Posted on

A Preacher’s Manifesto: Ten Commitments That Drive Biblical Preaching

by

IMG_1478

Last week I published my first book. It’s a mini e-book called: A Preacher’s Manifesto: Ten Commitments That Drive Biblical Preaching. I enjoyed distilling my beliefs and practices into this format. Here’s a description of the book:

A Preacher’s Manifesto presents ten commitments that should drive biblical preaching. These ten commitments will guide pastors in creating their preaching calendar, help steer their sermon preparation, and remind them of the vital place preaching occupies in the local church. The commitments include topics ranging from pastoral theology (“preaching as a function of soul-watching”), hermeneutics (“not allow a selected topic to override the meaning of the biblical Text”), and pastoral ministry (“preach as though my spiritual life and the spiritual lives of my parishioners depend on it”). A Preacher’s Manifesto will challenge assumptions, cultivate new commitments, and bring about changes in preaching for the sake of enlarging God’s reputation in the Church.

If you’re interested, you can find the book at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. Smashwords will give you several more reading options, including a PDF of the book. It will also allow you to download a percentage of the book to preview some content.

I hope the ole saying, You get what you pay for, is not true in this case. The book is $2.99, but I believe it will stimulate your thinking.

Again, thank you for thinking about preaching with me.

Preach well for the sake of God’s reputation in the Church.

Posted on

Preaching and the Original Languages: Maximum Benefit from Minimal Knowledge

by

pointed text

How’s your working knowledge of Hebrew and Greek? I hesitate to ask. I know how difficult it is to gain an elementary working knowledge. I know it’s even more difficult to maintain an elementary working knowledge. Then, there’s the debate about how useful such skills are for preaching.

I am going to assume that the vast majority of folks reading this blog are not able to proficiently read Hebrew and Greek. That means you are not doing much translating of your own. Thanks to great tools you can still boost your communication of theology. Here’s a few ways to maximize the information provided by the experts:

  • Pay attention to the Hebrew and Greek word-order in key sentences. After several years of reading through the Bible in a year (roughly 4 chapters a day), I’ve decided this year to slow down and read the Hebrew OT little by little. Immediately in Genesis 1, I noticed the Hebrew ends each day of the creation account with the words, “…day one….day two….day three”, etc. Not much different from saying “the first day…the second day…the third day…” But just enough to change the way parishioners hear the creation account.
  • Usually, when you think of word-order, you’re thinking of emphasis achieved through the placement of key words–either first or last in a sentence. Sometimes it helps to attack a verse by using the order of the original languages. I’m currently preaching a series on the “one another” instructions of the NT. A week ago Sunday was Romans 12:10. The Greek noun, philadelphia, begins the instruction.
  •  Allow the original language terms to brighten your word studies. Years ago a professor once said that using the languages was like watching color television (compared to English only, black and white). The Hebrew language is especially good at painting pictures. But Greek also does this. The noun referred to above is a good example. Let the experts enhance your word studies. And, despite what some will tell you, it is helpful at times to remind your congregants, ” Our English word, _____, comes from this Greek word.”
  • Allow the original languages to help you explain the different translations being read in the pews. More than likely, more than a few translations are being read in your church. It’s often helpful for you to know why their translations read the way they do.

If you’ve experienced additional benefits, please take a moment and share them with us.

Preach well for the sake of God’s reputation in the Church and in the world.

Posted on

Preaching the Perfect Example Text: Martha and Mary

by

Image

In Luke 10:39-40 Luke tells us that “Mary…sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving.” This might be the perfect example of a preaching portion that functions as both a good and bad example to follow. (You probably can think of others in Scripture that function in a similar way). It’s pretty simple. We say to our folks: “Follow Mary’s example and avoid Martha’s example.

The key, of course, is communicating what was wrong with Martha. She’s described as “distracted with much serving” in v. 40. Undistracted serving isn’t a problem. We need lots of that in the faith-family. Then, Martha crosses the line even further when, according to Ryken, she “stopped serving and started scolding” Jesus. Martha actually instructs Jesus! Can you imagine?! It’s a great time to ask our folks to monitor their attitude while they’re serving. How do they feel about others who might not be serving quite so much?

It’s easier to communicate what was right with Mary. O how we need God to develop more and more congregants who listen to the Word of God with a view toward adjusting their lives accordingly!

The Martha’s in our churches need an adjustment. Their adjustment is one way they worship during and as a result of the teaching of this narrative. I can hear my prof, the late Howard Hendricks say to the Mary’s in our churches: “May your tribe increase.” This Text is a great way to balance worshiping and serving. Because, if you’re only learning and never serving, then you’re not really learning at the feet of Jesus.

Faith in Christ creates Mary’s, not Martha’s. So, even though the narrative means something through good and bad examples, we do not dismiss our folks by saying: “Go and be like Mary, not like Martha.” Instead we spend a moment explaining how the Christ-crucified creates Mary’s posture and adjusts Martha’s posture.

Preach well for the glory of God.

Posted on

Preaching Jesus’ Gospel: The Parable of the Compassionate Samaritan

by

Image

Luke 10:25-37 records Jesus’ discussion with a lawyer who tried to test Him. Good luck with that, right?

Back in October of 2013 I mentioned the need to explain why Jesus always seemed to preach a works-based salvation. The parable of the compassionate Samaritan (I had to call it that in light of my previous post) requires such theological effort on our part. The lawyer asks, Jesus, “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Most of us would have answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Most of us wouldn’t have answered the way Jesus did: “Do [the law] and you will live” (Luke 10:28). So, when Jesus ends the session with, “You go, and do likewise,” (v. 37) He’s giving us some theological work to do.

That may require a major point or move in the sermon not contained in Luke 10. We say something like, “In order for anyone to be able to perform like the compassionate Samaritan in a way that will be accepted by a Holy God (that last part’s the key), they must first experience the compassion of God-in-Christ-through the Spirit. Whenever a person sees Christ dying for them, their hearts are warmed and they have the desire and capacity for such compassion displayed by the Samaritan.” Or something like that. The point is that that point or move is a necessary element of a sermon. Otherwise, Jesus’ teaching will sound like salvation by works.

I suggest that this point or move in the sermon should occur before you spend time helping people flesh out what it might look like in their world to display such compassion for their neighbors. Remember, the section of the sermon where you give them five ways to be a good Samaritan isn’t moralistic self-help when delivered in the context of the Gospel.

You can probably think of other angles on this too.

Preach well for the glory of God.

Posted on

Try Giving Jesus’ Parable A New Name

by

Image

Familiarity with a preaching portion can sometimes hinder communication. This is especially true with some of Jesus’ famous parables. Luke 10:25-37 records the parable of the Good Samaritan.

You probably already knew this, but near the end of my workweek I realized that the adjective, good, did not occur in this parable. Jesus does say in verse 33, “…when [the Samaritan] saw him, he had compassion.” The lawyer admits in verse 37 that the Samaritan was the “one who showed…mercy.”

So, at the beginning of the teaching time, I gave the faith-family as assignment. I asked them while we were studying the parable to attempt to rename it. I asked them to help me remember this when we concluded the sermon so we could hear their attempts.

In this case, it’s an important assignment. Jesus ends the parable with: “You go, and do likewise.” Go and be good is a bit broad, a bit vague. When we rename the parable from The Good Samaritan to something like The Compassionate Neighbor, we help everyone move a little closer to specific acts of worshipful obedience.

You can think of other familiar sections of Scripture that could use some renaming. Lord willing, we’ll see another example in the months to come when I tackle Luke 15 and the parable of the Prodigal Son. You’ve heard it said that familiarity breeds contempt, but I say to you that familiarity breeds ambiguity.

Any time I’ve tried this renaming exercise, I’ve always found that it enhanced communication. It’s a simple, yet effective way to add to your exegesis and theological analysis.

Preach for the glory of God!

Posted on

Why Did Jesus Always Make It So Difficult?!

by

Image

No matter who Jesus encountered, He never made it easy for them to become a disciple. Remember how he handled the rich, young ruler? In Luke 9:57-62, two of the three men stated their intention to follow Jesus (Jesus asked one to follow Him). Jesus made it difficult for both of them. As I’ve studied the gospels over the years, I noticed that Jesus always made it more difficult than I would have. When I detect some interest, I’m too quick to seal the deal. It has made me wonder if I should be careful not to make things sound easier than they are in my preaching.

Robert Schuller once said, “I want to attract [the non-Christian listener], and so I use the strategy that Jesus used. I preach the way Jesus preached” (cf. Modern Reformation, 11, no. 1, 2002, p. 33). Sounds easy enough.

Rick Warren wrote, “Anyone can be won to Christ if you discover the key to his or her heart” (The Purpose-Driven Church, p. 220). Sounds easy enough.

In Luke 9:57-62, we don’t know how the three men responded to Jesus’ difficult demands. We do know that Jesus was not afraid of making difficult demands on those who were interested. I don’t want to push people away needlessly or make becoming a disciple harder than it is. However, I do not want to make it too easy, either. Maybe the best thing I can do is preach the Text. Sometimes it’s, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31). Other times it’s, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

Happy New Year. Preach well.

Posted on

Preaching the Theology of Simeon and Anna’s Example

by

Image

For several reasons, I am happy to be done with Luke’s birth narratives! Christmas preaching continues to be one of my toughest assignments. When I began our current series through Luke’s Gospel (February 2013), the plan was to skip the early narratives and save them for Advent. This morning I struggled through Luke 2:22-38, my final Christmas Text.

These verses contain five, law-abiding citizens: Joseph, Mary, Jesus (although Jesus has no choice in the matter; His parents make sure He gets off to the right start), Simeon, and Anna. There is little doubt in my mind these characters present the best Israel has to offer. They are examples for us to follow. The verses contain a mixture of righteous actions and descriptions. Simeon, for instance, is “righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (cf. Luke 2:25). Anna never leaves the church, “worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day” (cf. Luke 2:37).

So, we certainly must follow their example. Otherwise we’re lumped in with those who oppose Jesus, the Sign (cf. Luke 2:34). But we also must link their character with their faith. They are those who will rise because of their faith in God’s promised Messiah. Simeon says, “…this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel…so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (cf. Luke 2:34, 35). The four characters in this section, minus Jesus, have responded to God’s revelation. Their hearts revealed love for God and a desire to serve Him. And now, with Jesus in sight and on hand, they enter a new chapter of their lives.

Apparently, Simeon, Anna, and Joseph will not have the privilege of following Jesus in life (scholars believe Joseph died early). We have the privilege of following Him and, in so doing, we’re elevated by Jesus (I.e., “rising of many…”). Jesus’ message reveals humble hearts that acknowledge His rule and accept His grace. Our lives are transformed accordingly. We grow to emulate these fine, righteous characters. This is Luke’s way of helping us be sure our faith is not only well-placed, but also well-executed.

Enjoy a blessed Christmas.

Posted on

Preaching Theology From Jesus’ Hyper-Humiliating Birth

by

Image

Photo Credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/57527070@N06/5306893400/”>lennyk410</a> via <a href=”http://compfight.com”>Compfight</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>cc</a>

This past Sunday I reached the zenith of my creativity. Some of you know that’s not too high. But anyway, I outlined Luke 2:1-20 using Christmas hymns:

1. O little town of Bethlehem (vv. 1-7)

2. While shepherds watched their flocks (vv. 8-9)

3. What Child is this? (vv. 10-12)

4. Angels we have heard on high (vv. 13-14)

5. Go, tell it on the mountain (vv. 15-20)

I know some of you creative folks are laughing, but this was a huge accomplishment. But, that’s not important right now…

Luke’s version of the beginning of Jesus’ earthly life–the incarnation–highlights Mary’s statement in 1:52 “he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” For instance, in Luke 2:1-2 we read of mighty rulers who will soon lose their thrones. In v. 4 we read again of Nazareth, the town with a nasty reputation according to John’s gospel. In that same verse we read of Bethlehem, which, according to Micah 5:2, was too little to be the birthplace of a ruler. Both Nazareth and Bethlehem are examples of the exaltation of those of humble estate. And, then, of course, we have Jesus being laid “in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (2:7).

In his book, The Jesus I Never Knew, Yancey writes, “it seems that God arranged the most humiliating circumstance possible for His entrance.” Rarely, if ever, does one celebrate humiliation. But we do these weeks! Jesus laid in a feed box, possibly a depression in the cold ground in a cave or stable. You can’t get any more humble estate than that! The highest level of mercy took the highest level of humility.

And, then, there’s the presence of shepherds. I don’t know of any other class of people more despised in Jesus’ day, but more adored in our day during Christmas time. It’s not unusual that they were working the graveyard shift that night; it is highly unusual that God saw fit to send the Angel of the Lord to them. Another example of God doing what Mary said in Luke 1:52, exalting those of humble estate. And besides making sure we all believe the message of the angel of the Lord and the Christmas angels, the shepherds provide an example for Christians to follow. They heard God’s message, believed it, and shared it. Who else could God have told who would have responded like the shepherds? Imagine God sending His messenger to royalty, announcing that a Savior, a Lord was born? Imagine august Augustus’ response. No, it’s best for us to take our place with “those of humble estate.”

Posted on

Preaching the Theology of Gabriel’s, Annunciation, and Mary’s, Magnificat

by

Magnificat-203x300

One of the things that makes preaching at Christmas time difficult for me is that the early sections of Luke’s Gospel contain a mixture of narrative and poetry. Whenever genres converge, hermeneutics gets a bit messy. In this case, while the narrative highlights the birth of our Lord, Gabriel’s speech and Mary’s song contain the theology. So much of our salvation is unpacked in these narratives: all the magnificent titles (“Son of the Most High” in Luke 1:32) and all the descriptions of what Jesus came to do (“he will reign…” Luke 1:33). Mary’s Magnificat contains eight “he has” sayings which tell what God has done in bringing Jesus to Mary and our world (Luke 1:46-55).

One of the key applications is to follow Mary’s faith. She says in Luke 1:38 “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And in the Magnificat? Believers say the same things that Mary said. Of course, in order to say the same things Mary said, we have to experience the same thing Mary experienced. Not the giving birth to Jesus part, of course. But the dying with Jesus part (“I am crucified with Christ…”). Certainly “the humble estate” part (cf. Luke 1:48, 52) and “those who fear him” part (cf. Luke 1:50). Like Mary, Christians magnify the Lord. We praise Him because of His greatness and for all the reasons given in her famous song. So, instead of asking professing Believers, Do you have a Magnificat?, it might be more accurate to ask them if they are experiencing the grace and mercy of God that causes one to sing such a song.

Luke’s careful research into the life of Jesus is designed to help us be sure our faith is well-placed and well-executed. Anyone that has placed genuine trust in Jesus has experienced what Mary said. Their well-executed faith includes the consistent desire and capacity to “magnify the Lord” (cf. Luke 1:46).

Posted on

Dangerous Christmas Sermons!

by

jesus-in-the-manger

I’ve never looked forward to preaching at Christmas time. Then R. T. France made it worse: “There is a significant mismatch between what most Christmas congregations expect to hear and what Matthew and Luke were primarily interested in conveying in their opening chapters. They did not write to tell the story of how Jesus was born….do congregations today either need or want to be convinced from Scripture that Jesus is the Messiah promised to the Jews….Is this what our Christmas congregations have come for?” (pp. 39-41 in his chapter, Preaching on the Infancy Narratives, in Preaching The New Testament).

For the past several years, I’ve started my homiletics classes with an audio clip of the introduction of an infant narrative sermon. The preacher introduces us to lessons we can learn about marriage from the interaction between Mary and Joseph as a result of Mary’s visit from Gabriel. Well, what do the infant narratives mean for the Church?

Well, certainly, at times Mary and Joseph are good examples to follow. We should emulate their faith. We should follow their devotion to God. The focus, however, seems to be on the information we receive about Jesus and His mission. Jesus is God’s promised Messiah who will do exactly what God said He would do. You know that and most of your congregants know that. Christmas sermons are a great time to urge us all to believe the descriptions about Jesus. Christmas sermons are a great time to help us all evaluate the extent to which our lives reflect faith in Jesus.

Along with misguided moralizing (e.g., lessons on marriage), Christmas sermons are also potentially dangerous because we can get so immersed in the details of the Story, we forget why Luke, for instance, included them in his Gospel. Gabriel told Mary that her Son would “be great” (Luke 1:32). Ask your parishioners if they believe that He is great. Ask them if their experience shows evidence of having such a great Savior.

What aspects of preaching at Christmas time are easy for you? What aspects are difficult?