I was in a local business a few days ago and could not help but overhear a conversation between two people. It went something like this. "What did you think of that preacher we had on Sunday?" "Well, at least he wore a tie; the one we had last Sunday wore a sweat shirt. I guess I’m old fashioned, but I think a preacher ought to wear a suit and tie." "What did you think of his preaching?" "I didn’t think he was much of a preacher, but thankfully he only spoke about twenty minutes. He’d probably be a good pastor though because he seems to be a nice man."
Those two people had no clue as to what a God-sent preacher is or what he does. How can you tell if a man is really the servant of the Lord? You will be able to identify God’s servants by their message.
1. God’s servants give God all the glory. They will declare that Jehovah is trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the God of creation, providence and salvation. The Lord will be proclaimed as He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. True servants of the Lord declare that He is the Holy One; He is sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient and gracious. He is too righteous to justify any sinner apart from the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Lord is sovereign in His acts, doing as He pleases in all things. He shows mercy to whom He will.
2. God’s servants abase all men. Every man will be exposed as being the offspring of fallen Adam, an enemy of God by birth, dead in trespasses and sins, helpless, hopeless and alienated from the life of God which is in Christ Jesus. The true preacher proclaims man’s inability and unwillingness to be saved by grace alone through the righteousness of Christ alone.
3. God’s servants declare "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). They tell who Christ is, what He did, why He did it, where He is now and what He is doing. Their message is that sinners are chosen in Christ, redeemed by Christ, brought to bow to and believe on the name of Christ, and are predestinated to someday be with Christ and like Christ. The blood and righteousness of the Son of God is their message. Like John the Baptist they declare Him to be the Lamb of God (John 1:29) and that there is no other Mediator between God and men except that God-Man, Christ Jesus.
4. God’s servants declare salvation to be the work of the Lord. They preach that since man’s will is not free but bound, sinners must therefore be born again by the will of God (John 1:13). "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" (Psalm 110:3). They unashamedly teach that faith is a gift from God and it follows regeneration.
Be sure you understand this. A man is not a good pastor who does not faithfully tell people who God is, what man is, who Jesus Christ is and what He did for undeserving sinners. See that man for what he is: a false prophet, a deceiver, a hireling, and a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
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