When Jesus sent his apostles on the
"limited mission" to the descendants of Abraham recorded in Matthew 10: 5-33, He
told them that some of the people whom they would try to help would mistreat the
messenger (v. 16-23) because they did not appreciate the message. He instructed
them not to force the message upon their hearers but to move on to others when
they were rejected.
After His resurrection, Jesus sent the
Apostles on a broader mission. This time He told them to go to "all the world"
(Mark 16:15) and to "all nations". Later, Paul said the Apostles had been
faithful to that calling, having "preached to every creature which is under
heaven" (Colossians 1:23).
The Scriptures make it clear that those
men who preached suffered routinely. The apostle Paul listed a catalogue of abuse he had
suffered (II Corinthians 11: 20-30). The sheer pain that he must have endured makes one
wonder how he was able to continue, yet he "fought a good fight, finished the course,
and kept the faith" (II Timothy 4:6-8). Paul warned Timothy that he and others who
also kept the faith would have to endure suffering (II Timothy 4:5, 3:12), and yet, they
were urged to keep on fulfilling the mission and even to train others to follow them (II
Timothy 2:2). Tradition says that all the Apostles except John were killed for their
faith.
Isaiah told of his "call to
preach" (Isaiah 6:1-12). After the experience he related, he could not help but
preach! Jeremiah suffered greatly and yet when he was discouraged he found that "His
word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with
forbearing, and I could not stay" (Jeremiah 10:9).
John the Baptist even confronted the
King about the sin of adultery and eventually paid with his life, but he never recanted
and never quit preaching. Jesus was crucified, but stayed faithful until death (Revelation
2:10) and called others to have the same commitment (Matthew 16:24).
Why did they do it? And why do men today
continue preaching? There are only two reasons. Some men live to preach while others
preach to live. Some (like Isaiah and Jeremiah) cannot help but preach. Some will not
compromise the truth even if it means giving their lives (as Jesus and John the Baptist).
Others are professional preachers who make their living from the "ministry".
They try always to be politically correct and flexible enough to fit into any situation
without offending anyone. They check the "felt needs" of the time and seek to
please the people, so as to insure their popularity and "position".
May God give us more men who live to
preach. They will preach even if they are not supported. They will preach even in the face
of suffering. They will preach even when others "sell out" because it is the
popular thing to do. They have to preach, but they do not have to please men.
Ask your preacher why he preaches.