Category Archives: narrative

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Preaching the Cloud and Fire: Preaching Through Numbers

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We Follow His Clear Leading

First, it can be done! This past Sunday I completed a six month series through the book of Numbers. The series totaled 31 sermons for 36 chapters. Phew! Great challenges and great rewards!

One thing I want to do better in these posts is highlight the kind of literature you’re dealing with. It’s my way of helping you see how meaning is made before we get to what that meaning is for the church.

So, for instance, in Numbers 9:15-23 is the spectacular story of God guiding His people with a “cloud…by day and…fire by night.” (v. 16) Meaning is made through the subjects (cloud and fire), their actions (“lifted from over the tent” in v. 17), and the response of God’s people (“camped….set out” in vv. 17-18). The cloud and pillar, of course, are also described as “At the command of the Lord…” (cf. vv. 18, 20, 23 and the key phrase, “the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord” in v. 19).

It’s pretty clear that the Lord is instructing His people through the way He clearly leads them in their journey. And us? Well…

Our Lord will lead the way (vv. 15-16)

We will follow His leading (vv. 17-23)

Even without the cloud/fire?!? (biblical theology of God’s guidance and following Him in our journey.)

The third movement is where the fun is because everyone has asked at one time or another: “Wouldn’t it be great if God guided us now like that?” It’s comforting to know that He does.

I found it helpful to explain God’s guidance in Numbers and His guidance now like this: in Numbers the cloud and fire are like us going from A to B and we don’t know the way (if we don’t follow exactly, we’ll get lost); today we move from A to B and we know the way very well (we don’t have to follow someone and even know various ways to get to point B if we want to or have to).

Our arrival is just as sure because of God’s presence with us in the Person of Christ and His Spirit. And that should help you provide a Christological reading for your congregants. On the cross, Christ loses the presence of God so that He never leaves those who trust Him. Anyone whose heart has been warmed by the Gospel wants desperately to follow the Savior’s leading.

May our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) as you preach and teach the book of Numbers.

Randal

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Our Spiritual Warfare and Worship: Preaching Through the Book of Numbers

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When you start Numbers you encounter numbers in great numbers. Thankfully, there are some theological clues such as the repetition of the phrase, “able to go to war.” That is repeated over and over again in vv. 1-46. As Robert Alter points out in his new translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible, it is clear from the repetition that Israel’s journey involves an extended military campaign.

So, my first major segment in the sermon or first main point was the presence of our enemies (vv. 1-46). I did give our folks a sneak peek at what the battle will look like in chapter 14:40-45. It’s a great way to remind us all of the spiritual battle we face each day. The brief glimpse forward teaches us that the battle is won or loss depending on whether God is among us in an active sense fighting for and with us (v. 42 “for the Lord is not among you…” and disastrous results!).

The second segment begins in v. 47 where we’re told: “But the Levites were not listed along with them…” Their duties are explained in terms of the tabernacle in vv. 47-51a. That holy place and space would house the visible, tangible presence of God. The defeat of chapter 14 already teaches us how important God’s presence is for our spiritual life.

But in point three we learn that God’s presence is also very dangerous. The threat of God’s presence is in vv. 51b-54. The approach of an outsider brought death (v. 51b) and the Levites guarded the tabernacle “so that there may be no wrath on the congregation…” (v. 53). What a great time to talk about what one author refers to as “the fatal holiness of God.”

And all of this is the start of preparing Israel and us for our journey from redemption to the Promised Land (for them) and new creation (for us).

Help your listeners journey successfully with this wonderful opening chapter about the fight we’re in and the assurance of victory through God’s powerful presence with a holy people.

He will receive glory–as a result–in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Preaching Through the Book of Numbers! I Know, Right?!?

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Along with posts devoted to gleaning insights from the preaching of Jonathan Edwards and from key homiletics authors, I will be suggesting a preaching strategy through the book of Numbers (see a similar approach through Chronicles).

Yup. That’s what I thought too.

But I love showing our faith-family how to read a book like Numbers so it functions for us as God intended.

When you select a title for the series, consider

Numbers 14:8 “…He will bring us into this land…”

That kind of title connects the Story to the saints. In many ways their journey from redemption from Egypt to the Promised Land mirrors our journey from our initial redemption to the new creation. And that’s why God can speak through Numbers to the Church.

