Category Archives: preaching

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“The Power of the Office and of the Minister”: Preaching and Pastoral Ministry

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Is it only me, or does the thought of the power of the pastoral office/ministry seem out of step these days?

I regularly read ancient confessions to help me think theologically. The goal is to add theological depth to my preaching in order to feed the flock well as we read Scripture together each Sunday.

I am also near completion of my first full-length e-book, Preacher As Soul-Watcher, which contains a section on Hebrews 13:17 and the preacher’s authority.

The Second Helvetic Confession (“Helvetic” is Latin for “Swiss” and this confession grew out of the context of Swiss-German Reformed Protestantism in the mid-sixteenth century) contains chapter 18:

“Of the Ministers of the Church, Their Institution and Duties.”

After the section on our Lord’s absolute power is,

“The Power of the Office and of the Minister” (p. 93, The Book of Confessions). It reads…

“Then there is another power of an office or of ministry limited by him who has full and absolute power. And this is more like a service than a dominion….In virtue of this power the minister, because of his office, does that which the Lord has commanded him to do; and the Lord confirms what he does, and wills that what his servant has done will be so regarded and acknowledged, as if he himself had done it” (p. 93)

When we preach God’s Word with accuracy, we’re doing what the Lord commanded us to do. According to the confession, the Lord confirms what we do and wants our listeners to regard our preaching as if He Himself had preached.

I don’t know from Sunday to Sunday who will think of my preaching like this, but I do know that this thought encourages me as I prepare for another Sunday.

I hope you are encouraged too by the thought of our derived pulpit power bringing glory to God in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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How Rules for Exegesis Affect Preaching

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The Implication of “Scripture’s exactness” on our preaching

If you’ve read some of my material through the years, you know that most of my reading centers on hermeneutics, exegesis, and theological studies. The reason is because I put a premium on those topics in the context of my preaching and teaching homiletics. The reason is because I value their contribution over most, purely homiletical writings. The reason is because of my conviction that precision is more important than presentation.

[Caveat: however, I work hard at both precision and presentation and realize that poor preaching can eclipse the exegetical/theological precision used in the sermon development stage.]

Last week I began reading, Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis, by R. B. Jamieson and Tyler R. Wittman.

Chapter 3 contains an interesting discussion of “Scripture’s Exactness” (p. 50). The section begins:

“Early Christian interpreters often spoke of Scripture’s ‘exactness’…to underscore divine teaching’s intentionality, reliability, and attention to detail” (p. 50).

The authors explore two implications of this concept.

First, God chooses His words very carefully. This is especially important when considering how many different authors, styles, and genres are in Scripture. God chooses those words very carefully (you will, no doubt, read this through the grid of your own view of inspiration).

Second, and I will quote them here, “what is taught carries a degree of precision that we must grasp” (p. 51).

Therefore, during sermon development it is important that I pay close attention to the words God uses to reveal Himself and His plan for His people. I cannot be a lazy reader, but a close reader of Scripture. That will serve my faith-family well as I prepare to read with them each Sunday.

The second implication for preaching is that, by God’s grace and the Spirit’s enablement, my precise understanding of Scripture must match Scripture’s precision. That almost always requires me and you to paraphrase and restate what God is saying precisely. That means you and I must choose our words and illustrations very carefully to be as precise as we can be. An example is our use of the word, trinity, or nature, words which may not be found in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek.

Anyway, I hope you get a taste of how a doctrine such as Scripture’s exactness affects our preaching. May our contemplation of God’s inspired revelation and its implication result in God receiving glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Think Twice Before Purchasing Someone Else’s Sermon Outlines

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It is very appealing to hear that purchasing someone else’s sermon outlines can save tons of time, but…

I love Logos as a tool and believe in using lots of tools. 99.9% of the time, I draw the line by refusing to use someone else’s sermon outline for my own preaching.

So, when I saw this ad by Logos, I thought I should send a caution. The product is:

Sermon Outlines For Busy Pastors (11 Volumes).

It is advertised this way:

“Today, pastors are busier than ever, with more time spent in ministry activities and less time spent in sermon preparation. Sermon Outlines for Busy Pastors: Sermons for All Occasions gives the busy pastor a head start on sermon preparation.

Pastors can save hundreds of hours a year, with the base research and layout for a year’s worth of sermons already in place.”

I have no doubt that this is true, but I believe it will cost most preachers way more than the cost of the product itself in terms of their preaching quality. I am not primarily thinking of plagiarism.

The reason is because of how important it is for preachers to identify their own style of outlining that works for them.

Whether preachers formally announces the main points or not, outlining shows how the preacher understands the logic of a text. That logic is critical for helping the sermon hold together for the listener.

Years ago, research showed that one common complaint from our listeners is that our sermons contain too many ideas. More than one thing contributes to this, but one important thing is whether or not we have presented a unifying logic. Outlines present that.

And one critical part of sermon preparation is identifying your own sense of the text’s interior logic.

Study other preacher’s outline if you can and you will see various ways in which outlines are done. But work hard at your own outline so that it works for you and your listeners. Let them see how the major thought blocks of your preaching portion hold together and our God will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. My outline from yesterday’s sermon on Matthew 7:15-20 was:

  1. “Beware of false prophets…” (v. 15a)
  2. Here’s what to look for” (vv. 15b-18, 20)
  3. The implied warning to all of us (v. 19)

It worked for us. I felt I owned the logic of it. It made sense to me as a pathway to the theological interpretation of this part of the Sermon on the Mount.

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You’ve Heard of Thinking on Your Feet, but What About Listening on Your Feet?

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Are you able to listen to the Lord while you preach?

A couple of Sunday’s ago I experienced one of those times when I thought of something new while I was preaching. It wasn’t in my notes; it wasn’t even on my radar (I hadn’t had a fleeting thought that didn’t make it into my notes, only to be recalled while preaching.) In this case it was an illustration that came to me, one that really helped drive home the point in the text. I attributed it to the Holy Spirit’s help, not to something gastro-intestinal.

You too have probably had this happen. While you’re preaching or teaching you think on your feet. It can be described just as accurately as listening on your feet.

So, what has to happen for you and me to listen to the Spirit and learn while I’m preaching?

First, I do not think we can control this. If I remember correctly, the wind blows wherever it wants to. There is no formula that guarantees the Spirit will teach you something new, something substantial, every time you preach/teach.

But here are some things that may make it possible for the Spirit to teach me while I preach.

  • I choose to believe that just because my official study time and sermon prep is over, I am not done learning. I want to remain teachable and eager to learn from the Lord, especially while I am preaching.
  • The better I know my material, the better I am able to listen to the Lord while I am preaching. A good handle on the material means I don’t have to think about what to say next.
  • My congregants have some good insights that teach me while I am preaching. There are many times when dialogue teaches me. I had not thought of it and the thought of it added to my sermon. Technically, you might say that that was not the Spirit but another Christian. I agree. For the sake of this post, let’s say that the Spirit taught them, so He indirectly taught me.
  • Finally, I can preach and think at the same time. I don’t mean thinking about what to say, but really think about the Text and what it means. Ask yourself whether you are able to think and learn while you’re preaching. I don’t have to stop studying, stop listening to God, because I started to preach.

Anyway, I hope that you are able to invite the Spirit of God to teach you while you preach and teach His Word. In my case a couple of Sunday’s ago, the Lord received glory in the church and Christ Jesus because I was listening on my feet (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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A Cross-Eyed Reading of Matthew 6:19-24: “…if your eye is healthy…”

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This morning I had the privilege of preaching Matthew 6:19-24, part of Jesus’s famous Sermon on the Mount. The series reminded me how difficult it is sometimes to preach Christ from the Gospels.

Does that sound odd to you?

In Matthew 6 Jesus is teaching how He transforms people who receive Him. He does this in this section by giving both the negative and positive sides of instruction: “Don’t store up treasures on earth…but store up treasures in heaven…”

My current hermeneutical/homiletical practice requires a segment at the end of every sermon where I explain how Christ-crucified makes it possible for Believers to put his instructions into practice.

Matthew 6:19-24 posed quite a challenge, but I went this route:

Verse 22 reads in the ESV, “So, if your eye is healthy…” The KJV reads, “single.” In this context the healthy or single eye is one that provides a true vision of the inestimable value of God’s kingdom work. To key off from the KJV reading we might say that the situation describes a person who is single-minded in their focus on God and His work (in contrast to valuing money and the things money can buy).

I reasoned that in His life, Jesus was the most single-minded Person who has ever lived. And because He was that kind of Persons, in His death, He can now provide His righteousness, part of which is creating the same kind of perspective or vision. The genuine Christ-follower now has the desire and capacity to follow Jesus’s instruction in this part of His famous Sermon.

That’s an example of a possible path from a Gospel, didactic Text, to the cross, using wording from that Text.

And I hope that as you continue to practice a Christ-centered hermeneutic/homiletic our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21). He can and does, of course, even if you don’t. A side-benefit of cross-eyed preaching is you avoid the phenomenon of sending parishioners out of church trying harder to achieve the ultra-righteousness which Christ demands (cf. Matthew 5:20).

Randal

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A Fresh Definition for the Next Time You Preach on Sin

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What’s your go-to definition for explaining what Adam did?

One of the values of reading theology is that we can gain more precision for explaining key doctrines such as sin.

I have been enjoying and profiting from Bavinck’s one volume, The Wonderful Works of God. In his chapter on sin and death, he provides some non-mainstream definitions of sin.

My standard definition of sin takes me back to my theological training days in the early ’80’s:

Sin is any lack of conformity to the character of God, whether by act, disposition, or state.

I don’t know whether that is a quote from a theology book or from one of my professors. I just know I never forgot it. It’s a pretty good definition.

But, when you preach on sin in the future, see if the following definitions help you communicate this important doctrine:

“It is a deprivation of that which man, in order to be truly human, ought to have; and it is at the same time the introduction of a defect or inadequacy which is not proper to man. (emphasis added)” (p. 211)

“…sin is not a substance in itself, but that sort of disturbance of all the gifts and energies given to man which makes them work in another direction, not toward God but away from Him. (emphasis added)” (p. 211)

What I’ve appreciated is the fresh angle on a very familiar biblical concept (at least, very familiar to most of my congregants). So, this helps them process sin differently than they have before.

And for those that haven’t been introduced to the subject yet, what a great place for them to begin. They can begin to think about their own humanness or what it means to be fully human (sounds a little like C. S. Lewis on the Christian Life, I know). They can think about their purpose in life, a question which I’m told, evidently continues to plague our younger generation.

So, tuck these robust definitions away so they’re ready for use and our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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What An Odd Way to Preach the Gospel: Jesus’s Strongest Instruction, “Be perfect…”

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Feeling the heavy weight of the command, “Be perfect…,” seems like anything but Good News!

If you have had or will have the privilege to preach through Matthew’s version of Jesus’s famous, Sermon on the Mount, brace yourself for having to explain His strongest instruction. It’s the last verse of chapter 5:

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Wow! No pressure there, right?!

Years ago I stumbled upon a commentary on Peter’s epistle–his name is Kelly, I think. I will never forget reading his take on New Testament commands. He referred to them as something like the Gospel in imperative form.

I am sure other authors have said similar things. And seemingly everybody quotes Augustine on similar matters. But this really has stuck with me through the years. And it is such a helpful preaching angle for our congregants.

I am enjoying reading Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s two volumes on the Sermon of the Mount. His understanding of this was also helpful. He calls Jesus’s command in Matthew 5:48 the best compliment Jesus could give His followers.

Isn’t that a great way to put it?

Can you see the Gospel in such a command?

So, when preaching any command, I am always thinking about how the command portrays some aspect of the nature of our salvation or transformation-in-Christ. And in the case of being perfect?

Along with telling our listeners how impossible it is–and depending on our theology, there is a sense that it is impossible on earth–tell them the great news that Jesus came to create followers who can obey His strongest instruction. If you can strike that wonderful balance or paradox, you will do justice both to our sinful selves and Christ’s marvelous power to save.

And you might notice that this prevents our parishioners from leaving church as good moralists, trying harder in their own efforts to be perfect Christians.

And while you explain how that is possible, our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. Do you have your preaching portion for Sunday? Does that preaching portion contain any imperatives? Can you see the Gospel in that imperative form?

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An Ancient Quote Connected to, Preaching’s Not That Hard

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Kind of reminds me of all the steps in hermeneutics and homiletics textbooks!

Last week I took a chapter from leading golf instructor, Gavin Flo, and suggested that, “Preaching’s not that hard.” Let me follow that up with a quote from an ancient systematic theology textbook.

In volume 1 of Mastricht’s, Theoretical-Practical Theology, he begins with a chapter, The Best Method of Preaching.

I was relieved to discover that one characteristic of the best method is brevity. [Notice the method is brief, not their sermons!]

I thought you might enjoy hearing what preaching textbooks were like in the middle of the 17th century (Mastricht’s first four books in the TPT were published in 1682), especially in light of my attempt last week to say that preaching’s not that hard.

