9:16-18,25
"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. ...And every man that striveth for the master is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible."

Preachers receive an incorruptible crown. That reward is greater than any salary earthly employers can offer.
 
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murjahel

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KINDS OF SERMONS of the Charismatic / Pentecostal preacher...


There is a vast difference between public speaking and preaching. The subject matter, of course, is different. The source of the message is different. The preparation of the person speaking is different. The inspiration is different, the message is infinite. In public speaking, the authority with which one speaks is finite and limited. In a sermon, the authority is divine.

2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

The message is divinely inspired. The word in the Greek for ‘inspiration’ is theopneustos (G2315) meaning ‘God-breathed’.

The word refers to the special influence of the Holy Spirit upon the secretaries that were used by Him to speak a message that originated, and was sourced from God.

Thereby, fallible men spoke infallible messages due to the Divine Source.

The original sermons were all ‘rhema’, and revealed the will of God to mankind. The Bible recorded God’s inspired message. Sermons are the commentary, and re-speaking of the original message. Exegesis is used to explain what the Bible is saying in terminology and illustrations that are understood by the culture of the times.

The Scriptures record lies from the devil, false doctrines from mankind, sins and the temptations that led to them. Sermons mention those, but add the revelation of God, the solutions and healings offered by God. Inspiration guarantees that the Word of God is accurate, responsible, and truthful in those presentations. Sermons must be guarded, and prayers should be guardians of the security measures taken to insure against misrepresentation of Bible truths.

Some parts of Scripture are the very words of God recorded to reveal Himself to us.

Some words are from the mouths of His own preaching sermons that emerged from the words of God.
Some words are inspired from the Spirit in explanation of God’s Words.

Some of the Biblical sermons are the words of the human writer, giving exegesis of the message of God.

The faculties and abilities of the sermon giver are always employed, and evidenced by peculiarities in language used, grammar employed, illustrations used. God uses no one as a robot, to do and say everything the same as all others would explain the same truth. The truth varies not, the sermon will vary in language, in style, in manner of delivery.

Over 40 authors wrote 66 books, from different lands, and over a period of 1,800 years. There is no contradiction of truth between them, though most were not familiar with what some of the others had written. If sermons are inspired today, the truth will stay the same, though the preacher may differ in language, in ability to use correct grammar, and in types of illustrations convenient for one to use. Doctrines will not vary in truth, principles will not differ in moral tone, prophecies will speak to the same fulfilment though figurative explanation may vary, if the sermon preachers are all inspired by the same Holy Spirit.

The wise, godly, and honest will recognize the truths origin as being from God for His sheep know His voice. Though no one likes condemning sin, since the Spirit’s job is to convict of sin, the messages the Spirit inspires still ‘prick the hearts’, and ‘try the reins’. Sermons, even if one tried, could not avoid the bringing of conviction, though it is often mild and gentle in its application.

Sermons meet man’s present and eternal needs. Redemption is its goal for mankind, promised benefits and blessings are its side effects. The signs following the preaching of the Word prove its contents to be inspired by God.

The sermon may have depth and lofty ideals. Yet, it is reasonable and indispensable to the congregation. God does not, and never has wasted His Words, in the Bible or in a sermon. The words of God, when delivered by the preacher have an eternal goal, and God’s Word does not return void.
Some 3,800 times the Bible claims God spoke what is written. A preacher should study the Word, pray till he/she has emptied themselves from all human goals, and then be able to claim that the words of the sermon are also authored by God.


2 Timothy 4:2-4 (KJV)
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
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;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.


In public speaking, the rationale is human, finite, and limited. In a sermon, the concepts are divine, eternal, and beyond our full comprehension.


There is a passage in the inspired Word of God, which forewarns all of us, especially preachers, that ‘’My thoughts are not your thoughts, My ways are not your ways...’

Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.


Since God’s thoughts are so far above ours, it is difficult for preachers to fully comprehend the Word of God. Hermeneutics may help, but there is no way for the wisest, or most scholarly of preachers to comprehend God’s Word fully.

To take the masterpiece of God’s Written Word, and convey its message to the world accurately, is like taking a piece of paper and putting it over the painting of the Last Supper, and tracing its basic outline, and then presenting that paper as an accurate representation of the real masterpiece. It falls far short of a real simulation of the real thing. The sermons of the best of preachers are just amateur tracings of the masterpiece of God’s Message.


In our representations of His message, the human, carnal, short-sighted, finite presentation can have errors. These are serious for they misrepresent and can cause serious consequences. Our presentations need spiritual preparation, personal communion with the Author, and confirmation from various passages.


RATING THE SERMONS

The world has designed rating systems for movies in the theater, television shows, and for books in some libraries. Sermons have been suggested by some to need a rating system also.

The ‘G’ (general) category would be a sermon that all, saint and sinner, old or young, yielded or rebellious, could listen to, say ‘amen’ to and smile while shaking the preacher’s hand at the end. ‘G’ rated sermons are full of inoffensive, mild platitudes, like ‘go into all the world and smile’, or ‘take up your pillow and ride in your mercedes behind Me.’


The ‘M’ rating would be given sermons for a more mature group. These sermons are subtle encouragements to rise out of one’s easy chair, and open the door for the old man on crutches. They may be considered a bit challenging for the relaxed saints, but few take them very seriously.


The ‘R’ rating in theaters are restricted to a certain age group, and few would think them fit for youngsters. In a ‘R’ rated sermons, one would hear truths that upset the moneychangers’ tables. These sermons threaten the comfortable, disturb the sleeping, irritate the hypocrite. They are too often only preached after the preacher already has packed his suitcase.


The “X” rated movies are not fit for any Christian, and some think the same about ‘X’ rated sermons. No, they are not inappropriate contentographic, or vile of words, but they are the kind of sermons that ended with Jeremiah thrown into the sewer of the prison, got Stephen stoned, and Zechariah stabbed at the Temple door. Those suddenly awakened from their slumber by these sermons call them ‘appalling’. They call for drastic changes from unrighteousness to righteousness, and do not offer a calendar to plan ahead for the change, but demand it ‘now’.

If the sermon is worthy of a ‘thank you’ at the end, it must be one that has ‘shaken’ the lethargic, pushed on the tiring saint, and given refreshment to the weary. Sermons should make a change in the hearers.

Some come to hear a sermon, and are thinking they are just there to rate it, to endure it, to critique it. But, the one preaching the sermon, first must prepare a plan, for how to convey the most he/she can, of the message one carries from God.

So, though some sit and just ‘rate’ the sermon, the preacher needs more planning than just to decide for which rating to aim! There are various kinds of sermon styles from which one must choose.

next post will list the different kinds of sermons we hear preached... stay tuned...
 
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murjahel

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THE KINDS OF SERMONS


1. TOPICAL SERMON
The preacher chooses a ‘subject’, and picks a ‘text’ that discusses that subject. The sermon thoroughly examines that subject, pulling many other passages to treat the subject in an exhaustive manner. There are a limited number of subjects, and one could sooner run out of subjects with this type of sermon. Some subjects are so vast in material and necessary facets to include, that the length of time needed for the sermon would be long. The sermon that Paul preached from sunset to sunrise, must have been a ‘topical sermon.’

One of the good aspects of the topical sermon is that one text alone cannot always show all the intricacies of the truth being shown. So, to be able to show various passages, to show all the necessary facets of the truth, helps to keep misconceptions from forming.

We see many teachers who preach, use the topical sermon. Teachers usually have a nature unwilling to leave ‘all’ the truth from being presented, and do not want to give just a part of the bigger truth, but want all sides of it shown.


2. TEXTURAL SERMON
The subject of the sermon is chosen, and one text that describes that topic is chosen. The sermon examines what that text teaches of the message. Based on the choice of text, the main points of the sermon are put forth. The sub points are inferred by the text. The texts in these sermons are usually one or two verses of the Word.


