Biblical Preaching (Homiletics) | Lecture 6 : BC204-BP-20260825

Okay, that's started right. Okay, so we were looking at qualifications. Okay. Uh qualifications of the preacher. We see that um you know time and again in in scripture uh in the in the New Testament that we see in the epistles we see the emphasis on character which is very very important. And uh and the reason being that uh see the message and the messenger are one right? The messenger the messenger are one. Um you cannot have a different message from what the person is himself or herself. you know the the message that the person lives out is more powerful than anything else right so uh having said that let's look at some of the qualifications that one might really look for right uh some specifics that we saw from uh 1 Timothy we saw from Titus some of the things that Paul lists down um uh but when we when we overall when we look at scripture we see we can actually condense it to uh some qualifications uh which are listed in the notes right and we're going to look at that right um so the the old English is the expositor meaning someone who is actually you know bringing out the truth and communicating the truth okay uh so expositor we're going to learn about expository um teaching and so on study right so expositor uh you can you know substitute that with the preacher or the communicator uh whatever word right uh it's it's appropriate Right. So the first thing is that one should be a believer. Right? It goes without saying that one should have the spirit of God in him or her and the person should be a believer. Now know you might think you know it's a very simple thing isn't it right? It's a very simple thing. Why is it that that listed as a qualification? Right? But the but the issue is this you know there like the way things were in the New Testament church is very different from how things are now right in the New Testament church right if one would be called a believer that person did it at the risk of his own life if a person was following Jesus uh that person was not assured that physically he would be he or she would be alive you know uh during in the course of his time, right? Because such was the persecution, right? So when you say I I am a Christian, that means that hey, high chances that you will be martyed for your faith, killed for your faith, right? And the word martyr also comes from that whole thing. The witness also comes from that same thing that um uh the comes from the same thing that one who lays down his life or loses his life for the sake of his faith. Right? So, so that was how it was. Okay, there's a question here from Samuel. I'll I Sam I'll just answer this question um uh in you know just in a little bit. Right. So, so that's the thing. So now the way things are one can actually go or register in a seminary or a you know Bible college as we call it um and uh not even be a believer. Now you might think okay how is that possible right because in a seminary there are various kinds of people who study uh if you look at you know some seminaries some are very liberal in their teaching uh when it comes to truth uh you know they they might even not even you know consider the deity of Jesus which is shocking right in the sense they may not consider Jesus as lord they might consider Jesus as yes he's a good teacher he had some he lived a good life he shared some good things and that's that's it, right? And so the ones who come out of such a seminary definitely don't have a living uh loving relationship of savior and disciple, right? They've not received Jesus into their hearts, right? They don't have that relationship. Well, uh if you look at history, even in history, we see such a thing, right? where the people of God there were some people who were who were preaching but they were not believers. Okay. Uh let me just I I have a you know just one confusion about who that person was but um I'll just uh you know it's one of the Wesleyan brothers right uh we've read about um the Wesleyan brothers right who are the Wesley brothers we you've read through the thing church history revivals visitations that book right yeah So, who are the Wesley brothers? Anyone? John Wesley, Charles Wesley? No idea. Any Wesley here? No. Okay. So, the thing is this, right? um Charles Wesley, John Wesley uh they were brothers whom God used to bring about a very um you know a a great revival a movement uh and also they were part of the uh movement which became the Methodist church right the Methodist church we see um they really moved out and they started preaching everywhere right see it was it was not the right thing to go and preach in a street or preach in some factory, preach on the fields. It was not the right thing to do those those days, right? You have to preach only in that building. But they for the sake of the gospel, they said, "Hey, people need to know. They may not come in here. So, I'm taking it out." They went, they preached, right? And also, if you look at the life of Charles Wesley, Charles Wesley was already, you know, he he was actually uh a preacher, right? He was already um teaching the word of God, preaching the word of God. But what happens is that um when he was actually going on a ship, right, going on a ship and um on on that ship, there was a group of people called Moravians from Germany, right? Moravians. Now these people when they were singing it was actually a storm that was happening and uh the Moravians they were singing and worshiping God. Same God they worshiping Jesus. Now Charles Wesley was also in the same ship. Right now the Moravians were singing they were singing to God. They were praying and Charles Wesley realized hey the way they pray the way they worship is very different from the way I do it. Right? They are speaking, they're talking to the Lord Jesus as if they know the Lord. Whereas I, even though I am someone who studies the word and teaches the word, I talk to him, you know, I talk when I talk to him, it's as if I know about him, but I really don't know him. Right? So what happened was he hadn't had a personal relationship, a conversion experience, a born-again experience. He didn't have it, right? But he liked the word of God and he preached the word of God. So in that journey, that is when he saw that, he heard that and he said, "Lord, I want the same thing." He started actually praying you know he started talking to the Lord Jesus and he had this change of heart and he became a believer. So that's why you know uh when we look at um the first thing that we put down it's we it's it's like one should be a believer right and I I I don't know if I've shared this uh with this class but um I was part of the church uh you know in my hometown and uh for many years you know we had this we had the the the pastors or the or the you know who would who would wear the robes and who would come and conduct the service and you know go through the whole thing liturgy and and share the word etc. Now there was this pastor who was there for many years, right? Many years as a leader of that church, many years preaching and but one particular Sunday, this is after I had, you know, I literally grew up there, right? And I was here in Bangalore and I went there for a weekend and we had a worship leader u who was actually come there and um he was leading he was teaching about worship and and this is a very conservative church right there. So when I went there he had actually taught about hey it's it's scriptural Psalm 95 you know you can actually you know shout to the lord you can sing praise you can shout praise uh and you can raise your hands you know all those expressions of worship he was just teaching them and so uh I heard that he talked about salvation right in that church he talked about salvation and he said okay is there anyone who wants to receive Jesus into their heart right as Lord and Savior And the first person who responded to that call and he said yes was the pastor of the church. Right? He said yes I want to receive Jesus into my heart. So he was so uh touched by the message uh that he uh there's something missing and so I better respond. I better invite Jesus into my heart even though he was serving in the church for many years. Right? It's a it's a tradition a very conservative church and so on. So, so the thing is that yes, there are possibilities that someone is not even born again, right? Uh, and and then you see, you know, they are trying to serve and they're doing it as a religious duty and also maybe like a like a profession, right? Treating it as a profession. Okay, there are many options. This is one option. Seems nice. Uh, you know, I I can do some administrative things. I can teach, I can read, teach. So as as an administrative thing as a profession right so that is why one should be a believer one should be a regenerated believer so what why do we say regenerated okay when we actually put our faith in Jesus when we invite Jesus into our heart there's something of great spiritual significance that happens to us right and the Bible calls it born again the Lord Jesus you know in his conversation John chapter 3 um with um you know and we also see John chapter 3 and verse 16 that very popular and famous verse all of us know so in that conversation uh with um Nicodemus right the Lord Jesus says something very important that which is born of the flesh is flesh chap verse six that which is born of the spirit is spirit Right? Why does he say that? Because Nicodemus comes and says um you know no one can do these things unless God is with him etc. And the Lord is telling him there is something that you need to experience. John chapter 3 verse three most assuredly I say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Right? So he's talking about a higher reality. He's saying, "Hey, you need to be born again and only then will you experience or will you enter into the kingdom of God." So, which means that you need to have a re born again. Born again, you know, have a birth again. A rebirth. And what is that birth that he's talking about? He's talking about the spiritual birth, right? Yes, we are physically born, but then spiritually are you born, right? And he's talking about the born again experience. And he says, you know, um, you are a are you not the teacher of Israel and do not know these things? Right? So, he's telling Nicodemus, you're a teacher. He's already teaching the law, but he's saying you must be born again. You must your spirit must be born again in order for you to enter into the kingdom of God. Okay. So, that's what we mean by regenerate u believer. Okay. So, um there are some um there's one question here. any practical tips on improving uh dexterity and clarity of speech. Okay. So we'll we'll uh look at it um uh as we go along uh Samuel. So there is a there is a chapter specifically for this when we look at uh you know uh how we are going to be presenting the uh anything whatever you're sharing when it comes to preaching what not to do what to do and particularly about uh improving the