II Corinthians 4:5 “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
In contrast to man’s adoration of himself and the fanciful themes of this present world, “we preach … Christ Jesus the Lord”. These names of the Son of God are used purposefully. His name “Christ” means Anointed and is derived from the Hebrew word “Messiah”; meaning, He was Anointed (designated) by God for the specific purpose of coming into this world and sacrificing Himself to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The name “Christ” identifies Him as the object of such Old Testament prophecies as, “the Messiah the Prince” (Daniel 9:25) and “after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26). John positively identified Him by declaring, “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” (John 1:41). Even the Samaritans were anticipating the arrival of the “Messias” (John 4:25). The name “Jesus” means that ‘Jehovah is our Salvation’; for, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). This means that preachers cannot save you to Eternal Heaven, baptism cannot save you to Eternal Heaven, Confession cannot save you to Eternal Heaven, we cannot save ourselves to Eternal Heaven. Our salvation to Eternal Heaven is the exclusive choice and act of God! The name “Lord” means that we belong to “Christ Jesus”, He is our loving Eternal Master and we are obliged to show our “love” to Him by obeying His Commandments (John 14:15). Paul tells us that “ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Corinthians 6:20) and “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” (I Corinthians 7:23); the “price” was our Lord’s sacrificial death in which He entirely paid our debt for sin. As in Biblical times many still “bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (II Peter 2:1). Thus, Paul instructs Preachers (even in our day) to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (II Timothy 4:2). When I first began to speak before the Lord’s people, Elder Kenneth Cadle once told me, when you don’t know what to say, just preach Jesus Christ!