Thursday, October 1, 2015
Carson on expository preaching
Why establish expository preaching as primary?
1. It is the method least likely to stray too far from revelation/Scripture.
2. (This one cannot be emphasised enough) Properly done, and especially if the selections of Scripture you choose to expound are reasonably extensive, i.e. not just a quarter of a verse, expository preaching teaches people how to read their bibles.
Show me a congregation that has been fed on ten years of thoughtful expository preaching and I'll show you a congregation that knows how to read its bible. Otherwise they will always be a higher percentage of Christians in the local assembly who have a kind of proof-texting approach...
3. Expository preaching gives confidence to the preacher and authorises the sermon. In order words, the more faithful and demonstrably your sermon is reflecting scripture, then when somebody challenges you at the door, "I hated what you said this morning, I mean that's disgusting. I don't believe that at all." You smile sweetly and say, "are you disagreeing with me or with Paul? Do you dislike it because I said it or because God said it?" This sort of changes who's on the defensive, doesn't it?
Now I'm not being mean, I'm merely that saying that at the end of the day, the authority of Scripture is really important. And that also means, that when you are preaching, you must not simply be faithful in explaining what the text said. (That's part of expository preaching). But dont forget I said directly and demonstrably authorising what you say from Scripture. So you must not only explain it but ideally you must say, "do you see that in verse 3?" That's why you want people to have their bibles with them. Or use pew bibles. Or print the text on an overhead. Or put it in the bulletin. Do something! But get the text up before people's eyes.
And every significant point that you make, make sure that they see that it is demonstrably derived from Scripture. That's what authorises the sermon! And it is what enables you at the door to say, "are you arguing with me or God Almighty?" So it gives confidence to the preacher and rightly done, authorises the sermon.
From 1h 4min to 1h 7min 54sec of The What and Why of Expository Preaching
1. It is the method least likely to stray too far from revelation/Scripture.
2. (This one cannot be emphasised enough) Properly done, and especially if the selections of Scripture you choose to expound are reasonably extensive, i.e. not just a quarter of a verse, expository preaching teaches people how to read their bibles.
Show me a congregation that has been fed on ten years of thoughtful expository preaching and I'll show you a congregation that knows how to read its bible. Otherwise they will always be a higher percentage of Christians in the local assembly who have a kind of proof-texting approach...
3. Expository preaching gives confidence to the preacher and authorises the sermon. In order words, the more faithful and demonstrably your sermon is reflecting scripture, then when somebody challenges you at the door, "I hated what you said this morning, I mean that's disgusting. I don't believe that at all." You smile sweetly and say, "are you disagreeing with me or with Paul? Do you dislike it because I said it or because God said it?" This sort of changes who's on the defensive, doesn't it?
Now I'm not being mean, I'm merely that saying that at the end of the day, the authority of Scripture is really important. And that also means, that when you are preaching, you must not simply be faithful in explaining what the text said. (That's part of expository preaching). But dont forget I said directly and demonstrably authorising what you say from Scripture. So you must not only explain it but ideally you must say, "do you see that in verse 3?" That's why you want people to have their bibles with them. Or use pew bibles. Or print the text on an overhead. Or put it in the bulletin. Do something! But get the text up before people's eyes.
And every significant point that you make, make sure that they see that it is demonstrably derived from Scripture. That's what authorises the sermon! And it is what enables you at the door to say, "are you arguing with me or God Almighty?" So it gives confidence to the preacher and rightly done, authorises the sermon.
From 1h 4min to 1h 7min 54sec of The What and Why of Expository Preaching
Carson on preaching
"There is a way of preaching, in which you project an image of being an expert. There is a way of preaching, in which you project an image of having been captured."
From 50:51-51:09 (Time) of Preaching Through Bible Books
From 50:51-51:09 (Time) of Preaching Through Bible Books
Platt on church strategies
One of the unintended consequences of contemporary church strategies that revolve around performances, places, programs, and professionals is that somewhere along the way people get left out of the picture.
But according to Jesus, people are God's method for winning the world to himself. People who have been radically transformed by Jesus. People who are not sidelined to sit in a chair on Sundays while they watch professionals take care of ministry for them. People who are equipped on Sundays to participate in ministry every day of the week. People who are fit and free to do precisely what Jesus did and what Jesus told us to do do. Make disciples.
From Page 90-91 of Radical
But according to Jesus, people are God's method for winning the world to himself. People who have been radically transformed by Jesus. People who are not sidelined to sit in a chair on Sundays while they watch professionals take care of ministry for them. People who are equipped on Sundays to participate in ministry every day of the week. People who are fit and free to do precisely what Jesus did and what Jesus told us to do do. Make disciples.
