Omaha daily bee., 1885-05-18
A PREACHERS DUTY,
1t is Outlined by the Rev. G. w.
Croft's Yesterday.


The following sermon was preached at tn
Congregational church yesteeday;
For we preach not ourselves, but Chris
Jesus, the Lord; and ourselves your servants
for Jesus sake. - I'd Cor. 40.
This text suggests to our minds the dut,
and position Of the christian minister. II il
their place to proclaim the word. The wore
has a large meaning, II we look at IL in il
length and breadth, heighth and depth. In
the first place the duty of the minister ia &c
proclaim something. To give our certain
proclamations and certain statements. and
those proclamations and statements, are Co
be the words of Christ and his gospel, and
the plan OF salvation for q lost and ruined
world.
Then in the second ploce the minister ia a
ter Is derived might be translated slave. One
who is not his own master but goes forth at
the bidding of another person. The mipistet
of the gospel is not called to dictaSe to christ
ians; not to control as he personally sees az
as though the church were his own peculiar
property, but is placed there by and Cor The
sake OF his Lord and Master to ser,e the
church
Now, the minister of the Lord Jesus C1rist
isput in places of high authority and ian.
ence, yet after all he occupies that position
only as q servant, no matter how high tat
position may be. Like as in this repub.icsn
government. The government officers in tn
truest sense of the word are servants. w,
are not made for them, nor the government
created for them, but they are created for III.
and we place them in their positions of al.
thority and have reverence for them as on,
servants, to do our bidding, to see that the
laws are properly administered, and to labor
e.. 80, nxl .,- a.,nl aa .-l.,.l.z,- - 4
the good of the land and nation. The pres-
dent of the United States should subscrlb
himself not as q ruler, but as q humble ano
most obedient servant.
Having pointed out the prominent ideas of
the text, let US analyze them very briefly.
Let us look of the great Office of the minister
of the gospel. He is O proclaimer. WHAT
shall he proclaim? Let us look to the Apotle
Paul, the great teacher, for the answer of his
question. He says, "We preach not ~ourseles,
but Jesus Christ, the Lord" The work tey
had before them was to introduce Christ, nd
his truth, and his gocpel. Christ, who ,as
sent into the world for the redemption of u.
manity.. They were to go out, and teh
these things to man.
Paul and Peter and Barnabas did MOTTO
through all the known world advertisg
themselves, delivering lectures and serm,s
and oratiens that mankind might becoe |
acquainted with their existence. But tb
went forth telling the people of Chri
Wherever they went the burden of their 30
was:
Joy to the world, the Lord has come,
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare his room,
And heaven and nature sing"
They had something better than their own
virtues or wisdom or knowledge to set before
the people. Something to fill their souls with
lofty ideals of holiness, love, purity and self.
sacrifice. They had seen Christ, known
Christ, and had been filed with the reverence
of His presence.
The humility of the apostle Paul in III,
presence of Christ is TO my mind a subjec,
worthy of thought and consideration. The
admiration of the apostles for the Master
must have been to them. How much they
thought with reference to Jesus
what they thought of Him, aut
what their considerations were for thit
blessed Redeemer. His character, His life, Hil
Truth, His holiness, His mission. There was
an intinitude in reference to this Savior that
filled and trebly filled their whole nature
their thoughts and their hearts.
The apostle Paul was acquainted with al
the lore of the ages. But when he puts Chris
alongside of them, he sees them sink into in
significance as Christ grows until his one alb
sorbing desire and his greatest ambition is tt
proclaim his Saviour to mankind. Here is
Woll WolUh1 Va LIZ
says 81 have determined not to know
anything among you except Christ and Him
crucitied. There was nothing the apostle
could think of. nothing which his mind dwell
upon except Christ aud him crucifed. Tt
him this knowledge was a fact of all absorb
ing interest, and Christ is an interesting
study. The devotion of Paul was an over
mastering devotion. oh, that we might have
something of that spirit! Iucarryipg out thi
mission he sacrificed his life. But it was nj
vain ambition. Many great men have 81
persisted.
Those that were living in splendor. honor,
riches, and glory at the time this humble
for ages buried in obliAion, but behold tht
fame of this faithful servant of Jesus to-day.
You remember of Captain Webb, who los
his life by ~endeavoring Co swim the rapids o
the Niagara river som time ago. IL Is stated
by some of the papers that he did this Il
make himself known. To make his name b.
blown around the world rs one whU hat
brayed 30 daring an act. 1t was a selfish am
bition that possessed him.. He lost his life
and nothing else was lost.
How was it with Paul? He lost his life il
the world, not that he, butthat the Lord Jesu
Christ might be known and loved, and &C
cepted by faith as the redeemer of mankind
Now this was Paul's mission, and the mis-,
sion of all the ministers of the gospel of Jesus
We are to preach, not ourselves, but tn
Christ crucifed. This should be done for tn,
best of reasons. In the first place becaus
Jesus is the only Savior of mankind. Yo,
cannot save yourself, and no man in the worlC
can save you. Your learning, wealth ant
power cannot save you. There is only on
savior of the soul, and that is Jesus.
Have not Wa here q sufficient reason foi
~proclAimiug this Christ into the world. Chris
Is the only hope for a blessed Immortality
We have no assurance except that which W
have obtained in Jesus Christ. l think nov
of those blessed words of Jesus in which hi
says that because He lives, we shall live also
They ara the only words upon which we cOulC
possibly place our hope for everlasting life.
A more interesting question than the origil
of man is his destiny. Not from whence dit
we come, but whittier are we tending is tn
great question of the hour. When q man be
comes involved in sadness and sorrow tn
question is, how shall he be relieved ? S
Christ is all in all to us. All that IS said o.
the one hand should have u tendency to lea
men TO recognize Christ, and on the othe
hand to enable us to realize Christ In til
human anul