The title also provides hope for our journey: we are going to make it because God is going to fulfill His promises to us. The examples, both bad (mainly the first generation of Israelites) and good (mainly the second generation), will teach us along the way.

As always, we will only go and do otherwise (bad examples) or go and do likewise (good examples) after an affirmation of faith in Christ who either was or did what God intended His people in the wilderness to either be or do. That’s faith-first or faith-driven application.

Then, notice in the image above that a sub-title is provided along with the Scripture. The one shown is from the famous Aaronic Blessing paragraph at the end of chapter 6. I’m only a few weeks into the series, but anticipate that each subtitle developed from each preaching portion will provide an angle that explains how we make our journey from redemption to new creation.

I realize you may not be in a series on Numbers, but I hope that these posts will show you a hermeneutical/homiletical strategy to handle such OT narratives…

So God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

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Preaching the Hope-filled Conclusion to 2 Chronicles: Preaching Through Chronicles

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I took this photo shortly after arriving in Mount Joy, PA in 2003. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Here was a corn-stalk growing on (or, in?) a cement bridge! It’s a fitting image of God’s people receiving a major dose of hope at the end of 2 Chronicles 36.

You might make sense of the narrative like this:

First, redemption is reversed in vv. 1-14 and 16-21. All four kings in this section share the same fate: “trouble and exile” says Pratt. Because “All the officers of the priests and the people…were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations” (v. 14) and because their rebellion got worse even after God sent them prophets (v. 16a), “the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until their was no remedy” (v. 16b).

Second, thankfully compassion is extended in v. 15. I found it interesting that the Lord’s compassion matched the persistence of His people’s rebellion. Verse 15 reads, “The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them…because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.” There’s tons of theology in both of those phrases.

Finally, we arrive at our hope and mission in vv. 22-23. Verse 22 states, “the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” and Cyrus issues an hope-filled invitation for any of God’s people: “Let him go up” and build God’s house in Jerusalem. The odds of that happening are about as good as the odds of a cornstalk growing on a cement bridge.

It can happen. It did happen. It does happen every time God’s people respond to Him in loving obedience.

And, if you’re interested in making a Christological connection, the wish of the last verse in 2 Chronicles, “may the Lord his God be with him,” is very soon, according to one Jewish order of Scripture to be experienced in our Emmanuel, God with us (Matt. 1:23).

Preach these OT books so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

N.B. One exegetical, contextual gem in this section is the mention of “the Chaldeans” in 2 Chronicles 36:17. The last time we read about these people was all the way back to Genesis 11:28. At the beginning of the narrative of God’s people, God calls Abram out of this land; at the end of the OT narrative of God’s people, God “brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans….He gave them all into his hand” (2 Chronicles 36:17). The story has come full circle, especially if you follow one Jewish rendering of the order of OT books (Chronicles coming last). Thankfully, the Story didn’t and doesn’t end there!

 

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Hezekiah’s Example of Facing an Intimidating Enemy: Preaching Through Chronicles

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I hope that you are seeing how these narratives in Chronicles help us teach aspects of living the Christian life well. Hezekiah, for instance, in 2 Chronicles 31-32 provides an example of what it takes to succeed in our faith journey. I selected 31:20–32:23 for a preaching portion and worked through it this way:

First, the basis or foundation for Hezekiah’s success is described in six ways in 31:20-21. These six things he did are summarized in 32:1 as, “After these acts of faithfulness.” Like so many other key characters in these narratives, Hezekiah functions as a model for us to follow. He’s the model believer and paves the way to spiritual success in the will of God as we face an intimidating enemy.

Second, 32:1b-8 provide a look at the physical, emotional, and mental fight needed to succeed. It’s an amazing look at the mixture of effort and faith. Remember, as Dallas Willard wrote, God is not opposed to effort, but to earning. Key descriptions and prescriptions are: “And he took courage…” (v. 5) and “Be strong and courageous” (v. 7; sounds familiar, right?). A key confession is, “With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us…” (v. 8).

Third, is intense intimidation from our enemy in vv. 9-19. It’s no wonder we run scared some times in our spiritual life.

