“I had such a sweet time in my devotions this week that I decided not to prepare a sermon and share with you what I learned in my devotions,” one pastor said. [1] I rejoice with this pastor. However, can not the pastor have the same sweet time in his sermon preparation? Let me restate this question: Should not the pastor have the same sweet time in his sermon preparation?
Read more“You can Fail and not be a Failure.”
“You can Fail and not be a Failure.” This important principle is illustrated by the story of Daniel Ruettiger or “Rudy.” In addition to the information the film provides you can read about Rudy in John Maxwell’s book Failing Forward or Rudy Ruettiger’s book Rudy’s Rules. Here is how Maxwell tells the story: “Rudy” desperately wanted to play football for Notre Dame. You may have seen the film based on his life called Rudy. It was a good movie, but his real story is even more remarkable and compelling.
Read moreCan you love the Lord and not love His Word?
I read this comment by Charles Swindol that made me ask this question: Is it possible to love the Lord and not love His Word? Swindoll wrote: “I’ll never forget a letter I read from a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, where I serve as chancellor. He wrote of his gratitude for his years at our fine institution. What troubled me was that he also lamented that when he arrived, he was deeply in love with Jesus Christ; but when he left, he had fallen more in love with the biblical text. For all the right reasons, our professors did their best to teach him the Scriptures, but he left loving the Bible more than he loved His [sic] Savior” (Charles R. Swindoll, So, You Want to Be Like Christ? p. 40).
I believe it is possible to KNOW the Bible and not love the Lord. The Pharisees were the Bible scholars of the first century, but they rejected the Lord. Jesus challenged these religious leaders: “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life” (John 5:39-40). Paradoxically, we can not love the Lord without loving His Word. It is God’s Word that tells us about Christ, which according to Colossians 3:16 is His Word. It is God’s Word that feeds our soul so that we might “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). For 2013, let’s pray with David, the man after God’s own heart these two prayers, “Oh how love I your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97) and “Open mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18).
The Immaculate Conception of Jesus
At Christmas, we celebrate the miraculous virgin birth of Christ. We also commemorate the immaculate conception of Christ. The angel spoke to Mary in Luke 1:28 of the supernatural conception: “And the angel said unto her, ‘Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And, behold, you shall conceive (emphasis added) in your womb, and bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” Before we discuss what is called in Roman Catholic theology the Immaculate Conception, I want to remind you of what has been called the Immaculate Reception because of one NFL football pass or reception that was also considered immaculate or miraculous.
Read moreWhat if God wrote your Obituary?
Scot McKnight wrote “I have always been intrigued by obituaries. One man’s, who passed away in 2016, says this, ‘he died to avoid having to make a decision in the pending presidential election (click to open).’” Obituaries are like eulogies at funerals. Steven Cole in a sermon “If God Wrote Your Obituary (click to open)” referred to a funeral in which three daughters “got up and read a eulogy about ‘we remember dad.’ They recalled, ‘We remember dad going to the bar and buying a round of drinks for all his buddies. He loved going to the bar! We remember dad going to the market and flirting with all the cute young checkers.’ Basically, they fondly remembered dad as a dirty-minded old drunk!”
Read moreReview of Paul Scott Wilson's Law-Gospel Hermeneutic
In Scott M. Gibson’s and Matthew D. Kim’s Homiletics and Hermeneutics (Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition, 2018) Paul Scott Wilson presents his view of interpreting and preaching called the Law-Gospel view. Wilson’s one text, one theme, one doctrine, one need, one image, and one mission is just another way of saying what many homileticians describe as one preaching unit or the text (one text), one MPS (one theme), Argumentation (one doctrine), Interest Step in the Introduction (one need), Illustration (one image), and Application (one mission).
Read moreGod bore away our sins in the atonement of Christ
R. Kent Hughes has the following story regarding the conversion of the great 19th-century preacher Charles Simeon - Charles Simeon, one of the greatest preachers of the Church of England, explained his coming to Christ like this: "As I was reading Bishop Wilson on the Lord’s supper, I met with an expression to this effect—“That the Jews knew what they did, when they transferred their sin to the head of their offering.” The thought came into my mind, “What, may I transfer all my guilt to another? Has God provided an Offering for me, that I may lay my sins on His head? Then, God willing, I will not bear them on my own soul one moment longer.” Accordingly I sought to lay my sins upon the sacred head of Jesus". (From Hebrews: an anchor for the soul).
Charles Simeon appropriated what took place on the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16.
Atonement” in Leviticus 16:6 meant to cover Israel’s sins from God’s wrath on the Day of Atonement for one year. The context of Leviticus 16 is the wrath of God poured out on Nadab and Abihu in 10:1-2 for their disobedience to God.
This wrath could be avoided through the substitution of two animals on the Day of Atonement (16:5). The first animal’s blood was shed typifying Christ shedding his blood for the sins of the world. The second animal, the scapegoat bore away God’s wrath showing how Christ bore our deserved punishment.
The first animal sacrifice
Atonement took place when the blood of the first goat was sprinkled on the “mercy seat” (Leviticus 16:14-15). The mercy seat is used in Hebrews 9:5 as the place of atonement in the Old Testament tabernacle. This exact word for propitiation (ἱλαστήριον [hilasterion]) is used only one other time in Romans 3:25 and is translated as “propitiation.” Paul gives the theological significance of the sprinkled on the mercy seat in Romans 3:25: “Whom [Christ] God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.” Christ propitiated or satisfied the wrath and justice of God for our sins with his “blood.”. Wayne Grudem wrote: “Propitiation is a sacrifice that bears the wrath of God against sin and thereby turns God’s wrath into favor.”[1]
The second animal sacrifice
The scapegoat in Leviticus 16:22 bore away [נשׂא nasa] the punishment of sins. In Leviticus 7:18, for a guilty Israelite to “bear [נשׂא nasa], his iniquity” meant to be “cut off” or put to death (7:21). But on the Day of Atonement, the scapegoat bore away the wrath of God on the people’s sins for one year. In Isaiah 53:4, 12 Christ bore away [נשׂא nasa], our sins forever in his penal substitutionary death on the cross: “He has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors: and he bore [נשׂא nasa], the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” The Psalmist rejoiced that our sins have been separated from us as far as the east is from the south (Psalm 103: 12). John the Baptist referred to this great truth when he declared, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). With the songwriter we give praise: “To God be the glory, great things he has done, so loved he the world that he gave us his son, who yielded his life an atonement for sin, and opened the life gate that all may go in.”
[1] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 575.
Overworked and Under Organised
Chuck Swindoll wrote, “Good men die young and most leaders crack up.” One of the reasons for the problem of burnout that Swindoll identified is that leaders try to do too much and delegate too little.
If ever a leader was immersed in ministry and at the same time very skillful at delegating it is Swindoll. He pastors, and produces radio broadcasts, Insight for Living, which is on more than 2000 stations, has served as president of Dallas Theological Seminary and then as chancellor. He is also now the pastor of Stonebriar Community Church, which he started in 1998. He has written 70 books and at age 79 continues to write one book each year. While his candle burns at both ends, he has not burnout.
Read moreTo be a Blessing is Sometimes Difficult
Charles Simeon is an example of a believer who was a blessing even to people rejected him as their beloved pastor. Charles Simeon’s sermons have blessed my life. He produced twenty-one volumes of sermons. Today the Charles Simeon Trust holds workshop on preaching not only in American but around the world. He being dead still influences though his sermons. Simeon was appointed pastor of Trinity Church in 1782 in Cambridge by bishop of the evangelical wing of the Anglican Church. The church wanted the assistant to the pastor who had left. The assistant’s name was Mr. Hammond. Simeon was willing to step aside, but the bishop insisted and Simeon therefore considered this appointment the will of God.
Read moreThe Test of our Love are the Sacrifices Made
Abraham would have agreed with Job in 14:1, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Abraham faced seven major tests and the last was the hardest. Abraham is possibly 137 years old. Sarah in Genesis 23:1 is 127 years old and Abraham is ten years older (Gen. 17:17).
Read moreGod Keeps His Promises (The Abrahamic Covenant)
Someone said, “All the promises of are for us but not all of the promises of God are to us.” Not all of the Abrahamic Covenant is to us but this promise is for us. The Abrahamic Covenant is primarily to Israel. Just like the OT Mosaic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant. In Romans 9:4a, Paul asked “Who are Israelites?” In his answered, “to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants.”
Read moreReview of Kenneth Langley's Theocentric View of Preaching
Kenneth Langley’s Theocentric View of preaching is found in Scott M. Gibson’s and Matthew D. Kim’s Homiletics and Hermeneutics: Four views on Preaching Today.
The Theocentric view is like the Christocentric view in some ways. Some who hold to the Christocentric view advocate preaching Christ from every. The Theocentric view advocates preaching God from every text. Both are not using exclusively the historical/grammatical method of interpretation and preaching or teaching only what is in the text. This was the essence of my post “Text-Driven (Grammatical-Historical Hermeneutic) Preaching.”
Read moreThe "Factual Data" sheet for Narratives (Genesis) Part Two
In Part Two, the content of the story will be examined. After the context (STUDY THE CONTEXT: Macro Hermeneutics, Part One) is thoroughly researched, the interpreter moves inside to the content of the text itself. Macro hermeneutics looks at the trees. Micro hermeneutics focuses on the tree. Part two is: EXAMINE THE DETAILS OF THE PASSAGE SELECTED TO PREACH (Micro Hermeneutics, Part Two).
Read moreExtended sermon outline on Mark
The extended outline shows many of the preaching or teaching units from the book of Mark. Each unit can be a complete sermon, lecture, or Bible study. The extended outline shows the author’s original intent for his original audience. Each point is a summary statement of the unit. The preacher or teacher will need to change the summary statement into a timeless principle for his/her contemporary audience.
Read moreThe “Factual Data” Sheet for Sermon Preparation for Narratives (Genesis) Part One
The idea of the “Factual Data” sheet comes from reading that Warren W. Wiersbe’s homiletic teacher, Lloyd Perry who used a generic “Factual Data” sheet for sermon preparation. I have adapted the “Factual Data” sheet to the different genres (Poetic, narratives of Genesis, Joshua, Nehemiah, Mark, and the Epistles) of Scripture instead of the one-size-fits-all approach. The “Factual Data” sheet helps the expositor to be text-driven in preaching and teaching God’s Word.
Read more“The Factual Data” Sheet for the Gospel of Mark
The idea of “The Factual Data” sheet comes from reading that Warren W. Wiersbe’s homiletic teacher, Lloyd Perry who used a generic “Factual Data” sheet for sermon preparation. I have adapted “The Factual Data” sheet to the different genres (Narratives, Hebrew Poetry, the Epistles, and the Gospels) of Scripture instead of one-size-fits all approach
Read moreThe intermural debate among Christians over creation and evolution and young and old earth!
Today the intermural debate rages between evangelicals over the creation of the earth (did God create the earth in six twenty-four hour days or did God employ evolution and take hundreds of thousands of years). This debate is closely tied to the age of the planet (is the earth young because God created it in six twenty-four days or is the earth old because God utilized evolution). It will be helpful to examine what the early church fathers believed and argued for.
Read moreJustification: Protestant vs. Catholic
I am borrowing my title from Dr. Gavin Ortlund who presents a very informative YouTube video on the differences and similarities between Protestants and Catholics on the doctrine of justification. He notes some important differences such as Protestants hold to imputed righteousness which is forensic. Imputed righteousness transpires at the moment of faith in Christ and is a completed judicial act. Catholics advocate infused righteousness which is based on observing the sacraments throughout his/her life.
Read moreThe Future Coming of Christ will be like the Past Flood`
What do you think is the most important sign that indicates Jesus is coming back? Wars and rumors of wars? Earthquakes? The love of many waxing worse and worse? Jesus in his end time sermon compared his future coming to the past flood. Jesus is referring to his second coming at the end of the Tribulation in Matthew 24:37-39. Jesus prophesied the sinful people before his coming would replicate the sinful people before the coming judgment of the flood who were “marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark.” In Genesis six, the godly were specifically marrying the ungodly before the flood. Being unequally yoked in marriage with unbelievers led to the Genesis flood in Genesis 6-8. Jesus warned his and our generation “to be ready” for the coming of Christ and his judgment just like the generation before the flood needed to be ready. Are you ready for the coming of Christ? Do you know Christ as your Savior? Jesus instructed us to learn from the generation that experienced the flood.
Read moreThe Influence on One Life
The influence of Jonathan Edward’s sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” is legendary. It has been called the most well-known sermon in American history. Edward’s influence, however, was greater with his family. Jonathan and Sarah had eleven children. For one hour before dinner, Edwards would gather his children together and help them with schoolwork and talk about their day. Edwards wrote, “Every house should be a little church.”
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