I have an article in the current Evangelical Magazine something like what appears below
There is a sort of preacher likely to succeed with God's help.
Preachers, all who pray for them and all who witness should know what
they are like. Paul was very successful in Thessalonica. In 1
Thessalonians 2:1-13 we read how.
Preaching
can make little impact. We may think it will never succeed. Let's try
something else! But what happened in Thessalonica? Paul reminds them.
His visit was not a failure.
Previously, in Philippi, he and Silas were beaten and imprisoned.
Every convert was hard won. No doubt it was tempting to be
discouraged on coming to pagan Thessalonica. But with God's help
(that is important) they boldly evangelised despite strong
opposition. They kept preaching
regardless and did not tone it down. We must be bold, not letting
opposition deter. Look to God and evangelise. Let people know. It is
their only hope. Only certain preachers will succeed, like Paul in
Thessalonica.
Some things to avoid
Paul
avoided deceit, impurity or tricking people. There are apparently
successful preachers who are false, impure in motive, mere
tricksters. On the contrary, we must be true, genuine, honest,
preaching God's Word. It is one reason expository preaching is
important - to be sure it stays true. Preaching must not be motivated
by desire for applause, money or merely winning the argument.
Gimmicks are a distraction. The best preaching, the sort God most
often uses, is straightforward, unvarnished, plain. That is what
pleases him. Successful preachers see they are stewards entrusted
with God's Word. They want not to please
men but God, who tests our hearts.
They seek his approval. Like the best translator they aim not to show
off or add anything but to give the true meaning. Pray for such
preaching. The ASA expect adverts to be legal, decent and honest. Try
to be true, genuine and honest when you witness. Pray preachers will
do the same.
It
is good to identify with an audience but flattery is inconsistent
with faithful preaching. Somehow preachers must spell out the bad
news – our utter sinfulness, our hopeless state without God. Born
in sin, we are totally depraved and, religious or not, outside
Christ, without hope. Preaching must not be a cover up for greed.
Never think of what you will get out of it. Faithful preachers seek
the good of their hearers. To adapt Kennedy's words - “ask
not what you might get
out of evangelism, ask what you can do for others through your
evangelism”! We need preaching that exalts God and humbles people.
Paul did not look for human praise, he was not trying to
please men but God, who tests our hearts. Inner
sincerity is vital. The late Bob Sheehan, as a student out preaching,
was once told “if an old man at the back leaves in the last hymn,
don't worry Dr Lloyd-Jones always does that”. How unnerving! But
Bob thought a bit and saw the real challenge is to preach before God.
That is who we should be most conscious of. Pray for that sort of
preaching. Preach Christ without flattery or selfishness; for God's
glory, not to please men.
A lifestyle that backs up the message
Paul
goes on to speak of his lifestyle. He compares himself to a mother
(literally a nurse, perhaps with her own children) and a father. He
explains (6-8) how he and his team avoided being a burden and were
gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little
children. He refers particularly
to his decision not to expect financial support. Admittedly, it was
only a short time but he acted from concern for the people. He showed
motherly gentleness and care, not wanting to burden them. Preachers
must preach and live like mothers, who have God-given authority over
their children but are tender and gentle. Faithful preachers must not
be harsh, frightening away those who are genuinely interested. They
should be winsome. Children, especially when afraid, run to mothers
not from them. Paul tells them further he loved them so
much that he was
delighted to share with them
not only the gospel …. but his
life as well, as were
others, because they
had become so dear to them.
So it is in successful, God wrought preaching. A bond builds between
preacher and people that cannot be easily broken.
Being holy, righteous, blameless
At the same time, like all faithful
preachers, Paul was a father. He reminds them (9-12) of his
toil and hardship, how
they worked night and day in order not to be a burden to
anyone while we preached … For you know that we dealt with each of
you as a father deals with his own children … His
life was marked by holiness,
righteousness and blamelessness. Part of this desire not to burden
them made him careful to be pious, upright, faultless in his
approach, fearing to do anything burdensome. Often unbelievers
hearing the gospel are sceptical, ready to seize on anything to
oppose the preacher and deny his message. Paul would not allow that
but worked hard to avoid it. Then there is his fatherly encouraging,
comforting and urging all to live God-worthy lives. In a fatherly
way, he did all he could to encourage and comfort, to urge them to
lives worthy of
God, who calls such
people into his
kingdom and glory. Again
he piles up words. He got alongside them, doing all he could to help
them, promoting a life worthy of God, calls people out of Satan's
kingdom of darkness into God's glorious kingdom of light. Again, it
is the gold standard but we need such preachers. Pray God will raise
them up. Pray to be like it yourself.
Received as God's Word
Finally,
Paul says he thanks God continually (13) for how his message was
received - not as the word of men, but as it actually is,
the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. Here
is the piece de resistance.
The Thessalonians had never heard anything like it. They knew it was
not man's word but God's at work in them by his power and grace. That
is the amazing thing about this sort of preaching. We hear so much
bad preaching and preach so many bad sermons we doubt if it can be
effective but how wonderful when the Word comes with power and people
see by faith it really is God's Word.
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