Category Archives: preaching OT narratives

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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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What I Learned From Listening To Nine Sermons In One Day!

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I recently returned from teaching a fine class of Doctor of Ministry students (Preaching the Literary Forms of the Bible track) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. It’s always enjoyable and a privilege each May to join my good friend, Dr. Jeffrey Arthurs, for these days.

However, one of our responsibilities is listening to their sermons. My mentor, Dr. Haddon Robinson, once said that he had listened to so many bad sermons over the years, it’s a wonder he was still a Christian. He was half-joking. Thankfully, these students preached well.

But here’s what I observed from listening to nine of ten sermons in one day (All the sermons were dealing with preaching a narrative text.):

We have a tendency to spend too much time retelling the history of the text and not enough time telling the theology of the text.

If I remember correctly, I wrote that comment on virtually every sermon evaluation form.

It seems that instinctively (or due to training/modeling) we believe our task as preachers is to rehearse past redemptive history. Preachers keep their listeners in the past, learning about what happened in the Story.

WE’RE THEOLOGIANS, NOT HISTORIANS

I encouraged the class to think of themselves as theologians, not historians. That means, of course, that we’re able to write the sermon from the perspective of conveying theology, not history. That means we know how each part of the Story is functioning for the Church. That means we know how each part of the Story addresses our human condition as churchgoers. That means we are always talking to us about us from God’s Word. It’s never about God’s Word.

Next time you preach try to monitor yourself in the moment–are you sounding like a history lecture or a theologian/pastor?

And may our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Preaching the OT Conditions that Drive Disciple-Making: Preaching Through Chronicles

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I was fascinated by this therapist’s ad because our goals–change–are identical. What you may not have thought of was using “if-then” statements to affect change. I didn’t until I preached through 1 & 2 Chronicles.

When–not if–you arrive at 2 Chronicles 15 you encounter one of the most fascinating conditions or “if clauses” found in Scripture. Verse 2 reads, “If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.”

Depending on your theology, that statement spoken by a Spirit-filled Azariah to King Asa can cause some problems. If you feel the need to run to the NT (as I did, if I remember correctly) have everyone look at 2 Timothy 2:12-13 which reads:

“if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”

I didn’t say turning there would solve all the problems.

But 2 Chronicles 15 provides a wonderful opportunity for a faith-family to consider the condition for experiencing salvation-rest promised in Scripture.

Verses 1-2 describe the condition. The key to success in the Christian life is having the Lord with you in an OT sense. When the Lord was with His people He fought hard for them and they always came out on top. The opposite was also true.

The condition is God’s people being “with him” or seeking Him. Both describe a person that looks to Him alone for provision, protection, and direction in life. It’s an important part of being a Christ-follower.

Verses 3-7 describe life without God’s active, powerful presence. It’s not a pretty sight. Verse 6 says, “They were broken in pieces.”

Finally, verses 8-19 describe drastic measures taken to ensure God’s powerful presence remains. Those that didn’t seek the Lord were put to death! (v. 13) and “Even Maacah, his mother, King Asa  removed from being queen mother because she had made a detestable image for Asherah” (v. 16). Wow! That’s serious spiritual reform.

And when you preach on this OT condition your listeners will catch how important it is to become part of Asa’s kingdom where  God fights hard for His own. I hope you’ll do this so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

 

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Allowing King Asa to Lead the Way to Relying on God: Preaching Through Chronicles

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After a few weeks off from blogging, I want to continue suggesting ways to preach through Second Chronicles.

Over the past few weeks I’ve enjoyed taking Ph.D. classes which included discussions about how biblical history is written. The Chronicler certainly is designed for a purpose and that purpose helps us understand how to preach the record of king Asa in a way that functions for the church. The post-exilic community needed assurance that they were still the people of God and that they could still enjoy God’s blessing. King Asa leads the way.

Also, during that span of time I was privileged to present a preaching workshop as part of the Company of Pastors conference held at Lancaster Bible College/Capital Seminary & Graduate School. My topic was, “Go and do likewise”: Redeeming the Moralistic Sermon. Our congregations worship in 2 Chronicles 14:1-15 by following Asa’s example. Again, king Asa leads the way.

First, notice that in vv. 1, 5b-6, and 7b our salvation is described in terms of rest and peace. I defined this kind of shalom as:

  • things are good between me and God
  • things are good between me and you
  • things are good between me and me (I know that’s poor English!)
  • I do not play God in my world and
  • I trust Him to heal the brokenness and patiently wait for Him to do so.

How we receive that rest is found in vv. 2-5a and 7a. These verses explain all that Asa did. This is where we make sure each of us are citizens within such a kingdom. Especially important is the concept in vv. 4 and 7 of seeking the Lord. It is the Chronicler’s way of talking about the Christian’s active trust. This describes a person who trusts God for provision, protection, and direction in this life and the next.

Finally, vv. 8-15 provide an example of God granting rest to Asa and his citizens. It’s one of my favorite sections in Chronicles. In v. 11 Asa “cried to the Lord his God, ‘O Lord, there is none like you to help….Help us…for we rely on you…” I love Jonathan Edwards take on this: “Though they [aren’t] safe from those things that are in themselves evil, yet they are safe from the evil of those things” (from his sermon on the Christian’s Safety).

And if you’re interested in a Christological angle, Jesus promised to give rest in Matt. 11:28. And if you think your folks might think this to be optional, you can warn them with 2 Chronicles. 15:12-13; 1 Cor. 6:9-11, and Rev. 21:7-8.

Anyway I hope you have the opportunity to preach this wonderful chapter in God’s Word so He receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

 

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Preaching the Wisdom of Solomon: Preaching Through 2 Chronicles

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Solomon certainly was a wise ole owl. His God-given wisdom is highlighted almost immediately in chapter 1 of 2 Chronicles.

As I entered 2 Chronicles, I chose to stay with the same theme, “Direct our hearts toward you, Lord.” Solomon leads the way by showing that God alone possesses the wisdom we need to live LifePlus. When you preach 1:1-17 and also 9:1-31 you will be encouraging your parishioners to follow Solomon’s example by seeking the wisdom God provides.

You might begin with the concept of the Source and special nature of this wisdom (vv. 1:7, 10). It is significant that the narrative begins with God telling Solomon, “Ask what I shall give you.” There’s so much theology in that question.

I asked our faith-family: “Wouldn’t it be great if God asked you that same question?” Of course, according to Matt. 7:7 and James 1:5; 4:2, God does tell us to ask Him for the same: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all…” This separates us from the average citizen who turns elsewhere for this commodity.

Next, you might want to spend a moment talking about the priority of this wisdom (vv. 1:8-9, 11). There were so many other things Solomon could have asked for (see the list in v. 11). Every one of those things was important to Solomon’s success, but he asked God for wisdom. Solomon truly was a fine example of Homo (man) Sapiens (wise).

Finally, wisdom has its benefits (vv. 1:12-17; 9:1-28). Chapter 9 contains this wonderful story of the Queen of Sheba arriving to see Solomon’s wisdom firsthand. Solomon’s subjects were faring very well in his kingdom and she was amazed at what she saw. Wisdom did that.

Proverbs 3:18 says, “she is a tree of life…” and 4:13, “for she is your life.”

And if you want to read Christologically, Matt. 12:42 says, “…something greater than Solomon is here.” God made Jesus “our wisdom” says 1 Cor. 1:30.

God’s reputation in the church and in Christ Jesus will increase as you preach the wisdom Solomon received and Christ provides all who believe (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

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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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Preaching The Old Testament Battles: Preaching Through 1 Chronicles

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Sooner or later while preaching through 1 Chronicles you come across the battle narratives. That’s true in 1 Chronicles 18:1–20:8. This is an excellent time to teach about the enemies of our souls and how to defeat them through faith in Christ.

But before moving to a summary of the world, prince, and desires of the flesh (cf. Ephesians 2:2-3), spend a moment highlighting the supernatural foes and our terrible odds. One of my favorites is the six-fingered man and giants of 1 Chronicles 20:6-8. God wants us to know that our foes are menacing.

But key to the theology of this section is the repetition of “…the Lord gave victory wherever he went” (cf. 18:6, 13). David is invincible in these battles. All credit goes to the Lord. The victories were a gift from the Lord. And this is what makes any of our spiritual victories possible. This is what ensures any spiritual success.

Finally, what I love about preaching through Chronicles–true of OT narratives in general–is the balance of God’s work and our work. In 19:13 is the instruction: “Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”

Spiritual victories don’t happen without our using the strength God provides. Paul tells us the same thing in Ephesians 6:10ff. (“Be strong in the Lord…”). He says the same thing to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12 (“fight the good fight of faith”).

And if you’re wanting to explain how God makes spiritual victories possible for Believers, mention how Christ achieved the ultimate victory (cf. Col. 2:15; 1 John 5:4-5 “…this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.”

1 Chronicles 18:1–20:8 provide a great opportunity for us to urge our folks to use the strength our Lord provides in the fight against deadly temptation. And our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Preaching the Davidic/Solomonic Kingship: Preaching Through 1 Chronicles

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I admit: the title of this blog post is not sermon-friendly.

My own title for 1 Chronicles 17:1-15 was: “Direct our hearts toward you, Lord”: Living Life In God’s Eternal Kingdom.

1 Chronicles 17 is one of the more significant chapters in the OT. That’s because it contains information about the promises God made to David concerning his dynasty.

The most important aspect of preaching the Davidic/Solomonic Covenant is showing how everything God promised us in Christ, the Son of David, is guaranteed because of what God promised to do for David and his son, Solomon. David’s dynasty would be eternal which means it’s still active every Sunday morning.

This is a case where biblical theology is as important, if not more important, than exegesis.

 

So, here’s a way to approach this chapter:

  1. Our need for God’s kingdom (vv. 1-10a). Verses 8-9 describe the fact of God’s powerful presence to defeat Israel’s enemies (especially, “violent men”). The warfare which began in Genesis 3:1ff. and the promised victories of Gen. 3:15 and 1 Corinthians 15:24ff. provide the context for the Church’s current situation and ultimate hope.
  2. Our need for a King in God’s kingdom (vv. 10b-12). It is very difficult to preach this point in a democratic society like the U.S. I spent some minutes reviewing why Israel wanted a king in the first place (cf. 1 Sam. 8:20, “…fight our battles”). Most important is the fact that God’s chosen king rules in a “kingship within God’s kingly rule” (Bock & Blaising). The Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology speaks of the significant “role of a royal covenant mediator in the person of the king.” We don’t access God’s kingdom and all the benefits of God’s rule apart from a Mediator.
  3. Our life as citizens in God’s kingdom (vv. 13-15). Here is the place to show that the special adoption language describing God’s relationship to the king applies to us (“…I will not take my steadfast love from him…”).

Finally, you may want to move from the son of David (Solomon) to the Son of David (Christ in Matt. 1:1, 17, 20) who is declared the Son of God (Matt. 3:17) who makes living in God’s kingdom possible.

I hope this provides the kind of framework that can help the Church make sense of the Davidic Covenant so God receives glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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How to Preach 1 Chronicles. Really.

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You know you want to preach through 1 Chronicles.

When you do, this series of posts may provide some help. Last month I launched a series through this book so I will try to provide examples of navigating this part of redemptive history in a way that functions for the Church.

First, the image I selected for the series connects to my chosen theme for the book: “Direct Our Hearts Toward You, Lord.” These are the words of king David recorded in 1 Chronicles 29:18.

I have written before about the importance of choosing a preaching theme for a book study. It takes some time but is well worth the effort.

Benefit for the Listener: Notice that I’ve chosen to word the series title as an applicational statement. In this case, a request that mirrors David’s original request. As we worship our way through 1 Chronicles each Sunday, we remind ourselves how we are supposed to respond generally to our God. The Faith-Family never has to wonder how 1 Chronicles applies. It’s relevant by design.

You can imagine that your congregants will question the book’s relevance when they begin reading 9 chapters of genealogies (more on that next time)!

Benefit for the Preacher: But, selecting a theme for the book benefits you too. The process requires some familiarity with the whole book. That means reading through it quickly and consulting some introductory studies.

In the case of 1 Chronicles, reliable guides will highlight the unique positive perspective of the Chronicler: David and Solomon’s kingdoms are held up as positive examples for God’s people to follow so they can experience the blessing of God as did Israel in their hay day.

When I read through the book, as is often the case, the ending of the book provided a clue of its purpose. Unlike king Saul, David seeks the Lord.

1 Chronicles 10:14 (the narrator’s comment in the opening story after all the genealogies) describes Saul’s way: “He did not seek guidance from the Lord…” But David prays in 29:18 “…direct their hearts toward you.”

That’s the difference between spiritual defeat and spiritual victory. And every sermon in 1 Chronicles provides an opportunity for God’s people to follow their Savior on The Way.

May you experience the privilege of preaching 1 Chronicles for the sake of God’s reputation in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal