I (Paul) charge thee (Timothy) therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 2 Tim 4:1-2
As they say in Yoruba - "Awaye maku kankan ko si, iku nii gbehin ohun gbogbo" - Meaning everyone that has come to this world will exit one day or the other, as death is the end of it all.
Paul the aggressive apostle, missionary, church planter, preacher, Bible writer, Leader of leaders, Mentor of Mentees has had a full time of exciting ministry and was on the exit door - so he began to solemnly, deliberately, intentionally command one of his many faithful disciples- Timothy to PREACH the WORD of GOD!
What a counsel!
There are three things to unpack in that phrase- Firstly, there must be a preacher. Secondly, for the preacher, not to just carry the title or position, but to actually preach. Thirdly, not just to preach, because he has to preach, or preach what he likes to preach - rather to ensure to preach the Word of God.
So, the question the Holy Spirit is asking this morning is where are the preachers? Are they really preaching? If they are preaching, what are they preaching? Because of space and time we shall consider the last two some other time. For today let us concentrate on "where are the preachers?”
- Where are the preachers who will preach the Word of God? Whose messages will cause men to give their lives to Christ and ask "what shall we do now" - To which Peter will say "repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost": Acts 2:37-38.
- Where are the preachers of truth, undiluted, unpolluted, unfiltered, unedited, uncompromising Word of God?
- Where are the preachers that will demonstrate the word of God with power? T. L. Osborn said, “if there is no demonstration of the power of the gospel, Christianity is merely a philosophy.” Paul said “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” 1 Cor 2:4.
- Where are the preachers that are not stage managing raising the dead? Where are the Joseph Ayo Babalola, the illiterate but prayer giants that raised the dead. Where are the Orekoyas, diminutive, one-eyed man, that raised the dead, where are the Benson Idahosas that raised the dead, where are the Smith Wigglesworth that raised the dead, where are the T. L. Osbornes that cleanse the lepers, made the blind to see?
- Where are the preachers of holiness, integrity and righteousness and not prosperity and materialism?
Peter said; “But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.” 1 Peter 1: 15
Where are the forest conquering preachers, the trail blazers, the dare devil preachers like Thomas Diddymus who went to evangelize India? Where are the Watchman Nees who went to China. Where are the David Livingstones who went to Africa? Where are the Mary Slessors, who three months into her wedding abandoned marriage and went to Calabar in Nigeria, to preach the gospel and help to stop the killing of twins?
- Where are the preachers that will go from local to global, from Jerusalem to Judaea, to Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world?.
- Where are the preachers that will not boast of their material wealth, designers shoes, luxurious cars, private jets, security accessories who travel with them, but will celebrate millions of souls who have been led to heaven, that will cause a grand party in heaven Lk 15:7?
- Where are the preachers of love and compassion- the likes of diminutive Mother Theresa of India who will care for the less privileged, the orphans, the widows, the ex- convicts, the wounded soldiers?.
- Where are the preachers and Missionaries that will be concerned about the unreached people group in the "10/40 window"? The preacher that will concentrate on the Asian nations, Indonesia with the highest number of Muslims, Thailand, India, China, Japan, with a high concentration of Buddhists and Shinto worshipers?.
- Where are the preachers like Gideon that liberated Israel from the Medianites. Where are the preachers that will liberate Nigeria and Nigerians from corrupt politicians, bandits, terrorists, and the Jihadists who are raiding Plateau State, Zamfara state, Southern Kaduna, Ekiti State. Abuja and indeed the entire country?
- Where are the preachers that will confront the LGBTQ2 community who are hell bent on ensuring everyone in the Western world especially America, Canada and the UK must bow to their whims and caprices?
- Where are the preachers like Keneth Hagin that will help the teaming crowd in our churches transform from being just church goers but will grow their faith in the Word of God and become mighty tools in the hand of God Almighty!
- Where are the preachers! Where are the preachers?. Where are the preachers!?
Conclusion: God needs you the reader and myself the writer to take the counsel of our forebears who are challenging us to preach the word in and out of season to become the PREACHER OF THE WORD OF GOD to our generation so that souls can be won to the kingdom and many can come to the knowledge of Christ. May you become the Preacher today!!
