Drawing Near: preaching

Showing posts with label preaching. Show all posts

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Recomended Posts v2

Three Ways Movies Are Searching For The Gospel - G Ortlund - 12/8/2015

O Come Again Emmanuel - Wax - 12/3/2015

Why Celebrate Advent? - Boswell - 11/29/2015

A Prayer For The First Sunday Of Advent - S Smith - 11/29/2015

Prepare Him Room - Bloom - 11/29/2015

Only One Black Friday - Tripp - 11/27/2015

A Prayer For Thanksgiving Day - S Smith - 11/26/2015

Alone With God - Chan - 11/24/2015

A Prayer For Marinating In The "In All Things Goodness Of Jesus - S Smith - 11/21/2015

It Is Finished - Chambers - 11/21/2015

We All Need Help - Piper - 11/19/2015

Four Reasons Why Some Preachers Get Better And Others Dont - York - 11/18/2015

A Prayer Of Lament - S Smith - 11/14/2015

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Thursday, October 4, 2012

I could not sound bite Spurgeon's "Faith Checkbook" entry for 10/4. There were too many gems and the overall truth was too profound. Jesus is the greatest draw, whether it be in building a church or the friendship, a marriage or a career. Anything else, everything else, will fall way short. So, I prayerfully share these 100+ year old thoughts, which seem as real today as they were when they were written. And, along with Spurgeon, I urge all who read this to avoid the quakeries of our day and depend solely on Jesus for your life, beginning, middle and end.

Come, ye workers, be encouraged. You fear that you cannot draw a congregation. Try the preaching of a crucified, risen, and ascended Savior; for this is the greatest "draw" that was ever yet manifested among men. What drew you to Christ but Christ? What draws you to Him now but His own blessed self? If you have been drawn to religion by anything else, you will soon be drawn away from it; but Jesus has held you and will hold you even to the end. Why, then, doubt His power to draw other? Go with the name of Jesus to those who have hitherto been stubborn and see if it does not draw them.

No sort of man is beyond this drawing power. Old and young, rich and poor, ignorant and leaned, depraved or amiable—all men shall feel the attractive force. Jesus is the one magnet. Let us not think of any other. Music will not draw to Jesus, neither will eloquence, logic, ceremonial, or noise. Jesus Himself must draw men to Himself; and Jesus is quite equal to the work in every case. Be not tempted by the quackeries of the day; but as workers for the Lord work in His own way, and draw with the Lord's own cords. Draw to Christ, and draw by Christ, for then Christ will draw by you.

To God Alone be the Glory

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Don't Settle for Mediocre Preaching

"Preaching is more than regurgitating your favorite exegetical commentary, recasting the sermons of your favorite preachers, or reshaping notes from one of your favorite seminary classes. It is bringing the transforming truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ from a passage that has been properly understood, cogently and practically applied, and delivered with the engaging tenderness and passion of a person who has been broken and restored by the very truths he now stands to communicate. You simply cannot do this without proper preparation, meditation, confession, and worship."

The quote above is an excerpt from a blog post by Paul David Tripp. What he said resonated with me since I find myself facing these same challenges in my preaching but also as I encounter and sit under a lot of mediocre preaching. I used to think it was noble to withhold sermon critiques to "honor the pastor". Now I realize that I was simply enabling mediocre preaching and doing a disservice to the Church and the one preaching.

Here's the challenge. For those of us who sit in the pew, we need to know our Bibles well enough and love our Savior deeply enough to expect and demand good preaching. And,we need have the courage to speak the truth in love to our dear pastor, if his preaching has fallen on a rocky shoal.

And, the for those of us who have the rare privilege of preaching God's Word to God's people, we must, as Tripp says, "not lose sight of the excellent One and the excellent grace we have been called to represent. We cannot let his splendor appear boring and his amazing grace appear ordinary." We must realize that, as inadequate as we may feel, we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God is making his appeal through us. Men, we have a high and holy calling. Let's not waste our lives rearranging deck chairs!

Tripp's entire post can be read here.

