What are the essentials in a preaching pastor? What are the must-have qualities? Should he be a big personality? What about his sermons? Is he to find ways to make the Bible more palatable? How would one know if his current preaching pastor conforms to the biblical model of preaching pastors? How do you expose the expositor?
Ezra is a supreme OT model of the biblical preacher. In chapter 7, we find four qualities of the expository preacher. First, God has called this person to preach the Word. “For the good hand of his God was on him” (7:9). Pastoring begins with a divine calling. One must know without a doubt God has called him to pastor, or else, he will live in doubts amidst difficulties.
Second, the expositor is going to love studying the Word, and therefore, spend large amounts of time doing so. “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord” (7:10, same for the following quotes). One cannot preach the Word of God if he is not deeply acquainted with it.
Third, the expositor’s first response to the Word is not to preach it but to live it. “And to do it.” The expositor preaches just as many sermons through life and example as he does in the pulpit.
Fourth, the expositor teaches the Word of God no matter the result or response. His text is not according to what men wish to hear but according to what God has said. “And to teach his statues and rules in Israel.”
If you have a preaching pastor like that, you have just exposed an expositor!
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