Bibles
Preachers
Listeners
Do preachers have Apostolic authority? Is there such as thing as Apostolic
succession? Preachers everywhere complain
that nobody is listening. There is
nothing new about this: for even God complains that no one is listening…
“I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious
people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts….”[i]
[ii]Isaiah
complains about the same problem:
“Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed?”
And Jonah is most likely crushed into an irrational insanity
and death wish because of this willful deafness among his audience. In fact, this willful deafness seems to be
the common experience of all the great Prophets, writing in the Old Testament.
Validation
If these Old Testament Prophets are above reproach in
unquestionable possession of Divine delegated authority; and, nobody listened
to them: then the fact that people don’t seem to be listening can never be a
good test of Apostolic authority. Even
though His sheep hear His voice,[iii]
it may very well be that there are no sheep within reach of the preacher’s
voice: the preacher must not be discouraged, when he feels that no one is
paying attention.
Authority
Yes, we agree that there is such a thing as Apostolic
authority, and it is handed down within the Church.[iv] That being conceded, the true test of
Apostolic authority is not whether people listen; rather it is whether the
preacher clings to the Spirit and faithfully presents what the Spirit
teaches. Thus, all Apostolic authority
derives only from the Spirit’s power and Christ’s authority: it is what it is,
because the King and Vicar say so. The
Spirit may delegate that power of Christ’s authority to the simplest
uncredentialled country bumpkin, as he does with Amos[v];
yet, deny that authority to the highest prelate: the Spirit alone, has the
power to decide all such matters.
Pride
The proud preacher probably has nothing useful to say: for
the power of the Spirit, the authority of the Word, and the voice of Scripture
combine to humble us all. The humbled and
unheard preacher must find his courage, hope, and strength in Father, Son, and
Spirit: not in any silent (inattentive and unhearing?) audience. Faithfulness to God is all that matters at
the end of the day. Ultimately, the preacher must learn to walk in Job's shoes.
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