Monday a week ago, I was down in Mexico, and Brother Cody Groover asked me to speak to the Mexican pastors. He brought a number of them to his home on Monday morning for a time of fellowship and study. spoke to them from this passage of scripture in 1 Thessalonians 2 on this subject that I'm going to use this evening, in what manner Paul preached the gospel. If you look at the top of the page in your Bibles, if you have a Cambridge King James Bible, that's what the translators or printers. That's what they call this chapter 2 of 1 Thessalonians. What manner Paul preached. What manner, in what manner Paul preached. A preaching is a high calling. It's a high calling. It's the highest calling. Scripture says God saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness. Solomon wrote this in Ecclesiastes chapter 1, he said, I, the preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. But before he identified himself as a king, he identified himself as God's preacher. John the Baptist, of whom our Lord said, none greater born of woman, came preaching. And then if you'll open your Bibles to Mark chapter 1, Mark chapter 1, when our Lord Jesus Christ, in Mark chapter 1 verse 14, when our Lord began his earthly ministry, it says in verse 14 of Mark 1, now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching. preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repeat ye and believe the gospel. Brother Jim, thank God for the means of grace, which is the word of God and preaching. Whoso shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, but how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear? How are they going to hear without a preacher? And how are they going to preach if God doesn't send them? As it's written, how beautiful are the feet of them that come preaching. Glad tidings. True preaching is a message from God. True preaching, not just preaching. But true preaching is a message from God. It's His Word that they're preaching. Turn to Jeremiah for a moment. Jeremiah chapter 23. True preaching is a message from God through His Word. Not our dreams and visions, but His Word. That's the foundation of true preaching, His Word. And Jeremiah 23, 28, it says, The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell his dream. That's all he's got. He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chapter of the wheat, saith the Lord? Verse 29, Jeremiah 23, Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord, is my word not like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words, every one from his neighbor. I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues and say, he saith, I am against them that prophesy false dreams. saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vanity and lightness. I didn't send them. I sent them not. I didn't command them. Therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. Timothy, Paul said, preached the word. Preach the Word of God. That's all you have to do. Just preach the Word of God. That's what he calls you to do. Preach the Word of God. The instant in season, out of season. There's no season delegated and designated for preaching. Every season is a time to preach the Word of God. True preaching is a message from God through His Word. And true preaching is concerning Jesus Christ. He's the subject of our song, He's the subject of our message and our preaching. Don't turn to these verses, let me just give them to you. In Acts 10.36, they came preaching peace by Jesus Christ, He Lord of all. Acts 11.20, they came to Antioch preaching the Lord Jesus Christ and the hand of God was with them. Acts 28.31, Paul dwelt there two whole years preaching, preaching and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 16.25, Now to our Lord, who is of power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1.23, we preach Christ? and him crucified. Undetermined, Paul said, not to know anything among you say Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 4 and 5. We preach not ourselves. We are not the subject. The Baptist church is not the subject. The Millennium is not the subject. We preach not ourselves, we preach Christ Jesus, our Lord, and ourselves, your servants, for Christ's sake. We preach Jesus Christ, the child born, the Son given, whose name is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And true preaching is the Word of God concerning his Son, in the power of his Spirit. It's hopeless and useless without the power of his Spirit. Zechariah 4 and 6, it's not by might, it's not by means, it's not by methods, it's not by your strength, it's not by your power, it's by my Spirit, says the Lord. That's preaching. Now let's look at the way Paul preached in 1 Thessalonians 2. the manner in which Paul preached. And here's what he says about it. Beginning in verse 1, he says, For yourselves, brethren, know that our entrance in unto you, it was not in vain. True preaching, number one, is never in vain. Never in vain. There's a lot of preaching of vanity and foolishness, but true preaching The Word of God, Christ the subject, motivated by the Holy Spirit and in the power of the Spirit, is never, never, never in vain. When the Spirit of God ministers the Word of God in your hearing, the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached in your hearing. It's never in vain. Now, Isaiah said that, and I do want you to turn to this, Isaiah 55. It's never in vain. You may come to a service, like a service tonight, and I'm preaching the Word of God, I'm preaching Christ in the power of the Spirit. And you may go away and say, nothing happened. Yes, it did, too. Guarantee it, because God said in Isaiah 55, 9, listen, Isaiah 55, 9, "'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, it waters the earth.' and maketh it bring forth fruit and bird, that it may give seed to the sow and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return to me void. If it is his word out of the mouth of his servant, it will not return void. It shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it. God's preacher has a ministry of reconciliation. The sheep hear his voice and they reconcile. But he has also a ministry of condemnation. Condemnation. Turn to Hebrews 11 verse 7. Now this is important. Hebrews 11 verse 7. Something always happens. Something always takes place when God sends his word. Hebrews 11 verse 7. By faith, Noah, being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, and what was he? A preacher of righteousness. What did he do? He built an ark and preached. Now, read the next line. By the witch he condemned the world. By the witch he condemned the world. By building the ark, preaching righteousness, he saved his house. And at the same time, condemned the world. But we didn't know what was going on. You saw that ark. You heard that preacher. And it added to your condemnation. I'll show you that in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 2. Listen to this. 2 Corinthians chapter 2. This seriousness of preaching. Taking heed, Christ said. How you hear? You have ears to hear, let them hear. Take heed how you hear. Take heed what you hear and how you hear. In 2 Corinthians 2, listen to this, verse 14. Now, thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, he maketh manifest the savor That's not Savior, that's savor, that's fragrance. The fragrance of his knowledge by us in every place. By whom? By his preachers. For we are unto God. We who preach the gospel are unto God, a sweet fragrance of Christ in them that are saved, but also in them that perish. To the one with the savor of death and the death, those that perish, they're in death. But this gospel they hear adds to their condemnation. Noah built an ark by which he condemned the world. The world was already condemned. He condemned them further. Added to their responsibility. Added to their condemnation. That's what he says here. To the one we'll save with death unto death, but to the other life unto life. Now who's sufficient for these things? Not any man. It's not any man, not any man. But verse 5 down in chapter 3, look down below there in chapter 3, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but we are sufficient as Christ. It's God, it's of God. It's not our message, it's His. It's not our word, it's His. It's not our gospel, it's His. It's not our ministry, it's His. These are not our people, they're His. You're just messenger boys, but messenger boys don't run in vain, never. They call a young western union boy, he's called by the boss into the office, hand him a message, get that delivered. He's nobody, he's just got a bicycle, that's all. But he got a message and he delivers it. And his job's done. That's right. Second thing here, Paul says that we don't run in vain. We don't preach in vain. Secondly, true preaching is bold. Verse 2, even after we had suffered before, we were shamefully entreated, as you know at Philippi. That's through him in jail down there. Through him and Paul and Silas in prison, he was shamefully treated in Philippi. Suffering, suffering. But he said, we were bold in our God, bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. The boldness of God's picture in faith, in the word, in the gospel. is not in his own wisdom. He's not bold because he thinks he's wise. He's not bold because he thinks he has a position. He's not bold because he thinks he has power. Our boldness is in our God. It's in our God, in his word. This is the dunamis. This is the dynamite. This is the power of God and salvation. David wrote in Psalm 27, the Lord's my light. I'm not walking in darkness. The Lord's my salvation, the Lord's the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? Whom shall I fear? Nobody. That's what Paul said, even though we suffered, we were shamefully treated, we were cast in jail, we were persecuted. But the more we are persecuted and hated by our enemies, the bolder his servants get. The bolder they get. Let me show you that in Acts 4. You don't suppress the message by persecuting the messenger. You just make him bolder. You don't stop the message. from being delivered by putting the messenger in jail. Paul said the word of God is never bound. I'm in bondage, but the word of God is never bound. You can't stop it that way. I'll tell you the most effective way Satan uses to stop a man from preaching the gospel. It prospers him. That's right. It makes him popular. It enriches him. Elevates him. Applause. That'll do it. That'll do it. That's right. But not persecution. Listen to this right here in Acts chapter 4 verse 13. Now when these fellas, you got it? Acts 4 verse 13. When these fellas saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men. They hadn't been to the schools of these Pharisees and Sadducees. They were noble. And they took knowledge of them that had been with Jesus. These fellows had a message they couldn't handle. They had power they couldn't understand. They had understanding they couldn't fathom. So down here in verse 18, they called them and commanded them not to speak at all anymore nor to teach in the name of Jesus Christ or else. Well, Peter and John answered, verse 19, said to them, Now whether it be right in the sight of God to listen to you more than God, I let you be the judge. But we cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard. So when they threatened them, and let them go, finding nothing of how they could punish them because of the people, for all men glorified God for what was done. Look down there at verse 29. And they met with their friends. They immediately went to where the church was meeting together. In verse 29, they were praying. And they said, And now, Lord, behold their threatenings. and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness we may speak your word." Just give us more boldness. "...by stretching forth your hand to heal, that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." So back to my text. The manner in which Paul preached the gospel, number one, not in vain. Number two, bold in our God. Number three, verse three, listen. And our preaching, our exhortation, was not of deceit. It was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile. What does that mean? True preaching is sincere. It's free from pretense. Truth preaching is sincere. It's from the heart. It's from the word, but it's from the heart of the messenger. He believes it. David said, I believe, therefore I will speak. And Paul took up that same watchword. He said, as David said, I believe, therefore I will speak, I say, I believe, therefore I will speak. And if you turn to Romans 9, Paul calls three witnesses. Three witnesses of his sincerity, his sincerity and the truthfulness of his message, he calls three witnesses. Romans 9 verse 1, here are the three witnesses. The first witness he calls is his Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. He said in verse 1 of Romans 9, I say the truth in Christ. I call as my witness the Son of God. I am in Christ a believer. I say the truth in Christ. I am born again, and I speak by Christ, the God of truth, who is truth himself, and I appeal to him as the true God in the search of hearts, that what I preach is the truth and nothing but the truth. I say the truth in Jesus Christ. That's the first witness I call. It's him that I preach. My conscience. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not. My conscience bears me witness. My conscience bears me witness. A conscience, someone wrote, is worth a thousand witnesses. A man's conscience. Unless it's seared, as with a hot iron. But a true and sincere conscience is worth a thousand witnesses. That's the reason years ago deathbed confessions were admissible in court. I don't know about now, but I do know many years ago that what a person said before he met God is admissible in court. And that's what Paul is calling First, I say the truth in Christ, but my conscience bears me witness that what I say is the truth. But watch this, my conscience bears me witness, the third witness is the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost. What I preach is from a conscience, enlightened, cleansed, sanctified, by the Holy Ghost, who's the author of the word I preach. I call as my witness, Jesus Christ my Lord. I preach the truth in Christ. And I call my conscience, because he said, I serve God with a pure conscience. Let me show you that in 2 Timothy chapter 1. Paul said, I want you to look at this, I want you to turn and look at it. Paul said, I serve God with a pure conscience. Is he saying that his conscience has no sin? No, that's not what he's saying. I serve God with a sincere conscience, one void of hypocrisy. Look at 2 Timothy 1 verse 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience. that without ceasing I have remembered to be in my prayers night and day of pure conscience. That was a conscience buried of deceit and of hypocrisy and of guile. That's what we're talking about here. True preaching is not in vain. True preaching is bold in God. And true preaching is not of deceit. It's not of uncleanness and guile. It's honest, without hypocrisy, and sincerely from the heart. Fourthly, true preaching is a sacred trust. There's no trust quite like it. Let me read the whole verse and then talk about it a moment. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospels, even so we speak, not as pleasing men but God who tries our hearts. Now to understand the office of a preacher, a pastor, a teacher. To understand that God-given office, that true God-given office, and no man takes this upon himself, but he that is chosen of God, just like the priest, prophet, priest, apostles. To understand, have a better understanding of the office of preacher, pastor, teacher, you look at this verse in four parts. Now watch it. Verse four, the first part. We were allowed of God. to be put in trust with the gospel. We were allowed of God. The Lord puts me in the ministry. He's the only one who can. He's the only one who does. I'll show you three verses. Ephesians 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Pastors, teachers. In chapter 4 of Ephesians, Now he that descended, that's Christ, is the same that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fulfill all things. And he gave some apostles. He said to his apostles, you didn't choose me, I chose you. And some prophets, prophets, God put them in, and some evangelists, that's missionaries, and some pastors and teachers. He did that, he gave them that office over to 1 Timothy chapter 1, Paul talking about his own ministry, the apostleship. He says in verse 12 of 1 Timothy 1, I thank Jesus Christ my Lord. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me, he carried me faithful, he put me into the ministry. Now right over, 1 Timothy 2, verse 7, And whereunto I am ordained a preacher, I am ordained a preacher and an apostle. I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not. I am ordained a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. So that's the first thing about the ministry. God puts men in the ministry. Puts them in the ministry. We are allowed of God. To be put in trust with the gospel. Trusted with the gospel. You ladies who are grandmothers, or friends of a family, and a young couple has a new baby, And they've got to take the wife to the doctor or something. So they come by your house and they've got their baby in their arms. And they come in and they say, I want you to take care of our baby while we're gone. Might be gone all day, but we're trusting you with our baby. That's a prized possession. That's a prized possession. Either one of them lay down their lives for that baby. And they think you will too. They trust in you. I've been trusted with something that's infinitely more valuable than your dear precious child. And that's the gospel of the glory of God. That's right. The gospel of the glory of God has been entrusted to me. And to you elders. And to these pastors. Listen to what Paul says over here. You don't need to turn to it. You do turn to it. In 1 Timothy 1.11, listen, this is what I'm saying right here. In 1 Timothy 1.11, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust, And really the best translation is according to the gospel of the glory of God. The gospel of the glory of the blessed God has been committed to my trust. I don't dare change it, or compromise it, or neglect it, or spend my time foolishly and neglect studying this gospel. I've been trusted with it. And Paul said this, though I preach the gospel, I've got nothing to glory of. Necessity is laid upon me. Where is unto me if I don't preach the gospel? Where is unto me if I'm not faithful to that trust? He trusted us. Back to my text, verse 4, 1 Thessalonians 2. We've been, we were allowed of God. We were honored of God. Don't you think that couple honors you when they bring you their baby? They honor you. That's an honor. They trust you. And God trusted me. He counted me faithful. Put me in the ministry. And trusted me with this treasure. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. That the glory might be not of us but of Him. Listen. The third thing. Even so we speak, not pleasing men. That's the third thing. We don't preach to gain the favor of men. We thrill beyond measure when men hear the gospel and believe it. We just thrill beyond measure. I expect them to. When I preach, like I'm preaching here tonight, I don't expect anybody to challenge that. I'm reading it to you out of God's Word. There it is. If my challenge is that, I count him a fool. I really do. Anyone who doesn't believe what I place, I consider him a fool. I consider him a fool. You got a lot of pride. No, I got a lot of faith in the word of God. I believe it. We can tell you right here, we don't preach to gain the favor. We're well beyond measure when people believe the gospel, but we don't preach for their favor, their esteem, their applause, or their gain. You can't influence a true preacher of the gospel to compromise his gospel. You can't do it. We dare not alter anything God says to make it more agreeable to the taste of men. Why do we preach? Here's the fourth thing. to please God. We were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel and so we speak, not pleasing men, but pleasing God who tries our hearts. We want to please God whose gospel this is, whose gospel is committed to our trust, from whom we receive this gospel and the gift of preaching, to whom we are accountable. never forget it, who tries our hearts. The Almighty God is a searcher of the heart. He's not impressed by anything you say, or I say, do, or I do, or claim. He's a searcher of hearts. He's a searcher of hearts. He knows the intentions of men. And from him nothing is hidden. So Paul said, Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. In verse 5, listen to this, I'll move along here now. True preaching is never used as a cloak for covetousness, neither at any time used with flattering words you know nor a cloak of covetousness. God is my witness. Now let me say something here. Nearly everybody in this world is religious. Nearly everybody in this world feels the need of some kind of refuge or a hope of eternal life. Nearly everybody in this world is looking for some kind of peace connected with some kind of religion. So there are plenty of people to take advantage of. There are men and women now who enter the ministry as a vocation, as a job, as a good work. Some of them are even sincere. Endeavoring to help people. Blind leads the blind. They use flattering words, they court people, they please people, they pacify this flesh, they do anything as their job demands, as their career influences them to gain. Their religion is a cloak that covers a covetous heart. They're doing it for gain. But Paul says, not any time did I ever use any flattering words or cater to people. to cover a covetous heart. God is my witness. I didn't covet your silver or gold. I didn't even covet you, yours. I coveted you for the glory of Christ. I say the true minister sincerely serves Christ, faithfully preaches the gospel, seeks the glory of Christ and the Father, And he's concerned for the eternal well-being of his hearers, and he has not one selfish mercenary view. He leaves it to God to supply his need. And the Lord always does, always has, and always will. God is my witness. My God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory through Christ Jesus. I know a lot of men who compromise the gospel for gain in some form, in some form. All right, verse 6, true preaching is to glorify God, not men. I want you to see this. I've just got a couple more points. It's to glorify God, not men. Nor of me in salt we glory." And he said, I was an apostle of Christ, and I could have been burdensome, but I didn't do it. I wasn't seeking recognition or glory. Now here's two or three things I want to say. The pastor, the preacher, has a high important office. It's a high calling, it's a high office, it's an important office. The Lord Jesus set them in that place. Let me read you some scripture. The Lord Jesus, I read one a while ago from from Timothy and Ephesians. But let me read you one over here where Paul said this. Listen. He's talking to the elders of Ephesus at Antioch. He's talking to the elders. Now he said, You men, take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers. The Holy Ghost has given you a high important office. overseers of the Church. Now you take heed to feed the Church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. Then I do want you to turn to Hebrews 13. Now here's the office of pastor, a true God-given, God-sent, God-anointed, God-ordained pastor. It's a powerful office. It's a high and important office. It's an awesome responsibility. In Hebrews 13, over Sarah, as he said in Acts 20. In Hebrews 13, 7. Now remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God, who taught you the word of God. You follow their faith. And you consider the end or goal of their ministry. What is that verse 8? It's Jesus Christ. The same yesterday, today, and forever. That's the goal of your true pastor's ministry. To make Christ known. Paul said, I prevail to Christ be formed in you. Jesus Christ formed in you. Now, you remember them. You consider them, remember them means to regard them highly. Now look at verse 17. Same chapter. Hebrews 13. Obey them that have the rule over you. And submit yourselves to them. They watch for your souls. They that must give an account. And when they give an account of your relationship with them, I hope they can do it with joy, not with grief. That wouldn't be profitable for you. Now here's one more, 1 Peter chapter 5. That's why we're still over here in Hebrew, let's just go to 1 Peter 5. Now here, you elders listen, you preachers, pastors, this is what I was talking to those young pastors in Mexico. Chapter 5, 1 Peter 5, you pastors, you preachers, you elders, which are among you, I exhort, I'm an elder, Peter said, I'm an elder, I'm an apostle, but I'm an elder. I'm a witness of the sufferings of Christ. I'm a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God, which is among you. Take the oversight, take the responsibility, take the labor thereof, not by constraint, not reluctantly, but willingly. You got a job to do, do it. Not for filthy lucre, not for gain, not for recognition, but of a ready mind. And verse 3, and not a lord. You're not the lord over God's heritage. We have one master, our Lord Jesus Christ. We have one king, and that's Christ. You're not the lord. What are you? You're an example. You're a servant. You're a servant. That's what Christ said. Let me read you this. Don't you turn, let me read it quickly to you. Listen, Christ said this. Listen. First, listen. Call no man your father on this earth. I don't mean your dad. Now I'm talking about in the church. Call no man your father. He's your father in heaven. And don't be called master, and reverend, and bishop, and lords over God's heritage, and supervisors, and superintendents. Don't be called master. One is your master, Christ. And he that would be greatest among you, let him be your servant. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased. But he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. So I'm saying that the pulpit is an awesome responsibility of the pastor and the elders, is a high calling. And let's learn to give tribute to whom tributes do, and custom to whom customs do, and fear to whom fears do, and honor to whom honors do. But do it in such a way that the one who gives the honor is not put down. And the one who's given the honor is not lifted up. I don't know, but that's got to be done. Because those who submit are not made to feel that they're inferior, they're not. He would be greatest among you, let him be your servant. First should be last and last should be first. So the honor is to be given, but the honor is to be given in such a way and received in such a way that the giver of the honor is not suppressed and put down and made to feel inferior and him that has received the honor never lifted up, never proud. Because our Lord said, listen, When you shall have done everything God commanded you, you still say, I'm an unprofitable sufferer. I've only done that which is my duty to do. That's true, isn't it? That's true. Honor. You know, some children, teenagers nowadays feel like to say yes sir to somebody puts them down. It doesn't put them down, really, it lifts them. The teenager recognizes that he has a lot to learn. That lifts him up in your eyes. When he says yes sir, and yes ma'am, and no sir, no ma'am, and I'm listening to you, I'm taking your advice, he's really lifted up. He's a smart boy. But the one to whom he's yessiring doesn't feel superior. He's just glad for the honor that they've given to him, the way he came from God. Isn't that right? I'm telling you the truth. But I'm going to close with this. I'm not going to finish this. You never finish, do you? You never finish. You could come back over this again tomorrow and do the same thing. But here's the way. True preaching is bold, but it's gentle. Somewhere in the past 200 years in here in America, I'm not talking about other countries. I don't know about other countries. I do know about this country. Somewhere in the past 200 years in America, somebody got the idea that preaching the Word of God is yelling. Screaming at people. Hellfire and brimstone. Boy, you sure stepped on my toes. That's not preaching, stepping on toes. Preaching is reaching high. The conscience. Demanding, controlling, badgering people. I was raised under that kind of preaching. I always thought that was preaching. My teachers in my early days, that to them was preaching, you know, stomping and yelling and demanding and controlling and badgering people, but that's not preaching. You know what preaching is? Listen to this. Verse 7, we were gentle among you as a nurse cherishes her children, as a mama feeds her baby. We feed the sincere milk of the word, like a mother takes her baby. and feeds you with the breast. Kindness and love and peace and gentleness. Now it doesn't keep you from being bold. It doesn't keep you from being bold. That I preach in order to be bold in God, but as gentle to men as a mother feeds her baby with the milk, we feed the milk with the word. The wrath of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. It does not work. And he says in verse 8, And my preaching was with such affection, affectionately desirous of you, I was willing not only to impart unto you the gospel, but my own life also. That's right. I believe the word life there. Paul couldn't give his soul to anybody. that he could give his life for somebody. It's one thing to love to preach. I've run into folks through my 50 years that love to preach. Love to preach. Just love to get in the pulpit. Just move out of the way and let them in the pulpit. They love to preach, but it's quite another thing to love those to whom you preach. And to love him whom you preach. In closing, read verse 13. True preaching has this goal. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing. Because, and I say this about you, when you receive the word of God which you heard of me, of us, you received it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you. that believe. Thank God for the Word.