This week we have been looking at Luke 8:9-10.
Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
We are trying to answer 3 questions that arose in my mind from this passage of Scripture. We have already looked at the first two questions: "What is preaching's purpose? And What does preaching produce?" We said that preaching's purpose is both to reveal and to conceal. Jesus' preaching concealed the secrets of the kingdom, and at the same time revealed the seekers of the kingdom. We said that preaching produces healing or hardening. After hearing the Word of God we will have brighter eyes or blinder eyes, but never the same set of eyes. Today we will strive to answer the most important question for us, "How should we prepare to hear?"
How should we prepare to hear God's Word? We definitely do not need to be cavalier in hearing God's Word week after week. If it is not softening and saving and healing and bearing fruit, it is probably hardening and blinding, and dulling. The point of Jesus' words in this scripture is not, take heed how you preach, but…take heed how you hear. In Luke 8:8, he says, "he who has ears to hear, let him hear!" As you prepare to hear God's Word strive to be a good listener.
Don't be a Casual Listener. A casual listener is like the hard soil which never really sinks in. Casual listeners doze off during the message, talk, and daydream during the message. Casual listeners presume that they already know as much as the pastor, there is nothing he can teach them, so they do not pay close attention.
Don't be a Convicted Listener. A convicted listener is like the shallow soil that has no root or the soil that grows thorns that choke the fruit out. They hear the message, but it doesn't sink very deep. They hear the message and are convicted so they try to respond, only to have the message choked out on Monday because they are caught up in the cares of this life. The convicted listener is often the "nominal Christian," if there is such a thing. They try to respond to the message in order to get fire insurance and some misleading pastor leads them in a prayer, has them fill out a card, runs them through the baptistery and assures them that they are saved. Then they go back into the world with the idea that they are going to heaven. The problem is they are still living their life as though it is their own. They haven't made themselves slaves of God. They have heard the word, been convicted, and half heartedly responded in order to try and escape hell, but they have not really heard and responded properly.
Don't be a casual listener who takes in little or nothing. Don't be a convicted listener who tries to respond without giving everything. Do be a Convinced Listener. The good soil is a picture of the convinced listener. The convinced listener receives the Word, responds whole-heartedly, and bears fruit. Be a convinced listener this Sunday. Come hungry and thirsty for God and for His Word. Come with a heart to hear and respond. Come with open ears, open hearts, and open minds to hear what God has to say to you. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
What does preaching produce?
This week we have been looking at Luke 8:9-10.
"And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand" (Luke 8:9-10).
We are trying to answer 3 questions arose in my mind from this passage of Scripture. We have already looked at the first question: "What is preaching's purpose?" We said that preaching is both to reveal and to conceal. Jesus' preaching concealed the secrets of the kingdom, and at the same time revealed the seekers of the kingdom.
Today, we will address the second question that arose in my studies. What does preaching produce? Preaching is definitely productive. Isaiah wrote For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa 55:10-11). The Word will not return void. Like a double-edged sword, the Word of God cuts two ways. It sometimes bears fruit. Sometimes it brings judgment.
What does preaching produce? Preaching produces softer hearts or harder hearts, but it will never produce the same heart. It can produce brighter eyes or blinded eyes, but it will never produce the same set of eyes. It will produce opened ears or to duller ears, but never the same ears. Preaching produces healing or to hardening.
The Gospel is good news! It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The Gospel often brings forth fruit and produces healing in the hearts and lives of people (2 Thess 2:14, Eph 1:13-14, Rom 1:16-17, Rom 10:13-14). Yet, even when preaching does not produce "results" it is not necessarily ineffective. It may be doing its terrible work of judgment. It may be hardening people, dulling their ears. Isaiah 6:9-10 states, And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Preaching produces healing or hardening and it can do it from the same exact message! Paul stated that he was the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved AND among those who are perishing. To one he was a fragrance from death to death. To the other he was a fragrance from life to life (2 Cor 2:15-17). Two people can sit under the same message from the same preacher and have two totally different outcomes. One can be gloriously healed. The other can be tragically hardened to the Gospel. This raises a third question, that we will address next: "How should we prepare to hear?"
Until next time…
"And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand" (Luke 8:9-10).
We are trying to answer 3 questions arose in my mind from this passage of Scripture. We have already looked at the first question: "What is preaching's purpose?" We said that preaching is both to reveal and to conceal. Jesus' preaching concealed the secrets of the kingdom, and at the same time revealed the seekers of the kingdom.
Today, we will address the second question that arose in my studies. What does preaching produce? Preaching is definitely productive. Isaiah wrote For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa 55:10-11). The Word will not return void. Like a double-edged sword, the Word of God cuts two ways. It sometimes bears fruit. Sometimes it brings judgment.
What does preaching produce? Preaching produces softer hearts or harder hearts, but it will never produce the same heart. It can produce brighter eyes or blinded eyes, but it will never produce the same set of eyes. It will produce opened ears or to duller ears, but never the same ears. Preaching produces healing or to hardening.
The Gospel is good news! It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The Gospel often brings forth fruit and produces healing in the hearts and lives of people (2 Thess 2:14, Eph 1:13-14, Rom 1:16-17, Rom 10:13-14). Yet, even when preaching does not produce "results" it is not necessarily ineffective. It may be doing its terrible work of judgment. It may be hardening people, dulling their ears. Isaiah 6:9-10 states, And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Preaching produces healing or hardening and it can do it from the same exact message! Paul stated that he was the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved AND among those who are perishing. To one he was a fragrance from death to death. To the other he was a fragrance from life to life (2 Cor 2:15-17). Two people can sit under the same message from the same preacher and have two totally different outcomes. One can be gloriously healed. The other can be tragically hardened to the Gospel. This raises a third question, that we will address next: "How should we prepare to hear?"
Until next time…
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Purpose of Preaching
C.H. Spurgeon has been called the prince of preachers. But, the real prince of preachers has to be Jesus Christ himself. Jesus' method of preaching was through parables. In fact Matthew tells us in Matthew 13:34 that "All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable."
In Luke 8, we hear his definition of the parable and his idea of preaching.
Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand."
At least 3 questions arise in my mind from this passage of Scripture that we will look at over the next few days, in order to reiterate what you heard, if you were with us, this past Sunday at Cleary. The first question is…."What is preaching's purpose?"
The purpose of Jesus' preaching is both to reveal and to conceal the truth. His teachings were a way of revealing or concealing the secrets of the kingdom of God. Do you mean to say that Jesus wanted to conceal the truth from some people? That is what he said. Jesus said that he spoke in parables so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand. That seeing (the story) they may not see (the secrets), and hearing (the story) they may not understand (the secrets). The fact of the matter is, much of God's word is meant to conceal, rather than reveal. In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3, "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing."
Preaching is not just to conceal though. It is to reveal as well. Jesus' preaching, His parables, were to reveal, not the secrets of the kingdom, but the seekers of the kingdom. Jesus was not revealing secrets to some and not to others in his preaching. He was revealing those who were really seeking through his preaching. You see, the disciples did not understand or they would not have had to ask. That is the key! Not that they mysteriously understood what Jesus said and the others missed it because they had special insight. No, the key is that they did not understand any more than anyone else in the crowd. The key is, they asked. This is what set them apart. They didn't just turn around and walk away saying, good sermon Jesus. They inquired of Him what he was talking about.
This method of preaching protected the glorious gospel. Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." He did not give the holy Word of God to the dogs or throw the priceless pearl before the pigs. He simply threw some lamb bait out. The dogs and the pigs walked away, but the sheep took the bait and wanted more. Nicodemus was one of those lambs that took His bait. We read the account in John 3:1-2. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Nicodemus was seeking, so Jesus revealed the secrets to him. The purpose of preaching is not only to reveal….but to conceal. The next question we must ask is, "What does preaching produce?" We will look at this question later in the week…so be on the lookout!
In Luke 8, we hear his definition of the parable and his idea of preaching.
Luke 8:9-10 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand."
At least 3 questions arise in my mind from this passage of Scripture that we will look at over the next few days, in order to reiterate what you heard, if you were with us, this past Sunday at Cleary. The first question is…."What is preaching's purpose?"
The purpose of Jesus' preaching is both to reveal and to conceal the truth. His teachings were a way of revealing or concealing the secrets of the kingdom of God. Do you mean to say that Jesus wanted to conceal the truth from some people? That is what he said. Jesus said that he spoke in parables so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand. That seeing (the story) they may not see (the secrets), and hearing (the story) they may not understand (the secrets). The fact of the matter is, much of God's word is meant to conceal, rather than reveal. In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3, "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing."
Preaching is not just to conceal though. It is to reveal as well. Jesus' preaching, His parables, were to reveal, not the secrets of the kingdom, but the seekers of the kingdom. Jesus was not revealing secrets to some and not to others in his preaching. He was revealing those who were really seeking through his preaching. You see, the disciples did not understand or they would not have had to ask. That is the key! Not that they mysteriously understood what Jesus said and the others missed it because they had special insight. No, the key is that they did not understand any more than anyone else in the crowd. The key is, they asked. This is what set them apart. They didn't just turn around and walk away saying, good sermon Jesus. They inquired of Him what he was talking about.
This method of preaching protected the glorious gospel. Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." He did not give the holy Word of God to the dogs or throw the priceless pearl before the pigs. He simply threw some lamb bait out. The dogs and the pigs walked away, but the sheep took the bait and wanted more. Nicodemus was one of those lambs that took His bait. We read the account in John 3:1-2. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Nicodemus was seeking, so Jesus revealed the secrets to him. The purpose of preaching is not only to reveal….but to conceal. The next question we must ask is, "What does preaching produce?" We will look at this question later in the week…so be on the lookout!
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