From Page 90-91 of Radical
Keller on not picking and choosing bible passages
I love how Keller presents how we should treat the bible as a grand narrative (in comparison to using individual passages to teach on topics/lessons you desire to convey).
Excerpt (in verbatim) of his exposition of Nehemiah 3-4 titled "Laboring for a God Who Fights for Us" From 5:03 to 6:05
Laboring for a God Who Fights for Us
That means that the bible ultimately is one story. It is not just a bunch of little stories, though it is in a sense. But it is one large story, there is one large narrative arc. And everything in the bible because it's all written by a divine author behind the human author, is moving and pointing along on that arc.
In this case, here's what we know. We know that this Nehemiah... is pointing to the ultimate Nehemiah. That is, the ultimate one who was in the palace, completely safe, had it made, and who left all of that and went out into danger, to identify with his people. And of course, Jesus Christ the ultimate Nehemiah, not doing that at the risk of his life but at the cost of his life... And what did he come to do? Essentially to make us citizens of the ultimate city.
Excerpt (in verbatim) of his exposition of Nehemiah 3-4 titled "Laboring for a God Who Fights for Us" From 5:03 to 6:05
Laboring for a God Who Fights for Us
That means that the bible ultimately is one story. It is not just a bunch of little stories, though it is in a sense. But it is one large story, there is one large narrative arc. And everything in the bible because it's all written by a divine author behind the human author, is moving and pointing along on that arc.
In this case, here's what we know. We know that this Nehemiah... is pointing to the ultimate Nehemiah. That is, the ultimate one who was in the palace, completely safe, had it made, and who left all of that and went out into danger, to identify with his people. And of course, Jesus Christ the ultimate Nehemiah, not doing that at the risk of his life but at the cost of his life... And what did he come to do? Essentially to make us citizens of the ultimate city.
Chandler on "the one"
While I am a passionate believer that God is at work in space and time, and that he is sovereign over all things, I have never been particularly convinced by the idea that there’s a “one” for you. I just see no reason to agree with the worldly romantic notion that every person has just one “soul mate” out there waiting for him or her. In fact, I find that idea to be anticovenantal, contrary to grace. It forces prospective spouses into a routine of measuring up, of being investigated or even interrogated rather than considered. It turns the search for a godly spouse into an audition to be the one who “completes” you. Do you see the subtle pride at work there, the arrogance? Instead of appropriately considering the character of a potential spouse, the romantic relationship becomes about scrutinizing every potential spouse to see if he or she is “the one” for you, as if you are the be-all and end-all.
No spouse can complete you. Don’t look for a spouse to do what only Jesus can...
Even if it were true that there is one person out there for you, isn’t it possible that someone messed up the whole relationship order, like, fifty years ago? I mean, if just one person married the wrong spouse back in the day, do the math—the whole system’s broken like a domino effect of incompleteness.
So quit looking for “the one.” You have a better chance of finding an Oompa Loompa riding a unicorn, fighting Bigfoot.
Because God is at work in space and time, because he is sovereign over all things, we don’t get into conflict or difficult times and wonder if we missed out on “the one.” We trust in God and realize that “the one” is the one you’re in covenant with.
The idea of “the one” can undercut the grace God gives for marriage to be a reflection of the gospel because it can cause us to doubt whether this sinner we married is actually that one. We doubt this especially when he or she doesn’t seem to be “completing” us very well, when we don’t feel especially fulfilled in our marriage. When we begin to give in to our own self-interests, when we cave to lustful temptations, or when we just flat out get bored or irritated, our thoughts often turn away from giving grace to our spouse and toward wondering if the reason we’ve got all this trouble is because we didn’t marry the right person.
So that kind of thinking disgraces marriage because marriage is something God does through us. It is why many wedding ceremonies conclude with this warning, straight from the mouth of Jesus: “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9). Of course, these words are often said in a perfunctory way, but they speak to the deep spiritual reality of marriage: it is something God has done. To think of it as anything less is to diminish it.
From
The Mingling of Souls
Platt on giftedness of a church congregation
When I was considering becoming the pastor of a faith family I now lead, I thought and even said to other people, "This church has so many resources-so many gifts, so many talents, so many leaders, so much money. If this church could get behind a global purpose, it could shake the nations for the glory of God."
I have since discovered that this was a woefully wrongheaded way to think. The reality is that it doesn't matter how many resources the church has. The church I lead could have all the man-made resources that one could imagine, but apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, such a church will do nothing of significance for the glory of God.
In fact, I believe the opposite is true. The church I lead could have the least gifted people, the least talented people, the fewest leaders, and the least money, and this church under the power of the Holy Spirit could still shake the nations for his glory. The reality is that the church I lead can accomplish more during the next month in the power of God's Spirit than we can in the next hundred years apart from his provision. His power is so superior to ours. Why do we not desperately seek it?
From Page 53-4 of
Radical
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