It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
Summary: Preaching Christ is a privilege and an honor for those whose hearts are fully committed to the Kingdom of God.
Have you ever wondered what God thinks about people who preach Jesus on TV and appear to get rich doing it?
Once, many years ago, a door-to-door salesman sat down in a tidy apartment with a tiny elderly woman. He was there to tell her about the products he was selling: Bibles and Bible books.
She was petite and very polite. Her apartment was decorated in such a way as to give the impression that she had lived well and never worried about money. The furniture was elegant, and the rug on the floor was ornately decorated in muted purple and brown patterns that resembled an antique tapestry. It looked like she was part of a diorama, a model of times past.
She listened politely as the salesman gave his pitch, and then she gently explained that she couldn’t buy the large family Bible or the reference Bible because she had to save her money for the church. She wasn’t able to get out anymore, but she watched the services on television and showed her visitor a picture of the pastor she was supporting.
The picture was revealing.
It showed a well-dressed man in an expensive suit, attended by other well-dressed men in suits. One of the attendants held an umbrella over the man’s head. Another one held the car door open for him. The car itself was an expensive model, its driver sporting a chaffer’s uniform.
The salesman had the distinct feeling that the woman was being taken advantage of. He felt sorry for her as he said goodbye and walked toward the next house. He wondered how Jesus felt about people who seemed more interested in making money from the Gospel than bringing souls to Christ.
Envying the wealth of others is not the best motivation for preaching Jesus, but it happens. Some preach Jesus because they love having authority over others. This, too, is not the best motivation.
The best motives come from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5). Jesus himself taught on this:
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’” (Mark 9:35)
Application: Whatever your motives, preach Jesus.
Food for Thought: How does God’s grace compensate for human shortcomings when we preach Jesus?
Whatever our motives, God’s word and the gospel message have power. It is not about the messenger but the message.
Romans 1: 16 – 17: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, e just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Ephesians 1: 13: And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
It is certainly better to preach from good motives. But God still cares about the person hearing the gospel, even when the one giving it is being a jerk. His love and grace for the hearer can compensate the bad motives of the one proclaiming the gospel.
I was once real busy and at the end of a long day. I practically had someone ask me to share the gospel. I was reluctant, tired and even a bit frustrated. I didn’t do a good job. The person received Christ and is still following Christ today. I promise you – that was all Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit and zero Rich.
I wouldn’t say zero Rich. Maybe 1%.
Thank you, Rich!
I love your humility and I really appreciate the example!
How does God’s grace compensate for human shortcomings when we preach Jesus?
We are imperfect beings serving our perfect God. A task we, who are incapable of saving ourselves cannot ever accomplish under our own power.
Ephesians 2:8, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
1.) Adam and Eve, disobeyed God, in His Grace He provided clothing, and placed them apart from the garden so they would not eat the fruit of the tree of life.
2.) David, guilty of adultery and murder, repented and in His Grace received forgiveness and restoration.
3.) Peter, denied Jesus, and in His Grace was restored by Jesus and commissioned by Jesus to feed His sheep.
4.) Paul, persecuted gods people, was temporarily blinded, and in His Grace was transformed into a leading apostle for Jesus.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13
Believers have all been called by God for His purposes, and He will fully equip each to perfectly perform their calling.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45
Thank you, Ron!
Great reminders of God’s love and patience!!
What you talk about in today’s meditation is something I needed to reconcile within myself a long time ago. The image of a person of meager income giving an offering to God to someone who appears to be living lavishly on that offering.
So I offer two verses that helped reconcile that within me.
Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
When people give out of obedience and gratitude, the Lord will fulfill their needs at the right time.
Proverbs 28:8
Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit
gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.
I believe in the justice of God and His plan, those that are poor stewards of what God has provided do not thwart His plan, they are still a part of them. Their reward though is temporary, one who is faithful to Christ, their reward is eternal.
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How does God’s grace compensate for human shortcomings when we preach Jesus?
A sister in Christ once shared a testimony with me I think fits here. This was prior to her receiving Christ as her savior. She talked about an incident where she arrogantly and aggressively berated and antagonized a hotel check-in clerk. The young clerk, although visibly shaken, did not react negatively toward her in any way. At the end of the episode the clerk said to her “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) She testified that she then went to her truck and cried, and it was the start of her coming to Jesus, that as a result of that encounter, she began to question her life and seek redemption through Christ.
In hearing this testimony, I believe that whatever “shortcomings” the clerk had, he replied on the grace that had been given to him to respond.
Thank you, Chris!
Another powerful example! Wow!