Why You Should Read the Puritans: Part Seven
Posted: June 15, 2007 Filed under: Joel Beeke, Puritans Leave a comment5. Puritan writings show you how to handle trials.
Puritanism grew out of a great struggle between the truth of God’s Word and its enemies. Reformed Christianity was under attack in Great Britain, much like Reformed Christianity is under attack today. The Puritans were good soldiers in the conflict, enduring great hardships and suffering much. Their lives and their writings stand ready to arm us for our battles, and to encourage us in our suffering. The Puritans teach us how we need affliction to humble us (Deut. 8:2), to teach us what sin is (Zeph. 1:12), and how that brings us to God (Hos. 5:15). As Robert Leighton wrote, “Affliction is the diamond dust that heaven polishes its jewels with.” The Puritans show us how God’s rod of affliction is His means to write Christ’s image more fully upon us, so that we may be partakers of His righteousness and holiness (Heb. 12:10–11).
If you would learn how to handle your trials in a truly Christ-exalting way, read Thomas Boston’s The Crook in the Lot: The Sovereignty and Wisdom of God Displayed in the Afflictions of Men.
John Piper on the Supremacy of Christ
Posted: June 14, 2007 Filed under: John Piper 2 CommentsI will go as far as saying this might be the best 10 minutes I have ever heard on the Supremacy of Christ, and may be the best 10 minutes i have ever spent in listening to any message.
John Piper: A problem with Christians in Evangelicalism
Posted: June 14, 2007 Filed under: John Piper Leave a commentWhy You Should Read the Puritans: Part Six
Posted: June 14, 2007 Filed under: Joel Beeke, Puritans Leave a comment
John Piper on the prosperity gospel
Posted: June 13, 2007 Filed under: John Piper, The Gospel Leave a commentWhy You Should Read the Puritans: Part Five
Posted: June 13, 2007 Filed under: Joel Beeke, Puritans Leave a comment
e: “Christ is the sum of the whole Bible, prophesied, typified, prefigured, exhibited, demonstrated, to be found in every leaf, almost in every line, the Scriptures being but as it were the swaddling bands of the child Jesus.” Likewise, the Puritan Isaac Ambrose wrote, “Think of Christ as the very substance, marrow, soul, and scope of the whole Scriptures.”The Puritans loved Christ and exalted in His beauty. Samuel Rutherford wrote: “Put the beauty of ten thousand worlds of paradises, like the Garden of Eden in one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colors, all tastes, all joys, all loveliness, all sweetness in one. O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it would be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and foundations of ten thousand earths.”
If you would know Christ better and love Him more fully, immerse yourself in Puritan literature. Read Robert Asty’s Rejoicing in the Lord Jesus.
Why You Should Read the Puritans: Part Four
Posted: June 12, 2007 Filed under: Joel Beeke, Puritans Leave a comment First, they address your mind. In keeping with the Reformed tradition, the Puritans refused to set mind and heart against each other, but viewed the mind as the palace of faith. “In conversion, reason is elevated,” John Preston wrote.
The Puritans understood that a mindless Christianity fosters a spineless Christianity. An anti-intellectual gospel quickly becomes an empty, formless gospel that never gets beyond “felt needs,” which is something that is happening in many churches today. Puritan literature is a great help for understanding the vital connection between what we believe with our minds and how that affects the way we live. Jonathan Edwards’s Justification by Faith Alone and William Lyford’s The Instructed Christian are particularly helpful for this.
Second, Puritan writings confront your conscience. The Puritans are masters at convicting us about the heinous nature of our sin against an infinite God. They excel at exposing specific sins, then asking questions to press home conviction of those sins. As one Puritan wrote, “We must go with the stick of divine truth a
nd beat every bush behind which a sinner hides, until like Adam who hid, he stands before God in his nakedness.”Devotional reading should be confrontational as well as comforting. We grow little if our consciences are not pricked daily and directed to Christ. Since we are prone to run for the bushes when we feel threatened, we need daily help to be brought before the living God “naked and opened unto the eyes of with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:12). In this, the Puritans excel. If you truly want to learn what sin is and experience how sin is worse than suffering, read Jeremiah Burroughs’s The Evil of Evils and Thomas Shepard’s The Sincere Convert and the Sound Believer.
Third, the Puritan writers engage your heart. They excel in feeding the mind with solid biblical substance and they move the heart with affectionate warmth. They write out of love for God’s Word, love for the glory of God, and love for the soul of readers.
For books that beautifully balance objective truth and subjective experience in Christianity; books that combine, as J.I. Packer puts it, “clear-headed passion and warm-hearted compassion” (Ryken, Worldly Saints, x); books that inform your mind, confront your conscience, and engage your heart, read the Puritans. Read Vincent Alsop’s Practical Godliness.
Why You Should Read the Puritans: Part Three
Posted: June 9, 2007 Filed under: Joel Beeke, Puritans Leave a commentLet me offer you nine reasons why it will help you spiritually to read Puritan literature still today:
1. Puritan writings help shape life by Scripture. The Puritans loved, lived, and breathed Holy Scriptur
e. They relished the power of the Spirit that accompanied the Word. Their books are all Word-centered; more than 90 percent of their writings are repackaged sermons that are rich with scriptural exposition. The Puritan writers truly believed in the sufficiency of Scripture for life and godliness.
If you read the Puritans regularly, their Bible-centeredness will become contagious. These writings will show you how to yield wholehearted allegiance to the Bible’s message. Like the Puritans, you will become a believer of the living Book, echoing the truth of John Flavel, who said, “The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying.” Do you want to read books that put you into the Scriptures and keep you there, shaping your life by sola Scriptura? Read the Puritans. Read the.Soli Deo Gloria Puritan Pulpit Series. As you read, enhance your understanding by looking up and studying all the referenced Scriptures.
Why You Should Read the Puritans: Part Two
Posted: June 8, 2007 Filed under: Joel Beeke, Puritans Leave a comment
Just who were the Puritan writers? They were not only the two thousand ministers who were ejected from the Church of England by the Act of Uniformity in 1662, but also those ministers in England and North America, from the sixteenth century through the early eighteenth century, who worked to reform and purify the church and to lead people toward godly living consistent with the Reformed doctrines of grace.
Puritanism grew out of three needs: (1) the need for biblical preaching and the teaching of sound Reformed doctrine; (2) the need for biblical, personal piety that stressed the work of the Holy Spirit in the faith and life of the believer; and (3) the need to restore biblical simplicity in liturgy, vestments, and church government, so that a well-ordered church life would promote the worship of the triune God as prescribed in His Word (The Genius of Puritanism, 11ff.).
Doctrinally, Puritanism was a kind of vigorous Calvinism; experientially, it was warm and contagious; evangelistically, it was aggressive, yet tender; ecclesiastically, it was theocentric and worshipful; politically, it aimed to be scriptural, balanced, and bound by conscience before God in the relationships of king, Parliament, and subjects; culturally, it had lasting impact throughout succeeding generations and centuries until today (Durston and Eales, eds., The Culture of English Puritanism, 1560-1700).
Why You Should Read the Puritans: Part One
Posted: June 7, 2007 Filed under: Joel Beeke, Puritans Leave a comment
The Puritans [were] bu
rning and shining lights. When cast out by the black Bartholomew Act, and driven from their respective charges to preach in barns and fields, in the highways and hedges, they in a special manner wrote and preached as men having authority. Though dead, by their writings they yet speak: a peculiar unction attends them to this very hour (Works, 4:306-307).
Whitefield went on to predict that Puritan writings would continue to be resurrected until the end of time due to their scriptural spirituality. Today, we are living in such a time. Interest in Puritan books has seldom been more intense. In the last fifty years, 150 Puritan authors and nearly 700 Puritan titles have been brought back into print.
Puritan literature has so multiplied that few book lovers can afford to purchase all that is being published. What books should you buy? Where can you find a brief summary of each Puritan work and a brief biography of each author so that you can have a glimpse of who is behind all these books?
Lecviticus 1: 1-17
Posted: June 6, 2007 Filed under: Preaching/Speaking Leave a comment
Let me invite you to turn in your Bibles to Leviticus 1
[Read Chapter Leviticus 1]
Background: Today we will deal with only a few important aspects of this passage. I do not intend to break this chapter down, nor do I intend to deal with the Jewish background of dealing with the Law. I will not, therefore, deal in depth with the offerings or the process of them. When going to a passage such as this, and preaching from it, I am concerned with the church, you the congregation, and most of all Christ. For an in-depth study of the offerings and the Law given here I would need a great deal of time and it is something that should be taught elsewhere. I want it understood that since we are not Jews we are not reading this as original Jews at the original time. Therefore, I will look at this passage with the church and our congregations today in mind.
In light of the New Testament, mainly the book of Hebrews, I will show you the significance of the two key messages of this text. I have read this chapter in Leviticus over and over, and not one time did I come away with a different focus. The focus of the chapter concentrates on the LORD, and secondly the offering that is to be given to the LORD. Listen to me when I say this, for this is the key to my message today. I am not going to give you the significance of this passage in its Biblical theology. But my plan today is to look at its systematical importance in the whole of Scripture, which our church has been given by the LORD, in Christ, and through the Holy Spirit. I might add at this point that my dispensational brother would probably become hard of hearing from this point on. For I know and understand his hermeneutics on Scripture is based only on preaching the Word in its original form, from its original writer, to its original hearer. None of us should allow ourselves to be so shallow in our reason to stud. Do not allow the system or methods you use to be the only way. Secondly, the Prophets did not and could not fully understand their writings let alone their readers at given times (1 Peter 1: 10-12). So, why would I continue to only use one verse, one chapter, and one book of the Book, when the LORD has given us all of His cannon? We have more than the original readers of this passage so that we can see how this passage fits into the light of all passages that have been given to the church. Thirdly, I cannot preach just the Law! For we the church live not under the Law but in the covenant of Grace! For me to leave out, forget about, and not mention how this chapter in Leviticus deals with Grace would only belittle our Christ and what He has so willingly done for His bride.
So, therefore, I plan to look at the two major thoughts of this text that I have brought to you. The first issue is the LORD and what he is commanding to be done. The second issue dealt with is the offerings and how they are to be given to the LORD. The passage here shows the intended guidelines of the brunt offerings that were to be given to the LORD. We have listed in this chapter how to give the offering of a bull from a herd (verses 3-9), how to give sheep or goats from a flock (verses 10-13), and lastly the offering of turtledoves and pigeons from birds (verses 14-17). We see the methods in which how the LORD’s people are to go about offering gifts, and what His people are to bring for the sacrifices. We see what the priest and his sons are to go through and what exactly they have to do in the process of these offerings. And lastly the Lord gives direction regarding the mode of the slaying of the offerings.
As the church considers this text in Leviticus, may we compare this with that of Christ! May we look at the Law and how it foreshadowed Christ. May we see the offering in the Law and how it reminds us of the one-time perfect offering of Christ. May we see the blood which had to be spilled for the covering of sins and have it only point us to the perfect blood spilled on Calvary nearly 2,000 years ago for you and me! Most of all, may we look at the difference between these offerings and that of our one-time offering, Jesus Christ.
Propositional Statement (Number, Noun, Application, Action)
I have three key elements to mediate on when looking at our offering in Christ.
I. Instructional Points- the first element is a twofold process; we must look at the offering without blemish, and secondly the blood that must be spilt.
A. Illustration- what does the Bible gives us?
What we have in our text is a way that the LORD makes for man to come to Him. The offerings given to the Jews were merely a hint of what humans should have taken on for eternity. These acts of offerings by the Jews were done willingly on the part of the man in coming to correct worship before the LORD their God. The placing of the hand by the individual was an act of identification with the victim of the sacrifice. The wealth of the man did not matter, for the LORD gave a way in which either rich or poor could partake in this act of worship with the LORD. For the poor a turtledove or pigeon was acceptable. For the Lord has given His people a way to come before Him, no matter their means of wealth.
I want to look now at the key aspects of this passage. We see in the offering of the bull and sheep that the offering must be given to the LORD without blemish or imperfection. This offering is to be complete and sound in the fact that it must be the best and perfect pick from the herd or flock. We also see the blood of the bull, sheep, goat, turtledove, or pigeon must be spilt to cover the sins of the one who is making the sacrifice.
B. Application–what does this mean?
It did not matter if the blood was thrown against the sides of the altar at the entrance of the tent, thrown on the sides of the altar, or drained out on the side of the altar. The importance was that there needed to be the spilling of the blood for the covering of man’s sin. Perfection! The LORD calls for and gets perfection! Blood! Oh! What an image of the perfect sacrifice! Do I dare to remind you today that God called for perfection and His Son Jesus Christ willingly gave! Our LORD called for blood to be spilled for your sins, and Christ willingly gave! The means of sacrifice has changed! Oh, worship and praise be given to the One who made the means of our New Covenant. The sacrifice here in this passage we read of is only but a shadow of the true perfection. The sacrifice is without blemish and complete in all of its self, for Christ was not only in perfection but His pure blood was spilt for you! For me! I plead for you to think on these things! Look at your sacrifice this day and cast all your cares on the cross of Christ. You will need no more. No more bulls, no more goats, sheep, or birds, for Christ has sacrificed Himself so that you could come to Him this day in perfection before the LORD and worship.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
I read to you as a reminder of what the writer of Hebrews told his listeners in Hebrews 9:17-22:
“For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
May you look upon this and remember what Christ has done for you. Remind yourselves that you are now a living sacrifice to the one who took your place, took your shame, your guilt, your cross, and drink every last drop of the cup of wrath from our Lord. For this is the only means we by which we can come to God. This is the way Christ took in all of you and how you can come here today and worship your God. This brings me to the second element.
II. Instructional Points- the second element of this offering I want to look at is the fact that God makes a way to come to Him.
A. Illustration- what does the Bible give us?
In light of the passage in Hebrews, I want to look now at not only what Christ has done for us but how He accomplished it. For the sacrifice in the Law, and even more today by Christ, we have a way to our God. For with Christ’s perfect blood is the acceptance of the covenant. These sacrifices in the Law were the way that man could come to worship with the LORD. The giving of perfection and the spilling of blood was to cover the sins of man. So, therefore man could now come before the LORD knowing his sin, in all of its guilt, was forgiven and could stand before Him in His entire splendor. For these means of perfection and blood bring about the mode which man is to come to God. This is hard! It is hard to understand why God would allow sinners to come to Him. For man to stand in the presence of the LORD is hard to even comprehend, to even think about. It almost seems unjust for God to allow sinners to come to Him. But these are the means in which God has given us our mode. And our mode is to stand in awe and be happy, be blessed, find our joy, and worship our Lord. Don’t try to grasp these hard, intellectual, uncomprehending measures that almost seem unjust. Just stand in awe and worship God for allowing you–a sinner that was bound to eternal death–to stand in awe of your Savior today.
B. Application–what does this mean?
Hebrews 9:20 says, “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” God commanded the Law so that His people could come to Him. Might I say, “Oh” again, Oh how the LORD has given His Son in today’s New Covenant. For there is no need of this command or this Law anymore! I do not say forget the Law in the sense of its need to be fulfilled, but forget the Law, forget the command in which God told His people before. For there is no reason any longer to carry out these commands. God has prepared you a new way to come to Him. It’s Christ! Christ is now our way to God. This way is complete and stands apart from all the sacrifices. For today you have no reason to bring your sheep; we have been given the perfect sheep so that we can come before the Shepherd this day and worship! May we stand in awe once more of our perfect Shepherd which laid down His life for His sheep? Once more we have another shadow here in Leviticus of the way to God. For the Law’s way to God was but a shadow of what we have today. It was only a shadow of what our perfect Savior would provide for us! Let me remind you again that there is no more need for bulls, goats, sheep, or birds, for Christ has sacrificed Himself so that you could come to Him this day in perfection and worship the LORD. And I might that the only way to come to God is through His Son, and it will be the only way you will ever come to God.
B. Interaction-what would that look like?
I hope that you have thanked God today for what He gave you. Thank Christ for giving Himself for you. I hope you have thanked the Spirit for giving you the heart to partake in this. Listen to these words written down long ago from the writer of Hebrews, in chapter 9:23-28.
“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
Christ’s necessity for the payment of sins is your necessity to stand in worship of the LORD. Have you thought on that this morning? For it is not what you have done today that brings you to God. Look upon the hope and foundation of your faith. May every heart and soul bow before the LORD this day in humble adoration of Christ who shed His blood for your sins. Look upon the ultimate sacrifice, for that is where your hope, joy, and redemption lie. Your way to God is through Christ’s death, his cross, and his perfect, pure, sacrifice on the cross. May praise and honor be to Him who has allowed His people to come in communion with the almighty Lord.
III. Instructional Points- the last and final element I want to look at is the significance in Jesus Christ, our sacrifice.
A. Illustration- what the Bible gives us?
We have looked at the perfect sacrifice. We have looked at the pure blood in being spilled for His people in that sacrifice. Secondly I have discussed that this pure blood has allowed us to actually stand before the LORD, and stand firm in our salvation before the LORD. But most or all, Jesus Christ death was different than these sacrifices here in the Law.
First of all, Jesus’s sacrifice was not a continual process. Christ died once! Secondly, there is now no need to having individual sacrifices. Christ’s sacrifice was enough to cover the sins of many sinners! There are many differences between the Lord and that of the Law, and I do not have time to continually break them all down at this time. It is so much more satisfying to find redemption in the blood of Christ than in some system that you have to continually do. And how great is the cross, for from His sacrifice only grace, mercy, and love flowed. Love flowed before, but the Law caused all men to fall short of God. Here Christ’s cross and His sacrifice brought us something we did not deserve. How merciful it is for God to pass judgment on us and give us everyday grace to live in Him! The love of Christ gives us joy and hope in time of need and in time of happiness.
B. Application–what does this mean?
Have you thought about the cross of Christ this week? When was the last time that you read Leviticus and thought of the shadows that Christ not only came to fulfill but to destroy? Let me ask you, hearer of the Word, have you turned your eyes on Christ this morning? Is Christ’s death the center of your life? For this act of sacrifice far surpasses that which is of the Law. Christ came to fulfill the Law, so that you might be fulfilled in Him this day! Think about that! Many of us find contentment in other activities such as sports, TV, movies, music, or whatever might be idolatry in your life. We look for contentment in lust, adultery, pornography and other sexual sins; we look for happiness in ourselves. Look at Christ now! Look at the cross! Look at the sacrifice! Why would you ever find contentment in any other image than the cross? Christ’s image on the cross should be enough to change your heart. May your image be found in Christ alone. May you hold firm to your groom and be satisfied in Him alone. And never place anything or anyone in front of your devotion to Christ, no matter who, what, where, when, why, or how you think you can. We are called to be a living sacrifice. This sacrifice calls for more than bringing something to the altar; this sacrifice makes you a living sacrifice to Christ everyday. May you continue to look to Christ in all of his splendor and glory! For your Christ, my Christ, our Christ, accomplished what bulls, goats, sheep, and birds could never do!
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Please, I pled with you to look at Christ this day and give him all you have! If you do not know him then there is no better day than today. And if you do, praise Christ today for what He’s done for His people. At this time I can do nothing more to end this sermon than use the words once more from Hebrews in 9:11-14:
“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
Preaching Christ From the Old Testament
Posted: June 5, 2007 Filed under: Book Review Leave a comment
What did you find in the book that would help you preach Christ from the Old Testament?
Chapter One:
Greidanus does an incredible job of not only giving the do’s on how to preach Christ and do it from the Old Testament, but goes as far as explaining the don’ts as well. He shows how the New Testament church in its apostolic preaching had already done this type of preaching. Greidanus gives the reasons behind the meaning of “preaching Christ,” but also tells and gives examples of what preaching Christ does not mean. Sometimes I think it is better to start off by telling people the way you don’t want things to happen, so that they know exactly what you do want to happen. From the person and work of Christ he gives a clear example of the reason for preaching Christ, specifically from the Old Testament. Near the end of the chapter, after giving his reasons on why to preach Christ, Greidanus gives the reasons for why people in today’s culture lack the preaching of Christ from the Old Testament.
Chapter Two:
Greidanus’s reasons on why we are not preaching give great help on keeping the focus pointed towards Christ and not man. Here he shows a way of not just mentioning Christ to make the messages Christ-centered, but actually showing Christ from the Scriptures. What helped me most from this chapter was a way of looking at what God is doing in Scripture and not merely at the work against man. Also he shows the way the Old Testament is often looked at and how it should be seen as the link of Christ bringing the oneness to the story of redemption. Christ is the same all throughout Scripture. Lastly, Greidanus goes deeper than the first chapter in explaining a fuller explanation of Christ.
Chapter Three:
This chapter was helpful because Greidanus showed a biblical view of the way messages should be preached. It is not to be preached with new methods, ways, or other approaches that might lead to another way of study. He deals with all of today’s movements and their beliefs that preaching ought to be from their perspectives; Greidanus shows the correct view of interpretation of the message throughout Scripture. I personally liked the fact that Greidanus goes back throughout history and the early church fathers and looks at the way they viewed Scripture. Giving allegorical and typological views and their different ways of viewing Scripture help one see the do’s and do not’s once again like he has already so many times done throughout his writings. Showing the short comings really made me think of how many people in today’s Reformed Theology branch have sometimes gone too far in their typology of the Scriptures.
Chapter Four:
In this chapter Greidanus starts off by explaining Luther’s hermeneutical method and its principle of sola scriptura. He goes on to explain Luther’s contrast of law and gospel. Once again he not only shows the upside of Luther’s view on interpretation, but the downside as well. He also reviews Calvin and his hermeneutical method dealing with all the areas in which Calvin would look at Scripture. He does this as well with Charles Spurgeon and Wilhelm Vischer. Personally my favorite is how he explains how Calvin would preach a text after many ways of studying it.
Chapter Five:
This chapter may show the major lacking theme of American Evangelical churches today. The lack of preaching Christ from the Old Testament is not because they lack knowledge of it, but how to do it. He shows exactly how to do this properly and how to exalt God in all of his glory by first preaching Christ. It is helpful to learn this when dealing with today’s culture which lacks this in so many ways. He does this in a way that does not separate individual stories or books, but makes everything fit together in the work and redemption of Christ.
Chapter Six:
Here Greidanus revels and shows how to use his method: the Christocentric method. This is a huge help in understanding a text in not only its individual story but in a whole of all of the stories. Looking at each individual story, message, and text and then putting them in the plan of God in His story of redemption presents the Old Testament as a clear picture and shows Scripture in a whole new correct lens. The best part of this chapter is his proper job in explaining typology and how to do it correctly. The end examples are key to helping see how this is done as well.
Chapter Seven:
Starting off he gives ten ways to lead you in making the right Christocentric sermon from viewing the Scriptures. He gives several examples and how to do this from Genesis. This chapter is most useful to preachers and their ways or means that they don’t understand for making a Christ-centered sermon, or coming about one. With these proper steps of viewing the Scripture in light of the entire major theme of the Bible, pastors or anyone in study, will be helped in coming to correct God honoring sermons or speeches.
Chapter Eight:
Here examples are given from Gen. 6, Ex. 15, 17, and Num. 19. These examples are ways of showing how this study would look and not look. He tries to clarify this method of studying Scripture. He uses these to go through their proper views like: redemptive history, fulfillments, typology, analogy, themes, New Testament, and looking at how to compare it with other passages. Examining the Scriptures through this lens seems hard to do but after reading Greidanus you can’t wait to get your first Old Testament text to work your way through and use all these study tools to search Scripture deeper, finding much more meat in all of the story that consists throughout all of the Bible.
What did you find to be unhelpful and even a negative influence upon the preaching of Christ from the Old Testament?
This might be a little nick picky. I found it hard after six chapters full of how to preach Christ-centered sermons, to then begin in the seventh chapter with his “ten steps from Old Testament text to Christocentric sermons.” His first step is to select a text from the congregational needs. Maybe this is why I am not, nor do I plan ever to be a shepherd of the Lord’s people. But I do find it very hard to sit down and look for a text to fit the needs of the hearers of the Word. I also find this mindset contrary to his view on Scripture. If one wants to keep Christ first in the sermon, then there should be no reason why to pick a text for the hearer. The influence of this then tends to lead me to believe that the preacher would then meet the needs of his people. I understand in some areas how this can be, but I do not preach the gospel for man’s sake, nor would I ever preach the gospel with my focus on the needs of the hearers. He says, “When church bells ring on Easter Sunday, people need to hear a word from the Lord about the resurrection.” To which I’d say, “Shouldn’t they hear the cross preached every week?!” I just do not see from my view how anyone could explain Christ-centered hermeneutics but then when coming to prepare a message, go to a man-centered way of thinking. I am by no means a preacher or a pastor nor do I have many of the skills to speak as a pastor would. I may be off on this area, but am willing to hear other opinions.
Greidanus mentions to make special sermons for the church year like Christmas, Easter, and the day of Pentecost. I would much rather teach the Scriptures and wait to see how the Lord’s plan will be carried out. Then shortly after this point he says, “Before selecting a text, we should decide which particular need should be addressed in this sermon.” This makes me wonder if in any way he is trying to say that we need to focus on the points and areas we must preach to our hearers before looking at what the Scriptures say. This would also make me believe that he will have assumptions of what “he wants to say” before he ever comes to the text and may allude to something different than what will be in the text. Lastly he states that this process will help us create sermons that are relevant from beginning to end. In no means would I disagree that we should be relevant to today’s church. I actually believe this is one of the largest problems in America. Preachers get behind their pulpit and preach about something that happened 25, 40, and even 50 years ago in culture, which has nothing to do with the man in the pew. It almost seems that the pastor wants to do something to keep the hearer awake or try to appeal to him. The gospel stands alone; the gospel flies alone. The gospel plays a one man band and needs nothing but itself to appeal to the hearer of it. I think that the point Greidanus is trying to make is just not as necessary as he makes it. It seems to defeat the purpose of Christ-centeredness.
Seven Words to transform your family
Posted: June 4, 2007 Filed under: Book Review Leave a comment
1. The first impression I got from the book was, that sometimes we the person or in the book the parent starts giving up. Start saying things like, “to far gone”, or like “I tried enough” shows what’s really within us. Matt. 12:34 Jesus teaches us that the mouth speaks what is in our hearts. And if our true heart was solid enough like the character of Christ then we wouldn’t give in or up like that. Since when has Christ given up on the Jews, the Church? I think not!
2. A reaction I have is wow! In chapter 5 or word five whatever it may be. I see the point or another point of the church. Man how great is the church to have to help us in family life. To be a guide for the relationship between a woman and a man. We need the help of a institution that God created to nurture and support the family life!!! Families can not possibly live with out God’s word teaching them consistency! That and only that is the reason of Gods character and why the character or the church we have for.
3. I tend to get the impression that Love is a choice that continues to keep everything together. Love is protection, and never fails, nor falls part. Love even shows proof of a family and is so powerful on the way it is to be done and show to one another. Lastly he shows on how it’s a production that’s like a action you decide to take everyday. Not a one time decision better a renewing one every morning.
1. That I need to remember on no matter of a situation I can not give up! Not on my wife, nor kids, but continue like Christ did to the cross for us. My heart needs to always be in turn with the Lords will, and his ministry in my life so that my mouth and my actions show that I love not only Him first and far most but yet my wife, and children like he has shown us to.
2. Knowing that the church is there to help me, I need to rely on help from men and families in my church. I need to use what is post to be used in order to make it in a biblical marriage that God has called me to do. I need to focus on what Christ is doing now for the church and also what sacrifices he made and is making for the church. Then I can see what I am called to do and far to go for my wife.
3. Seeing how important the author talks about love and after seeing how the first six words flow into this one. I mean I really need to realize that a woman just needs it more then myself. Seeing how that its something I need to do every day and every hour cause it’s a choice you make yourself, I mean a lot has to ride on myself and my own shoulders and that’s hard to face cause I’m not the biggest lover in the world. But woman needs that and I need to give that in order to give back to God a Godly and biblically relationship that Gods has given me a chance to have.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
Posted: June 2, 2007 Filed under: Book Review Leave a comment
1. His “doctorate” is from an un-accredited school. This is why over the years a number of his books have been published without the “Dr.” – apparently some of his publishers respected the title too much to let him fake it.
1. One thing I read and wonder if it really is true was the fact that women don’t measure what guys may do like big medium and small but yet everything means something and tallies I guess you could say all the same up.
2. Another idea or point that Gary makes in his book is that women don’t always understand that man sometimes needs space. I thought about this and agreed on this point because so many times I need my down time or alone time to think clear things up and think biblical on a situation and not be so fast to action and cause myself to sin.
3. My rebuke is that this is a man made program book. He makes up ideas, thinking and just where he has no conclusion for all of man kind with one program or one of his great ideas.
List how “you” plan to “specifically” respond to or incorporate into your present ministry each of the items you listed above:
1. I guess I need to remember that it is not in what or how I do something as much as I do that action with love and just as long as I do something for her to feel wanted.
2. I need to always think slower and not be fast to reaction and need time to think clearly and do things right and explain to my wife that I need time alone and away form the world so that I can think biblical and not in pressure situation.
3. I mean he has ideas and program like I had stated but in reality I think of God one program that is to fit us in marriage he gave us the church and himself and to use it and to see it and live life after that program which can fulfill all the needs of every marriage.
Bruchko
Posted: June 1, 2007 Filed under: Book Review Leave a comment
2. Olson’s faith is astounding. He didn’t want to be a missionary, but God told him and showed him otherwise. His life reminds me how God uses his weakest people to do his mightiest works.
3. Bruce Olson, only one year into college, then decides to go to South America! With a very long stay, and adventure after scary adventure but he still becomes a man. He becomes a broken, humble man. He surrenders his life and even his own fate over to God and offers the rest of his life in service, transforming a backwards, stone-age tribe into a powerful force, changing even the government that rules them. This shows an excellent example of the concept of the local church and how Christianity can transform culture into the most culturally, morally, and spiritually primitive.
1. After seeing what he does with out a wife almost makes me not even want to get married and just have his passion, going through all he has and doing everything I just need to maintain a great passion to serve Christ like him.
2. Showing me even though sometimes what I think and what I do is not always God best but its something that I have set in my mind, and head and become cold to the leading of the Lord. He I see what in order to have a successful ministry that I need to first give up all and everything on my own to God and let him leading with opening and closings here and there and show what is best for me in life so that I don’t make fleshly and human mistakes that the world does everyday.
3. I see here that decisions have a huge part to play even more then we know. And that our decisions that we might make for a time or for awhile might become more into Gods eternal plan and last longer then I’d ever guess. So I need to remember in ministry and most of all in family that decision that I make thinking might get by God or even when I make them for God can become changed by his will, and power to something I never saw coming or could have imaged.
Gospel-Centered Musings 