He further argued that the unique authority of Christian preaching comes from the authority of revelation, and in particular, the Bible. Against those who maintained that revelation was basically internal, emotional, and relational, Farmer argued that it was given. Consider his following statement: "For Christianity is a religion of revelation; its central message is a declaration, a proclamation that God has met the darkness of the human spirit with a great unveiling of succoring light and truth. The revelation moreover is historical, that is to say, it is given primarily through events which in the first place can only be reported and affirmed. As we have already said, no merely internal reflec-tion can arrive at historical events. If a man is to be saved, he must be confronted again and again with the givenness of Christ."3

This is an interesting argument, is it not? Made back in 1941, we discover an argument for the retention of preaching, an argument for the preeminence of preaching in the Christian church, and an argument that Christian preaching is distinguished by virtue of its grounding in revelation. It is the preaching of a word that has been given. It is not the invention of a message that has been devised.

My concern, of course is not really with what H.H. Farmer thought about the preacher as the Servant of the Word. I want to turn to an apostolic authority -- one inspired by the Holy Spirit, namely, the Apostle Paul. I am concerned with what the great Apostle thought about preaching and how he understood himself to be the Servant of the Word. I invite you to examine Colossians 1:25-29:

"Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we might present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me."4

This is a majestic passage. The Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Colossae, speaks of his own understanding of the apostolic ministry, of his stewardship of the mysteries of God, and of his stewardship of the task of proclaiming the Word of God. He speaks of his calling, his message, and the purpose of his preaching. This is Paul's declaration of ministry.

You notice in verse 24 that this explains why Paul submits to suffering. "Now I rejoice in my suffering for your sake and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions." Paul explains why he endures such suffering, and why he not only endures the suffering, but, of all things, rejoices in these sufferings.