In Oswalt’s commentary on Isaiah 41 he writes: “This argument will be repeated and intensified several times in the next few chapters as this court case continues” (p. 459). You have at least two options: (1) preach the repeated themes as you encounter them along the way or (2) preach the theme in one location, adding any material from the “intensified” places. I choose the latter option as a way of keeping a series moving along in a long book such as Isaiah. I’ve found it helpful to read through the section and look for the repetition/restatement. That allows you to scan for material you want to bring into the one sermon on the presented theme. More than likely, the same theological message (how the section functions for the church) will be presented throughout the repetition.
Isaiah 40:25-31: Remembering Why God Can Deliver Us
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The bulk of Isaiah 40 is devoted to showing our incomparable God (Isaiah 40:12-26). The description of our God makes our question in Isaiah 40:27 inconceivable. Of course God knows how difficult our way is in a world where the godless are in power! Then, after restating God’s resources of strength and knowledge (Isaiah 40:28), we learn that all His power is transferable to those who “wait” for Him (cf. Isaiah 40:29-31). Our Lord continues to save His people because His strength is added to our weakness so we keep putting on fresh strength each day. Instead of being overcome with circumstances, God stabilizes our emotions and spirits. So, is it true or false when a Christian says in frustration: “I can’t take it anymore!”? And, of course, we know that all this available strength came as a result of Jesus’ experience of weakness on the cross. He experienced ultimate weakness so we could experience ultimate strength as we trust Him.
Comfort for the Church: Back in Isaiah 40
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After a few months tackling the latter part of Romans, I’m back to the task of preaching through the book of Isaiah. Some of Scripture’s best encouragement comes from Isaiah 40ff. Like the early readers of Isaiah’s gospel, we need to know that our Lord hasn’t left us alone in a world that’s spinning out of control. How on earth can God in heaven keep His promises to us when the godless seem so powerful?! The answer lies in part with God’s eternal word (Isaiah 40:8). That word is fleshed out in Isaiah 40:9-11 where we find God using powerful arms to defeat evil (Isaiah 40:10) and to care for us in our weakened condition (Isaiah 40:11). Our Lord Jesus Christ arrives on the earthly scene to become our Shepherd. While we wait for God’s complete care in the future, by faith we experience His shepherding of our souls in part as His Spirit transforms us into His servants.
Becoming a Moody Preacher
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A moody person is someone who is given to changes of mood. Because the mood of the sermon needs to match the mood of the Scripture, preachers end up being moody. I confess a bit of resistance to this thought. I am a fairly even-keeled-kind-of-guy, not given to mood swings. However, listen to how drastically the mood changes from Romans 16:16 to Romans 16:17. Greeting one another with a holy kiss sounds very welcoming. Watching out for those who cause division sounds very threatening. The mood of the preacher should probably match the mood of the passage. Your personality may cause you to lean more naturally in one direction, but be open to being a moody preacher.
Ask Why Christians Would Disobey An Instruction
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Paying Attention To How Books Begin And End
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Preaching on Fathers’ Day Can Be Hazardous!
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Thankfully, I was on vacation on Fathers’ Day Sunday. Not that I especially like being on vacation, but because I didn’t have to twist a text to apply it to fathers. How did you manage that Sunday? I worshiped in a church in Maine. The pastor selected Luke 15’s parable of the Prodigal Son. I appreciated his emphasis on the father portrayed in the parable, though some of the principles he developed for us to follow may have been stretching the truth. It shows how difficult it is to preach with greater accuracy if we are too focused on being relevant. Often the occasion of the sermon takes precedence over the occasion of the Scripture. Or, our purpose for choosing a sermon on Luke 15 for Fathers’ Day overrides the purpose for which that Scripture was given by God. God help us for the sake of your reputation!
The Relationship Factor in Pastoral Preaching
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Which do you love more, the preaching or the people? Yesterday Michele and I enjoyed the rare opportunity to worship with another faith-family. The pastor, Lanny Kilgore, is a good friend of mine and a very good shepherd. What struck me about seeing him preach was how much he enjoyed the parishioners during the sermon. I could tell that he loved them as much as he loved preaching. In his book, Preaching & Preachers, Lloyd-Jones quotes Anglican preacher, Richard Cecil: “To love to preach is one thing, to love those to whom we preach quite another” (p. 105). Sometimes when I hear sermons, I get the impression that the sermon would sound the same and the preacher would preach the same even if nobody was listening. The people really didn’t matter to the preacher, but only the sermon mattered. Ask yourself how much the presence of listeners affects your delivery. May our Lord give us a heart that loves His people as much as we love the proclamation of His Word.
What Keeps Your Sermon From Fragmenting?
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I recently returned from a wonderful week with doctoral students enrolled in Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry track, Preaching the Literary Forms of the Bible. We met on GCTS’s Charlotte, NC campus. One of the things we talked about was keeping our sermons from fragmenting. Fragmentation happens when I (1) fail to follow the flow of thought created by the Author/author or (2) I choose to replace the existing flow of thought with my own deficient presentation. We noticed a tendency of not clearly stating the logical connections between moves or thought-blocks in the sermon. What is clear in the mind of the preacher is unclear to the listener. While you’re developing your sermon double-check all your transitions as you move from major clause to major clause. Ask if you are carrying the logic forward. As you know, theology is conveyed more through the logical flow of thought than in the isolated content.