Preachers

I had the privilege of preaching God’s word to our congregation on Sunday morning a few weeks back and I’ve got to tell you, every time I prepare a message to deliver I gain a greater respect for pulpit ministers. A five-year-old lad named Glen became quite attached to the preacher in his congregation. On Sunday morning following worship the preacher was conversing with folks in the foyer when Glen came running up giving the preacher a great big hug. This drew some attention and the preacher said, “Well, hi Glen”, then turning back to the others continued, “Glen here tells me he’s going to grow up to be a preacher, aren’t you Glen?” His reply was, “Well I know we preachers all preach on Sunday, but what do we do the rest of the week?” Yeh, that broke up everyone in the foyer. I guarantee you, pulpit ministers are very busy men every day of the week with people tugging at him from all directions for all kinds of matters. Just studying and putting together a timely message lasting between thirty and forty-five minutes wore me plum out. Too much? Too little? Clear or muddy thoughts? I love doing it, but it’s work.
A grocery store clerk was swarmed with last minute shoppers on a holiday weekend. He shook his head in disgust and said to a preacher he knew standing in line, “It’s funny to me that people always wait until the last minute to prepare for a trip they knew they were going to take.” “Yeh, I know exactly where you’re coming from son”, replied the preacher. “I have the exact same problem in my business.”
The preacher was speaking on the relationship between “fact” and “faith’. To clarify his thought on the matter he said, “That you are sitting in front of me here is a fact. That I am speaking to you from this pulpit is a fact. But it is only faith that makes me believe that any of you are truly listening.” I tell you, it’s not an easy, rewarding job, sometimes.
And no matter how hard the preacher tries he can’t satisfy everybody. A preacher told the mechanic that he hoped he would not charge too much for the repairs. “I’m just a poor preacher”, he pleaded. “I know”, replied the mechanic. “I’ve heard you preach.”
A member said to the preacher, “I listened to your sermon on suffering last Sunday, and I just want to let you know, I didn’t know what suffering really was until I heard you preach!” Personally, I’ve never gone to the doctor’s office to be entertained.
[2 Timothy 4:1-5] The apostle Paul charged Timothy to preach the Word of God in this manner; “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge; Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” Preaching the Word of God is a noble profession and one that carries great responsibilities. A preacher cannot teach in error or for self gain without consequence. He above all people will have to answer for what they have taught according to God’s Word. Think the job is easy? Try teaching a weekly Bible class first.