3. EXPOSITORY SERMON

The expository sermon is based on texts longer than several verses. These sermons have more than one central idea, can have many ideas, as long as they are found in the longer passage chosen for the sermon. The text is understood as the theme, and the many points in it are the sermon. Verse by verse, the preacher continues to preach the truths of the whole passage.

The meaning of the passage is identified, the meaning of the passage is related to the current time and culture, and the applications to the lives of the hearers is related.

A caution for this type of sermon, is that on some truths, the one passage may not be fully clear. Some misconceptions may arise from the passage chosen, if it does not clearly prepare for some variations of application. For instance, in the passage on the ‘rich young ruler’, one may feel that all are supposed to sell everything, give it to the poor. The Lord in other passages made it more clear, and without those other passages though, a misconception may appear. For those possibilities, it is sometimes needed that other passages are referred to, explained, and applied in measure to balance the truths of the chosen exposition passage.

Several forms of expository sermons are:
a. Continuing commentary
This is one where there is no outline, but one uses the book itself to study, and compare passage of it to passage.

b. Bible reading
The choice of which passage to preach at any given sermon is not restrained by the former or later passage chosen.


4. ILLUSTRATIVE SERMON

This kind of sermon includes parables, allegories, stories, illustrations of truths. The point of the story, illustration, etc, is then proven and confirmed with Scripture.

Ezekiel preached many illustrated sermons. Imagine being called by God to be a preach to mountains, or to preach to a forest! Ezekiel became the illustration of that sermon. Ezekiel was given at least 25 such things to do, and they seemed, in the natural to be "stupid."

Ezekiel was told to cut off all his hair, and to put it in three separate piles, to cut up a third, to burn a third, and to scatter a third to the wind. He was told to prophesy to a pile of bones. He was told to pack his bags, and to escape during the night by digging a hole in the wall of his home, and then explain in his sermon what that taught. In what seemed to be "stupid" instructions, Ezekiel was acting out a message from God in pantomime form. It may have seemed moronic, absurd, ridiculous, and senseless, but God was speaking through these pantomimes to a people who refused to listen to the normal preaching of prophets as Ezekiel. When Ezekiel tried to preach a normal message from the Lord, the people would decline to attend, reject what was being spoken, and refuse to acknowledge that God had spoken. Sometimes yet today, the illustration of a sermon is what holds the attention of the congregation.

It was likely difficult for Ezekiel to obey God's strange commands, but when he did, a crowd would gather to see what "absurd" thing Ezekiel would do today. They would spread the word to the town of the "crazy" prophet, and his "weird" and "moronic" actions, but the word would be spread, and the illustration of his sermon would be passed on, even if they could not remember each of the points, and text references of the sermon.

Ezekiel became the talk of the town, and an interesting character who was the laughing stock of the area. Most illustrative sermons today are not as moronic seeming, but they do bring messages that the hearers can remember. God had a sermon preached that was received, even though they had been resistant to truth.

There were other preachers who used symbolic actions to preach the messages of the Lord:

AHIJAH
I Kings 11:30-31
"Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in 12 pieces... thus saith the Lord. I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon."

ZEDEKIAH
I Kings 22:11
"Zedekiah ...made him horns of iron..."

ELISHA
II Kings 13:17-19
"Elisha said, 'Shoot... the arrow of the Lord's deliverance...smite on the ground...'"

ISAIAH
Isaiah 20:2-4
"Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins and put off thy shoe... he did so, walking naked and barefoot... three years for a sign and a wonder..."

JEREMIAH
Jeremiah 13:1-14
"Get thee a linen girdle... hide it in a hole of a rock"
Jeremiah 19:1-10
"get a potter's earthen bottle..."

AGABUS
Acts 21:10-11
"he took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet"

God taught the sermon of the cloud by day, fire by night leading the children of Israel through the desert. Moses likely referred to the illustrated sermon of the Lord often in his preaching.


5. PROBLEM SOLVING SERMON

A serious problem is shown. The background and cause of the problem is
discussed. The causes and effects of the problem are normally described. And then finally, the solution from God, described in His Written Word is shown and illustrated.


6. TESTIMONY SERMON
The preacher tells of his own experience in the school of the Holy Spirit, and what God has shown and taught in his own life experiences. The sermon is God’s work on oneself. The text can come at the beginning, or at the end, but it sums up the lesson of the testimonial.


7. PROPHECY SERMON

This kind of sermon looks at future events, examines the prophetic announcement in the Bible, discusses the signs of its soon fulfillment, and applies the meaning of the near fulfillment to the hearers.

The prophetic sermon can be conservative or spectacular. It is best when it is both of those. It needs to be conservative in that it calls for repentance and readiness for Jesus to come. It needs to be spectacular in its call for radical realization of us being in the midst of Bible prophecy fulfillment.

Most of our preaching needs to be ‘forth telling’. Only a small part should be ‘fore telling’. The Bible is one third prophecy, and there is plenty of material therefore in the Word of God for these sermons. There are seven times more passages on the second coming than on Jesus’ first coming, so God saw importance in relating the many signs for which we are to watch. Wild speculation rather than studious revelation of the Word has often brought shame to the preacher for his/her hypothetical notions.


8. COMPARATIVE SERMON

This kind of sermon compares things, such as: good vs evil, Paul vs Nero, Christ vs antichrist, love vs hate. Many parables are comparative sermons, as the ‘gospel is compared to a seed’, and the hearers to different kinds of ground. The ‘tares’ of Matthew 13 are compared with the hypocrites of the church.

Allegories are comparative sermons. The Bible narratives of allegories are given interpretations. The danger of allegorical comparisons is that violence can be done to the passage if it is twisted in a way that the Author (the Lord) never intended.


9. BIOGRAPHICAL SERMON

A Bible character is described in this kind of sermon. The life, development, trials, failures, triumphs in God are narrated. The danger can be that the person must not be glorified, but only the Lord is to be glorified, for it is He Who worked with and through the character.


10. DEVOTIONAL SERMON

F.B. Meyer, J. R. Miller, and others have made much use of this kind of sermon. These are short but meaningful explanations of God’s working on us. These sermons have limited goals, normally to give strength, peace, consolation, and resoluteness to the hearer. They normally have but one truth, but with that one truth they give challenge and comfort.

In the art and calling of preaching, the canvas of the congregation is painted upon by the sermon. The beauty of the canvass that is painted is done by the power of the Scriptural, by the rhema message from God in that sermon. The preacher is only the brush, the Painter is God, the paint is the Scripture. The brush must only allow himself/herself to be used by the Master Artist.

The kind of sermon is a choice, most often directed by the Spirit upon the preacher. The choice of the kind of sermon must be aimed at finding the kind of brush that will best express the beauty the Master Painter wants to paint. Our task as preachers is to let the Lord direct us, and use us in His creative work.
 
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murjahel

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METHODS AND RESULTS
OF PREACHING



There are many styles of expression, ways of communicating, and modes of delivery in sermons. The early church demonstrated, illustrated a variety of expressive mannerisms. There are some words used in the Greek of the New Testament, that describe the kind of methods of speaking.


1 Thessalonians 2:2 (KJV)
2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
Laleo

The words ‘speak unto’ are from the Greek word ‘laleo’ meaning to speak, talk, tell, utter, say. The gospel message we preach is simply to ‘say’ and to ‘utter’ words that tell of the good news. That sounds easy, trite, simple. Often in witnessing, in early sermons of a preacher, all they are is the utterance of the good news message. Paul said in Thessalonians, that despite the ‘contention’, and the ‘shameful’ treatment they received at Philippi, they simply uttered their sermons.