“To all these things is added the brevity of the method….For I have never been able to approve the practice of those who composed dense volumes concerning the method of preaching, the perusal and reading of which demands as much time of theology students as a proper syntagma [set] of theology” (p. 4)

In typical, ancient form, Mastricht’s explanation of the best method is detailed. If you can access it, you’ll enjoy the examples he provides from a text in Colossians.

If you’re interested in shorter and, possibly not as well-known textbooks on preaching, you might enjoy something like, The Four Pages of the Sermon, by Paul Scott Wilson. Or maybe an older book like, Preaching with Purpose, by Jay Adams.

As I wrote last week, if the Lord continues to allow me the privilege to preach, I will continue to work hard at improving the art and craft. But I hope to do so within the borders of a method that is relatively brief, especially in comparison to a systematic theology set.

May our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) as you work your method to the max this week.

Randal

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Preaching’s Not That Hard

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Sometimes it’s helpful to simplify what appears to be a very complex action.

Two recent events created this post.

First, I saw this golf teacher, Gavin Flo, on Instagram and heard him say with perfect inflection: “Golf’s not that hard.”

Since I only play golf maybe three times a year at most, I don’t consider myself to be a golfer. My son, Michael, is an excellent golfer and we’ve been able to get out to the driving range a couple of times and play a round or two. That means I am well aware of my weaknesses. Gavin simplifies the action of swinging a golf club and I find it a helpful way for me to learn.

Second, I received an email from a pastor whose wife heard a presentation I gave that combined hermeneutics and homiletics. The wife knew sermon preparation was posing some problems so she handed her husband the notes she took and said he might want to get in touch with me. He did and I offered to meet and talk about the process.

As the pastor described his frustration, he highlighted the fact that textbooks describe so many steps that the process of sermon preparation becomes overwhelming.

So, in the spirit of Gavin Flo, I say: “Preaching’s not that hard.” (with his perfect inflection, of course)

[I need to be honest: golf is hard and if you’ve tried it, you know that. And preaching? But effective teachers of golf and preaching have a way of simplifying the processes. Here’s my attempt to simplify…]

First, as you head into each Sunday sermon, complete this sentence based on your preaching portion: “We worship this morning by ______________.” This is your attempt to show how God designed your Text to function for the church.

Second, allow the structure of your preaching portion to determine the structure of your sermon. This is your attempt to trace the argument or flow of thought in your Text. God conveys theology through structure that may vary from genre to genre.

Third, while you are preaching, from start to finish talk to your listeners about them from the Bible. That’s different from talking to them about the Bible. God is addressing them and so are we.

Finally, while you are preaching, communicate in a way that conveys that this is life and death. This involves genuine-for-you passion, intensity, conviction. This makes the preaching authentic and real.

See. Preaching’s not that hard. And our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus as we keep working hard at this incredible privilege and responsibility (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. Just like golf, you and I will spend a lifetime trying to improve our skills so let’s keep this concept of “simplify” in perspective.

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Preaching Grace in the Sermon on the Mount

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The famous Sermon raises the righteousness bar: “Unless your righteousness exceeds…”

I have been enjoying preaching through Matthew’s gospel for several months this year. The Sermon on the Mount beginning in chapter 5 has been especially enjoyable.

If you are interested in the elements of grace in what is often known as more of a law-kind of text, here are some things I have experienced.

First, because of my recent Ph.D. dissertation on Psalm 119, I had a hyper-awareness to the similarity between the “blessed” in the Psalm and the Beatitudes. It is important that Jesus’s sermon begins with the announcement of blessing. No requirements or rules. Not yet.

Second, Jesus’s first recorded sermon contains the command to “repent” (4:17). So, as Jesus continues to preach about the necessary righteousness, each element of righteousness is a form of repentance, which we know is granted as a gift (cf. Acts 11:18).

Third, and probably the most subtle, is found after the Sermon ends. Matthew 8 begins with two characters displaying tremendous faith in Jesus to heal, first the leper and then the centurion. Matthew positions these narratives in such a way to help readers realize that success in reaching the ultra-righteousness called for in the Sermon is found only through faith in Jesus.

Watch your parishioners while your preaching the Sermon. The bar is raised so high, over and over again. Watch the smiles emerge as you remind them that Jesus commands what He creates. There is no longer the thought of, “I can’t do that!” He has done it and now provides a new desire and capacity for the ultra-righteousness He demands.

Those smiles, sourced in God’s grace, will continue to contribute to His glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal