Work of the Preacher
THE SCRIPTURAL WORK OF A PREACHER
Introduction:
A. 1 Tim. 4:6, 9-16
B. Series on preaching.
1. Things that are not qualifications for preachers.
2. Scriptural qualifications for preachers.
3. Things that are not part of the preacher’s work.
4. Things that are the preacher’s scriptural work.
C. A call to arms for potential preachers here.
1. The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few.
2. It is not hard to get started.
a. Begin incorporating lesson preparation into your daily Bible studies.
b. Begin with extending an invitation and teaching a class.
c. Stick with it.
1) TR producing preachers. Used to be one of the works that elders in every congregation would encourage.
D. What on earth in heaven’s name is a preacher?
1. Isaiah 6:5-11
E. He is:
1. An earthly man answering a heavenly duty.
2. He is an earthly man proclaiming what heaven has authorized.
3. He is on earth proclaiming heaven’s will by God’s grace.
F. Some are unwilling to accept this definition.
1. Hang titles, roles, and responsibilities on him that God never intended.
2. Lets examine this question from a negative and then a positive approach.
3. Let’s expose the error and expound the truth.
Man’s Concept of the Preacher’s Work:
I. THE CHURCH’S “GO-FER”
A. A gofer to do all of the:
1. Personal work.
2. Visit the straying sheep of the congregation.
3. Drop everything to run church errands.
4. Maintain the church property.
5. He is the Lord’s servant, not the church’s errand boy.
B. I’m not saying that the evangelist does not have any responsibility along these lines
AS A CHRISTIAN, but they are not his job as the preacher. If you think they are his
jobs, where is the NT authority?
1. Some of these would qualify as the specific work of elders, or deacons, but not
the preacher.
2. “But if we don’t have elders, shouldn’t the preacher do them?”
3. No more than he should do the other work of the elders in overseeing the local
congregation - Acts 20:28.
4. In cases of congregations without elders, ALL members including the preacher
should shoulder the load together.
5. Occasionally, the preacher has greater opportunity to do these; however, he
does so as a member, not as the preacher.
6. Need to shake loose some of the denominational influence we have absorbed
in wanting an official clergy.
7. Those who want a clergyman, often want someone to do their own work.
C. Consider Acts 6:2-4; Hosea 4:6.
II. THE CHURCH’ S SOCIAL ORGANIZER
A. All Christians are to be sociable - 1 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 13:1-3.
B. Often a schedule of continuous social visits invited or not, takes time away from what
God has commanded that the evangelist do.
1. A good evangelist will not hesitate to visit a home for a Bible study or to
discuss a spiritual solution to a problem one may have.
2. Yet to expect him to visit just because he is the preacher is an unscriptural
expectation. Shatters illusions, but we walk by the word not by our wants.
IV. THE CHURCH NURSE
A. Some may choke me for saying this but, the NT does not teach that visiting the sick is
the responsibility of the evangelist.
1. Visiting the sick is the duty of every Christian.
a. James 1: 27 - Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
2. If anyone has a special responsibility to visit the sick it is the elders.
a. James 5:14 - Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
3. Preachers must visit the sick as Christians, not as clergy.
4. Preachers should be happy to visit the sick just like any other Christian should,
but his prayers have no more special power than that of any other Christian.
V. THE CHURCH YOUTH LEADER
A. Some feel the church needs a special program for the young, and that the preacher
needs to head it up.
1. Tryout requirements: “Good with young people.”
2. I’ve got the same program for the young that the Lord has....
3. 1 Tim. 5:21; I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
B. This program works with the young, old, and in between.
1. Anything more is the duty of parents.
VI. THE CHURCH OVERSEER
A. Some preachers want to take charge, and some congregations let them.
1. Such is the work of Jesus Christ, working through the word and scripturally
ordained elders.
B. Leads to the pastor system.
1. The preacher has no more personal authority than any other member.
2. That is when he speaks his own words; when he speaks as the messenger of
God, faithfully declaring the truth, that’s another matter.
C. If preachers focused on the duties God gives them in the Bible, no time would be left
for these other man made tasks.
D. The only source of authority for the qualifications and work of an evangelist is the
word of God.
1. Not your personal preferences, or local traditions, or carry-overs from
denominations.
2. You have no more authority to add to the list of qualifications and works of a
preacher than you have for a piano or fellowship hall. So stop doing it.
What Does God Say About the Work of a Preacher?
I. HE IS A STUDENT OF THE WORD
A. 1 Tim. 4:6, 12-16
II. HE IS AN EVANGELIST
A. A messenger of good - 2 Tim. 4:5 - But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
B. Put these two terms together and you get a good job description.
1. A herald of good news - Rom. 10:14-15 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
C. He is a preacher; He forth-tells - 2 Tim. 1:10-11; Rom. 10:13-14 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
; 1 Tim. 2:5-7 - For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
D. He is a prompter - 1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 3:8, 14
III. HE IS THE LORD’S BOND SERVANT
A. The term applies to all Christians - 1 Cor. 6:20; 7:22-23; Rom. 6:17.
B. Sometimes specifically applied to those who preach.
1. 2 Tim. 2:23-25 - But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
C. As Christ’s slave, he does not have the option of pleasing men or obeying
any other master.
1. He works for Jesus Christ, not magazines, editors, big name preacher fan
clubs, rich, educated, poor, blue collar, conservative, or modernist factions.
IV. HE IS A MINISTER
A. Servant - all Christians are God’s workmen - Eph. 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
1. All have a place of service, a ministry, and therefore are ministers.
B. The area of service for a preacher is the gospel.
1. Eph. 3:6-8; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
2. Ministers to spiritual things - 1 Cor. 9:1
3. Point of definition that the religious world stumbles.
V. HE IS A MAN OF GOD
A. 1 Tim. 6:11 - But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1. Used in Old Testament to describe spokesmen of the will of God.
B. Links Timothy and other evangelists with prophets of old.
1. God’s man with God’s plan for God’s people.
VI. HE IS COMMISSIONED
A. Four usages of the term apostle:
1. Witnesses and representatives of Jesus - Acts 1:21-22.
2. One who received a personal commission from Christ (Paul) - 1 Cor. 15:8-10.
3. One who was sent out to preach (also the definition of apostle).
a. Acts 14:4, 14; 13:4; 1Thes. 1:1, 2:6
4. Anyone sent out - Phil. 2:25; 1 Cor. 8:23.
a. Jesus Christ was called an apostle in Heb. 3:1.
B. No faithful Bible student would call anyone an apostle in the first two senses.
1. Wisdom would dictate that a preacher should not use this title in order that
there will be no confusion.
C. BUT, I have been sent out on business for my King.
1. As His ambassador, it behooves me to keep my life above reproach to the
best of my ability.
D. Please note: These are not titles; they are descriptions.
1. To use them as titles violates Matt. 23:8-12.
2. (Clipped from the Beaver County Times, August 1995)
“Q. Who was the first minister to be addressed as "Reverend"?
A. One Thomas Blake. So titled by his flock on June 11, 1657, according to
records left by his descendants. Of whom there are many, one might add.
Numerous Blakes trace back to the original Reverend.”
3. A preacher is not titled, period. Especially with a name that belongs to
God - Psalm 111:9.
E. Scriptural patterns and examples
1. Acts 11:19-26, 13:1-3, 15:1-4, 22, 35; 1 Cor. 16:10; 1Thes. 3:1-3
Conclusion:
A. As the Lord’s Church, we will do Bible things in Bible ways and call them by Bible names. We will provide book, chapter, and verse for every aspect of the work, worship, and organization of the church. We will not add to nor diminish ought from what is written. That includes the qualifications and work of an evangelist. To do otherwise would make this congregation unsound.
Posted in: Preaching, Sermon Outlines