To God Alone be the Glory

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Preaching Christ, even with false motives, is better than not preaching at all

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice - Phil 1:15-18

I was (and still I am) unsure of the title. I thought maybe "Preach Christ!", but that's not full point. Then I thought "Preach Christ, no matter what your motive", but that's not quite all that's here either. In the end, at least as I write these words, I went with what I wrote several week's ago in my Phil 1 summary post. Why all the hassle? First, because I firmly believe that good, effective titles draw people in and set the stage for what is said. Second, because my personal effort to pick a title is also my personal effort to encapsulate what I want to say.

I think part of the struggle with "sound biting" these 4 verses is that there is more than one layer to think about and to be affected by. There is the preaching Christ whatever the motivation layer. There is the rejoicing that Christ is being preached as opposed to not being preached layer. There is the Christ is being preached to afflict Paul in prison layer. And there is the Paul rejoicing even though he is in jail layer. And, there may more.

With all those layers, where do we start. Maybe the simplest way is to look at the most transparent layer first. Paul is rejoicing over the fact that Christ is being preached no matter what the motive. There were good preachers preaching good sermons with Christ as their focus and Paul was rejoicing. And there were other preachers with insincere motives preaching Christ (or at least about Him) in an effort to get Paul in more trouble. It is difficult to imagine what such a sermon might look like, but perhaps it contained phrases like: "what those Christians believe" or "their savior is Jesus, who claimed to forgive sins" Doctrine was taught by way of negation.

Paul is clearly excited about this and I think we should be too. Not every one is going to preach Christ in a God-honoring, Christ-exalting, gospel-centered way. But even if they preach these realities by way of negation or in opposition, Paul rejoices and we should too.

However, not every sermon preaches Christ. Paul's sentiments in verse 18 are clear "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice." Paul rejoices when Christ is preached. So that should be our goal and our standard and our Spirit-driven expectation. Too many sermons in too many churches for too many years have preached something other than Christ. Yes, Jesus' name may be stated. Jesus may even be quoted, but that is not preaching Christ. Preaching Christ is exposing our helpless, hopeless, rebellious hearts for what they are. Preaching Christ is proclaiming the boundless, matchless, sacrificial love that Jesus had for his Father and for his sheep. Preaching Christ is declaring that the Father, Son and Spirit planed from all eternity to execute a rescue mission to save God's people from themselves and from the power of sin and death and Satan. Preaching Christ is stating emphatically that Jesus died to absorb the just wrath of God for those who believe and the in dying, Jesus' righteous was give to those same believers. Preaching Christ is wholeheartedly affirming that we are caught up in this love and grace by the sovereign, omnipotent, gracious loving will of God. Preaching Christ is announcing with every fiber of our being that if Jesus has done all of this, He will complete His work and deliver us to the end of the race, whole and pure and ready to meet our God. Preaching Christ is saying unequivocally that we must work out this salvation with fear and trembling because it is God, through his Spirit who works in us to will and to work according to his good purposes.

Added to all of this, what do we do with the fact that Paul saw some people as preaching Christ with the specific intention of afflicting him? Would we respond with his same attitude of joy? Would we acknowledge that there may be a higher gospel value than our comfort and ease? Would we gladly accept, not just prison, but abuse while in prison, so that the gospel could go forth much more effectively?

Maybe, in the end, it all comes back to the source of our joy. If our joy is in our happiness, none of this will make any sense. If our joy is in our success, we will struggle with being put on the sidelines. If our joy is in our doctrinal precision, we will bristle when average and even poor theological preaching and ministries succeed. But, if our joy is in Christ, if our joy is seeing Him preached, no matter the motive, if our joy is in the spread of the gospel whether we're directly involved or not, then we will truly rejoice as God does his work in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

To God Alone be the Glory

Update: Piper's comments on this passage.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

I am dust and ashes

The following is taken from a post by Tony Reinke on C.J. Mahaney's blog. While John Newton's experience is far beyond anything I have lived through, his words resonate with me. I share them as here simply as a window into my heart and perhaps as a connection to yours.

It is, indeed, no small thing to stand between God and the people, to divide the word of truth aright, to give every one portion, to withstand the counter tides of opposition and popularity, and to press those truths upon others, the power of which, I, at times, feel so little of in my own soul. A cold, corrupt heart is uncomfortable company in the pulpit.

Yet in the midst of all my fears and unworthiness, I am enabled to cleave to the promise, and to rely on the power of the great Redeemer. I know I am engaged in the cause against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. If He died and rose again, if He ever lives to make intercession, there must be safety under the shadow of his wings: there would I lie.

In his name I would lift up my banner; in his strength I would go forth, do what He enables me, then take shame to myself that I can do no better, and put my hand upon my mouth, confessing that I am dust and ashes—less than the least of all his mercies.

To God Alone be the Glory

Friday, March 11, 2011

The True Worth and Weight of Biblical Preaching.

What follows is an excerpt from a blog post about John Newton from Tony Reinke

"In a letter dated March 10, 1774, to his esteemed friend William Legge, the second Earl of Dartmouth, Newton explained that he had recently spent a six-week stretch investing several hours of each day in the hospital caring for souls. In the letter Newton recounted one meeting with a sick young woman. The memory of the hospital encounter was etched so deep into Newton's memory that he recalled it years later.

Permit me, my Lord, to relate, upon this occasion, some things which exceedingly struck me in the conversation I had with a young woman whom I visited in her last illness about two years ago.
She was a sober, prudent person, of plain sense, could read her Bible, but had read little besides. Her knowledge of the world was nearly confined to the parish; for I suppose she was seldom, if ever, twelve miles from home in her life. She had known the gospel about seven years before the Lord visited her with a lingering consumption [tuberculosis], which at length removed her to a better world.

A few days before her death, I had been praying by her bedside, and in my prayer I thanked the Lord that he gave her now to see that she had not followed cunningly-devised fables [Ephesians 4:14]. When I had finished, she repeated that word, “No,” she said “not cunningly-devised fables; these are realities indeed. I feel their truth, I feel their comfort. Oh! tell my friends, tell my acquaintances, tell enquiring souls, tell poor sinners, tell all the daughters of Jerusalem (alluding to Song of Solomon 5:16 from which she had just before desired me to preach at her funeral), what Jesus has done for my soul. Tell them, that now in the time of need I find him my beloved and my friend, and as such I commend him to them.”

She then fixed her eyes steadfastly upon me, and proceeded, as well as I can recollect, as follows. “Sir, you are highly favored in being called to preach the gospel. I have often heard you with pleasure; but [only when] you come into my situation, and have death and eternity full in your view, will it be possible for you to conceive the vast weight and importance of the truths you declare.”

Until we are faced with eternity it is too easy to take preaching for granted, to treat sermons lightly, to so quickly forget them like yesterday’s newspaper.

Yet it was here, beside the bed of a dying young woman in a hospital room and in other situations just like it, that Newton learned the true worth and weight of biblical preaching."

To God Alone be the Glory

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Crushed into Submission; Words set on Fire

From the March 10th My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

"Even the natural heart of the unsaved will serve if called upon to do so, but it takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God’s purpose to make a person’s life a holy example of God’s message."

"There is a difference between giving a testimony and preaching. A preacher is someone who has received the call of God and is determined to use all his energy to proclaim God’s truth. God takes us beyond our own aspirations and ideas for our lives, and molds and shapes us for His purpose, just as He worked in the disciples’ lives after Pentecost."

"Allow God to have complete liberty in your life when you speak. Before God’s message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in you. Gather your material carefully, and then allow God to “set your words on fire” for His glory."

I would only add: "Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor 2:16)

To God Alone be the Glory

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Preaching that is Faithful

"However well intentioned and biblically rooted may be a sermon's instruction, if the message does not incorporate the motivation and enablement inherent in a proper apprehension of the work of Christ, the preacher proclaims mere Pharisaism. Preaching that is faithful to the whole of Scripture not only establishes God's requirements, but also highlights the redemptive truths that make holiness possible. The task may seem impossible. How can we make all Scripture center on Christ's work when vast portions make no mention of him? The answer lies in learning to see all of God's Word as a unified message of human need and divine provision." - Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching

To God Alone be the Glory

Drawing Near