“Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ…” Eph.3:8
“We don’t preach about ourselves; we preach Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your servants for his sake.” 2Cor.4:5
“No one in heaven has ever been blamed for preaching Christ too much”—or for preaching too much of Christ. – Spurgeon.
Heavenly Father, thank you for those who preach the Gospel to us—and more so, for the Gospel they preach. “Boundless riches” almost seems like an understatement, when we consider every good thing you have done for us, and given us in Jesus. Our guilt is gone, and our shame is shattered. We are rooted in your love and standing in your grace. Our truest citizenship is in heaven, and our present and permanent address is “in Christ.”
So, thank you for those who make this Gospel clear and dear to us. May your love for them be 10,000 times more compelling than the applause of men and the discontent of malcontents. Father, keep them centered on the main thing, really the main One—Jesus and what he has done for us.
Grant them humility and joy appropriate to their calling, and kindness and boldness essential for their preaching. May they tremble at your Word and boast in your Son. May they preach the Gospel to the nations but primarily preach to an audience of One.
When itching ears want them to preach a partial gospel, partisan politics, or a personal agenda—give them courage to resist by filling their hearts with more and more of Jesus’ truth, goodness, and beauty. So Very Amen.