skill and the clarity of what we are saying. Okay, just one one small thing I would say uh but because we're going to look at that in detail. See one thing is to be clear on what we are going to be presenting. Okay, because in our minds that there is a connection between um whatever our thoughts are and whatever we are speaking right our heart mind connection with what we are saying what we are doing right. So when we know or when we are clear about what we are going to be presenting, what we are going to be sharing, then of course there is skill and clarity of speech, right? And we need to be mindful and think through what we are going to actually present in a formal way. So we'll be able to do it in a very simple way, right? Simple things are always very impactful. It's very powerful. Why are the parables of the Lord Jesus, teachings of the Lord Jesus uh why are they powerful? Because of the simplicity, right? Uh he taught in very simple ways uh complex things in very simple ways and so that the people can actually remember recall and apply it right so so that's the thing. So what would help is al uh many times we think okay I need to use this uh you know these kind of words or etc. But actually it goes much deeper. It's about what's in our heart, what's in our mind and if there is clarity in that then automatically there will be clarity of speech right many times there is confusion because okay uh should I say this should I should I not confusion about the language also you're thinking in a different language and you're trying to you know put those words the words that we speak in a different language and then again there is a confusion there. So these are some things that uh actually short circuit or block the clarity of our speech. So if we can separate those things then um the speech will not be an issue right or the skillfulness of speaking uh or what we are presenting will not be a challenge right I hope that helps right we'll we'll go to there is a separate chapter on this we'll address it in greater detail right okay the second thing that we see what is it the the preacher has to be spiritfilled and spirit taught okay we look at spirit taught first. Okay. So the thing is the Holy Spirit is our teacher. Yes or no? >> Yes. >> Yeah. The Lord Jesus, he said the spirit of God, he will actually lead us into all truth. Right? Through the he is also called the spirit of revelation and wisdom. Right? We can read the word, we can understand the word because we know the language, right? We understand what this meaning is. We know the language. We can read and understand, right? But it is only the Holy Spirit who can give us revelation, right? Revelation of truth. So we can understand, we can understand the concept. We can understand certain things here. But the spirit of God is the one who actually gives us revelation. So what is the difference? Right? Um yes, we need to understand with our minds. We need to understand that okay if I read something I need to be able to understand with my mind because of the language and the grammar and so on right but the truth of that the revelation the uncovering of that uh unveiling of the truth is only by the Holy Spirit right he gives us that connection hey you know what like the way he taught Paul was able to draw from old testament scripture right Peter same thing. He's filled with the Holy Spirit. The the church is born. Outpouring of the Holy Spirit happens and suddenly he's actually preaching something which he himself was receiving revelation that time. You know he's he's he's actually quoting from prophet Joel and he's saying he this is what the prophet was saying that whatever they've exper experienced at that moment right the outpouring of the holy spirit the praying in tongues the gift of tong everything that they experiencing at that moment the holy spirit gave that connection throughout okay this is what prophet Joel said that in the last time in the end in the last days he will pour out my spirit spirit on all flesh. The young men will have these experience. The old men will dream dreams and all this will happen. And this is what the prophet said, right? So the Holy Spirit gave him that connection, gave him that revelation and continued to do that, right? Through the ministry, right? And also uh uh Peter also goes on to say right that by his stripes what happened if you if you look at the epistles of Peter um if you look at first Peter and second Peter let's just take a look at that okay you see that he is uh he's talking about the Lord Jesus Jesus being the cornerstone um about how people rejected but how he became the chief cornerstone right in chapter two and he is calling him a living stone and he's uh you know calling all of us as believers we are also living stone we need to come to him as to a living stone that is chapter 2 and and um verse uh vers four right coming to him as to a living stone reject ed by men, chosen by God, he's become the chief cornerstone and all that. And he's also, you know, quoting from the scriptures um if you look at verse six, right? So, he's um he's quoting from from Isaiah, he's quoting from Psalms and uh and he's he's saying he's making that connection, right? Now, we know that yes, Peter was a a businessman. He was into fishing fishing industry. Um but the Holy Spirit gives him this connection. He's learned the scriptures, right? He's because he's been with Jesus. They learned the they would all know the law and the prophets and so on. But the Holy Spirit is giving the connection of whatever he has learned, he has read and he is able to share that, right? He is giving revelation u the Holy Spirit's re revelation he's communicating to uh the people, right? Um uh let's say if you if you look at chapter 5 the same thing right about warning people about Satan right chapter 5 1 Peter chapter 5 he's saying be sober be vigilant uh your adversary your enemy the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour right so all these references the Holy Spirit has actually drawn him to speak the reference to the leaders of the church. Chapter 5 verse one. No, if you look at chapter 5, I want you to read it. Uh John, look at it in the Bible. Second Pet um 1 Peter chapter 5, right? 1 Peter chapter 5 verse one, right? He says, "The elders who are among among you, I exhort. I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory will be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God." See, he's using the sheep and shepherd. uh that analogy which the Lord Jesus himself taught John chapter 10, right? Um about how he is the sheep, how he's the shepherd and how we are the sheep. He has taught the psalmist Psalm 23 talks about how the Lord is our shepherd, right? And Psalm 95 also talks about gives us the reference of how we are the sheep of his hands. Right? So we see those references and the Holy Spirit has given him a revelation about how we are called as spiritual leaders. We are also shepherds but he is the chief shepherd. He says that right when the chief shepherd chapter sorry same chapter verse 4 chapter 5:4 when the chief shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that will not fade away and all the while he's talking about how we need to shepherd the flock of God right he's referring to people who put their faith in Jesus as the flock of God flock meaning they are sheep they need to hear the voice of the shepherd they will hear the voice of the shepherd. But we are called to be shepherds of such a flock. They belong to Jesus. Right? See all this revelation, right? Where did he receive it? He received it from the Holy Spirit. Right? Because the Lord Jesus told very clearly, he will lead you into all truth, right? Uh he will be with you forever. Uh whatever things are of mine, he will bring it to you. So they they were dependent on the revelation of the Holy Spirit as uh as taught by the Holy Spirit. They were people who were taught by the Holy Spirit. They were dependent on the Holy Spirit, right? So spirit taught, right? Also the first part of that statement, spiritfilled, right? So what does it mean to be spiritfilled? Yeah. To be inviting the work of the Holy Spirit, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul writes and he says be filled with the spirit. Ephesians 5, right? Says uh do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation but be filled with the holy spirit. Right? Um Ephesians 5 and um we read in verse uh 18 be filled with the spirit. Right? We see that again in the book of Galatians chapter 5:E1 16. Galatians 5:1 16. Walk in the spirit, right? Walking in the spirit, being filled with the spirit, living in the spirit, you know, everything refers to a very close relationship with the Holy Spirit, right? So um Paul is um mentioning all this and Peter also says the same thing right. So we are called to be people who are spiritfilled. Okay. So to be spiritfilled is to be also empowered by the Holy Spirit. Okay. To be spiritfilled is to live experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit. So power to resist temptation, power for holiness in our own lives, uh power against the works of the enemy, right? Um if you look at Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 12, it talks about the power of the Holy Spirit, right? Expression of the Holy Spirit. Okay? So let's look at that verse. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. Okay? 1 Corinthians 12. Okay. Verse one itself he says now concerning spiritual gifts right spiritual gifts are gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit. Right? Gift meaning gift of grace. The word caris is used there. Then verse four 5 6 talks about different kinds of gifts different ministries different activities. The same God who works in all. Verse seven manifestation of the spirit. Right? This is manifestation meaning an expression of the holy spirit a display of the holy spirit. Right? So manifestation of the holy when the when we are spiritfilled then we can actually express the power and the character of the holy spirit. So the manifestation of the spirit he's referring to the gifts of the spirit the spiritual gifts as the manifestation of the holy spirit. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. And then we you know that list of word of wisdom, word of faith and and all that, right? So so this is what means this is what it means to be spiritfilled. Not only spiritfilled but spirit taught. Okay. So as a preacher you are not depending on your mind alone. Mind is important or not. It is important. It is important because you know whatever the holy spirit puts in our hearts our mind is the one which actually discerns it judges we we actually process a lot of things there right and so the mind needs to be renewed according to the word of god so mind is important but our dependence should not be only in the mind but it should be on the spirit of god it should be the leading of the holy spirit right okay the third thing that we see is to be called and commissioned called and commissioned by God. I know as a person, as a preacher to be called and commissioned by God, right? Because in the call, we get the specifics of where we should be, what we should do, right? See, suppose uh we assume the call ourselves and say, okay, uh I I like this therefore you know, I think I should do this kind of ministry, right? Suppose we do that. Then the danger in that is we are making that decision out of our own thinking our own planning right let's say if Paul decided you know I'm a trained person I'm trained in the scriptures uh I know the Jewish traditions so let me go to the Jews let me spend my time in the Jews let me just stay in Jerusalem right but God had other plans right so the call of God for was for Paul to go through go to all the gentile lands and there preach the gospel. Right? So that was God's call. So so this is something the third thing is something that we need to understand to be expectant of and to be confirmed about the call of God, right? What has God called me to do? What has God trained me to do? And what he has commissioned us to do. Okay, let's look at um one chapter in the book of Acts where the commissioning happens. Okay, so this is in Acts chapter um 13. Okay, Acts chapter 13, we see that in the church that was in Antioch, there were certain prophets and teachers. And then it also lists the names there. Right? Now, as they ministered to the Lord, verse two, as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to me, Paul, Barnabas, and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Okay, so we see a commissioning that is happening here. Now, they have been serving. It's been several years since Paul has become a believer and he's been training. He's been he's been studying the word of God. He's been receiving revelation etc. Now what happens here is that as a group the church as a leaders they were all ministering to the Lord in fasting and prayer. The Holy Spirit spoke right? The Holy Spirit gave instruction. Now separate to me uh Saul separate to me Bahabas to the work which I have for them. Okay. Now they were I'm sure they must have been quite happy being there in the church you know prophesying ministering teaching uh the people who came there and uh and all that was happening there but then the Lord had other plans he says uh separate to me these people so so the leaders kind of understood okay God is you know putting in our hearts to do something he has a plan for these two uh Saul and Barnabas so we need to pray commission them release them so then after prayer and after commissioning them. Um it says they sent them away. Being sent out by the Holy Spirit, you know that's the next verse, right? Verse four. So being sent out by the Holy Spirit. So what does it say? That talks about the call of God. That talks about the commissioning of God. So they were even though they were prayed over and released by that group of people in Antioch, the church in Antioch, right? Here scripture very clear being sent out by the Holy Spirit. Right? So it was the Holy Spirit who called it was the Holy Spirit who commissioned them right saying set them apart for the work that I have for them. So they were sent out it says by the Holy Spirit and from then on was the first ever missionary journey of uh Paul right they go they preached they established churches they did something that was not done earlier right they pioneered the church they raised up leaders they appointed leaders they prayed over them and they moved on to the other place and so we see that you know entire territories coming to know the gospel right so divinely called commission mentioned very important right so and for us to understand that the call of God comes in different ways that's the thing know it can be a very gradual growing of desire right it need not be a burning bush moment it need not be what Isaiah experienced it need not be right it can be it need not be also right it can be a simple prayer meeting where everybody's praying where suddenly you a certain group of people they feel that maybe God is calling you for this. They prayed they released. It can be a growing desire, right? You say, "I just sense that God is calling me for this, right? And a greater sensitivity to the Holy Spirit." Very important, right? Philillip again, he was in Samaria revival. He's preaching, doing great things, amazing things are happening. People are coming, you know, they are getting healed. They are getting delivered from the, you know, the bondage of the enemy. Then he receives the word go to this place called Gaza. You will meet one man. No not even that right. He just just the thing is to go there. He goes and once he goes there then he receives further instruction. Okay. There is a chariot which is coming. Get into the chariot and then he shares the gospel gets him baptized and so on. Right? So we see that that call is very important. Right? And it can come as a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It can come as a growing desire. And we need to discern it and act on it. Pray, act on it. And the Lord will confirm. Lord will confirm through other people. Lord will confirm through his word. And and and it's an important thing. So we need to stay in prayer, get confirmation, get trained and be commissioned. Right. Okay. Then the fourth one as a person the preacher should be strong in character exemplary Christian character. So this this is something that we we've been looking at um one has to be a strong person uh in terms of character in terms of values right