Breaking the Bread of Life to Souls
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people cannot follow you, and if they could, would be neither benefited
nor blessed. Teach the simple lessons given by Christ. Tell the story
of His life of self-denial and sacrifice, His humiliation and death, His
resurrection and ascension, His intercession for sinners in the courts
above. In every congregation there are souls upon whom the Spirit of
the Lord is moving. Help them to understand what is truth; break the
bread of life to them; call their attention to vital questions.
Many voices are advocating error; let your voice advocate truth.
Present subjects that will be as green pastures to the sheep of God’s
fold. Do not lead your hearers into waste tracts, where they will be no
nearer the fountain of living water than they were before hearing you.
Present the truth as it is in Jesus, making plain the requirements of the
law and the gospel. Present Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, and
tell of His power to save all who come to Him. The Captain of our
salvation is interceding for His people, not as a petitioner to move the
Father to compassion, but as a conqueror, who claims the trophies of
His victory. He is able to save to the uttermost all who come to God
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by Him. Make this fact very plain
Unless ministers are guarded, they will hide the truth under human
ornamentation. Let no minister suppose that he can convert souls by
eloquent sermons. Those who teach others should plead with God to
imbue them with His Spirit, and enable them to lift up Christ as the
sinner’s only hope. Flowery speeches, pleasing tales, or inappropriate
anecdotes do not convict the sinner. Men listen to such words as they
would to a pleasant song. The message that the sinner should hear is,
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.” [
John 3:16
.] The reception of the gospel does not depend on
learned testimonies, eloquent speeches, or deep arguments, but upon
its simplicity, and its adaptation to those who are hungering for the
bread of life.
It is the efficiency of the Holy Spirit that makes the ministry of the
word effective. When Christ speaks through the minister, the Holy
Spirit prepares the hearts of the listeners to receive the word. The
Holy Spirit is not a servant, but a controlling power. He causes the
truth to shine into minds, and speaks through every discourse where
the minister surrenders himself to the divine working. It is the Spirit
that surrounds the soul with a holy atmosphere, and speaks to the