The pastor's three grounds of confidence in ministry - third ground, the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 "I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."

Introduction:

So far in the last two posts we have considered the grounds of confidence upon which a preacher stands when ministering in the local church. The preacher's grounds are ultimately every Christian's grounds of confidence. Paul outlines for us three grounds of confidence for doing ministry in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. He recalls the first time he came to the Corinthians - bringing to them the "testimony of God" in the scriptures and wanting them to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Today's post will conclude this study on the pastor's three grounds of confidence. We've looked already at the scriptures and the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's consider the third ground of confidence - namely the Holy Spirit.

The Pastor's third ground of confidence - the Holy Spirit

As was mentioned already, Paul remembers back to when he first came to the Corinthian church. In other letters to other churches, Paul hearkens back to their beginnings, noting how he came to them in the power of the Holy Spirit. For instance, in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 we read - "for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake." Paul indicates to the Corinthian congregation that when he first came to them, he arrived and remained with them "in weakness and fear and much trembling". Matthew Henry's Concise commentary notes on 1 Corinthians 2:3 - 

"Few know the fear and trembling of faithful ministers, from a deep sense of their own weakness They know how insufficient they are, and are fearful for themselves. When nothing but Christ crucified is plainly preached, the success must be entirely from Divine power accompanying the word, and thus men are brought to believe, to the salvation of their souls." 

I recall years ago hearing the following advice from an older preacher: "if you enter the pulpit with your head hanging high, you will exit it with your head hanging low. However, if you enter behind the sacred desk with your head hanging low, you will descend it with your head hanging high". The point? Reliance on the Spirit's power, rather than my own. Paul goes on to state why the Holy Spirit's power and presence must needs be the preacher's source of confidence in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 - "and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."

What should any great preacher emphasize to his people? that their strength for living lies not in themselves but God. The power of God is what will draw people to the church house. John Wesley once noted that if you want to fill the pews, build a fire in the pulpit. The mark of the Spirit's anointing on a man's life makes all the difference. It is not an easy life, mind you, however it is well worth the price. The late great Baptist preacher Adrian Rogers warned about preaching in the flesh, noting that if the Devil can trick anyone to get in the flesh, it matters not whether it be carousing or preaching - the flesh, in the end, will profit nothing. 

Closing thoughts

(keep working)

The pastor's three grounds of confidence in ministry - second ground, the Lord Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 "And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."

Introduction:

Yesterday we began considering the three grounds of confidence upon which a pastor stands when ministering in the local church. The first one we considered was the word of God. Whenever I have walked up to the sacred desk, the pulpit, I have never approached the preaching task without a Bible. What will convert the soul of the sinner - save the scriptures (James 1:18)? 

Admittedly today's post, like yesterday's, is aimed mainly at ministers. I will broaden the post somewhat to remind Christians in general that the grounds of confidence spoken of in these posts apply to both pastor and parishioner. We saw the first ground of confidence for the pastoral ministry (and in reality, the church's ministry) - namely the Bible. Today we consider the second grounds of confidence - namely Christ Himself.

The preacher's second ground of confidence - The Lord Jesus Christ - 1 Corinthians 2:2

We read in 1 Corinthians 2:2 "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." Paul had already mentioned about how he had made an entry into the Corinthian's lives. Acts 18:1-11 gives the historical background for Paul's initial visit to Corinth. For one and one-half years Paul would minister there and establish a church through the combined efforts of his ministry comrads - Priscilla and Aquilla. Acts 18:5 records  - "But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul begandevoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ."

When any minister first comes to a church or has been at a church for a while - what is the One Person to whom He points? Who is it that the preacher ought to present before his people? It mustn't be primarily himself. Unless Christ and His barren cross eclipses the preacher, no one will be saved nor sanctified. When Paul states in 1 Corinthians 2:2 that he wanted his people to know nothing except "Jesus Christ and Him crucified", he was stating the anchoring point for his ministry. We know from the contents of Paul's letters to the Corinthian church that he spoke on more subjects, but never less than Christ and the cross. 

The great commentator Matthew Henry notes concerning this second ground of confidence in 1 Corinthians 2:2 - 

"As to the matter or subject he tell us (v. 2), He determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified—to make a show of no other knowledge than this, to preach nothing, to discover the knowledge of nothing, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Note, Christ, in his person and offices, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a gospel minister’s preaching. His business is to display the banner of the cross, and invite people under it."

The great 16th century preacher Martin Luther once noted: “If you want to interpret well and confidently, set Christ before you, for He is the man to whom it all applies, every bit of it.”

The wonderful preacher John Gill notes in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 2:2 - "that which was the greatest offence to others was the most delightful to him, because salvation comes through and by the cross of Christ; and he dwelt upon this, and determined to do so; it being most for the glory of Christ, and what was owned for the conversion of sinners, the comfort of distressed minds, and is suitable food for faith, as he knew by his own experience."

Why Christ? Because the grounds of confidence upon which preaching stands is the same grounds upon which salvation is situated - Christ's righteousness. Unless the people in the pew despair of their own righteousness and flee to Christ and the cross, they will despair for eternity. As the old hymn states:

"My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand."

Closing thoughts

Today we considered the second ground for the preacher's confidence (and for that matter, the church's confidence in her ministry) - namely the Lord Jesus Christ. The written word of God is dominated by the Personality of the God man. In like-manner, Jesus Christ came to fulfill God's word, to preach it, teach it and equip his disciples to spread it throughout the world. These two foundations for confidence in ministry are as it were woven strands that form an unbreakable rope. Ecclesiastes 4:12 states - "And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." We have considered two cords of confidence - the scriptures and Christ. Next time we will consider a third ground of confidence for the preacher - the Holy Spirit.

The pastor's three grounds of confidence in ministry - first ground, the scriptures

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 "And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 

Introduction

I can recall years ago watching a documentary of a man building a house on some beach-front property. The area of the beach where he was building was known for its scenery and it excessive beach erosion. The owner knew that simply placing a home on a normal concrete foundation would prove to be disastrous. So what he decided to do was sink 9-12 telephone poles into the ground. Then the man poured a very think concrete foundation that was reinforced with tempered steel rods. The show spent most of its time highlighting the foundations this man had in place for his beach-side property.

What are the grounds for confidence that any preacher has when he stands before any people? The weight that a preacher carries into the pulpit is immense. Apart from the grace of God, the preacher's task is impossible. The task of converting sinners and feeding the saints flows not from the preacher's skill nor story-telling abilities - but rather from a three-fold foundation: the scriptures, Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Today's post will consider the first of these.

The preacher's first ground of confidence - the written words of God - 1 Corinthians 2:1

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:1 "And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God." Adam Clarke, the great commentator writes concerning this first verse: 

"I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed."

The scriptures - i.e the testimonies of the Lord (Psalm 19:7b) - are God's words. The Bible is God's voice in pen, paper and ink. When Paul came to the Corinthian church, he knew that his audience had most likely heard it all and seen it all. Corinth, after all, was a cultural center of the ancient world. Like any typical Greco-Roman city, Corinth would have had its share of professional orators who could have a crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. For the Apostle, the change needing to take place at Corinth would occur through style - but rather the substance of the Word of God. 

When we trace back through redemptive history in the Bible, we discover several men of God who learned their ground of confidence to not be in themselves - but in God's words. Exodus 4:10-12 records the following conversation between Moses and God:

"Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”

Later on some 800 years later, the prophet Jeremiah and God have the following conversation in Jeremiah 1:4-9 - 

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. 8 “Do not be afraid of them,
For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord. 9 Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, 

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth."

Then 600 years after Jeremiah, Jesus indicates that one of His chief tasks in His first coming was to preach the words of God in Mark 1:38 "He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.”

Closing thoughts

I admit today that this post is written mainly to preachers (however, even those who don't preach behind church pulpits can glean general application). Paul recognizes - like Moses, Jeremiah and Jesus - that when he came to his appointed people, that the first ground of confidence had to be the scriptures. What else will change lives, save the Word of God? As preachers of the word, we bring the Bible, Jesus and the precious Holy Spirit. May we not neglect this first ground of confidence in Christian ministry - the scriptures. 

More tomorrow.....

P2 - Reflecting on the foolishness of the cross in 1 Corinthians 1:18

1 Corinthians 1:18  "For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Introduction and review

In yesterday's post I began reflecting on Paul's statement about the "foolishness of the cross' in 1 Corinthians 1:18. We spent most of that post dealing with the first half and ended with some remarks on the second half of the verse. Today's post will continue on whence we left off and conclude our reflections on this crucial element of the Gospel. 

Reflecting on the second part of 1 Corinthians 1:18

Certainly the first-half of 1 Corinthians 1:18 may seem hopeless - that is - until we come to the contrastive little word "but" in the second part. The word "but" is important, for it means that regardless of what may be said against the cross, God's word in the cross renders such protests as absurd. In contrast to the hopelessness of those perishing, Paul points to the cross as the power of God and thus hope for those who are being saved. 

Paul contrasts the "foolishness of the cross" to the perishing to that of it being "the power of God" to those who believe in the second part of 1 Corinthians 1:18. The repugnance of the cross to the natural unbelieving mindset can be a source of great tension. The flesh wants acceptance. Oftentimes the tendency in every church is to dial down the offense of the cross. But if for anything, this feature of the Gospel is what sets it apart from all other counterfeits.

Paul never diminished this offensive component of the Gospel - but all the more pressed it. The only place where God will meet the sinner is at the cross. All other attempts of man entail him trying to meet God or to manufacture some type of home-spun salvation. Such efforts fail. The cross is where Holy God in the Person of the Son, having been united to a truly human nature in His virgin birth - triumphed in providing reconciliation for all who would respond in saving faith. The unbeliever finds this offensive, since no credit can be taken - but rather can only be given to God alone. 

Only the Holy Spirit can show the natural unbelieving mindset's estimation of the cross to be wrong (see 1 Corinthians 2:14). The Gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to all who believe" (Romans 1:16). Whether a ritualist or an elitist, whether rich or poor - all sorts of unbelievers are beckoned to come to the cross. The Holy Spirit's saving grace shining into the darkened mind and opaque heart shows the cross to be the place of rescue. The result of the Spirit's efforts and the sinner's response yields an embracing of the God-man - Jesus Christ. 

Concluding thought

The foolishness of the cross ends up being the strength of the Gospel - since God, not man, is credited with all the work. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:5 "so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

P1 - Reflecting on the foolishness of the cross in 1 Corinthians 1:18

1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Introduction:

There is something supremely scandalous about the cross to the religionist and the intellectual unyielded to God's saving grace. To both - the cross is foolishness. Today's post aims to reflect on the significance of the foolishness of the cross found in 1 Corinthians 1:18

Reflecting on the first part of 1 Corinthians 1:18

When the Apostle Paul speaks of the cross of Christ in the Gospel as "foolishness" in 1 Corinthians 1:18, he uses the Greek word "moros", from whence we derive our English word "moronic". In the first century, this word referred to someone that was "empty headed" and "without sense". To the unbelieving mind - the salvation wrought by Jesus through the cross bore a stigma. What was it? Why did the Gospel back then in the first century offend? Why does it cause great controversy among 21st century religionists and skeptics today? 

For starters, the cross abolishes all efforts of self-congratulation and posturing. Self-confidence is rendered null and void. At the cross, all efforts to know God by religious ritual or intellectual ascent are shown inadequate. Certainly knowing God and loving God with the totality of one's mind and heart is to be the end point of life - however that endpoint must begin at the cross. The law revealed on Mount Sinai demands us to do these things; however only the grace of Mount Calvary can deliver the power and desire to love and know God. 

When Paul considers the two main groups to whom he preached (the Greco-Roman Gentiles and the Jews), he recognized their respective rejections of the cross. In 1 Corinthians 1:22 we read of the Jews "asking for a sign". The way of ritual, miracle and outward form appealed to many of those emeshed in Judaism. When Jesus ministered for instance among the Jews of that day, the Jewish leaders said to Him in Matthew 12:38 "Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." In that same verse Paul then mentions those Greeks who "search for wisdom". The Greco-Roman mind loved to engage in philosophical inquiry and intellectual elitism. Paul's preaching to the Athenian philosophers at Mars Hill in Acts 17:22-34 illustrates how most of them felt about the Gospel. Both groups, apart from the grace of God, detested Jesus, His cross and resurrection. 

The first mindset of "demanding a sign" could be likened to today's moralist or the pluralist who wants a god through ritual, moral living, mysticism or through multiple ways other than the cross. Other expressions of the "demanding a sign mindset" conceives of a Christianity that is more about entertainment than with the eternal welfare of souls needing Christ Jesus crucified, risen and ascended. 

In his book "Christless Christianity", theologian Michael Horton talks about how if the Devil wanted to plan the most diabolical scheme, he would have every city in America be clean, every citizen be law-abiding and every church full to capacity. Citizens would say "yes sir" and "yes mam" and children would be the epitome of good behavior. Preachers would be nice and there would be no crime. According to Horton, the Devil would be more than glad to tolerate such a scenario - providing that there be no mention nor preaching of the cross. 

The second mindset mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:22 of "searching for wisdom" corresponds to the arrogant intellectual elite who conceives of attaining ultimate meaning through reason alone without God - and most certainly without the cross. Athiest Richard Dawkins for instance has been noted as saying: "It's a horrible idea that God, this paragon of wisdom and knowledge,power, couldn't think of a better way to forgive us our since sins than to come down to Earth in his alter ego as his son and have himself hideously tortured and executed so that he could forgive himself." Such observations reminds us that unbelieving mankind's war with God and His sole means of redemption through faith alone in Christ alone carries on unabated. 

Reflecting on the second part of 1 Corinthians 1:18

The first-half of 1 Corinthians 1:18 presents how the cross is utter foolishness to the person who has never believed. Such an attitude is bleak and blunt and appears to be the only sentiment one could have towards the cross - that is - until we come to the contrastive little word "but" in the second part. The word "but" is important, for it means that regardless of what may be said against the cross, God's word in the cross renders such protests as absurd. Saving grace delivered by the Holy Spirit's shedding of light on the cross exposes the love that was otherwise hidden in its sillouette to unbelieving eyes. In contrast to the hopelessness of those perishing, Paul points to the cross as the power of God and thus hope for those who are being saved. 

More tomorrow.....

Lived words and living words

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, andable to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Introduction

Living words and lived words. What's the difference? This morning I was reading a book by an author who was talking about their experiences in prayer. Christian biography can be an invaluable supplement to regular Bible reading and mediation - since the biography contains "lived words". The author in question had an experiential walk with God, that was based upon God's living words. Biographies, devotionals, commentaries and theologies are all examples of what I call "lived words". Lived words serve to depict what Christian faith looks like as it progresses in understanding, virtue and the practical affairs of the Christian life. "Lived words" may not change the soul but they do depict the life of a changed soul. Lived words are the words of men and women so impacted by God. To know God is the chief aim of life. To read the words of those who lived the Christian faith in their thought life, their virtue and in their relationship with God can influence the next generation to emulate their example.

But now what about God's "living words"? Those are in a different category of their own. The "lived words" of mature saints are but settings which have within them an intimate aquaintanced with the precious stone of the living words of God - the Bible. Living words impart Divine life and power. Living words are God's words that change the soul and impart life to the human spirit by way of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit attends the scriptures in their reading, hearing and explanation. 

Final thought

Unless we daily read, think upon and act out God's living words, we ourselves won't have "lived words" to describe our lives. Today, let's read, meditate and live out God's "living words" - the Bible; so that we can be described by others with lived words - that is - as those who lived the Christian life everyday. 

How silence before God is so refreshing

Isaiah 40:31 - 41:1 "Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. 41:1 Coastlands, listen to Me in silence, And let the peoples gain new strength; Let them come forward, then let them speak; Let us come together for judgment."

Introduction:

Silence. Stillness. The language of awe oftentimes entails no words, nor sound - only wonder. The world in which we live is too often noisy. When was the last time you pulled over to the side of the road on the way home from work to admire the sun sinking into the horizon? thanking the Sovereign God that regulates our course around it? The experience of watching snow fall and listening to each flake hit the ground in silence enhances enjoyment and appreciation of the snow. When we conjoin the experience of the snow with reflection upon God's Providential guidance of each flake, we come to appreciate God in a much deeper way.

This morning I did something for the first time in a long time - I sat silent before the Lord. I don't know about you, but I oftentimes fail to practice this simple discipline. Frequently I find myself and our Christian world too addicted to noise. In those moments of the Christian walk when we are unable to articulate how we feel, or when we don't know how we ought to pray - silence is far better than giving up. Whenever you read Isaiah 40 and 41, God's affirmations of "fear not" and "be strong" are best received in a mode of silence and surrender. 

Author Richard Foster quotes from an older writer - simply known as "Brother Lawrence" - concerning the place of silence in the Christian life:

"I do nothing else but abide in His Holy presence, and I do this by simple attentiveness and an habitual, loving turning of my eyes upon Him. This I should call....a wordless and secret conversation between the soul and God which no longer ends."

Think of silence before God as a form of fasting. When one fasts, they are quieting the soul. Physical appetites and the whine of the flesh are denied for the purpose of hearing the Holy Spirit speak to us through scripture and in our human spirit. In our prayer lives, talking to God with punctuated 1-2 minute intervals of silence positions us to wait upon His promptings. I don't know about you, but I find myself too hasty in bringing my requests before God to the detriment of silence. Silence prepares the heart to take a moment to be still and appreciate God. 

The cross and Jesus' accomplishments were interwoven with this thread of silence. We read in Acts 8:32 of a Deacon by the name of Phillip expounding upon Isaiah 53:7-8 wherein the prophecy is given of the Messiah being as a "a lamb that is silent before its shearer". When Jesus was brought before the Jewish officials in his pre-crucifixion trials - He remained silent (Matthew 26:63). As Jesus' closest followers stood before the cross - we see no words escaping their lips. Jesus Himself utters seven words from the cross - while His followers remain silent. The cross and all its victorious agony had deeply penetrated to the deepest core.  

The question before us as disciples of Jesus is how willing are we to take the time to be silent before our Lord? When we come before the Lord and contemplate the barren cross of the God-man, do we aim to enjoy our God? As Christ now sits upon His throne as our prophet, priest and King - we must ask anew: "Do I take the time to be silent and to recognize His Lordship and sway over my life?" As a final practical point - I would urge the reader to read through Isaiah 40-41 and mark down the verse that speak of silence before God. Then, take 1 minute or more to just sit and think upon what you read and say nothing. At first it may seem difficult to do - yet like enjoying a sunset or falling snow - God's tangible presence will be felt.