THE INTEGRITY OF THE EXPOSITOR

THE INTEGRITY OF THE EXPOSITOR

You may find this chapter a little “preachy”; that is what I intend! Preaching the Bible is an Altogether Unique Enterprise, for God’s Word cannot be preached effectively when there is something awry in the personal life. GOD WANTS HIS VESSELS TO BE CLEAN. One may teach algebra adequately and not pay one’s bills, but no one cannot adequately expound the Word of God and fail to pay his bills. One can be sexually immoral and serve as a grocery clerk, but no one can preach the Word of God in that condition. A MAN’S PERSONAL LIFE AND DISCIPLINE CAN MAKE OR BREAK HIS PREACHING MINISTRY.

Before I begin a discussion of the mechanics of the expository method I must challenge you to a point of decision. Thus is not merely opinion on my part. The Bible makes very clear that THE PREACHER PREACHES BY HIS LIFE AS WELL AS BY HIS LIPS; there is a sense in which “what a man is” is more important than what he says. There is great strength in the “silent sermon of a godly life.” As we shall see in the three examples below, all through the Scriptures the importance of personal, practical godliness is emphasized.

FIRST THESSALONIANS 2:1-12

In this intimate and intensely personal passage the apostle Paul sets forth his own convictions about the secrets of genuine pastoral leadership. Paul seems to open up his heart and allow us to enter. Just what does Paul set forth as the ideal for an effective pastor? As a reading of the chapter reveals, the qualifications are far different from what is ordinarily thought.

Today’s image of the successful an effective preacher is of a man who is unusually handsome. He has the voice of an actor and the mind of a scholar. Not so, according to Paul. In the first two verses Paul indicates he felt a strong sense of mission. His previous trials and tribulations in Philippi were enough to send weaker men scurrying for home. Why did Paul not give up the mission? The reason is obvious. He felt a commitment for the gospel of God that made him bold under the most difficult of circumstances. The work of preaching is no easy task. There is no easy way to do it. When you set out on a mission to serve the Lord you can be sure you will encounter many difficult obstacles along the way. Only a sense of mission such as Paul expresses can keep you going under such circumstances.

In verse 3-6 Paul discusses his own preaching ministry, and so gives us helpful guidelines in the matter of personal integrity. When he refers to “our exhortation” he is not simply talking about a particular message, nor about his delivery. He is going to the depths of his motives. In Paul’s time there were false teachers who moved from place to place preying on the people. Sadly, we face the same problem today: charlatans on television and radio have caused large numbers of people to be skeptical of preachers in general. Because of that, our motives must be right.

Paul answers a threefold charge that was apparently leveled against his own motives. He emphatically states that his preaching was “not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile” (v. 3). He is saying that his message is true, his motives are pure, and his methods are above question. HE IS NOT ATTEMPTING TO PLEASE MEN, HE IS NOT USING FLATTERING WORDS (v. 5). Someone has said that flattery is soft-soaping a person until he can’t see the suds. There is too much flattery in modern preaching. There is, of course, a right place for praise and compliment. But if we are to be pure in our motives, we must never flatter those to whom we preach for the sake of personal gain or praise. We must search our hearts to the depths. We must carefully ask ourselves at all times. Is my preaching genuinely motivated?

In verse 7-12 Paul discusses his manner among the people. These verses are a manual of instructions for the preacher who would effectively minister. Paul conducted himself in the midst of the people in a “gentle” manner. He obviously had a compassionate heart. His love for people is clearly revealed in the way he describes his manner among them. The true preacher will assume a threefold role, as did Paul.

PAUL WAS TO THE PEOPLE LIKE A MOTHER (v. 7-8). The picture here is actually of a mother in the nursery with her children. Picture a mother-nurse cherishing her little ones. Watch her as she caresses, feeds, hugs her babies. That is the manner of the true preacher. The mother would gladly give her life for the child. In verse 8 Paul says he would gladly have given his own soul for the people. When I was a boy I often heard the older preachers say at the conclusion of their messages, “Beloved, I have delivered my soul to you today.” I did not really understand what they meant at the time. After many years of preaching, I understand. Real preaching is not only the delivery of a message; a life is also delivered. Preaching is not the performance of an hour; preaching is the outflow of life.

Paul also teaches us to assume the ROLE OF A LABORER. In verses 9-10 he indicates that his ministry was not confined to a forty-hour week. He poured his life into his labors. The preacher with integrity knows no office hours and punches no time clock. I am not saying the preacher does not need time with his family, time for recreation and other vital activities; but personal integrity demands that the man who preaches expository sermons to his people must be a hard worker. No member of your congregation should work harder at his job than you do at yours. How can a preacher in good conscience accept a salary from people who come to hear him preach if he spends little time in sermon preparation?

Finally Paul compares the PREACHER TO A FATHER (v. 11-12). There must be the tenderness of the mother in the preacher but also the firmness of the father. Personal integrity demands that the expository preacher be truthful with his people. He must speak lovingly, but firmly. Among other things, a father teaches the child how to walk. God’s people are children in a royal family. We have a responsibility to teach them how to live the Christian life. That is a SACRED RESPONSIBILITY. The very highest level of personal integrity is demanded.

FIRST TIMOTHY 3:1-7

Several passages in the New Testament set forth the personal character requirements of the preacher. Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:16, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine”, Paul admonishes the young preacher Timothy to give attention first to his own character, then to the teaching. In the same book in chapter 3 Paul gives some of the personal requirements of the preacher. These may be familiar to you, but we need to constantly remind ourselves of them and use them as spiritual checkpoints.

First, we must be blameless (1 Tim. 3:2). That does not mean sinlessness; blameless carries the idea of being without reproach. There should be nothing in a preacher’s conduct that would give anyone a reason to point a finger of rebuke toward his ministry. The preacher must be above reproach in his marriage relationship. The effectiveness of many preacher is jettisoned by inconsistencies in his relationship to his wife.

Further, the preacher is to be vigilant. First Peter 5:8 explains this for us. “Be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about.” The preacher must be always wary of subtle attempts on Satan’s part to sabotage his ministry.

The word sober does not mean the preacher is not to get drunk, although that is certainly true. Rather the idea of being a man of calm, unimpassioned mind is intended. The preacher must be master of himself and his situation. He must also be of good behavior. He must not only talk well, but walk well. He must be given to hospitality. There is a surprising emphasis on this duty of preachers in the New Testament. We have the privilege to open our houses as well as our hearts to our people. He must also be apt to teach. The preacher guides the people through careful, consistent teaching of the Scriptures.

Further, Paul says the preacher is not to be given to wine. The word implies not sitting over the wine. He must be very careful about his personal habits. How can a preacher be effective in the pulpit when there is no discipline in his personal life? No striker means he must not be a violent man. He must avoid the combative spirit. He must not also be not greedy of filthy lucre. The personal integrity of many a preacher has been wrecked by an undue attachment to money. Too many preachers get interested in some little “deal on the side.” Valuable time that could be spent in sermon preparation is sometimes used for personal gain.

The preacher must also be patient. “Forbearing” is a better word. There must be that quality of heart that makes allowances for the inconsistencies and rudeness of others. Next, he is not to be a brawler, he is to be a peaceable person. Let him not stir up strife in his daily dealings with people. Next, Paul urges, not covetous. The word Paul uses here actually means money-loving. The preacher is not to covet any possession or any place not his own.

In verse 4 Paul says the preacher must be one that ruleth well, his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. What the preacher is and does with his own children will greatly help him in dealing with the children of God placed in his care. Further, he is not to be a novice. This means the preacher must have had opportunity to demonstrate in his life the kind of character that is projected in the gospel he preaches. He must also have a good report. The lost world very often shrewd judge of character. The preacher must not necessarily earn the approval of the world; instead, the world must have nothing it can truthfully use to discredit the preacher’s ministry.

TITUS 1:5-9

A similar set of character requirements is found in Titus 1:5-9. Writing to another young preacher, Titus, Paul adds to his statements concerning the personal integrity of the preacher. In discussing the preacher’s family, Paul says he should have faithful children. This could be rendered “believing children.” The indication here is that the preacher will win his own children to the Lord. That may be the ACID TEST FOR THE PREACHER’S INTEGRITY. Can the preacher lead his own children to put their trust in the Savior he proclaims in the pulpit? If the preacher lives his message before his children, they will be prone to follow him in a commitment to Jesus Christ.

In addition, Paul adds in verse 7 that the preacher is not to be self-willed. This means being overbearing or arrogant. The self-willed person is the one who never thinks of the desires of others; his way is the only way. He is the person who is so pleased with himself that nobody else pleases him, and he cares to please nobody. In addition, Paul says the preacher is not to be soon angry. This means not quick-tempered. The preacher must look closely at the deepest emotions of his life. I have met too many preachers who are angry men. It is sad they take their anger to the pulpit with them and spew it at the people.

Paul also adds in verse 8 that the preacher is to be a lover of good men. He is to be a supporter of the good. The preacher must be a good man who has a good heart and who surrounds himself with good things. Further, Paul adds the word just – he endeavors to be right with men. Next Paul says holy – the preacher should seek to be right with men and with God. Finally, Paul says the preacher is to be temperate. This conveys the idea of being inwardly strong. Temperance is the inner strength that enables the preacher to control his bodily appetites and passions.

There is only one way these divine standards for the preacher can be accomplished. NO MAN IS STRONG ENOUGH IN HIMSELF TO ACHIEVE SUCH A RIGOROUS STANDARD OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY. Only as God’s men allow themselves to be controlled by the Holy Spirit can they be the kind of men who are pleasing to God and who are effective in ministering His Word.

DO NOT LIGHTLY CONSIDER THESE MATTERS. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. If you are not working hard to prepare yourself to be a better man, you are wasting time learning how to prepare a better sermon.

by: Jerry Vines

A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation pp. 30-35

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