II Corinthians 4:5 “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
Faithful servants sacrifice their own pursuits, desires, joys, etc. for the benefit of those that they serve. Preacher-Pastors are charged to dedicate themselves to serving the Lord’s people, even to their own disadvantage. We all have our favorite hobbies, enjoyments, and employments. But, the Spiritual Needs of the Lord’s people must always be met first, to the very best of our God-given ability. Pastoral servitude was illustrated by the Apostles when they declared, “we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). To minister “the word” is to serve “the word” of God as faithful and dedicated “servants”. To minister “the word” is to serve “the word” to our Lord’s “lambs” and “sheep” (John 21:15-17); that is, to “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;” (I Peter 5:2). Pastors are to serve “the word” to themselves by much prayerful “study” (II Timothy 2:15). Pastors are to serve “the word” to the Church by preaching the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastors are to serve “the word” to the sick and dying. Pastors are to serve “the word” to troubled families. Pastors are to serve “the word” at weddings. Pastors are to serve “the word” at funerals. Pastors are to serve “the word” to the young and old who are in some kind of distress. Pastors are to serve “the word” in times of anguish and confusion. The needs of the Lord’s people must be cared for even to the sacrifice of the Preacher’s personal needs and joys if necessary. A Preacher-Pastor must not entangle himself “with the affairs of this life” (II Timothy 2:4); such “affairs” as politics, clubs, entertainments, organizations, and any other activities that distract from the ministry,. A Preacher-Pastor takes secular employment only to the degree that it is necessary to care for his family and to facilitate his ministry. Our Lord put it this way, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) and “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:29), and “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24). Sometimes our Ministerial Service is somewhat like “the kine” that had to leave their calves behind, but they “took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left” (I Samuel 6:12). Oh, the tears that have been shed by laboring “servants”, but our Lord is so kind and gracious to wipe away those tears with the incalculable joys of the Sweet Gospel Message and to supply their every need.