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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
THE PREACHER IS A MAN
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (JOH 3:14-16)
Our attitude and actions may gauge whether or not we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We may not gauge whether or not we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by our intellectual knowledge, our feelings, or by some certain experience. These are deceiving. Our gauge must be our attitude and actions. Do we understand what it is to be renewed in the spirit of the mind? Do we understand what it is to be cleansed by the washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit, the washing of the water of the Word? We can gauge that in a much better and safer manner, than by our emotions.
See how the Pharisees rejoiced in the light of a man, but only for a season in JOH 5:35. See how dangerous it is when we have our emotions toward a certain man because he has a calling or some certain gift in preaching. Many people worship the preacher instead of Christ. Many are deceived in this area. See what happened: John the Baptist had a true call, did he not? John the Baptist was prophesied as the forerunner of Christ. He was, indeed, a mighty, powerful preacher of the gospel, and preached without flinching from the truth. But are we to worship John the Baptist because of his call?
In JOH 5:35, the Lord Jesus told the Pharisees, "He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." Do you see where the missing link was? They were rejoicing in his light. They were rejoicing in the wonderful, powerful preacher rather than in the true light. They weren’t rejoicing in the truth that was being preached. They were rejoicing in the power and the credentials of the man. There’s no salvation in this type of emotion.
We may hear some gospel preacher, and greatly rejoice in his light: "Oh! That was a wonderful sermon. Oh! That was a wonderful message." But it’s the man we’re worshipping. We’re rejoicing "in his light." We can rejoice in his light and yet be totally void of the new birth, because the first time that our little maid dances well, we’ll probably behead a John the Baptist. We’ll cut his head off rather than to cut down some of our own fleshly desires. The work of regeneration begins with the crucifying of self.
We may delight to come to the light of some powerful preacher, and we may rejoice in such a one as John the Baptist, and yet flee from the true light. Look at the context of our text and see how urgently important this is. The Lord Jesus is giving the definition of those who believe and those who believe not.
Jesus is showing the distinction between who believes and who does not believe. "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He goes on to show that condemnation wherein are those who believe not.] And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (JOH 3:18-19)
There are multitudes who sincerely believe they are saved, yet who have never rightly believed in Jesus. They have never rightly understood the condemnation of the unbeliever. What is the condemnation of the unbeliever? It is the light of the Word. MAT 7:13 says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat."
Do you know what the strait gate means? Turn to MAT 7:12. "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Then He says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate." What does the word strait mean? It means difficult to stand. He’s telling us to do unto your friend, unto your neighbor, what you would want him to do to you. He follows that by telling us how difficult it is to stand: "for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." They that don’t stand, don’t understand the law of love, and have never learned to understand what it is to love God with their heart, soul, and mind, and love their neighbor as themselves.
These "many" that Jesus spoke of here saying, "broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat," are not openly professed infidels who have no reason to believe in Christ. They are the professed believers in Christ; they are those who are on that "broad" road.
MAT 7:22 says, "Many will say to me in that day [it’s the same "many", the same parable, the same illustration that Christ is giving], Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" They’re going to come on the Day of Judgment, having died believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation, but they had not believed with a true gospel faith.
Look at what He says next (verse 23). "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." The washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit had never cleansed them from their sins. They continued on the broad road where they didn’t have to stand, they could have a little grudge, hate, spite, nag, pleasure, sin, and a little of everything that pleases the flesh. They respond, "Oh, yeah, but it’s all washed in the blood of Christ," yet they’ve never had a renewing of the heart. They’ve never rightly believed, and so perished eternally. Amen
O Bless thy servant, dearest Lord,
While he shall preach thy gospel word;
May he declare delightful things,
Touching the glorious King of kings.
O grant him bright celestial views,
While he proclaims the gospel news;
With fiery zeal his soul inflame,
While he exalts the bleeding Lamb.
Give him clear light, and burning love;
Shower down thy blessings from above;
O may we hear the Saviour’s voice,
And in his precious name rejoice.
~Author: Burnham
Our sermons and devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion and sermon notes on-line. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.