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Randal Pelton, Ph.D., D.Min., Th.M.

Senior Pastor, Professor

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The Consummate Persuader: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’s Earliest Sermons

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Three things you can do to an idea: explain it, prove it, or apply it.
John 8:34 needs a strong dose of the second one.

In Edwards’s sermon, Wicked Men’s Slavery To Sin, his title comes directly from his text, John 8:34 “…Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Pretty straightforward.

And his first statement of doctrine is also straightforward: Wicked men are servants and slaves to sin (p. 340, Kimnach).

In my previous post I pointed out how Edwards anticipates push-back from his listeners. He instinctively knows that some will not agree with this portrayal of reality. So, Edwards goes to work convincing his audience that God’s statement is true.

What I find fascinating about Edwards’s preaching–and I feel the same when I listen to Tim Keller–is that he knows the ways of the wicked so well. For instance, he writes,

“Wicked men generally think that the way of holiness and religion is much the hardest, and theirs to be much the easiest” (p. 341).

And the wickedness inside all of us thinks the same way. Is it because of our default setting? Or because our appetite for sin is stronger than our appetite for God? Or is it because of deception? Or all of the above? It’s the kind of theological thinking Edwards is very fond of.

Edwards goes on to show that serving God is far easier than serving sin. He quotes from the NT and Jesus’s yoke being easy, for instance. Then he shows the opposite by quoting from OT wisdom literature that lists “The leech” and “Three things [that] are never satisfied” (Proverbs 30:15-16). Obviously, whatever you have is never enough (think of lust and covetousness).

The second thing Edwards says is that “Wicked men are very obedient servants to sin” (p. 342). Whatever sin requires them to do, they do it, even if it means their destruction.

This kind of argument leads to genuine pity and compassion for those that are enslaved to sin. It also leads to the desire to serve God, not sin.

I hope that as you preach and teach you will follow Edwards’s example of reasoning with your listeners so that God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus as they believe God’s reality to be true (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Anticipating, “I doubt that”: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’s Earliest Sermons

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The, Convince-me-this-is-true, look!

It didn’t take long reading Jonathan Edwards’s earliest sermons to learn that he learned early in his preaching ministry to anticipate push-back from his listeners as he taught biblical doctrine.

In his sermon, Wicked Men’s Slavery To Sin, based on John 8:34 (“Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin”), Edwards begins his “Doctrine” section with this statement:

“Wicked men are servants and slaves to sin.” (p. 340 in Kimnach)

After the heading he wrote, “We shall explain and clear up this doctrine by answering these two queries… [emphasis added]”

What Edwards wants to “clear up” in the early goings of the message is the fact that many of his listeners don’t agree with that statement. He writes, “Perhaps you may think with yourself, ‘I don’t see but that wicked men are happy, and live as free as the best men in the world.'”

Edwards anticipates a reaction from his listeners. He knows some doubt the doctrine and he immediately goes to work addressing their thoughts. He also directly addresses those listeners who “object” to the idea that they are wicked and believe themselves to be free.

The slide below shows some of the rhetorical strategies preachers use to create message minutes. If you listen to a preacher or teacher you will hear them doing these things. Notice the contrapuntal circle. It’s a word I encountered years ago from Buttrick’s, Homiletic. A contrapuntal occurs when a listener doesn’t agree with what you’ve said; they have a different opinion about the matter. Edwards knew how important it was to anticipate push-back.

So, one of the ways Edwards crafts this sermon is by proving that the doctrine is indeed true, that wicked men are slaves to sin. It takes careful thinking, plus the ability to correlate the doctrine with other key Scripture.

In the next post I will show you some of the keys to Edwards’s approach.

As you work on your next sermon/lesson, consider the doubtability of your doctrine, address it, and God will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Helping Your Hearers Be Truly Happy: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’s Earliest Sermons

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One goal of preaching is to create the ultimate happiness.

I confess that I did not expect happiness to be an emphasis in Edwards’s Puritanical preaching. I was wrong.

You might recall that Kimnach’s first recorded sermon of Edwards is, Christian Happiness. His second one is, The Value Of Salvation, based on Matthew 16:26 (“For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul…?”).

In the opening doctrinal section, Edwards teaches that “all worldly good things shall have an end” and describes all who treasure those things “as to make them their happiness [emphasis added]” (p. 313, Kimnach). Edwards mentions how a person “hugs them never so close” (p. 313, and “to hug and make a god of” on p. 320).

The following pages show Edwards piling on all the reasons why it makes no sense to hold the things of the world too tightly. But what caught my eye was when Edwards says,

“it is the goodness of God that he has not appointed these things for our portion [for all eternity]” (p. 318).

Then, in keeping with his text, Edwards states that salvation includes the deliverance from great misery, “because so great happiness is to be enjoyed in the salvation of the soul [emphasis added]” (p. 320). Did you catch the contrast?

Delivered from great misery to experience great happiness.

And this becomes Edwards’s emphasis. Nearing the end of the sermon he writes, “The salvation of the soul is of inestimable worth…because the happiness that will be enjoyed by every saved soul will be inestimable [emphasis added]” (p. 322).

Edwards has made me evaluate my preaching, especially my portrayal of the benefits of salvation. I probably emphasize deliverance from great misery over experiencing great happiness. But what would you expect from a small “f” fundamentalist? (*smile*)

May our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) as we proclaim all the happinesses associated with walking with Him each day.

Randal

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COVID-19 Preaching: What I’m Learning

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My Title Slide for the Past Few Weeks (built from an ABC image and
using a quote from the Psalms)

A few weeks ago I asked how the virus and lockdown were affecting your preaching and teaching. This week I wanted to take a moment and reflect on what the whole scenario is teaching me about preaching and pastoral ministry.

First, in case I had forgotten, preaching functions under the umbrella of soul-watching (cf. Hebrews 13:17). That means preaching is all about shepherding and caring for the souls entrusted to our care. No wonder it’s been so weird preaching to an empty house–no live souls!

Second, this has reaffirmed for me that I love people more than preaching. I really miss seeing the faith-family in person. The technology has been extremely helpful, but Zoom isn’t quite the same as hugs and holy kisses on Sunday.

Third, I am learning that there is something special about corporate worship. Something special happens when God’s people congregate to praise Him in song, Scripture, and sacraments. And, of course, important for us is the fact that something special happens when a soul-watcher speaks for God to them about them and their relationship with Him.

Finally–and I know you could add many more–I still have to be spiritually moved by the Scriptures before I try to move them with the Scriptures. In other words, preaching through technology has made me even more aware of my need for the Spirit’s transformation before I rely on Him to work on them. It’s been hard not to feel flat leading up to the recording sessions.

Yet, I am confident our Lord continues to receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) through your efforts.

Randal

P.S. Does any of this ring true in your situation? I love to hear your thoughts on this too.

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Why Looking At Them Really Matters

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The kind of response we’re missing these days, right?!

I’m reading Carrell’s chapter, Delivering, Not Decorating, and it’s no surprise that eye contact during sermon delivery would be mentioned.

If you’re wondering why eye contact is critical for our preaching and teaching it’s because: “Sustained eye contact communicates relationship.” (p. 148)

If you’ve studied preaching or worshiped with me, you know how I feel about the effect that relationships have on communication and pastoral ministry. It’s impossible to overestimate its importance.

One of Carrell’s respondents wrote to her:

“Some weeks it’s just too much work to try to pay attention and connect when he doesn’t even make an attempt to look up to acknowledge we’re all out here [emphasis added]” (p. 148).

Yikes!

The pulpit or positioning of preachers and teachers usually already creates some distance. We can’t afford to add to it by poor eye contact.

It’s true that visuals such as slides can hurt if constructed and used poorly. However, here are two things to consider:

(1) Know your material so well that you rarely have to look at it, except for maybe a few quotes, stats, or references. I suggest you manuscript/orascript your sermons each week and read them over a few times to absorb the essential concepts, flow, and key words. When Sunday comes you won’t need many notes at all. Trust me on that one.

(2) Remind yourself that you will be talking to them about them throughout the sermon/lesson. Limit, if not eliminate, the number of minutes you talk to them about the Bible. You should not let them stray from you for long. That means you will continue to direct your communication “at” them. Not that you’re necessarily preaching at them–remember that your relationship with them is key. But you are always engaging them and looking at some of them in the process.

Let’s do the hard work of preparation in the power of God’s Spirit so they don’t have to work so hard to pay attention. And may our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Preaching Resurrection in the Face of Death

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Preaching Resurrection During COVID-19 Has Never Seemed So Relevant!

I know that if you’re preaching or teaching this Sunday you’re thinking through how the virus will factor into your sermon/lesson. I wanted to tell you my angle headed into the weekend in light of what I’m reading and hearing from faith-family members.

First, I will certainly be finding statistics on Good Friday about how many people have died world-wide, in the U.S., and in PA, my home state. The resurrection of Jesus Christ will be framed within the context of this deadly pandemic that today, for instance, has taken over 500 lives in NYC alone (to put it in perspective for me, my whole town, Weeks Mills, Maine, where I was born and raised has less than 500 people in it!).

Second, I am currently reading a short article on COVID-19’s other casualties. A friend of mine who works for a non-profit was telling me how much more difficult these times are for children in abusive situations because of isolation. That got me thinking of how many other deaths will occur as a result of the strain the virus is putting on societies and individuals (think suicides, for example).

Finally–and I know you know this–the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead has defeated the supernatural powers that are the driving force behind ungodly anxiety and fear. These two emotions keep cropping up like aggressive weeds in the garden of faith.

I want to make sure our folks realize that what they’re facing each day is a result of the battle that is still raging. My Psalm for Sunday, 110, records the words of Yahweh to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, “Rule in the midst of your enemies” (v. 2).

Our fight for faith is real and victory is possible because Christ our risen Lord is ruling in the midst of our enemies.

May our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) as you announce the facts and implications of His resurrection from the dead.

Randal

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Just Curious: How Has The COVID-19 Crisis Affected Your Preaching?

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Preaching To An Audience of “None”

This blog has never been aimed at generating lots of responses. I appreciate the ones I get, but know that, if you’re like me, you barely have time to read all the stuff you want to read and rarely have extra time for commenting.

But for today I wouldn’t mind hearing how the current COVID-19 pandemic has affected your preaching. Here are three possible scenarios; the last two are similar:

  1. If you are fortunate to be in a region that is still having church as “normal”
  2. If you have been preaching in church to no audience or maybe your worship team, but hoping your faith-family will watch
  3. If you have been preaching to your computer camera, hoping your faith-family will watch

So far, I’ve been experiencing #3 and it does change the preaching dynamics. One of the things I didn’t expect to feel is that it seems to be a bit harder for me to get ready spiritually. I have had to remind myself that this is still very important–life and death stuff. The pressure is not off.

Maybe it’s due to getting out of my regular routine. I’m still processing all of this.

And, then, of course, with either #2 or #3 preaching without parishioners is just plain weird. Bless her heart, my wife, Michele, has been great to sit directly across from me these past two weeks with the tall order of generating all the non-verbal and verbal dialogue I usually receive each Sunday.

What about your experience so far?

Thanks for taking a moment to share.

I am convinced that our Lord is still receiving glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) through your fine efforts.

Randal

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Do You Tend Toward “You” Or “We” Applications?: What I’m Learning from Reading Jonathan Edwards’s Early Sermons

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For years I’ve practiced listening to or reading sermons, beginning with the concluding applications/exhortations and then going back to the beginning of the sermon. That’s because there is an organic connection between sermon application and meaning. Actually, during the application segment of a sermon you are finally telling your listeners what a pericope means as a whole.

Edwards’s earliest recorded sermons have a final section called, Use. The Use includes numbered Inferences and Exhortations.

When Edwards gets to his first exhortation he begins to lead them off with “You…” No listener could miss that Edwards was preaching directly to them. One of the helpful elements of Edwards’s preaching is how he clearly addresses various kinds of listeners in his church.

So, it made me wonder whether you consider yourself to be a “you” or a “we” kind of preacher/teacher.

I prefer to balance the “you’s” with the “we’s” for pastoral reasons that Edwards did not take into consideration: I want my faith-family to know that I am with them in their worship-response to God’s Word.

(Maybe that’s our biggest problem with “preaching at people”: we sound like we’re placing ourselves above the Word and, therefore, above them with respect to our need to submit to God’s Word too.)

However, like Edwards, I also want them to know God has called me to shepherd them. That’s where the “you’s” come in. Both the ungodly and the godly knew exactly what God was saying to them by the time Edwards was done! For instance, Edwards aims at the ungodly: “you have taken up, contented hitherto, with such a sort of pleasure as the beast enjoy as well as you.” (p. 305) Yikes!

And, even if you prefer the “you” version of applications, your non-verbal communication can continue to let everyone in the house know that you are with them in their response to God’s Word.

May our applications contribute to God’s glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

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Think Twice Before Challenging God-Ordained Leadership: Preaching Through Numbers

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If you’ve been reading some of these posts about preaching through the book of Numbers, you may be surprised at how much “preachable” material is there. When you arrive at chapter 12 you’ve hit the jackpot. The chapter describes what happened to Miriam when she and Aaron “spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman who he had married, for he married a Cushite woman” (the second clause must’ve been added to make sure we didn’t miss it!?!) (12:1).

Here was my take on Numbers 12:1-16…

“He will bring us into this land”:

And We Will Follow God-Ordained Leadership

The narrative flows like this: there is a challenge to godly leadership (vv. 1-2), the problem centers on the leader’s authority (v. 3), the Lord, however, quickly shows His support of His chosen leader (vv. 4-8), and finally the terrible consequences of challenging the Lord’s leader appear (vv. 9-16, especially v. 10 “Miriam was leprous”).

From my title above you can see that I chose to state the idea positively instead of negatively. The narrative certainly is one of those “go and do otherwise” exemplars based upon Miriam and Aaron’s action of speaking against Moses (v. 1). What’s great about this portion of Scripture is how you can develop your listeners’s understanding of a theology of church leadership and also the exclusivity of God speaking through Christ.

There’s much more, such as Mose’s remarkable attitude toward Miriam (cf. v. 13 where “Moses cried to the Lord, ‘O God, please heal her–please.'”), or the interesting fact that “the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again” (after being quarantined, a very timely issue in light of the recent COVID-19!).

Anyway, I hope that these brief posts through Numbers will encourage you to preach through this fascinating book. I know our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) if you do.

Randal

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Remember, Our Goal Is Speaking To Our Listeners, Not Writing Sermons

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Consider writing out your sermon manuscript each week, but write it as you would want to say it, and then preach it without notes.

I’m slowly working my way through Carrell’s, Preaching That Matters: Reflective Practices for Transforming Sermons. Her chapter on sermon delivery provides interesting feedback from preachers on their practices.

Only a very small percentage of preachers practice their sermons out loud before preaching. I’m one of the ones who doesn’t.

However, I do practice speaking the sermon from the moment I begin writing the sermon each Monday morning. This is in line with Carrell’s findings:

“the path to increased transformative impact: [is] alter your preparation and delivery so that you honor the orality inherent in preaching.” (p. 142, emphasis added)

Carrell summarizes the “oral style” described by communication theorists, Dance and Zak-Dance. Two are especially noteworthy:

(1) “It makes conscious use of memory. The speaker need to be as free of notes as possible to concentrate on communicating thought to the audience.” (p. 142, emphasis added)

(2) “…speakers work to help the audience feel a part of the speaker’s thoughts and emotional processes.” (p. 143, emphasis added)

So, we write our sermons out like we’re speaking to our listeners. We know our material so well, including our carefully chosen words, that during the sermon we can get our thoughts across clearly and passionately and bring our listeners along minute-by-minute.

And all so that our Lord receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. Students often worry about forgetting what they’re supposed to say if they try preaching without notes. My answer is always the same: Look down at your Bible, take your cue, and keep preaching. You’re the only one who knows the orascript anyway.