Idaho is in the midst of its hunting season – something in which I participated back in my Alberta days. I bought the rifle and the orange vest, along with a knife and other equipment. I subscribed to the magazines, and for a few years I literally dreamed the dream of bringing down the big buck, elk or moose. I went out with church members who were hunters, driving up into the mountains, fording creeks and even using winches to pull our four-wheel drive pick-up into valleys where the elk were purported to be. I am not and never was a great hunter, but I did bring home one small deer. I usually took my camera with me, and I’ve taken more pictures of does and fawns than I’ve shot at bucks. But one thing I learned over those half-dozen years is this – If you don’t shoot your rifle, you’ll not bring home any venison.
About the same time I was hunting, I read a small book written by a preacher acquaintance of mine. Norman Wells was pastor of a church in Cincinnati, Ohio – I believe it was the Central Baptist Church. His book was filled with material from his monthly paper, and one article was entitled “Let’s Pull the Trigger.” The theme was the doctrine of the church – Ecclesiology. Bro. Wells quoted an article from the “Baptist Bible Tribune,” pointing out that the writer KNEW what the Bible taught about the doctrine of the church. The first author, Noel Smith had the rifle loaded with their correct ammunition – the autonomy and independence of the each congregation. But, he just refused to chamber a round, click off the safety and fire. The churches of the Baptist Bible Fellowship where I was schooled talked the talk of the independent church – but they practiced denominationalism. Again, the title of the article was “Let’s Pull Trigger!”
As we have all learned, knowing the truth, and doing the truth are not synonymous. Paul had just discussed the supremacy of the Gospel ministry over the ministry of Moses. He essentially said, “the Lord has taken the spear from the hand of Moses, replaced it with a Remington sem-automatic, putting it into my hands.” Now, at this point Paul adds, “And here is how I aim and shoot.” This is how the Gospel preacher brings home the venison.
When we read our text a few minutes ago, you may have been thinking, “Well, here is another message which is not meant for me.” Here is a message about Paul and to Paul’s successors – not to little old me. While it is true that some messages are more directly meant for one person over another, it should not be thought that we can’t learn from all of them. For example, our message this morning was more for the lost man than for the Christian, but if the Christian is beyond a blessing in meditating on the crucifixion of the Saviour, then the message may have been more for his benefit than he realizes.
In regard to our text for this evening: the man preaching Christ has a big responsibility. Do you ever pray for your preacher? About what do you pray? Perhaps you pray that the Lord would maintain my good health; I thank you for those prayers. Perhaps you pray that Satan not gain any victory over me – again I thank you. Do you pray about the Lord’s direction in my choice of texts and sermon themes? Do you pray about my theology? In this text we have a some more ammunition for your prayers.
And turning our metaphor around and heading back toward the beginning….. Do you pray that I might be a successful hunter of men, like Paul – a Gospel Nimrod? Perhaps you and I – we – should replace Paul’s names and pronouns with our own in this scripture. Paul tells us how he loads his rifle; how he aims and how he squeezes the trigger. These are things about which we could all use a hunter’s refresher course. I covet your prayers for me in these things.
Paul tells us that he AIMS in FAITH.
The first time that I accompanied my hunting friends, I carried a rifle, but I was armed with a camera. I was loaned a rifle, but I was totally unfamiliar with it. But then finally I bought one for myself. The first few Saturdays we went out, I had no expectation or hope of shooting anything but a picture. But once I became properly armed with a rifle, I went out in hope – I went in faith.
Why is the gospel to be preached? Why is the Word of God ever preached? Yes, part of the answer is “obedience to the command of God” – but that is only part of the answer. That question overlaps with another. Why do people come to the House of God? Again, some come out of obedience. My purpose is not to entertain you; it is not my purpose to fill the last half hour of Sunday Morning with a certain amount of hot air. The message which I preached this morning was with the aim of converting souls to Christ. There were certain little faces in my mind as I was preparing my outline. There were a couple of adults who I was hoping would be in our service this morning. The Gospel should be preached In faith towards the end that souls might be saved or at least uplifted.
And our own salvation – or Paul’s salvation – furnishes evidence that the process works. Saul of Tarsus was once a leader of the blind guilds guild of Israel. But God “commanded the light to shine out of darkness (into his heart), giving the light of the knowledge of the glory of God (to him) in the face of Jesus Christ.” What is the likelihood that when Paul wrote the words of verse 6, he was thinking of the day in which the Lord brought him to his knees under the million watt spotlight of Heaven? Saul was one, who was now Paul a preacher of the Word, who had obtained mercy from God. It took a while, but the gospel preached by Stephen was finally and perfectly driven into Saul’s heart.
It is important that we all come to the house of God expecting things of Lord. Yes, it may be rare that “great” blessings fall on any of us. But it is important that we come in faith – both of us. If you come expecting NOT to be blessed, I’m pretty sure 99% of the time you will receive your expectation. But if you have prayed for me, and prayed for your own heart’s condition, then the likelihood of God’s blessing will be increased. But remember, there is a good likelihood that I am going to preach the gospel – especially on Sunday morning. While, I hope that you are blessed by hearing it once again, it should be more beneficial for the lost. We should all be involved in bringing the quarry into range – deer in deer season, moose in moose season and elk in their season. It is difficult to preach the gospel in faith, when the lost cannot be found. A successful elk hunter rarely pursues the mighty wapiti in his own living room. In every gospel service the preacher must aim in faith – with the expectation of striking home.
