August 2, 2009

Reasoned Preaching

Paul preaching in Thessalonica

In Paul’s preaching, he appealed to reason. We see this example in his two visits to Ephesus. During his first brief visit, he “entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews” (Acts 18:19). When he returned to Ephesus, after being forced to leave the synagogue, he was “reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus” (Acts 19:9).

This style of preaching was not reserved for the people of Ephesus because of their particular background or circumstances. Instead, this was the kind of preaching Paul did everywhere he went. When he went to Thessalonica, Luke records: “And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead…” (Acts 17:2-3).

Paul’s preaching was very different from the preaching done by many in the religious world today. Notice what Paul did not do:
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May 1, 2009

Offering an Invitation in the Assembly

Open Bible

Typically, at the end of a sermon, the gospel preacher will offer an invitation. I do it and I know many others who do as well. But why? Is there a reason for doing it, or is it just a long-held tradition that we mindlessly practice?

Before we consider this question, we should be sure we understand what we mean by an invitation (as it is commonly called). The invitation is two-fold. First, it is to invite non-Christians to come to Christ. Second, it is to admonish erring Christians to repent.
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February 11, 2009

“The Preacher’s Pledge” – Bible Based Sermons

I came across an interesting article this weekend from the Christian Post.

Over 5,000 Pastors Pledge to Keep Sermons Purely Biblical

When I read the headline, my immediate reaction was skepticism. Sure, the thought of one simply speaking “as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11) is great. But could one really expect these denominational preachers to give up their creeds and preach “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27)? After all, to do so would require that they condemn the very denomination that employs them.

As it turns out, that was not what the article was about. It is about plagiarism in preaching. “The Preacher’s Pledge” is a commitment by various pastors and ministers to “start with the Bible as their primary source for sermon preparation.” Some thought this was necessary with the great amount of sermons available on the internet. Preachers could simply take sermons of different men and preach them as their own.
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February 1, 2009

Jesus – The Great Debater

Jesus Debating

One aspect about Jesus that is often ignored is His ability to debate. There is a reason for this. To say that religious debates are not popular in our time is an understatement. Yet the ability to debate is a valuable skill for those who would endeavor to teach the gospel to others. Jesus was so effective that Luke recorded four occasions in just one chapter (Luke 20) in which Jesus silenced His opponents. He did so by presenting arguments that could not be combated.

Paul described the work of spreading the gospel as “destroying speculation and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). We are not to try to force anyone or trick anyone into obeying the gospel. We persuade people by dismantling the arguments used against the truth.

When Jesus silenced His opponents four times in Luke 20, He was able to do so without turning the common people against Him (Luke 19:48; 21:38). We must develop our abilities to confound our opponents while also persuading the people. In order to help us do this, let us notice how Jesus silenced His opponents.
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December 1, 2008

Spirit of Faith

Sunrise

“But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke,’ we also believe, therefore we also speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13).

Paul wrote this verse as he told the Corinthians of the ministry he had been given, the hardships he faced for it, and the hope he had for eternal life. He quoted from Psalm 116 – a psalm of deliverance – in which the psalmist expressed his faith and trust in God even in the face of severe trials.

We are to have the same spirit of faith that Paul had. Having this spirit of faith, we will do certain things.
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October 1, 2008

Amos the Herdsman

The Prophet Amos

Preaching the gospel is a noble work. Paul wrote, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things” (Romans 10:15). Yet for many, the work of preaching the gospel has evolved into an occupation. They preach in order to make a living. If a congregation cannot pay them enough, they either move on or send out requests far and wide for outside support. If this does not yield any results, then they quit preaching.

Paul told Timothy, “Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). That was the instruction. He did not say, “Do the work of an evangelist and fulfill your ministry as long as you can make a living doing so and do not have to work a secular job to support yourself.” Yes, Paul also instructed that “those who proclaim the gospel [should] get their living from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). However, this instruction was given to a congregation telling them to support those who preach. It was not given to a preacher instructing him to solicit support from other congregations until he receives a comfortable living.
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September 1, 2008

The Great Commission: Mission Accomplished

World Map

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).

These verses contain two different accounts of Jesus’ instruction to His apostles regarding what they were to do following His ascension. We often call this the “Great Commission.” Their responsibility was to tell the world of the gospel of Christ in order to bring followers to Him.
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