Here on this new format, I have uttered truths from God's Word on Charismatic/Pentecostal teaching. The truths, I have attempted to prove with Scripture, and I have willingly opened the peanut gallery thread so as to allow, if some want, to agree or disagree. So far, we see several who disagree so much that most of the posts are disagreements, to put it mildly.

I have been testing this to see if our new system is going to be improved from the former. So, far, some are just as 'contentious' as before, and to me, I see the treatment as 'shameful.'

Paul went on to explain that his uttering of words progressed there, when it could, to being an ‘exhortation’ (Greek, paraklesis G3874). He exhorted and encouraged, with the utterance of the simple message, that they let the message change them.

I have tried to make my answers there, polite, backed by Scripture, and not attacked those who disagree. The Bible speaks often that when a preacher preaches or teaches, the words, the message, will be challenged, and contention will result. I am sorry that some are witnessing this, my heart is not capable of this kind of treatment right now... but I can teach.

Uttering the laleo words of the gospel will lead to exhortation (paraklesis). There is no avoiding this progression of revealing truth.

2 Timothy 4:2-5 (KJV)
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
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;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.


Kerygma

Another word to describe a method of preaching, other than ‘laleo’, is the Greek word ‘kerygma’. Here in II Timothy 4, we see Paul encouraging Timothy to ‘preach’ the word. This word means to not just speak and utter the words, but to ‘herald’, to proudly and boldly proclaim the truths of the gospel. It was used of the ‘public crier’ who walked down the road calling loudly the message for the community.

Paul tells Timothy to do this heralding, this proudly proclamation when ‘in season, and when ‘out of season’. This means when it is convenient, preach and proclaim. And it means when it is inconvenient, unwanted, disdained, and may bring persecution, preach it anyhow.

Paul explains that this kerygma proclamation is to be done in a manner of reproving, rebuking. Some want only sermons that calm, relax, and soothe. Yet, Jesus did not preach only that kind of sermon. Many of His sermons rebuked the religious of that day. Some of those who were cheating in the Temple were chased out in His illustrated sermon of the nature of worship.

Even though many sermons do need to have rebuke and reproof, they are always to be done with ‘all longsuffering and with teaching of the true doctrine. In preaching, Paul also instructed Timothy, and us too, that we ‘watch in all things’, ‘endure afflictions’, and remember that our main goal is to win souls. Doing these things, with these methods, will ‘make full proof’ of our ministry.

Didache

The Greek word ‘didache’ is also used to refer to preaching. It is the method of taking the proclamation words, and giving the meanings, the significances, the implications of those facts.

Paraklesis
The ‘paraklesis’, i.e. exhorting, of the teaching words are then given. This is the encouraging to not only hear the words, know the meaning, but to also accept the didache.

Homilia

From that ‘acceptance’ of the gospel, one can then hear the ‘homilia’‘. This is the discussion of the facts accepted, and how those facts affect issues of life. Paul used ‘homilia’ to explain marriage failures, misuse of spiritual gifts, one’s relation to the governments, etc. The issues of life need to be seen in the light of the gospel truths.

Gnorizo

This kind of preaching is to explain the wisdom, creating an admiration for the facts of the gospel. Some preaching is designed to explain the omniscience of God and His awesome plan makes all the human wisdoms to be foolishness.

2 Peter 1:16 (KJV)
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

The ‘cunningly devised fables’ were the false teachings of the gnostic heretics of that day. Peter says that those fables of the heathen were no match for the gnorizo preaching of those who were eyewitnesses of the glory of Jesus Christ. In our day, we have a personal relationship with Jesus, know His Written Word, speak to Him personally every day. We can speak a wisdom that puts the false heresies of the day to shame.

Diangello

This is the publishing of facts in a way that breaks through the barriers the devil and human pride construct. This is an ‘attack’ form of preaching, not treating mankind as the enemy, but the ‘walls’ that mankind have between them and the acceptance of the gospel. The walls are knocked down with this kind of preaching.

Dialegomai

This is the dispute form of preaching. In the early church, there were many who had been raised in heathen religions, and had ideas far contrary to the gospel. Dialegomai is the kind of preaching that does not ignore those things, but it is the argument over, against those heathen differences. Preaching the errors of mormonism, of Jehovah’s witnesses, of spiritism, of the new age, of atheism is dialegomai.


more to come on the methods of preaching....
 
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murjahel

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Paul’s ministry serves as an example of the methods we all should use, and the results of preaching those kind of sermons.


1. Paul claimed to preach an HONEST MINISTRY.

II Corinthians 4:1-2
"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."

Paul says that he had renounced a dishonest ministry. Unfortunately, there are many dishonest ministers in the world today. They serve with the wrong motives, they serve with hidden sins, they serve without the love of the Lord, and they serve with desire of personal gain.

Paul put away "craftiness" which is from the Greek word, "panougia" which means "to do holy deeds in an unholy way..."

This craftiness is seen in the way that some raise money for church building projects, or for television and radio time. They want to do their holy deeds but promise things they are not told to, in order get people to give. Promising them great riches for a gift is not the Lord's way, and threatening them with demonic attack if they do not give is not the Lord's way. But these crafty ministers pervert the Word of God to bring themselves great carnal mammon.

Paul then said that he did not handle the Word of God "deceitfully" which is from the Greek word "doloo" which means "to ensnare, to beguile". Some will quote a verse out of context in order to try to prove a point that is not harmonious with the rest of Scripture.

For instance, one has recently tried to tell me it was all right for some to tell a sick man that God told them that he would be miraculously healed of his cancer, when God had not told them such. Her excuse to alleviate any guilt on their part for a lie, was that we are to build the faith of others. However, God never told us to build faith with lies.. Faith can and should be built in the joyous homecoming of our Lord. For the Lord said "Comfort one another with these words..." when He described our heavenly homes. Deceitful ministries abound, excusing their lying deceptions, and their lack of hearing the truth from God with many misquoted, misapplied, and lack of harmonious teachings. Paul did not have this kind of ministry.

MORE TO COME
 
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murjahel

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2. Paul preached a CHRIST-GLORIFYING MINISTRY.

II Corinthians 4:3-6
" But if our ministry be hid, it is hid to them which are lost; In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake. For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Satan tries to blind people to the gospel. If we preach or uplift ourselves we will never shine bright enough to overcome this blindness. It is the "light of the glorious gospel of Christ" alone that can bring light to the blinded.

Some will reject the truth of the gospel, even amidst those who claim to be religious. We can proclaim truth, prove it in the Word, and yet some will not see it, cannot comprehend it, and will not accept it! This is hard to comprehend.

Yet, there are many who are "lost" amidst the blindness of the devil. They will not comprehend how the Lord is the great deliverer, and how HE could choose to call someone home to heaven. They will not see heaven as a wonderful place. They cannot, for they have succumbed to the blindness of the devil.

Certainly the devil does not want us to see heaven as appealing. He wants us to fight for life, struggle for riches here on this earth, and wants us to be angry at God for taking a saint home, or angry at a child of God who would even suggest that a homegoing is "precious" in the sight of God.

Paul's preaching glorified God, glorified Jesus Christ, and glorified the plan of the Lord. Paul's ministry therefore attacked the false doctrines of those blinded to the truths in the Lord's ministry. Paul's ministry was attacked, criticized, and debated, but he kept on preaching it.
 
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3. Paul preached a POWERFUL MINISTRY.

II Corinthians 4:7
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

We, as ministers, are just "earthen vessels." We do not have supernatural powers as some kinds of supermen. We are not super-holy, but of like passions as Elijah. We fail, we tire, we struggle, and we spend great effort. Yet the power is fully of God, He gives the power!

If we give a prophetic message, it is not our word, but God's rhema. We may lay our hands upon the sick and dying, and see them raised to life and healing, but it is God, not us Who provide the power. Too many ministers try to bring glory to themselves, to their ministries, and want adulation, acclaim, and applause. We should, as Paul, send all the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
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