And then he must hunt with COURAGE and PERSEVERANCE.
“Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.” If a hunter went out season after season, for six years and never saw any game, he might start hunting in a different region, or move from road hunting to a tree blind or something else. But still without success, would you be surprised to learn he finally sold his trusty but rusty old 30-06?
I know that this is not the way that it’s supposed to be. But sometimes God’s preachers want to sell their rifles and buy easy chairs and reading glasses. Oh, the reasons are quite varied: Sometimes they have been persecuted into retirement. Sometimes the fear of man overcomes their fear of God. Sometimes they forget their marching orders. Sometimes it is just plain old discouragement brought on by a lack of “success.” I read of a preacher who after 20 years quit the ministry and became a funeral director. When asked about it, he said that for two decades he tried to straighten people out. He said far too many of them sooner or later went right back to their sins. He said, now that I’m a funeral director, when I straighten someone out they stay straight. For whatever reason, there have been many servants of God who’ve fainted in way – but not Paul.
Perhaps this hasn’t been obvious to you, but to the preacher it is. The Lord Jesus spent quite a bit of time strengthening His disciples against the rigors and disappointments of the ministry. There are dozens of scriptures like John 15:20-21 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” Paul tried to encourage Timothy, Titus and even whole churches in the same sort of work. Timothy, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” John quoted Jesus, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” “Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” “And my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Peter said “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” It is important that every gospel hunter stay in the hunt – and I refer to all of us.
And of course his AMMUNITION is the TRUTH.
I have heard too many preachers whose quarry was shot with tearful stories and funny anecdotes. No wonder they eventually pop back up and go running into the world. Spurgeon used to say that a good illustration was like the window in a house – It lets in light and brightness. But I’ve also heard somewhere that it’s not recommended that we live in glass houses. A few windows are recommended, but they make bad floors, joists and supporting walls.
Right now, I am in the midst of reading a 600 page book called “A Noble Company – Volume 6.” It contains articles on 16 or 18 Particular Baptist brethren from the late 18th and early 19th century. Often I have read descriptions of their preaching, but they don’t sound flattering in the light to today’s religious climate – but oh, how the Lord blessed. Those men simply declared the truth of God, letting the Lord direct the bullet.
Paul is still commenting on his own ministry, and rightfully so. He says, “I have not handled the word of God deceitfully” – verse 2. There as always been a tendency to season the sermon to the taste of special interest groups, to carnal souls, to those with money. But we can’t fire hot lead using sugar for powder. The power must be the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will bless only unadulterated powder.
And of course the hunt must be according to the Law.
I have never looked at the hunting regulations of the State of Idaho; they may differ from Alberta. Up there during dear and elk season, certain roads from the mountains were blocked by the Mounties. They had authority to open every car trunk, check every pick-up bed, look at every rifle and sniff every man’s breath. If there was an animal improperly tagged; if there was rifle still loaded; if there was a hunter who was loaded, vehicles could be impounded, game taken, handcuffs applied, and bank accounts emptied. In Alberta, hunting laws are, or were, strictly enforced.
And similarly Paul here speaks of lawbreakers using dishonestly and craftiness. They were not a part of HIS ministry. I think that this takes us into the realm of methods of evangelism among other things. I know a Southern Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas which built a bowling ally in it’s basement. Is there anything wrong with the game of bowling? Nothing at all. But should it be a part of work of the Lord? I know a church which gave away bicycles to kids who brought a certain number of their friends to church. Is there anything wrong in riding or owning a bicycle? Of course not. Should owning a bicycle be the Christian’s incentive for serving the Lord? I’ve heard of a church that gave away Canadian vacations to “good servants of God.” Is there anything wrong with Canada? (Don’t answer that.) I knew a church which gave McDonald’s Gift Certificates to all their first time visitors.
We Christians, have a secret weapon when we hunt for souls, but it must be used according to the rules. We can pray, seeking the blessing of the Holy Spirit. And we must hunt only on behalf of our Master; we are not hunters for ourselves. We don’t hunt in order to put trophy heads on the wall in our den. “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” Every hunter needs to know and obey the rules.
But – every hunter needs to be prepared for season of poor success
Because, “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” There is an instinct in every lost man which makes him flee from the sound of the gospel. Like the big buck deer who knows when it is hunting season. There is also an enemy in society, who is ready to frighten the lost man when the gospel is approaching.
But I assure you that Paul was not afraid of the enemy of God. Why? For among other reasons, he was carrying the rifle which the Lord had given him. He had the sharp eye, which the Lord had given him. He was wearing the uniform which the Lord had given him. And he was hunting for the Lord’s glory. He was going to bring home every soul which the Lord intended for him.
This is still hunting season, and Paul has left his rifle and the proper ammunition for you and me to use.