we see over and over again Paul also writing about this right so anything is repeated over and over again you know we need to take importance I mean take it uh consider it as something important right so that is something Paul writes right he says imitate me as I imitate Christ. Right? So it's a it's a bold statement. It's a very courageous statement. But what is whom is he calling us to imitate? Imitate Christ. Right? So that's again a call to character. Right? Okay. The fifth one we see a person being a person of prayer. Okay. A person who prays, a person who connects with God, a person who has conversations with God, right? Not just about okay God you know I'm I'm going to be preaching this today let people be touched let people many people be saved you know not just that but but really going to God and opening up our hearts to him asking God to mold us shape us right as people put desires within us to serve him to strengthen us you know and all the different things that we have learned in prayer prayer being intercession prayer being a prophetic prayer you know prayer being even you know praise and worship and and so on. So all those different kinds of prayer, prayer of faith, laying on of hands, uh you know, all those different kinds of prayers that that we as people, we as preachers that we need to grow in, right? So we see this modeled through the life of Jesus, right? We see that modeled very clearly through the life of Jesus. What was Jesus prayer life like? Anyone what was the prayer life of Jesus like? What do you >> to the mountains to pray >> periods of time? >> Yeah. So very often frequently he would you know draw himself away from the crowd and he would spend time in prayer right and prayer we see was a very regular thing right he would spend whole nights in prayer but in his own words he says he says that he does not do anything apart from what the father shows him right which means that he is in constant communion with the father right and he also says whatever the father has taught him whatever the he's seen the father that is exactly what he's teaching or doing. So which means he's in constant communion apart from these whole nights of prayer apart from these regular long intervals of prayer he is in constant communion with the father right so constant communication listening speaking right talking pouring out his heart to the father constantly during the day throughout Right. So that is the life of prayer. So one having that set aart time just like how Daniel said you know Daniel when when they said you know you cannot worship any other god. He went it says Bible says he went he opened the windows and he prayed in the direction of Jerusalem the temple. He he prayed as was his custom since the early days. Which means that this habit was something that was ingrained in him. Right? It was a habit. It prayer was for him a spiritual discipline, a spiritual habit, something that was part of him since the early days. Now, so as people who are proclaimers of God's truth, prayer needs to be part of our life, right? Prayer needs to be part of our life. Not just set apart time, not just when we say okay now this this half an hour is time for prayer so I'm going to pray. Not just that um which is which has great value just like we see in the in Daniel's life but also how the Lord Jesus modeled for us that he is in constant communion with the father constantly right so which means you're either praying in the spirit you're aware that the father is speaking you're aware is aware that he's watching that he's speaking and so we can speak to him at the same time right so having a strong um you uh relationship through prayer is very important. Okay. Then the sixth one is being a student of the word. Okay. So what does that mean? That it means to study the word not just for the sake of getting a message. Okay. What is the message I should preach? Now let's me let me study the word and come up with some five points. Right? So it's not just that you're going to the word because the Lord Jesus very clearly said man shall not live by bread alone. Right? So you're going to the word of God. You're asking or allowing the Holy Spirit to quicken that word of God to us. Um because it is our daily sustenance. Right? Physical body needs physical food. So the Lord Jesus said that yeah >> from from that verse we read we know I understand man needs bread to eat physical man needs physical food right otherwise the body becomes weak but in the same way the Lord Jesus said man cannot live by that alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God but by every rama he used that word rama right the quickened word that comes from God is important is necessary for the believer, right? So to be a student of the word of God, right? To study the word of God um and not just have u a casual interaction with the word of God, but to be really intently curious about the things of God to have that hunger for the word of God. Right? So a student of the word. And lastly u we see that that person is a person who's open to the spiritual gifts right very important you know sometimes we separate the two you know this person is a preacher the other person is someone who is okay more open to the gifts of the spirit and all those things no we see that in God's or in the ministry of the lord Jesus we see that he flowed in the expression of the spirit, right? In the gifts of the spirit, in the love of the spirit, in the in the in the character of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is the character, and the gifts of the spirit, which is the power, right? Both character and power the Lord Jesus ministered in. And we see that that is the example. And we see the early church or every disciple open to that and flowing in that. Right? So as a person who who is comfortable or open to the idea of the display of the expression of the Holy Spirit like through the ministry it's not just the preaching of the word or it's not just the information from the word but it's along with the revelation of the holy spirit a revelation of the word um that the holy spirit brings also to be open to the power of the holy spirit right so these are some quality ifications for a New Testament preacher, for someone who's an expositor of the word of God. You know, uh all these theologians actually put together these lists. Some of these things are the same, right? Must be regenerated. If you look at the next set of seven, uh must be regenerated. Yes, must be born again. Must love the Lord Jesus. Very simple, right? So sometimes what happens is we become too much of a professional where you lose out on the relationship uh the basics which is loving the lord right um and sometimes we see people who are you know maybe even speaking speakers and they they're not really engaging in worship right which is an expression of the love of the lord um and that's that's not the right thing you need to love the lord with all your heart and that is that is a command that the lord Jesus gave Right? You love the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength. You know, can you can you remember why the Lord said those words? To whom and why? Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your strength. To whom did the Lord Jesus say these words? Huh? Sorry. Sorry. Two. See, that's a command, right? But the Lord Jesus in his ministry, he said this specifically to one person. >> Yeah. So, so this person who came and said, you know, I've kept the law, right? I have kept everything whatever is there. Uh he he was you know he he was someone who was actually a scribe and who knew the law. He was a person who would write. So so so he asked the Lord you what is the most important commandment right in response to that right? Um I'll just get the reference. Yeah. Okay. So, um Matthew's Gospel and uh 30. Okay. Yeah. 22. Chapter 22 and verse 37. Right. And the question he asks is in 36 Matthew 22:36 teacher which is the great commandment in the law. Okay. And the Lord says you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And then the second one he says um you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Okay. So now this was a person um who had actually he was a lawyer, he was a scribe and the Bible says that he was actually testing him right he was testing him. Um so so so the thing is this person had all the head knowledge. He had the head know he had the information right he had the information but not necessarily the relation relationship. Okay. And so the Lord Jesus is directing him gently to that. He's saying okay this is what is important. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with everything within and and from that you will also be um loving your neighbor as yourself because loving the Lord is not an isolation it is with people right um and the same thing again is in Mark's gospel also right so so this is something we see okay a person who loves the lord Jesus um and that same uh passage the second thing is you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Verse 39, right? Love your neighbor as yourself. Okay? And that's the second point, you know, must love souls. The third point, loving the Lord Jesus, loving God and loving God's people is very important. So that you know, you are preaching from a place of compassion and um you know with the love of the Lord Jesus, right? So why did the Lord Jesus minister? Why did the Lord Jesus share the word? Why did the Lord Jesus, you know, Matthew 5:67, you see that sermon on the mount, the teaching, um, why did the Lord do that, right? Of course, he wanted people to, you know, to repent. He wanted to draw people to the heart. But you also see that he loves, he loved the people. The same love that the father had, right? John 3:16, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Right? Everything was the root cause was love for the people that he did not want the people to be destroyed. Right? The root root reason for that was love of the people. He looked at the gospel writer says, you know, he looked at the people they were like sheep without shepherd and he had compassion on them, right? He reached out in his compassion and his love. He reached out. He touched. He ministered. Right? So many times it's very difficult to have this love continuously. Right? If you look at Jonah, so Jonah did not want to go to Nineve, right? He did not want to go there. Did not want to preach because he knew that God was a God of love, right? But he actually preached the message of condemnation. But he preached and he sat down. He was waiting for the destruction to happen. Right? So he was totally his heart was not engaged in it. He was kind of um you know his heart he did not have God's heart for the people even in his preaching. So that is why we are studying this and saying in your preaching have God's heart for the people. Right? You need to have the love of God that that he has for the people. Uh you need to have that constantly. Right? Okay. We'll stop here and then we'll continue next class.