Category Archives: Preaching difficult texts

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Faith-Driven Courage: Preaching Through Numbers

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Let’s Be Sure We’re Sure the Book of Numbers Is Relevant.

I’m not quite there yet, but getting closer to Numbers 14:8 which contained my selected general theme for my study: “He will bring us into this land.” The parallels between their journey and ours are one way Numbers is extremely relevant to faith-families.

Chapter 13 also provides critical information for our journey. God will certainly bring us home, but it will require faith-driven courage.

Here’s the path I took our folks through:

  1. God has promised to give us LifePlus (vv. 1-16)
  2. But it isn’t all roses (vv. 17-29)
  3. So, will it be faith or fear? (vv. 30-33)

The narrative begins with God’s command to send the spies into the Promised Land. Their distribution shows that everyone of God’s children has this gift from the Lord.

Our listeners need to see from the second paragraph that this journey will not be easy. In v. 22, for instance, we read, “the descendants of Anak, were there.” Yikes! No wonder Moses said a bit earlier, “Be of good courage…” (v. 20). I worded it, “it isn’t all roses,” but that section does contain some: “That place was called the Valley of Eschol, because of the cluster…” (v. 24). You can see both the encouraging and frightening news in vv. 27-28: “It flows with milk and honey….However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large.” Bummer.

So, Caleb attempts to lead them up to occupy the land reasoning, “for we are well able to overcome it” (v. 30). Every man that went up with him said the opposite, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are” (v. 31).

Every day our folks make a decision on which report to believe, Caleb’s good one, or the “bad report” (v. 32).

If you’d like to experience a Christo-centric reading of Numbers 13, one option is in v. 16 and the special attention drawn to Joshua (our Jesus). And because He was overcome on the cross, we are overcomers through Him on our journey. Caleb’s right because of the promises of God-in-Christ.

This kind of relevance is one of the reasons why our Lord receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) when Numbers is preached.

Randal

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Preaching for Victory Over Strong Cravings: Preaching Through Numbers

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Numbers teaches us about our deadly cravings!

I know the book of Numbers presents major challenges to preachers and teachers who intend to interpret meaning so it functions for the church. But Numbers 11 is pretty straightforward.

The reason is because Numbers 11:4-35 describes how God’s people experience strong cravings on their journey from redemption to new creation (v. 4 “Now the rabble…had a strong craving…”).

Meaning develops along these lines:

Verses 4-10a describe our strong cravings. You’ll quickly see that all the cravings came from their time in slavery in Egypt. Talk about selective memory: God’s people remember all the good food, but forget the whole slavery deal!

Then, you might skip down to vv. 18-20 and see the terrible potential of these strong cravings. It’s hard to imagine a Christian saying they wanted to go back to pre-converted days. Think about what that says about their relationship with the Lord!! Some of you will remember the old Keith Green song about wanting to go back to Egypt (cf. v. 18 “…For it was better for us in Egypt”).

You’ll want to highlight the prophecy about what will happen when the Lord decides to give His people the meat they strongly desire (v. 20 “…and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord…”)

Finally, verses 10b and 31-34 describe the terrible punishment of our Lord. It’s one of the many places in Numbers where we read about the Lord’s anger being kindled against His people. A healthy dose of this kind of theology certainly helps convince the faithful to remain so!

However, you won’t want to leave your people in the judgement-only Numbers 11. Consider taking your listeners to v. 6 and remind them that as our Savior approached the cross we read, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death…” (Matt. 26:38). His death was effective to save because of His strong craving: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:34). Anyone who trusts Him is able to battle the strong cravings that threaten the soul.

I hope this summary will encourage you to consider reading the book of Numbers with your faith-family and may our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through your efforts (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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“the Lord has promised good to Israel”: Preaching Through Numbers

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God Has Promised Good Things For Us!

Preaching through the book of Numbers requires us to discover meaning through the storyline of the narrative. God tells Moses to make trumpets (v. 2) to signal the congregation. The purpose is stated in v 9 “that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. Then in v. 10 “They shall be a reminder of your before your God…” That relationship will take some exegetical work, but is critical to the theology of the story: we remember God and He remembers us.

Then in v. 29 is an interesting scene where Moses encourages a relative to join him. As is often the case, the dialogue contains more theology for the church: “Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” That is repeated again in v. 32. And our congregants will be encouraged as you remind them of His faithfulness!

The narrative ends with a remarkable speech surrounding the benefits of having God’s presence (the ark of the covenant). There is spiritual guidance and protection on our journey.

It’s the kind of narrative that brings a congregation to thanksgiving and praise. But they have to know that all this talk about Israel does preach in church. That’s one of the best reasons to preach through a book like Numbers. Every Sunday speak for God to them about them on their faith journey.

Now, it will tax your exegetical and theological skills, but you and your hearers will grow through the series and God will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

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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What I Learned From Preaching Through Chronicles

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For my final post on preaching through First and Second Chronicles, I thought I would share what I learned from this process. I hope it helps you consider taking your faith-family through some OT books.

First, I preached 13 sermons in 1 Chronicles and 18 sermons in 2 Chronicles for a total of 31 sermons. If you know the length of these two books, then you realize that many of my preaching portions (pericopes) were large. I believe this is best if you are going to preach theology without getting bogged down in minutia (I use that term reverently when dealing with Scripture!). This also reflects my position on being careful as to how much repetition I imitate in OT narratives.

Second, I encourage you to break such series up into smaller chunks. In this case you might consider at least taking a break from the series between preaching First and Second Chronicles. It also helps if Christmas or Easter, for instance, falls somewhere in the lengthy series. These holy days provide opportunities to break away from the normal series for some weeks.

Third, I don’t know of anything like preaching through such books of the OT that will test your abilities as a theologian/pastor for your faith-family. Great sermons require great texts and not all pastors and parishioners consider every text a great text–especially in some places in Chronicles! The process of preaching through OT books will test your hermeneutic/homiletic like nothing else.

Fourth, preaching through Chronicles will give you new appreciation for the inspiration of Scripture. There are some exquisite texts in those two books, found nowhere else in the Bible. Your congregants will benefit greatly from your efforts and come away with a new appreciation for the canon of Scripture.

Fifth, preaching through books will force you to think about their theme and purpose or intention. Over the years of preaching through both Old and New Testament books, I have had to wrestle with selecting themes for the book (including an image like the Google Maps one above). For Chronicles I chose the wording of David’s prayer: Direct Our Hearts Toward You, Lord (with each pericope adding a different subtitle).

Sixth and finally, preaching through Chronicles will help you develop your Christo-centric instincts and method as you move from each pericope to the Gospel in order to show how Chronicles functions for the Church.

I hope you’ll consider preaching through books of the Bible 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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Preaching Both Folly and Wisdom: Preaching Through Chronicles

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Due to the spiritual schizophrenia of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, when you reach 2 Chronicles 9:31–12:16 you preach both foolishness and wisdom. I found it to be one of my most difficult sermons in this Chronicles series. But here’s a strategy that worked.

Begin with foolishness and there’s plenty of it in 10:1-15a; 11:14-15 and 12:1, 14. Virtually every section contains some form of “go and do otherwise” examples from this king. His foolishness ranges from refusing to listen to wise counsel to unfaithfulness to the Lord Himself.

Then it’s easy to move to the cursed results of the king’s foolishness in 10:16-19; 12:2-5, 9-11 and 15. In those sections, God’s people experience division, defeat in battle, and are deserted by God. These sermon minutes are aimed at encouraging our faith-families to not follow the foolishness of Rehoboam.

Thankfully, the next section shows the king recovering some of his spiritual sensitivities. There is wisdom to emulate in 11:1-4, 16-17, 22-23 and 12:6. One critical concept throughout Chronicles is in 11:16-17 where people “set their hearts to seek the Lord….for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.”

The sermon can end on a wonderful note of blessings found in 11:5-13, 18-21; 12:7-8 and 12-13. The highlight for me in this section is in 12:7-8 and 12-13 where the Lord extends mercy: “I will not destroy them…and my wrath shall not be poured out…”

And if you have the inclination to move to the cross, key on 12:12 “And when he humbled himself the wrath of the Lord turned from him…” Not so of Christ on the cross. And that’s the reason why we can experience deliverance in our world.

Anyway, that’s the way I handled probably my toughest preaching portion in Chronicles so far. I hope it helps you preach through the books so God receives His due in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Preaching My Toughest Section (so far!): Preaching Through Chronicles

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When you reach 1 Chronicles 23:1 through 27:34 you encounter my toughest section to date. King David gives instructions to prepare for the building of the house of the Lord. What makes this section so difficult is, (1) it’s sheer size and detail and (2) needing to decide what temple details correspond to our worship and service.

McConville says that these five chapters provide “a picture of the people of God organized for the life of service” (p. 91). So, we urge our faith-families to worship by following the patterns presented by their temple service.

Here’s how I approached the section:

Title: “Direct our hearts toward you, O Lord” to do your work in the church and in the world.

  1. There is work to be done (23:4, 24, 28, 32;24:3, 19; 25:1; 26:12, 30). Nine times you’ll read, “work and duties.” The NT is not the only place to find the subject of spiritual gifts.
  2. There is praise and blessing to offer (23:5, 13). A neglected discussion pertaining to worship services is the pronouncement of blessings (cf. 23:13). It’s a time to announce: “You are the recipient of God’s special powers.”
  3. We’re characterized by humble service (24:5, 31; 25:8; 26:13). This is fascinating: everyone submits to casting lots to receive their ministry description. Social standing had nothing to do with the ministry you got.
  4. There’s lots of singing and instrumentals to offer (25:1, 6-7). This is a great time to rally your faith-family around the importance of music within the context of a worship service. I hope your church is fortunate to have people who use their musical talents. For some reason God has always appreciated music as an integral part of worshiping Him.
  5. There’s skill involved (26:6-9, 30-31). Evidently, non-skill would not honor the glory of God. God is worthy of our best talent and skill.
  6. Finally–everyone’s favorite–there’s money management (26:20, 22, 26-27). There’s hardly ever a bad time to talk to your faith-family about their financial habits. There’s so much disciple-making work to be done across the street or across the seas. And it takes a ton of money.

Finally, if you are interested in a Christological reading of this section of Chronicles, you can refer to the construction language in Ephesians 2:19-22, “…members of the household of God…Christ himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure…grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”

Preach that tough section well so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. Unless you divide this message into two or three parts, you will need to cover these sections quickly. Due to my earlier teaching through Exodus, in this Chronicles section I decided not to go into details about the significance of the temple furniture and procedures.

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Preaching the Significance of Solomon’s Temple: Preaching Through First Chronicles

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Photo by Michelle Rosen on Unsplash

When you preach 1 Chronicles 22:1-19 and 28:1-21 you have the privilege of showing your faith-family the significance of “the house of the Lord” (22:1).

Kings David and Solomon, remember, are portrayed as ideal kings. Their best practices move us to want what they did for God’s people under their rule and authority. In this case, David’s instructions about building the temple shows us that the worship of God must be central in our lives.

I remember saying, “If only I could convince us that we need God’s powerful presence more than good health, someone to love, a spouse, family, friends, job, financial security.”

In his commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles, Pratt refers to Israel’s worship center as his presence, “his accessible power.” That’s what they needed back then; that’s what we need now in order to experience any level of spiritual success.

I defined success as: “Success in whatever assignment God gives you in life and the redemption of any perceived failures or setbacks.”

But, as far as sermon structure through this section, you might try:

  1. Desiring God’s powerful presence (22:1-10, 17-19; 28:1-6, 11-21) Key to this section is 22:19 “Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.” And then help your parishioners see that “God is uniquely present when the church assembles” (from my friend, Jim Samra’s book, The Gift of Church, p. 24). Scriptures such as 1 Cor. 5:4; Eph. 2:21-22; Heb. 3:6; 10:22-25, and 1 Peter 2:5 can help solidify this understanding.
  2. Securing God’s powerful presence (22:11-16; 28:7-10). It’s critical to stress 22:12-13 in these minutes. Everything centers on our obedience. Note the condition, “Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules…” (v. 13). One of the great exhortations is in 28:9 “…know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind…”

And if you’re wanting to remind your folks how their Christianity works, take a moment to tell them what Christ said would happen if the people destroyed “this temple” (John 2:19-21) and how the Spirit creates our ability to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law (Romans 8:4).

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

Randal

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How to Preach Theology-in-Genealogies (an example from 1 Chronicles 1:1–9:34)

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If you’re committed to preaching through books of the Bible, sooner or later you’ll come face to face with an OT or NT genealogy. What’s an expositor to do?!

  1. Enjoy the thought of covering 9 chapters in one sermon. I am finding that there are large preaching portions in the first several sections of 1 Chronicles. This allows the series to cover large pieces of biblical real estate tracts with each sermon.
  2. The lessons for the Church from 1 Chronicles’ history includes the narrations sprinkled throughout the genealogy. In no particular order, the omniscient narrator reveals…
  3. that we are products of Divine election (1:26-28; 2:15 where Abram is selected out of the blue, Isaac is put ahead of Ishmael, and David is selected even though he was “the seventh,” not the first).
  4. we are a people who make the right choices (1:1; 4:9-10; 5:18-22 where folks like Seth and Jabez highlight those who call upon the name of the Lord (cf. Genesis 4:26)).
  5. but we are also a people who sometimes make fatal decisions (1:1; 2:3, 4, 7; 5:1, 25-26; 9:1 where we see sin entering the world through the likes of Adam, and Israel’s firstborn, Reuben; not to mention those that “broke faith with the God of their fathers…”). What an appropriate warning for our faith-families! Hebrews 2:1 warns us of the possibility of professing Christians to “drift away…”
  6. Finally, these chapters are filled with God’s people fulfilling certain tasks in the world (4:14, 23; 6:31-33, 48-49; 9:13, 26-33). The tribe of Levi, for instance, is situated in the middle of the lengthy genealogy. Worship had to be central for God’s people to enjoy His benefits. But there was the need for “craftsmen” and “potters” too. There is lots of work to be done.
  7. Finally, we find our place in this family tree through faith in Christ, the son of David (Matt. 1:1; Luke 3:23-28).

Everything in the genealogy is headed towards King Saul and the theological explanation for Israel’s predicament: “And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith” (9:1). Their only hope and ours is found in another King, David and, ultimately, David’s Son.

And when we say we’re in Jesus’ family tree, we have to be honest about what kind of family member we are. Which characters are we most like? It’s a time for us to bolster, not break faith. It’s a time for us to work hard by the grace of God at our worship of and work for our King.

I hope this gives some ideas for preaching an extremely difficult section of Scripture so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal