The True Theme for Christian Ministers.
By S. N. Haskell
"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake." 2 Cor. 4:5. The text states very distinctly three things: first, what the apostle did not preach, and secondly, what he did preach; and thirdly, the relation he sustained to Christ and the people. 1. Paul did not preach himself. If there was ever any minister who could present himself to the people it was the apostle Paul. His conversion was the most remarkable of any on record. His sacrifice in embracing Christ was as great as that of any man who ever entered the ministry. He was a man of ability and influence. Talented, respected, he stood high as a devoted, zealous, religionist; but all this he sacrificed for Christ’s sake. He felt himself a "debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise." He did not count his life dear unto himself. He was ready to be bound and die for the Lord Jesus. His labors were more abundant than those of any other apostle. His example in suffering in wearisome labor, presents the most perfect pattern of the Christian minister and Christian disciple. His courage was ever undaunted; his fortitude unshaken. His love toward God and man must have been marvelous indeed, as is indicated in his description of charity, in 1 Cor. 13. If others were ministers of Christ in the ordinary sense, he was more so. 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 him, and wonderful miracles were wrought through his instrumentality. Notwithstanding he had whereof he might boast, who ever heard him boasting? His theme was Christ. It was not himself. He considered the treasure—the gospel—committed to him to be in an earthen vessel. He well knew he would one day have to give an account of how he used his talents. Whatever he possessed he received from Christ. He was not above manual labor for his own support in the ministry. "Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed all things how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of our Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:34, 35. 2. Paul preached Christ to men. The unsearchable riches of Christ was his theme. He had found Christ to be the Saviour of men. He had experienced the saving power of the truths he preached. 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 preached Christ as a man of sorrows; as a sacrifice on the cross; as a priest in the heavenly sanctuary till his priesthood shall be 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. True ministers are Christ’s representatives and servants of the church. "Ourselves your servants for Jesus sake." Christ came not to be ministered unto but to minister. The servant is not greater than his Lord, neither is he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, much more those of his household. In conversation, in piety, the minister should be an example to the flock. He should imitate the great pattern that the attractions of Christ will be reflected in him. Should the people learn sacrifice, self-denial, and humility? let the minister teach it in his deportment—in his conversation. Should the people connect with the great I AM? as the minister goes in and out before the people they should discern that he walks and talks with God. Must the people possess unyielding integrity amid the trials and temptations of this life? the minister should exemplify these principles in his daily walk. How can he teach the people to overcome their appetites, their evil traits unless he does the same? The minister should be lost in God and his truth. Oh, what a calling! "Who is sufficient for these things?" 4. Our preaching should be like Paul’s. The apostle hid behind Christ, and if he should do so, how much more should we, who are not worthy to be compared with Paul? 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 a test whether the minister has preached Christ or himself to mark the impression made upon the hearers; is it made by the man, or by the truth he presents? If the subject is lost sight of in the man, then the discourse has been a failure; if the man is lost 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. 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.
S. N. HASKELL.