THE TRUE THEME OF CHRIST'S MINISTERS.
By John Nevins Andrews
"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." 2 Cor. 4:5. This text states very distinctly the true theme of discourse for those who are called to labor in the Christian ministry. It is for this reason worthy of attentive study. It tells us what Paul did not preach, and what he did preach; and, in this manner, shows what all other ministers of Christ should preach, and what they should refrain from preaching. 1. Paul did not preach himself. But, if any man might be excused for making himself the subject of his discourses, Paul was that man. His conversion is the most remarkable one upon record. His sacrifice in embracing Christ was as great as was ever made by any man who has served in the Christian ministry. His labors in the ministry were more abundant than those of any apostle. 1 Cor. 15:10. In fact, they were unparalleled in the apostolic age, and we have no very near approach to them in the ages which followed. His example presents the most perfect pattern of the Christian minister and of the Christian disciple. His courage was undaunted, his fortitude unshaken, his patience almost inexhaustible—for it proved equal to his day—his love toward God and toward man such as he himself has indicated in his marvelous description of character in 1 Cor. 13. If others were ministers of Christ, he was even more than such in the ordinary sense of the term. In labors he was more abundant, and in stripes he was above the measure that others suffered. He was cast into prisons oftener than others, and oftener than others was in imminent peril of death. Five times was he whipped by the Jews; three times was he beaten with rods by the heathen; once was he stoned till even his persecutors believed that he was dead, and, for that reason, ceased their murderous assault upon him; before his voyage to Rome, he suffered a shipwreck in which he was in the deep a night and a day; he was exposed to perils of every kind; his life was spent in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; and through his entire ministry, he always bore about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. 2 Cor. 11:23-27; 4:7-11. Besides this, abundant and extraordinary revelations were given to him, and wonderful miracles were wrought through his instrumentality. But though he had whereof to boast, he carefully refrained from doing it. The treasure committed to him he always distinguished from the earthen vessel that was the possessor of that treasure. He was conscious that wherein he differed from others, it was the gift of God that caused him to differ. He knew, also, that for all the light given he should one day have to render account. Whatever he possessed of divine grace he received from Christ. He was as a faint star compared to the brightness of the Sun of Righteousness. Christ could save sinners; Paul could not. Paul had himself needed pardon, and that pardon came to him through the Lord Jesus Christ. The excellencies of divine grace exhibited in the life and experience of Paul were as nothing compared to the life of Him through whom grace itself came to men. The sacrifice made by Paul, and the sufferings endured by him, were not worthy to be mentioned in connection with the sufferings and the sacrifice of the Son of God. 2. Paul preached Christ to men. The unsearchable riches of Christ were the theme of his discourse. He had found the Saviour of men. He had learned that there was efficacy in his blood to take away sin. He knew that the law of God justly condemned men to death. He had felt the power of that condemnation. He knew that Christ had made a sacrifice for sin such as the law could accept. He knew that there was no other such sacrifice. He had partaken of the saving power of Christ. He knew that God had made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. He knew that in Christ were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 2 Cor. 5:21; Col. 2:3. He well understood that the Father created all things by Jesus Christ, whether things in heaven or things in earth. Col. 1; Heb. 1. He knew that Christ was the one of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write; that he was the Alpha and the Omega of the Scriptures, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever; that he is the source of revelation and its central object; that he was the promised seed of the woman; the angel of the covenant that led the people by Moses; that his Spirit inspired344the ancient prophets; that his birth gave occasion to the triumphant song of the angels, "Glory to God in the highest;" that his life was an exact accomplishment of everything commanded in the moral law; that his death was for our offenses, and his resurrection for our justification; and that he ministers in the heavenly sanctuary till his priesthood is finished; and that then, becoming king, he shall return in infinite glory to our earth, and, having made his people immortal, and consumed his enemies, and cleansed the earth, he shall establish his throne and kingdom in this once revolted province, and reign gloriously under the whole heaven forever and ever. The love of Christ constrained Paul. He had found salvation from sin. He saw the world under its power, and he longed to save others, or, rather, to lead others to Christ for salvation. He could have made his ministry the occasion of preaching himself. He could have shown his own greatness, he could have proclaimed his own goodness, and made himself the prominent subject of his preaching. But he knew something that was infinitely better than this. He had Christ to preach, and this theme inspired his heart with such precious and ravishing thoughts that self was forgotten, and Christ was all in all. 3. Our preaching should be like Paul's. Paul hid behind Christ. If Paul did this, how ought we, who are not worthy to be compared with Paul, carefully to act according to the example which he has set us. Let Christ and the truth fill all the foreground. Let ourselves, as the humble instruments through whom the truth is brought to perishing men, stand back out of sight. We have a message to men which is to determine their eternal destiny. If we make the delivery of this message the occasion of displaying self, it is the certain evidence that we have no just sense of the work we have undertaken. To form a just idea of the proper character of preaching, read the sermons of Christ in the gospels and of the apostles in the Acts. When men heard those sermons, they did not go away saying, "What a wonderful preacher! What a talented man! How eloquent was the speaker!" etc.; but they said, "Who then can be saved?" "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" It is generally a good test whether the preacher has preached Christ or preached himself, to mark whether the impression made upon the hearers is by the man or by his subject. If the subject is lost sight of in the man, then the discourse has been a failure; if the man is lost sight of in the subject, then there is reason to believe that the preacher sought the glory of his Master, and not his own. These are solemn thoughts. I fear that many preachers will be lost, not because they did not preach the truth, but because in doing it, they sought their own glory, and not that of Christ. The day of Judgment will reveal the motives of all hearts. No men will have a stricter account to render than ministers of the gospel. It will not be merely asked, What have you done? but, What were your motives in doing what you did? Let us test ourselves in this most important matter now. J. N. A.