The Oil Of Gladness

In Hebrews 1.9 we read, Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Although this verse describes Christ Jesus, it can also pertain, friends, to a consecrated servant of God.

I've known some men who've had this special anointing of the Lord. Two men come to mind immediately, Adrian Rogers and Stephen Oldford. Adrian Rogers was my pastor and friend, and whenever I was around him, I felt like I was in the presence of Jesus.

Adrian made me think of Jesus. Do you know people like that, that when you spend time with them, they make you think of Jesus? Well, Adrian Rogers was like that. He modeled Jesus well, and when I spent time with him, if I may so speak, I felt like I was spending time with Jesus.

One time in particular stands out in my mind. It was a rainy night in Memphis, and I just had dropped my wife and daughter off at the door of a new restaurant in town while I parked the car as I made my way beneath an umbrella in the dark, in the pouring rain. And as I stepped into the light of the restaurant, there in the restaurant lobby was the figure of a man with his arms outstretched, and he gave me a big bear hug as he greeted me in a big booming voice, Ernesto.

Adrian called me Ernesto because his son David was a missionary to Spain, and Dr. Rogers hugged me, and as he hugged me, I had the incredible sensation that I was already in heaven, and Jesus was embracing me. Does that sound weird, friends? Well, it's true. When I was with Adrian Rogers, I felt like I was with Jesus.

He had a special anointing from God of this oil of gladness. It was all around him. Another servant of God who had this obvious special anointing was my homiletical mentor, Dr. Stephen F. Olford.

Stephen Olford had an anointing of the Spirit of God that was above his fellows because of his consecrated life. When he preached, he spoke with an authority from on high. And his consecrated life had a holy fire attending him.

In fact, Billy Graham always commented that his own ministry had been greatly influenced by Stephen Olford. Well, I will give you the following illustration, friends, of an incident in Stephen Olford's life which I feel reflects this oil of gladness. Let me tell you about this.

Stephen Olford was booked to preach at a Dallas church, scheduled to preach at a Dallas church. And the pastor of that church asked a seminary intern to go pick up Dr. Olford at the airport. The young intern asked to see a photograph of Stephen Olford so he would be able to recognize him at the airport.

No need for that, said the pastor. Just go to the airport terminal and look for a man that has God all over him. Sure enough, as the young man waited at the gate of the airport terminal, as the passengers deplaned, he observed a man with his top coat over his arm carrying a briefcase.

And the man had God all over him. It was Stephen Olford. This incident reminds me of the Shumanite woman spoken of in the passage from 2 Kings, where she is describing the prophet Elisha.

And we read, And she said unto her husband, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passes by us continually. Stephen Olford had that anointing from God of the oil of gladness, and it was above his fellows. O great God, I'm no Adrian Rogers, and I'm certainly no Stephen Olford, but great God, let me love Christ's righteousness like that, and hate sin like that, and grant me enough grace, great God.

Grant me a dab of the oil of gladness so I can better serve my generation. And I pray these things in the strong name of Jesus. Amen.