clcgh.org Building The Capacity Of Christian Leaders, Equipping The Saints For The Work Of Ministry, Redirecting Straying Christians To The Sound Knowledge Of Christ
As pastors, anytime we prepare a message to preach or teach, we must first ask ourselves if we can preach the same message to Jesus Christ. We must ask ourselves if Jesus Christ will be pleased to hear such a message. Again, we must ask ourselves if Jesus Christ will preach or teach such a message.
We should deem a message from the pulpit to people as a message from Christ Jesus because true ministers speak by the Spirit of Christ, who is in and upon them.
And a message to Christians should be regarded as a message to Christ’s Body because Christians are the Body of Christ. Christ is in us, and we are in Him. This means a message from Christ goes indirectly to Christ as the Church is one with Christ.
The Church is all about Jesus Christ. It is from Christ and for Christ. It is of Christ and in Christ. The Church is built on Christ and with Christ. It is under Christ. It begins with Christ, ends with Christ and rests with Christ in God the Father.
Jesus Christ is the greatest message for preaching and teaching to the Church. He is worthy to be preached, taught, known and learnt even though He is immeasurable, unfathomable and incalculable. His depth, height and width are incomprehensible.
Christ is worthy to be studied and worshipped because He is peerless, ageless, timeless, endless, limitless, sinless and faultless. Christ is undying, unfailing and unchanging, and He is God.
Jesus Christ is the greatest theme Christians are called to study and know. And He is the One ministers are prepared, trained and sent to preach and teach to make Him known to others. But we cannot make Christ known to others if we do not know Him. To preach or teach about Christ is to communicate His person, messages and works. Any other thing a servant of Christ may study, know and teach to Christians is a mere addition.
It is unfortunate, however, today, many ministers have abandoned the message about Christ Jesus and are preaching messages that simply excite people.
An apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor(bishop) and teacher who does not, cannot or will not preach or teach about the birth, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and second coming of the crucified Christ, but always speaks about money, success and other such stuff for earthly comfort does not know Him. Such a minister is a motivational speaker or heretic.
This article, therefore, seeks to redirect straying Christians, especially leaders to the sound knowledge of Christ Jesus. We should rise up from where we have fallen and return to the King’s assignment and walk worthily of our holy, high and heavenly calling.
We should regard this message as a clarion call to all servants of Christ to remind themselves of the need to preach the message Christ Jesus commanded.
Those who truly love Jesus Christ will repent and do as instructed in Matthew 28:18-20 in order to escape the coming wrath of God. Those who disobey Him invoke a curse on themselves because they do not love Christ.
Paul writing by the Holy Spirit said, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be anathema. Maranatha” (1 Corinthians 16:22, KJV). Anathema means accursed.
Finally, remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “For whoever is ASHAMED OF ME AND MY WORDS in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
By James Quansah
