SUBLIME TRUTHS SIMPLY TOLD

 

We have likely heard the definition of a parable, “An earthly story with a heavenly meaning.”  Jesus utilized parables in His teaching. The wisdom with which He spoke stopped the mouths of the Bible scholars of His day, and yet it was conveyed in a manner so as to be received gladly by the common folk who swarmed Him to hear Him. Jesus had a way of reaching into heaven for the most sublime truths and express them in such simple terms that His point was clear. 

Seminary students have studied the Lord’s teaching and volumes of commentaries have been written on the parables, along with countless sermons preached from them, yet by no means has their profound message been exhausted.  But, one may share the story with a child and they get it, or tell it to an uneducated adult and they grasp it.

It is the standard set for the preacher—to teach like Jesus. The late Stephen Olford, a master expositor, said that Jesus used three books that are available to us: “God's Book, the Book of Creation, and the Book of Human Life,” (According to Your Word, Kindle edition, p.21).

We begin with the Book of Inspiration. The message is drawn from exposition. It is based on the Bible. We start with the truth of Scripture and let it shape the subject of the sermon.  This is transcendent truth from the spiritual realm.

We illustrate with the Book of Creation. The message is illumined by illustration. Truth can be explained through creation. Insight is given from the natural realm. Jesus did that in the parables.

We conclude with the Book of Life. The message is directed to application. Truth is applied to daily living. This is the practical truth that shapes us in the human realm.

I want to put the cookies on the shelf where the people can reach them. The best compliment I ever receive is when someone says, “God spoke to me from your sermon,” and as they affirm, “When you preach I understand the Bible.”  May that ever be our goal as preachers—as we employ those three books and preach like Jesus!

BUILDING A SERMON

 In building a sermon, the foundation is the most crucial component—and the foundation is exposition. What does it mean?  What was God saying to the people of that time. Without a solid grasp of the original interpretation, then we have no Biblical basis in the sermon.

Yet, on that foundation, there is the frame. That is the outline.  The framework is organization.  It is a systematic way of framing the truth so that it would have made sense to those who first heard it, to ourselves as a preacher presenting it, and to those who will hear our sermon.  Apart from this it is difficult for the congregation to have retention of the truth.

The building of a sermon next demands the finish work—and that is application. Having understood what the text originally meant, then organizing that in a manner that will enhance presentation, we must move to show what the text means to our listeners in our day. Without this, we my have accomplished teaching, but not preaching. Consider this reality conveyed here by Spurgeon and Stott:

Then, it is completed with furnishing the sermon construction. That is illustration. This adorns the message and gives the listener a place to sit down and ruminate, chewing over the bread of heaven, a place to lie down and meditate, to rest in the reality of eternity.

Exposition, organization, application, illustration: these are essential components in building a sermon.  To this we might add that an introduction that captures the attention of the listener and a conclusion that calls for decision enables the congregation to “nail it down.”

PREACHERS OF FORGIVENESS PRACTICING FORGIVENESS

Gospel preachers proclaim God’s message of forgiveness. If we are not pointing people to the cross and extending an invitation to salvation, then we have forsaken our calling. Yet, we dare not only proclaim this as our message, but must present it as a model. Preaching forgiveness is easier than practicing it!

As I have pastored for over four decades, I have been wounded many times—most severally by church members. Sometimes, they have been akin to Judas—kissing up to your face, while betraying you behind your back. Lost sleep, many tears, depleted energy, and such have come from the wounds of critical words. I could tell you some horror stories, but if you have been a pastor for very long, you have plenty of your own.

The real issue is—what do we do about it?  Will we flee at the first sign of criticism?  Will we fight fire with fire and seek to incinerate our enemies from the pulpit as we rage against them?  Will we fester with bitterness that infects our ministry and poisons productivity?

Christ’s answer is to forgive. We are to consider how much He has forgiven us and then forgive those who have done much less to us. We may say, “I don’t deserve this!”  True enough. What we deserve is hell!  Anything less than that is grace—amazing grace.  We preach it.  Let’s practice it. Leave the critics to God. He can handle them much better than we can. Do not let your enemies live rent free in your head.

There is a reconciliation process provided in Matthew 18:15-20. Maybe you have preached on it. Have we practiced it?  Have you made every effort to reach out in love to your enemy?  If that has been tried and rebuffed, have you sought someone else to mediate the conflict as Scripture commands?  When all efforts have been exhausted, have you then placed the matter before the church?  What if you have attempted it, and the church has refused to take the final step and call the unforgiving party to repentance and being willing to discipline them by removing them from the assembly?  If that be the case, shake the dust off your feet and move on to another ministry opportunity!

A pastor who will not forgive forfeits his right to preach forgiveness. Bitterness will be toxic to our ministry. Anger and a vengeful spirit will light a fire that will burn everything down. Yet, a church that allows such without confronting the unrepentant—whether it be the preacher, the member(s), or both—is not a church, but merely a social club.

RECHARGED!

 Batteries must be recharged if what they power is to continue to work. Using the equipment drains the energy, and if not recharged, it will eventually become unproductive. I have a battery powered chainsaw. I used it several days ago. When the battery drained, the work ceased. But, I plan to resume cutting trees later today. I have recharged the battery. It is no different in the service of the Lord. We cannot be constantly going and doing without recharging. 

We need to plug in “at Jesus’ feet,” (Luke 10:39). In the story, Martha was in a frenzy, preparing a meal, irritated that her sister Mary would not help. Yet, Jesus told her that Mary had chosen wisely. It is not that service is to be neglected, but that until our spiritual energy is replenished at Jesus’ feet, we will eventually shut down.

Think of the principle of the weekly Sabbath. Six days we are to work, but we need a day of rest. Sadly, I think some Christian workers neglect this. From Friday night until Saturday night could be a day of recharging.  What happens when we plug in at Jesus’ feet?

It is a place of RESTORATION, “Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.” (Matt. ‭15‬:‭30‬‬). The lame could not go, the blind could not see, the mute could not speak, the maimed could not work. All that would change because of time spent at Jesus’ feet. They would be restored. Those of you who serve the Lord must continue to go out on mission, you must be able to see with vision, you must be able to speak with conviction, and to serve with passion.  At Jesus’ feet is the place of restoration.

It is a place of RECEPTION, “And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” (Lk.10‬:‭39‬‬). Mary was on the receiving end of the Lord’s teaching. She was soaking in the truth, receiving the Word of the Lord with all its transforming power. On Sunday, preachers will need to stand and speak for God. How can we unless on Saturday (or another day) we have sat and soaked in the Word of God?  I cannot presume to speak for Him unless I have first heard from Him. At Jesus’ feet is the place of reception. 

It is a place of REVERENCE, “And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.”  (Matt. ‭28‬:‭9‬‬). It is difficult to worship the Lord, if we wait to do so as we are leading others in worship. Our mind can be easily distracted by our responsibilities. Yet, we need a day to sit at Jesus’s feet in reverence and rejoice in Him!  I would suggest that our public expression of worship together will be real only if rooted in our private experience of worship alone.  

We can wake up on the Lord’s Day, with resignation, “I’ve got to go to church,” or with rejoicing,  “I get to go to church!”  Bowing before Him and experiencing His presence personally makes the difference. At Jesus’ feet is the place of reverence.

Let’s get alone with the Lord today, bowing at His feet, that we may stand tomorrow to serve and speak with power!