Abraham Lincoln quote, "You can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time."
That's the kind of wisdom every preacher needs to remember. I don't care how well you preach or how long you have worked on your sermon, you will not please everyone. I remember a sermon by Dr. Tony Evans, Pastor of Oakcliff Bible Fellowship, in Dallas, Texas said that early in ministry he tried to please everyone. He was wearing himself out, and could not please everyone. Ultimately he realized that in ministry his objective is to be pleasing to God.
For those of us who preach, we would do well to heed that wisdom. You and I are called to please God. That in itself is a gigantic order! I remember when I began preaching many years ago I would get extremely nervous, because I was trying to please the Senior Pastor. He never put pressure on me or criticized me in my preaching. It was self induced stress and drama all on my own. I so respected my pastor that I wanted to get that "adda-boy" approval, much like a son from a father.
One morning as I was driving to Church to preach the morning sermon I had thunder in the belly, stressing to the max, then all of a sudden God spoke to my heart. The heart conversation went like this:
God: "Who called you into ministry?"
Me: "God you did!" God: "Well, who are you trying to please?"
Me: "Oh, I want to be pleasing to you."
At that moment I took my eyes off my pastor and put them on God. I removed my pastor off the throne and God was there. That moment many years ago--freed me from the earthly stress that I had put myself under.
Again, my pastor never did anything to stress me out, I put my self under that stress, by wanting to please him.
Now, I still get a little stressed before I preach. The knees still knock. But the reason is different. I am trying to please God by being faithful to His Word! It is a whole different dynamic.
In your preaching, who are you trying to please? You will never please everyone all the time, but you have to strive to be pleasing to God. Some days you will preach messages that will "disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed." It just goes like that, be blessed and preach the Word!
2 comments:
Hi Pastor Ausberry:
Amen, Amen, Amen. These words are from my Ministers handbook pg.110 "You must preach and teach to please God, not men. You must not tone down the gospel and use flattering words in order to secure support. You must not glory in yourself; you must glory in the cross. You must not seek worldly popularity and recognition, nor seek to make a good impression and attract attention to yourself." There is more, but I wanted to mention these few. I am reminded by your post to never change to please men because they did not die for my sins. I love God's people, but I love God more. May He continue to be Glorified in all that you do.
Blessings,
Koralee Nisbett
Amen, Amen, Amen.
These admonitions are from my ministers handbook, "What the Bible Says to the Minister."pg. 110 "You must make absolutely sure that you live what you preach and teach. You must preach the gospel with a sense of urgency. You must preach and teach to please God, not men. You must not tone down the gospel and use flattering words in order to secure support. You must not glory in yourself; you must not seek worldly popularity and recognition, nor see to make a good impression and attract attention to yourself." These are just a few that I thought lined up with your post. God Bless You for being bold enough to post the truth. The truth will indeed set us free.
Blessings,
Koralee Nisbett
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