Convince! Rebuke! Exhort!

290 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:2, “ Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Tim 4:2) Pastors are to be like town criers declaring the Scriptures! “Hear Ye Hear ye, thus saith the Lord!” They are to be ready to stand unwaveringly on the solid footing of this Word. They need not worry about the results of their preaching, just preach it with all longsuffering no matter the season. The pastor is also to convince, rebuke, and exhort, and here's where we can get off track. Sometimes we think that these three things require some sort of extra animation in the pulpit. A waving of the hands, a raising of the voice. We take on the role of a fleshly cheerleader as opposed to town crier. Please don't get me wrong here, it's okay to get excited while preaching, but don't let your excitement and exuberance distract your audience from the Word! Styles of preaching differ with every pastor and that's okay, just remember to preach and stand on the Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to do the rest. It is not your job to convince, rebuke, and exhort. The Holy Spirit does this through the Word of God! Jesus, speaking of the Holy Spirit said in Joh 16:8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” He convicts through the proclaimed Word of God! The Holy Spirit speaking through the Word also rebukes! The word means an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism. The classic example is Peter's sermon on that first Pentecost of the New Testament church. As Peter proclaimed the law and the prophets and declared Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit rebuked his audience as we read in Ac 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Finally, the Holy Spirit uses the Word to exhort! An exhorter is one who comes alongside. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Helper” which is another way of saying one who comes alongside. Joh 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” And He testifies of Jesus in the proclaimed Word of God, most notably the gospel which He uses to call us near to Jesus! So you see, pastor, it doesn't matter your style, what matters is is the proclamation of God's Word! The casting of the seed of the Word of God and trusting the Holy Spirit. Preach it! Stand on it, with no regard to the season, then trust the Holy Spirit for the results!