”For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” | 2 Timothy 4: 2-3

Paul predicted that the time would come when people would not receive the gospel of grace.

Motivated by their carnal desires, they will, therefore, seek out, find and listen to those preachers whose objective is to tell folks exactly what they want to hear. Surely the time about which Paul prophesied has arrived. The philosophy of consumerism has been carried over from the marketplace into the church building.

The rule of the day among false religionists is demand and supply.

Whatever the congregation demands, that’s what lying prophets are ready to supply. The average preacher today may be likened to a clever businessman. He is consumer oriented and motivated by personal success. His job is to find out what religious consumers want and then provide it for them.

That is the secret to success in the business world, and that is the secret to making it big in the religious arena.

There are multitudes of preachers saying virtually anything anybody would want to hear. The demand creates the supply. The hearers determine what their preachers will say and do. As one of the old writers said, “If the people desire a golden calf to worship, a ministerial calf-maker is readily found.”

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4: 2)

Though most preachers are ready to supply the demands of the multitudes, the Lord still has His servants who are faithful to their commission which is summed up in Scripture: “preach the Word.”

God’s men boldly proclaim the truth as it is in Christ Jesus.

God’s men seek the approval of God, not the applause of men.

God’s men have no selfish ambitions; they have set no lofty, personal goals.

God’s men seek the glory of God in all things and, as Paul told the Corinthians, they are “determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

God’s men faithfully set forth God as being absolutely sovereign in all that He does.

“But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” (Jonah 2: 9)

God’s men proclaim that “salvation is of the LORD”

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12: 1)

God’s men proclaim man’s total depravity and his utter inability to save himself or make himself acceptable before a holy God.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12: 2)

God’s men proclaim the successful, redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for His people.

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Corinthians 8: 6)

God’s men proclaim the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit. Boldly and unashamedly they declare that “Christ is all.” He is all to be known, all to be seen in the Bible and all to be preached from the pulpit.

“To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3: 26)

God’s men proclaim how God can be Just and justify the ungodly through the doing and the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When their hearers are amening the sermon, they preach Christ crucified.

When their hearers are ready to stone them to death because of the gospel they proclaim, they just continue preaching the Word of the Lord in obedience to their Master.

The world’s rule of demand and supply means nothing to them.

The message God has supplied and demands them to preach, that is what they proclaim.

~ Pastor Jim Byrd

Click here to listen to the message “A Promise That Ought To Revive”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 1 February, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky