Preaching The Evangel (4)

by G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Category: Preaching The Evangel | Jul 1975

"Do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry" (2 Tim. 4:5)

The gift of the evangelist may be granted to a few, but all can evangelize, and be blessed in so doing. The work of the evangelist will often be the work of younger men, for they are strong, and more able to endure what this work entails. They are also more free to give themselves to prayer for others, and alert too, to the outlook of the world's youth.

The evangelist must be a man of prayer, in touch with God for men; and in touch with men for God. He must be faithful to his charge as a servant of God, speaking the word of God faithfully, and with compassion. When the Master saw the multitudes, "He had compassion on them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd (Mark 6:34). The evangelist needs the buoyancy of faith, being neither unduly elated in times of blessing nor unduly cast down in times of difficulty. Paul and Silas prayed and sang in the prison at Philippi, and the prisoners listened. The jailor and his household became disciples, and the message would not be lost on the prisoners too, we can be sure.

In preaching, the evangelist will use the Word, for this is the sword of the Spirit. The promises of God are in the word of God, and on these promises we rest for the assurance of salvation, with the testimony of the Spirit within (Rom. 8:16). Therefore the evangelist must know and use the Word of God.

In spreading the gospel we must make use of effective gospel tracts, suitable to those to whom we go. These can go were we cannot, and speak to those who never come to hear the preacher.

The gospel message is good news, and so it must be told warmly. It is from God, and so it must be told faithfully. Its effect is for eternity in the life of the hearer, and so it must be told earnestly. The theme of the message is Christ, and so He must be the centre of our preaching. The power of the message is in the work of the Holy Spirit. No one is born again apart from the Spirit's work.

Usually, a public gospel address to unsaved people should not be long. If it is, the preacher may cloud his message with words and his hearers will go away unimpressed. The message will have lost its power. The preacher must guard against this. He must finish, when he has given his message, with a warm and earnest appeal. That is effective in the Spirit's power.

A mental assent to the facts of the gospel may not be a real conversion. Not until the heart is touched and the will is yielded is a person born of God. We can assure our hearers that if they believe the message in their hearts, repenting before God, they will surely be saved. But it is wise to leave the assurance of salvation to come from the testimony of the Holy Spirit. He knows the heart.

We must preach repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord

Jesus Christ. The word of Paul to the Philippian jailor, "believe on the

Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved", was spoken to a repentant man.

We must preach repentance first, and then faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The evangelist should expect some to be saved. The ploughman does not plough continually to sow (Isa. 28:24). He expects to sow and reap. When the message has been preached then the preacher should make an appeal to his hearers, if unsaved people are present. "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed" wrote Luke (Acts 13:48). The Lord knows who will believe, and these He foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). How happy the evangelist is that he has been used by the Lord to speak to those with whom God is working. All can be saved for Jesus died for them, and God loves them. Some will be saved, and there will be joy in heaven over them. There will be joy also in the hearts of all who have prayed for them, and in the heart of the evangelist who preached the word.

"Facing a task unfinished,

That drives us to our knees;

A need that undiminished

Rebukes our slothful ease.

We who rejoice to know Thee,

Renew before Thy throne,

The solemn pledge we owe Thee

To make Thy glory known".

G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Jul 1975
Preaching The Evangel