36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. 38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
Jesus Christ isn’t concerned about numbers like modern preachers are. This crowd is coming after Him and He wants to leave and go to the next town. The modern preacher wants to see results. The example Jesus set was the message not the results. People are business oriented today as business is the American religion. Modern preachers need to see cards filled out, knees bent at the “altar”, hands raised, decisions for Christ, and pews filled. But, it’s the message, the message, the message. It’s not about you feeling like a success but that God’s word was preached. Billy Sunday was censored during World War One by the Presbyterian Church in the Chicago area. He had a series of revival meetings where tens of thousands of people came forward. But, over the next year or so the churches only added a couple of hundred members. Both Sunday and the Presbyterians had the wrong motivation. The question is simply, was God’s word preached? Jeremiah had no converts and yet he has a prominent book in the Bible.
For preachers and preacher hopefuls I’d say if you’re in your flesh and you want to see results the only results you need to see are whether or not your own church members are growing in grace and God’s word. Is the church growing or are you growing the church? Do you know the difference? Do you know how many of your congregants are reading the Bible to the exclusion of other things every day, praying constantly, and living for Christ, unless you see something you can tally up like assignments on the job or lessons at school?
If not one person ever kneels at the altar and professes salvation you have not failed. If you have faithfully preached God’s word in season and out you have been a great success.
Jesus came to preach. You remember the prophets of the Old Testament and what they did? They preached about the present, the past, and the future that was to come based on the word and wisdom given to them by God.
Nehemiah 6:7a And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem….
Prophets preach. Every one of us needs to preach to someone.
Young people preach to someone;
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Peter quotes that in Acts 2:17.
Acts 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
Women preach to someone.
2 Kings 22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. 15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
…then comes a sermon.
Men preach to someone;
Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Every one of us preach to someone;
1Corinthians 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
Here is another reason why Jesus came to us.
Isaiah 61:1 ¶ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,…….
Here in the New Testament Jesus refers to that call.
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
There are other reasons why He came;
1Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
If you look perhaps you can find others listed clearly in the Scriptures.
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