Jesus said, “I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” ( John 12:49-50 )

Even though circumstances dictate that most people will be attending services online today, Easter Sunday is traditionally one of the biggest days of the year for church attendance. Knowing this, there is the temptation for many pastors to present a pleasant and palatable message in an attempt to entertain the people and keep them coming back.

However, especially in these times of tribulation, God isn’t looking for entertainers— God looks for broken-hearted pastors to preach to broken-hearted people that salvation from sin comes through absolute surrender to Jesus Christ.

Through the prophet Joel, God calls for “the priest to weep between the porch and the altar.”

Why?

What sits between the porch and the altar?

The people!

The men, women, and children who God has called the preacher to love, and care for, and speak the truth to— because If you don’t tell them the truth, how can you say that you love them?

Martin Lloyd Jones once said, “To love to preach is one thing, to love those to whom we preach is quite another.”

So, my prayer on this Resurrection Sunday, is for the encouragement of every teacher of God’s word— that they would go to the Lord in tears and meditation in order to receive a word with which to declare to God’s people as a beacon of hope— a light in the darkness of these perilous times.

Just as Jesus only preached the words which the Father gave Him, may today’s ministers neither compromise the gospel message or condemn the people they speak it to, but for the glory of God and the benefit of others, may they speak only what the Father tells them to— May they speak the truth in love.

Happy Easter to you all!❤️

Repent Believe Persevere