What is the use of a preacher who does not himself live the gospel, who does not make God’s message, his own message? How can he preach with any power and conviction when he has not felt the power of the word in his own heart? How can he expect his hearers to benefit if he derives no benefit himself? A preacher or teacher can only bring comfort to others believers if he has known that comfort himself. Otherwise we might as well simply play recorded messages in our services. This passage sets a standard for every preacher and teacher. They must understand their message thoroughly and agree with its truths. Their tongue must become the tongue of God and they too must have a sharp sword in their mouths. No wonder the antagonism of those who hate the message is often directed against the messenger. Is the preacher able to face this opposition? Not if he does not completely make the message his own. God knows all our experiences in advance. We must be willing to suffer for him, as well as to triumph with him.
The book is the gospel. In one respect, it is as sweet as honey, even to the proclaimer, to the preacher, to the Sunday School teacher, to the witnessing believer. It is something indescribably wonderful and gracious and kind, but it’s also something which makes the belly bitter. It’s a heavy responsibility. It’s something that has to be taken very seriously. You consider lost souls, and you pray much for the work of the Spirit in the heart, and you do your utmost to persuade, to appeal. There’s a difficult side as well as a joyful side. The same applies to the witness of the whole church. On the one side is proclamation – the salvation of souls, people who come to the Lord, people who are set free from sin and are added to our number; that’s such a happy side of witness. But then there is a bitter side. There is all the opposition and the persecution from without: those who are hostile to faith, and to the Lord, and to the gospel, and we suffer that in many ways. That hostility increases towards the end of the age.