Category Archives: attributes of God

Posted on

Thinking With Jonathan Edwards: What I’m Learning From Reading Edwards’s Earliest Sermons

by

Jonathan Edwards certainly could have been called, The Thinker!

Quite often as I’m reading Jonathan Edwards’s sermons I come across the magnificent fruits of his capacity to think. Like this…

“…though they ben’t safe from those things that are in themselves evil, yet they are safe from the evil of those things” (Kimnach, vol. 10, p. 453, note 1).

The quote is from the sermon, Christian Safety, an exposition on Proverbs 29:25 “But whoso putteth trust in the Lord shall be safe.”

Our faith-family has heard this quote a few times in the past few years. I will probably mention it again tomorrow morning, Lord willing, because Psalm 48 highlights the protective power of God with all its imagery of citadels, fortresses, towers, and ramparts.

What I love about the quote is how succinctly and precisely Edwards stated what has been difficult for me to articulate. During COVID-19 times, think about how powerful this logic is. Though God’s children are not safe from the virus that is in itself evil, yet they are safe from the evil of that thing.

Last Sunday I tried my best in the pre-sermon–which, by the way, doesn’t technically count against my sermon time!–to ask the faith-family what they think about God being stronger than the virus. As expected, they got it. They said things like: God is strong enough to keep me from getting it, strong enough to get me through it, strong enough to take me home because of it. And if He chooses that route, He receives me unto Himself where we worship and await the new heavens and new earth.

“…though they ben’t safe from those things that are in themselves evil, yet they are safe from the evil of those things

In that sermon on Proverbs 29:25 Edwards said to his hearers:

“how happy it is to be so safe. Who would not get into that tower that will defend us from every evil thing?” (p. 462).

May God help us to think hard like Edwards did so He receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

Posted on

The Two-Sided Benefits of Finding God: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’s Earliest Sermons

by

Learning to Preach Both Sides…

In Kimnach’s volume 10 (The Works of Jonathan Edwards), he includes a Fragment: On Seeking.

Even though we can’t read the usual doctrinal section, we have this fragment of a sermon application that shows Edwards preaching the two-sided benefits of seeking and finding God.

The two sides are: “…if you find God….

  1. You will find a Savior, and an everlasting sure defense from all evil…which when obtained, will effectually deliver one, and when delivered will eternally preserve and defend one, from all manner of evil.” (p. 382)

Edwards does his best to prove to his listeners that they would certainly seek after something that would do that in the physical realm (such as seeking after a medicine that would protect from a disease–think COVID-19!)

But it’s the second answer that helped me the most in my preaching.

2. “But second, if you find God, beside that you will find all good; you will not only be freed from all evil, but be brought to the possession of all good.” (p. 383)

And this is exactly what every one of our listeners is listening and looking for. And, of course, this is what temptation promises to give: ultimate happiness.

Edwards is a master at convincing his listeners that it is in their best interest to love God supremely. So, he defines God as “an infinite, self-sufficient, all-sufficient, essential, overflowing good: he is the source of all good.” (p. 383)

Thanks to Edwards I’m learning to preach both sides, protection from evil and possession of good.

May our Lord help us preach both sides of the same coin so He receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

Posted on

Preaching About the Importance of Church Leadership: Preaching Through Numbers

by

And We Will Respect God’s Choice…
Numbers 16:1–17:13

My full title for Numbers 16:1–17:13 was:

“He will bring us into this land”: And We Will Respect God’s Choice of Who Leads and Who Serves

I am writing this with a half-hour to go before the first 2020 Presidential Election. How’d you like to be those two?! How’d you like to be Moses or Aaron?

The infamous rebellion against Moses and Aaron recorded in these chapters is one of the most intense narratives in the Old Testament. What makes it even more intense to preach or teach is that we’re living in days when leadership at all levels faces skepticism and cynicism.

To help you tackle this large preaching portion you might consider the following structure:

  1. Two more challenges to leadership (vv. 1-3a, 41)
  2. The wrongheaded thinking that causes it (vv. 3b, 12-14)
  3. Our response to the situation (vv. 21, 24, 26-27a, 45)
  4. God’s judgment and mercy (vv. 4-11, 22, 27b-40, 46-50; 17:1-13)

(I know that’s a lot of verses, but if you have time, take a look at the fit between these verses and the major points.)

First, simplify the sermon by noting that Korah and company function as a “go and do otherwise” exemplar. So we worship this morning by not following their attack on God’s leadership. Put positively, we respect God’s leadership.

Second, be ready to dig in theologically when you get to 16:3-5 and the question of whether only Moses and Aaron were holy or, according to Korah, the whole congregation was equally holy.

Third, Moses’s reaction was incredible to me. I think I would be tempted in light of the attack against him to gladly agree with God’s plan (16:21). Instead Moses intercedes for the congregation!

Fourth, as we’ve seen so often in Numbers, this lengthy narrative provides an excellent opportunity to highlight the holiness and judgment of God.

Finally, God’s mercy and Israel’s confession/repentance are highlighted in these scenes as God stops the plague and Israel says,

“Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord, shall die. Are we all to perish?” (17:12-13)

And if you’re fond of a Christ-centered reading of such texts, you might land on 16:22 (“…shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?”) or 16:47 (“And [Aaron] put on the incense and made atonement for the people”). Concerning the former, one man, Adam, did sin and the human race experienced the judgment of God. However, one Man, Jesus Christ, was righteous and faced the judgment of God so that we by faith could be acquitted. The second one is an easy leap to the cross.

And as always, may our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) as you work hard for Him each weekend.

Randal

Posted on

You’ll Probably Want to Slow Down When You Get to Numbers 14: Preaching Through Numbers

by

How Many of our Parishioners Would Head in That Direction?!

I suggest you slow down when you get to Numbers 14 because so much of God’s people’s reaction to the report of the spies coming back from Canaan mirrors our own faith-journey in vv. 11-19.

First, notice that the grumbling is labeled despising God. In v. 11 the Lord says, “How long will this people despise me?” I wonder how many of us equate complaining about our circumstances as despising God? Right. Probably none. That reaction is labeled unbelief in v. 11 (“how long will they not believe in me?”).

What’s frightening is the Lord’s gut reaction in v. 12: He’s had it with His people and ready to start over. Almost as frightening is the thought of trying to preach this. Have fun trying to explain how our God can be like this. It’s a great time to flex your exegetical/theological muscles and help your listeners see why God is portrayed like this in this narrative.

Thank the Lord Moses doesn’t like His idea. Moses’s reasoning is credited with moving the Lord to pardon His people (vv. 19-20 “Please pardon…I have pardoned according to your word.”). It’s a great time for everyone to hear that the Lord’s reputation is at stake in His world with respect to how His people fare (vv. 13-16).

As Moses pleads with the Lord our listeners are reminded about the promises the Lord made to them. Verse 18 may be one of the most important verses in Scripture about the character of God,

“The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

This is why the Lord does not give up on His people. According to v. 17 this is the Lord letting his power “be great as [He] promised.”

Anyone interested in a Christ-centered reading of the narrative can focus on God’s ability and method of pardoning sin (vv. 18, 19, 20).

And remember, our task is not to preach to them about the Bible, but to preach to them about them from the Bible. Or, if your prefer God-centered wording, we’re preaching to them about God and their relationship with Him from the Bible. This is not ancient history but a Word from God to us.

Anyway, I think you can see how God will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) from such a preaching event.

Randal

Posted on

More On Preaching Holiness: Preaching Through Numbers

by

One huge benefit of preaching through Numbers is the emphasis on the holiness of God and His people. My current ministry setting is a very conservative faith-family that is used to such concepts and, yet, they still tell me how much being reminded of holiness is helping them. I have a colleague who preaches in a very different setting and he tells me how challenging it is to preach certain doctrines.

Well, frankly, you can’t preach through Numbers without spending time on the holiness of God. So much of the theology of Numbers 5:1–6:21 hinges on God’s own holiness. It’s the only way to explain the bizarre instructions on dealing with lepers, etc. (5:3 “…putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp”), and with those who are “breaking faith with the Lord” (5:6, plus the strange way to handle jealousy in a marriage in vv. 12-31; watch for puzzled looks if you read that section aloud in church!), and the Nazirite vow (6:2ff.).

It all begins with the holiness of God. Then we can move to being a holy people.

Finally, the instructions–though often strange-to-us–provide direction for our desire to remain a holy people. So, there is actual removal (5:3, similar to the discipline prescribed in 1 Corinthians 5), confession and restitution/repentance (5:7-10).

What a great section of Scripture! What’s more important than the holiness of God and being holy because He is holy?!?

The difficulty, as you know, however, is trying to navigate through all the OT specifics that we do not directly apply to our situation. In a 45 minute sermon, for instance, you really have to stay focused providing only the details that are absolutely necessary to convey the theology about God’s holiness and ours.

If you do that, our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21). You’ll be challenged, but, like every other through-the-Book series, it’s entirely worth it.

Randal

P.S. You may recall that the main title of this series is taken from 14:8 “he will bring us into this land.” Each Sunday titles look like this:

“he will bring us into this land”: (subtitle)

This one was:

“he will bring us into this land”: But We Must Separate Ourselves To God

Posted on

The Potentially Fatal Holiness Of God: Preaching Through Numbers

by

I was pretty sure Numbers wasn’t represented on the list of top Bible verse about God’s holiness, but it certainly could be. One of the great things about preaching through the book of Numbers is that it provides opportunities to teach faith-families about God’s potentially fatal holiness.

Take, for instance, Numbers 3:1–4:49. God certainly will bring us into this land (from 14:8), but it involves navigating His fatal holiness. Before God’s people begin their trek, they must learn how important it is to have God in the center of their camp and how to keep from getting killed by holiness-at-close-range.

So, you can teach the seriousness of God’s presence (in vv. 3:7-10, 38; 4:15, 17-20). The Levites are assigned the task of guarding Aaron and the whole congregation. Priests and people must approach God on His terms. The threat of death is sprinkled throughout the section (cf. 4:15, 19-20). The “holy things” cannot be mishandled “lest [those who do] die” (4:15).

I probably don’t have to say that we don’t know much about the holiness of God to this degree!

You can also teach about the price to enter God’s presence (vv. 3:11-13, 40-51). In this section the Lord declares to Moses that He has taken the Levites “instead of the firstborn…among the people of Israel….for all the firstborn are mine….They shall be mine: I am the Lord” (3:12-13).

[Anyone interested in showing how the Christ-event makes Numbers function for the Church will want to show God providing His own Son to pay the steep price.]

Finally, you’ll want to consider some segment that provides an opportunity for congregants to respond to being able to enter God’s presence.

I practice faith-first application so before I get to the “be holy, for I am holy,” part, I will talk about Christ as outlined in brackets above. Then, once I’ve established that Christ makes His holiness available to all who believe, it’s time to make sure everyone in the house consecrates themselves by faith, in the power of Christ’s Spirit (cf. Lev. 11:44-45). God’s holiness demands and creates our holiness in those who believe.

I am finding that, in a day and age when many professing Christians profess faith, some haven’t connected their faith with actual holiness. The book of Numbers provides excellent theology to combat this spiritual disease.

I hope you’ll have an opportunity to preach Numbers so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

 

Unknown

A couple of weeks ago I began the frightening task of preaching through Judges. In 6:22 Gideon realizes he has seen the angel of the Lord: “Alas….I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” Dale Ralph Davis comments:

“There is nothing amazing about grace as long as there is nothing fearful about holiness.”

Judges (Beanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2000), 97
Posted on

What’s Missing When Your Listeners Hear You Say, “Savior”

by

6_Appeal_to_Authority

In Luke 19:38 as Jesus makes His triumphal approach (I realized that the term, triumphal entry, was a bit premature because even in the next paragraph, He still hadn’t entered the city), the crowd yells, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”

In my experience, congregants do not automatically think ultimate authority when they think about Jesus. That’s partly because they are more familiar with the term, Savior. “Savior,” however, does not carry ultimate authority into their ears. It needs to.

While preaching through the Gospel of Luke, I was amazed at how often the authority of Jesus was highlighted. There is a large section in Luke 19:11–20:18, for instance, that centers on Jesus’ authority and reactions to His authority. At the beginning of chapter 20 comes the challenge, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.”

I’m pretty sure we’ve got more than a handful of parishioners who don’t acknowledge the ultimate authority of King Jesus. They know He’s their Savior, but they don’t connect being saved with being obedient. That’s why they aren’t transformed into the image of Christ; that’s why the Church looks much like society in many respects.

So, before Sunday, see if the language in your sermon helps your listeners understand the ultimate authority of their Savior.

You might have to repeatedly add the concept of authority to any statements made about their Savior. Some, as you know, prefer the extended, “Lord and Savior,” or “the Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s not a bad start. But I think that even “Lord” no longer carries ultimate authority like it did in the first century church.

Then, whenever your preaching portion contains imperatives (explicit or implicit), spend a moment emphasizing the identity and authority of King Jesus.

Preach well for the sake of God’s reputation in the Church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

Posted on

Two Angles in which to Explore Offensive Commandments

by

I just recently completed preaching through Isaiah. Before beginning another through-the-Book study, I am spending several weekends on God and the Life He Gives. The short series will highlight key characteristics of God and also key aspects of living the Christian life. A proper study of the Christian life involves studying the God who grants it. At times, we struggle with God’s kind of life because we do not understand Him and His character.

Take, for instance, God’s difficult instructions to Hagar in Genesis 16:9. Why would God tell Hagar to return and submit to a woman, Sarai, who was dealing harshly with her (cf. Genesis 16:6). What kind of God would instruct a female servant to return to an abusive mistress? The answer is a God who has determined to save the powerless and afflicted. This concept applies equally to instructions in 1 Peter 2:13-14. See also 1 Peter 2:18 and 1 Peter 3:1. God is a God who saves those who depend on Him or rely on Him alone.

Another angle on this is to ask what it is about the nature of our salvation that would warrant such an instruction. In this case of Hagar submitting to Sarai, salvation, by nature, involves being delivered in the midst of a terrible environment (as opposed to being delivered out of a terrible situation). Saving faith involves dependence upon God, the opposite of taking matters into one’s own hand (in this case, taking matters into her own hands would be Hagar not returning and submitting to Sarai).

You might find yourself in conversations where someone asks, “Should so-and-so submit to that?!?” In other words, the particular circumstance seemingly cancels out the biblical instruction. Before you attempt to answer that specific scenario, try taking the person through these two angles: (1)What is it about God that He would require such actions? (2) What is it about the nature of salvation that would require such actions?