Finally, the victory God gives is described in vv. 20-23. It’s a supernatural victory. If there was any doubt about who was responsible for the win, v. 22 summarizes, “So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem…”

And, if you are inclined to move from Hezekiah’s victory to ours, you might remind your listeners that our Lord Jesus Christ faced the same intense mocking as he was crucified for our sins (cf. Matt. 27:27-44). His defeat led to a victory that we enjoy as we place our trust in Him.

May you enjoy preaching these wonderful narratives in Chronicles so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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The Difficulties of Disciple-Making: Preaching Through Chronicles

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If you’ve preached through a set of books like Chronicles, you already know it’s not easy. But this angle has to do with what the Chronicler teaches us about disciple-making: doing right in God’s eyes is not easy.

In the lengthy section from 2 Chronicles 27:1–31:21 I identified five ways to describe our disciple-making goal (27:2a; 29:2; 30:6a, 8b-9a, 19a). The five are:

  • “did what was right”
  • “return”
  • “yield”
  • “serve”
  • “sets his heart…” (very important in this series!)

This is the time to ask everyone to what extent these five actions describe our lives. These are the makings of every genuine Christian experience.

It’s in the second part of the sermon that we learn how difficult this life is (27:2b; 28:22; 30:7-8a, 19b). These verses provide four examples of spiritual corruption, increased disloyalty to God, and pig-headedness that refuses to obey.

Finally, you can end the sermon by explaining what we can expect from our God (30:6b, 9b, 18-19). For instance, 30:9 reads, “For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

And if you’re interested in how Chronicles functions for the Church, simply explain how the cross of Christ is the definitive extension of God’s grace and compassion. Christ’s sacrifice makes it possible for faith and repentance to result in redemption. That faith sets in motion the desire and capacity to put those five aspects of disciple-making into practice.

I hope you’ll attempt to preach through Chronicles so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

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One of the Easiest Sermons to Preach (Preaching Through Chronicles)

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Pretend that guy is proud Uzziah. 2 Chronicles 26:1, 2 tell us he was sixteen years old when he was made king of Judah and he ruled for 52 years. Verse 5 says, “as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.” Verse 16 says, “But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.”

That’s why this chapter might be the easiest one to preach in this series. And it’s also one of the most important for disciple-making.

You may recall that I selected the following title for the series: “Direct our hearts toward you, Lord.” I’ve reworded David’s prayer recorded in 1 Chronicles 29:18 “O Lord…direct their hearts toward you.”

Then, each sermon title was created to add to that title. In this case, I added, “So we don’t become proud of ‘our’ success.”

The story functions for the church like this. The king experienced both blessing and curses from the Lord. According to McConville, Uzziah is “the last of those kings who are judged to have been partly faithful and partly unfaithful.” We urge worship by pleading with our folks to make an all out grace-driven effort to avoid this mixed spiritual experience.

I understand the chapter’s theology this way:

  1. The source of success (vv. 4-5, 7, 15b). This contains one of the most important concepts in Chronicles: “He set himself to seek God…and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper” (v. 5). Verse 15b adds, “…for he was marvelously helped…”
  2. The evidence of success (vv. 6-15a). These verse contain an impressive list of civil and military accomplishments. Verses 14-15 (the creation of “engines, invented by skillful men”) show the fine balance between human effort and God’s help.
  3. The danger of success (vv. 15c-23). Too bad it came to this! In v. 16 we read, “…he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense.” Yikes! For other looks at the result of pride, see Prov. 11:2; 16:18; 29:23. Leprosy was his judgment!

What a contrast to our Faithful High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Preach Uzziah as a mixed exemplar–a little, “Go and do likewise” and a little, “Go and do otherwise”–for God’s glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Handling Huge Amounts Of Biblical Real Estate (Preaching Through Chronicles)

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The elephant is 2 Chronicles 21:1–25:28. I decided to eat it in about 45 minutes, one piece at a time. It’s not the only way to preach the section. It could be broken into a few sermons, but I don’t recommend it. There is too much repetition of theology and intended purpose.

When you enter chapter 21 God changes the way He teaches us. A series of kings provide both positive and negative examples. There are kingdoms to join and kingdoms to avoid. We worship by avoiding those kingdoms. I divided the elephant like this:

  1. Our need to separate (vv. 21:6a; 22:3). In this case, Jehoram “walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done…” You know how bad Ahab was.
  2. Our need to consecrate (vv. 21:6b, 10b; 22:4; 23:16-19). Seven times in this section we read, “He did what was evil.” Five times we read, “…did what was right.” Anyone with ears to hear knows which path to take. 23:16-19 deserve attention due to the spiritual reform that takes place.
  3. What God does to His people who don’t! (vv. 21:7, 14-16, 18; 22:7; 25:20b). 22:7 and 25:20b contain strong statements: “But it was ordained by God…” and “for it was of God, in order that…” Whether in the OT or in the NT, God has always taught that He will judge sin and move His plan forward.
  4. Ways we might respond (vv. 22:9-12; 25:2, 15-16, 20a; 27:2). One interesting contrast is between 22:9 “he…sought the Lord with all his heart” and 25:2 “And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.” This describes two kinds of disciples.

And, if you are prone to read Chronicles Christo-centrically, these excerpts provide an opportunity to express our gratitude to God for providing a King who did worship and serve God with His whole heart, all the way to the cross. All so we who believe could enjoy God’s kingdom.

Preach well so He receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Let Your Folks Know Whose Fight It Is: Preaching Through Chronicles

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One of the joys of preaching through Chronicles is “finally” getting to one of my favorite verses in all Scripture. 2 Chronicles 2o:12b made the cut to be on my church study wall: “…We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

I know firsthand that week in, week out through Chronicles can be grueling, but that will preach!

Once again we urge our parishioners to follow this king’s example of faith. His confession is our confession. When we are powerless, we are not hopeless.

Here’s the approach I took for the entire chapter:

  1. The direction of faith (vv. 1-4 where the king “set his face to seek the Lord…”)
  2. The prayer of faith (vv. 5-12 where vv. 6 and 12 are loaded with faith in God’s ability and our lack of ability)
  3. The messages of faith (vv. 13-21 where a Levite preaches to the people and reminds them, “…the battle is not yours but God’s” in v. 15)
  4. The confirmation of faith (vv. 22-30 where the Lord performs a miracle: “the Lord set an ambush…so that they were routed (22)….So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around (30))
  5. The nagging possibility of unbelief (vv. 31-37 where, after all that success, the king joins forces with a wicked king!)

I found it very easy to put ourselves into this narrative.

And I’m hoping that seeing this kind of approach will help you have confidence that these OT stories continue to function for the Church.

And, if you’re wondering how the cross makes it possible for us to experience the same kind of victory. Remember that it is on the cross where God fought for us and won the victory that allows us to trust Him for every spiritual fight, every day.

Preach this chapter so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Preaching OT Examples of Sanctifying Faith: Preaching Through Chronicles

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Someone completed the sentence above with: “lawyer.” I wonder what the reaction would be to that persuasion. Would lawyers take it personal?

Last week I asked our folks, “Which sounds worse to God, ‘I worry sometimes,’ or ‘I don’t trust You.’?”

When you arrive at 2 Chronicles 16:1-9 you encounter an important OT narrative that teaches us about sanctifying faith. The paragraph also contains one of my favorite verses in the OT. Verse 9 reads,

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him…” (stop there if you’re including this reference in your correspondence to parishioners; the last part of the verse is a downer: “You have done foolishly in this, for from now on your will have wars.” Yikes!)

I often word a benediction with the KJV of the middle of v. 9: “May our Lord show Himself strong in your life…”

Verse 1-9 divide very well like this:

  1. The moment of trust (v. 1)
  2. The wrong kind of trust (vv. 2-6, 9b, 10, 12)
  3. The right kind of trust (vv. 7-9a)

My title was: “Direct our hearts toward you, Lord”: So We Receive Your Strong Support.

The words of the prophet in vv. 7ff. hit us hard whenever we are tempted not to trust our Lord’s ability to provide provision, protection, or direction in life. Verse 8 reminds us of those times when we did trust our Lord and He did deliver, despite the odds being against us.

And then, there’s that wonderful description of our Lord’s vision, His eyes darting in every direction waiting to “give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.”

The last line provides a wonderful opportunity to describe the Christian life at its finest. It’s why I love preaching the OT. Here is the place to define and describe sanctifying faith.

And, of course, there was only one time in history when God’s eyes turned away from His Son and because He did we can be assured that His eyes will not turn away from us whenever we seek Him by faith.

I hope you’ll preach this some day for the sake of His glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal