Dan says "Hi Phil, Thanks for the help on the sermon last week. I think it turned out all right in the end.
Attached is my transcript - I mostly kept to it...
The recording's not up on our website yet, I'll send you a link when it is.
This is a link to the Brookwater ad that I used, it's worth having a look at since it drives a large chunk of the sermon and I come back to it often. The ad is over on the right hand panel.
I had some slides with a couple of photos in them as visual illustrations, you get the gist of them in the transcript.
Below is the outline I had printed in the handouts
Life in the Garden
Looking for Eden?
The Garden of Work
The Garden of Marriage
The Garden of God
Eden Today?
This is the un-official blog of the Queensland Theological College Preaching Class - but others are welcome to join in! We're exploring the mechanics of clear and effective Bible Teaching.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Developing an Argument – Start with the Intro
You can't really write your introduction til you've figured out where your talk is heading. Here are two possible starters for my talk on Deuteronomy 4. We'll talk in class about which one works best, and why…
INTRODUCTION VERSION 1
Words or Pictures?
Mounted above the doorways around the US Library of Congress, which has got to be one of the great libraries of the world, there's a series of FAMOUS QUOTATIONS. They're quotes by and large about the importance of BOOKS. And the POWER of WORDS.
One that particularly caught my eye said this. It turns out they're the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, though I'm sure SIMILAR THINGS have been said countless times before. But set above the massive marble doorway into the main hall of the library, you'll see this.
SHOW SLIDE
"Words are also ACTIONS. And ACTIONS are a KIND OF WORDS."
I dunno. It's kind of obvious. And yet CONFUSING at the same time. It's kind of the same as saying ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, or else maybe it's a BALANCE. Saying WORDS might in fact sometimes speak LOUDER THAN ACTIONS. That WORDS ACTUALLY IN THE END ARE… ACTIONS. With power. With consequences.
I mean, we know that, don't we. Sometimes, simply TO SPEAK is a PROFOUND ACTION ALL OF ITS OWN. And to say the WRONG WORD AT THE WRONG TIME can have DISASTROUS RESULTS. That change the WHOLE COURSE OF A FRIENDSHIP. The WHOLE COURSE OF A LIFE. OVERHEARD WORDS that you WISH YOU COULD TAKE BACK. But you can't. Or else WORDS THAT BRING HEALING. Or bring CLOSURE. Or bring PROMISE. Or SEAL A DEAL.
ACTIONS MIGHT SPEAK. BUT WORDS ACT. Because words are POWERFUL TOOLS.
How much MORESO if the WORDS… are the words of the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE who SPOKE THINGS INTO BEING. What are you going to DO with the WORDS of a GOD LIKE THAT? I mean, what if he didn't just speak CREATION WORDS at the beginning, but SPOKE SPECIFICALLY TO ONE NATION OF PEOPLE? What are they going to DO … with THOSE WORDS?
INTRODUCTION VERSION 2
Seen but not heard
In Victorian England it was often said that Children, like Domestic servants, should be SEEN, but NOT HEARD. In fact, not just VICTORIAN ENGLAND. When I was growing up, which was in an era SLIGHTLY LATER THAN THAT, when I was growing up and mum and dad were having a DINNER PARTY AT HOME, my younger sister and I were always BUSTING to be allowed to STAY UP. And be PART OF IT. At which point I would be reminded that we could stay up ON THE ONE CONDITION that we REMEMBERED THE RULES. We could HELP WITH SERVING THE CHRISTMAS DRINKS. We could even NIBBLE ON THE CASHEWS. But DON'T BUTT IN on the ADULT CONVERSATIONS. Children… should be SEEN BUT NOT HEARD. Which very much kept us in our place.
Well, children these days get it much better. But as we come to Deuteronomy this morning, Moses is keen to warn the people of Israel about the kind of idol worship that was ABSOLUTELY COMMON ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE. That very conveniently let you MAKE YOURSELF A NON INTERFERING, NON SPEAKING GOD. A good looking god, as you carved out its features and you inlaid it with gold and propped him up in his temple. But WON'T TROUBLE YOU BY SPEAKING. Or TELLING YOU HOW TO LIVE. Domesticated gods. Which the bible calls IDOLS.
So here in Deuteronomy 4, we've got this interesting interplay. The decision before Israel as they STAND ON THE BRINK OF THE PROMISED LAND. The choice between their TRUE GOD… WHO SPEAKS BUT HAS NO FORM. Or the IDOLS. Who have FORM. But DO NOT SPEAK. The God who is HEARD BUT NOT SEEN. Or domesticated, well behaved and convenient idols. Who are SEEN… BUT NOT HEARD.
Show slide - map
If you were here last week, you'll remember that in Deuteronomy we're looking at the FINAL SPEECH FROM MOSES, Israel's great leader, who's brought the descendants of Abraham, the people of Israel, out of SLAVERY in Egypt, who's brought them to Mount HOREB where God's given them his law, who's LED THEM THE ELEVEN DAY JOURNEY to Kadesh Barnea, where they sent SPIES INTO THE PROMISED LAND. And when the GOD WHO SPEAKS SAYS TO THEM, I'm GIVING YOU THE LAND, GO IN AND TAKE IT… they say, WE CAN'T, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THERE ARE TOO BIG.
Monday, July 26, 2010
A Sermon on Deuteronomy 4
Hey guys and girls, here's the text from my sermon on Deuteronomy 4. It was a tough week of preparation - it's a chapter with lots going on, and it was hard to get a clear line through it. Gary Millar's lecture was helpful and formative, highlighting the fact that Israel's God was heard, but not seen. That's what I tried to play off in the way I structured the talk. There are plenty of flaws here, which is why I'm posting it. If you get the chance, why not highlight some in the comments. (Having said that, it's WAY better than the earlier draft. Dumping my original introduction was a great help. More on that later maybe.)
The God of Word
Deuteronomy 4
SLIDE – SEEN BUT NOT HEARD
Seen but not heard
In Victorian England it was often said that Children, like Domestic servants, should be SEEN, but NOT HEARD. In fact, not just VICTORIAN ENGLAND. When I was growing up, which was in an era SLIGHTLY LATER THAN THAT, when I was growing up and mum and dad were having a DINNER PARTY AT HOME, my younger sister and I were always BUSTING to be allowed to STAY UP. And be PART OF IT. At which point I would be reminded that we could stay up ON THE ONE CONDITION that we REMEMBERED THE RULES. We could HELP WITH SERVING THE CHRISTMAS DRINKS. We could even NIBBLE ON THE CASHEWS. But DON’T BUTT IN on the ADULT CONVERSATIONS. Children… should be SEEN BUT NOT HEARD. Which very much kept us in our place.
Well, children these days get it much better. But as we come to Deuteronomy this morning, Moses is keen to warn the people of Israel about the kind of idol worship that was ABSOLUTELY COMMON ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE. That very conveniently let you MAKE YOURSELF A NON INTERFERING, NON SPEAKING GOD. A good looking god, as you carved out its features and you inlaid it with gold and propped him up in his temple. But WON’T TROUBLE YOU BY SPEAKING. Or TELLING YOU HOW TO LIVE. Domesticated gods. Which the bible calls IDOLS.
So here in Deuteronomy 4, we’ve got this interesting interplay. The decision before Israel as they STAND ON THE BRINK OF THE PROMISED LAND. The choice between their TRUE GOD… WHO SPEAKS BUT HAS NO FORM. Or the IDOLS. Who have FORM. But DO NOT SPEAK.
The God who is HEARD BUT NOT SEEN. Or domesticated, well behaved and convenient idols. Who are SEEN… BUT NOT HEARD.
Show slide - map
If you were here last week, you’ll remember that in Deuteronomy we’re looking at the FINAL SPEECH FROM MOSES, Israel’s great leader, who’s brought the descendants of Abraham, the people of Israel, out of SLAVERY in Egypt, who’s brought them to Mount HOREB where God’s given them his law, who’s LED THEM THE ELEVEN DAY JOURNEY to Kadesh Barnea, where they sent SPIES INTO THE PROMISED LAND. And when the GOD WHO SPEAKS SAYS TO THEM, I’m GIVING YOU THE LAND, GO IN AND TAKE IT… they say, WE CAN’T, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THERE ARE TOO BIG.
And so now, after a GENERATION IN THE DESERT, after 40 years of WILDERNESS WANDERING, they’ve come around to the EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN RIVER. And they’re READY TO CROSS. And maybe THIS TIME… take the land. Which reminded me of the old Sunday School Song that’s still stuck in my head. And it’s got to be one of the advantages of a good kid’s program. Here’s what I learned in St Andrews Inverell Junior Sunday School in 1965, and if you never went to Sunday school, here’s what you missed out on… because there was a song that said THERE’S ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS, and THAT’S THE RIVER OF JORDAN, one more river, there’s one more river to cross.
That’s EXACTLY WHERE WE’RE AT. They’ve IGNORED GOD’S WORD the FIRST TIME at Kadesh Barnea, they’ve had their WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE. And now as they’re PREPARING TO CROSS THEIR FINAL RIVER, there’s ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS. As Moses has a FINAL WORD WITH THEM. About their ATTITUDE… to the WORDS OF GOD WHO SPEAKS BUT IS NOT SEEN.
Pick it up from verse 10. And notice what he’s saying. Because the DEFINING THING these Israelites experienced, the DEFINING MOMENT in their history, was the time when as CHILDREN THEMSELVES, they stood there with their parents at Mount Horeb AS GOD SPOKE TO THEM FROM THE FIERY MOUNTAIN. The thing that THEIR EYES HAVE SEEN, the thing that should be IMBEDDED IN THEIR HEARTS… is on that day 40 years ago back at the mountain, GOD SPOKE. TO THEM.
SLIDE – DT 4v10-12 – Words but no form
Verse 10. Moses says, 10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to HEAR MY WORDS so that they may learn to REVERE ME as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children."
God said, ASSEMBLE THE PEOPLE, to HEAR MY WORDS. So they’ll REVERE ME. So they’ll HOLD ME IN HONOUR.
And so Moses says in verse 11… that’s what you did. You stood there. WHILE THE LORD SPOKE. Follow along. And picture it. How SPOOKY would this be? How much would this RAISE THE HAIRS ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK. How this would’ve set the dogs off HOWLING AT THE MOON. Clouds of black smoke, and deep darkness and BLAZING FIRE. And in the midst of it all a BOOMING VOICE OF GOD HIMSELF. The SPEAKING GOD. STAND IN AWE!
But notice, in spite of the smoke, in spite of the fire, when it comes to God himself, there’s NOTHING TO SEE. This is the God who is HEARD BUT NOT SEEN. Verse 11…
11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. 12 Then the LORD SPOKE TO YOU OUT OF THE FIRE. You heard the SOUND OF WORDS but SAW NO FORM; there was ONLY A VOICE. 13 He DECLARED TO YOU HIS COVENANT, the Ten Commandments, which he COMMANDED YOU TO FOLLOW and then wrote them on two stone tablets.
For Israel, ABSOLUTELY FORMATIVE. Their DEFINING MOMENT. But NOTHING TO SEE. You heard the SOUND OF WORDS. But SAW NO FORM. Which is going to be the constant TEMPTATION at the core of the long battle for Israel’s hearts. Because everyone else has a TANGIBLE, VISIBLE GOD. Why can’t WE HAVE A GOD WE CAN SEE?
For us, I think, it’s WORDS verses FEELINGS. Christians by and large these days would rather have a FEELING FROM GOD than a WORD FROM GOD. Back then, the big thing was to have a god that was SOLID AND SUBSTANTIAL that you could SEE WITH YOUR EYES and HOLD IN YOUR HANDS.
But THE TRUE GOD isn’t like that. “Then the Lord SPOKE TO YOU OUT OF THE FIRE. You heard the SOUND OF WORDS… but SAW NO FORM. There was ONLY A VOICE. Who gave you his commands and decrees and laws.” And so that’s the question. Do you want a God who can be SEEN BUT NOT HEARD? Like the IDOLS? Or a God who is HEARD… BUT NOT SEEN?
Because all the nations around them, all the nations in the land they’re about to TAKE OVER, they’ve got VISIBLE GODS by the truck load. They MAKE THEM themselves, in a workshop. They fashion them out of wood, and stone, and silver and gold. And then… they BOW DOWN TO THEM IN WORSHIP, and they DANCE TO THEM around ASHERAH POLES and they SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN TO THEM IN THE FIRE.
And so ISRAEL’S GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE to make. Every day they live in the land. Every day of their lives. No matter how young, no matter how old. Which is the point Moses goes on to make more strongly in verse 15.
Slide - Verse 15-16 NO FORM SO NO FORMS
15 You saw NO FORM OF ANY KIND the day the Lord SPOKE to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore WATCH YOURSELVES VERY CAREFULLY, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and MAKE FOR YOURSELVES an idol, an IMAGE of ANY SHAPE.
GOD HAS COME TO YOU IN HIS WORD. So HONOUR THAT. Instead of making FORMS and BOWING DOWN TO THEM.
See it’s interesting, in the creation account in Genesis 1:26, God has made MAN as his IMAGE AND LIKENESS. And he’s made MAN to RULE over the ANIMALS OF THE EARTH and the BIRDS IN THE AIR and the FISH OF THE SEA or things that CREEP ON THE GROUND.
And now IDOLATRY turns everything exactly upside down. And instead of WORSHIPING THE CREATOR, and RULING OVER the animals of the earth and the birds in the air… people by nature do the EXACT REVERSE.
And they CREATE FOR THEMSELVES an IMAGE of an ANIMAL. They carve themselves a FISH. And they BOW DOWN TO THAT.
Moses says, WATCH YOURSELVES VERY CAREFULLY, verse 16, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an IMAGE of ANY shape whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.
19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
It might be TEMPTING TO BOW DOWN TO THINGS YOU CAN SEE. Like everyone else does. But the point is, the Lord YOUR GOD has MADE THAT STUFF. And not only that, he’s SPOKEN. To YOU. He’s brought you out of EGYPT, and he’s MADE HIMSELF KNOWN. And he’s VERY PARTICULAR… about WHETHER OR NOT YOU TAKE NOTICE OF HIM.
Which Moses LEARNED TO HIS PERIL. And so like the rest of his generation, he reminds them in verse 20, even MOSES HIMSELF is SHUT OUT OF THE PROMISED LAND.
SLIDE – v24-25 – A JEALOUS GOD…
So here’s what you’ve got to do. Don’t forget GOD’S COVENANT PROMISES; and DON’T MAKE YOURSELVES IDOLS. Because the LORD YOUR GOD, verse 24, is a consuming fire, a jealous God. He CARES ABOUT THIS STUFF. If he speaks and you IGNORE HIM, you DO IT AT YOUR PERIL.
And you can NEVER FORGET, verse 25, even in your old age, even when you’re a GRANDMA or a GRANDPA, there’ll never be a good time to TRADE IN the INVISIBLE GOD WHO SPEAKS for the VISIBLE gods who DON’T. There’ll NEVER BE A GOOD TIME TO GIVE UP ON GOD. There’ll NEVER BE A GOOD TIME TO GIVE UP ON HIS PROMISES. There’ll NEVER BE A GOOD TIME to trade in the GOD OF WORD for MATERIALISM.
Moses says to them, it’s as simple as this. Here’s your choice. TURN TO IDOLS, and you’ll be THROWN OUT OF THE LAND. Turn to idols, and you’ll be SMASHED. And SCATTERED. Turn to idols, and you’ll END UP WITH EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE ASKING FOR. And instead of being God’s SPECIAL PEOPLE in God’s PROMISED LAND… you’ll live among the nations and you’ll BE EXACTLY LIKE THEM. And you’ll WORSHIP WHAT THEY WORSHIP. Verse 28:- “There YOU WILL WORSHIP MAN MADE GODS of WOOD AND STONE, which CANNOT SEE OR HEAR OR EAT OR SMELL.
Gods that YOU CAN SEE. But certainly can’t see you. Or hear you. OR SPEAK TO YOU.
Come on guys. They’re just made out of STUFF YOU’VE BOUGHT FROM BUNNINGS. They’re NOT GODS AT ALL.
So what’s it going to be? The GOD WHO SPEAKS? Who has GIVEN ISRAEL HIS LAW? Or idols. That are SEEN BUT NOT HEARD. Because they’re just lumps of wood.
You’d think the choice will be easy.
But the way the story’s going to play out, it’s clearly NOT SO EASY AT ALL.
SLIDE – V32-33,35 NO OTHER GOD
Verse 32, Moses says as you stand here and look across the Jordan at your PROMISED LAND, CONSIDER YOUR INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE. He says, there’s been NOTHING LIKE THIS since the VERY BEGINNING. Has anything SO GREAT AS THIS EVER HAPPENED, or anything like it ever been HEARD OF?
Verse 33, Has any other people HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKING OUT OF FIRE, as you have, and lived?
Has ANY GOD, has ANY IDOL taken a nation for himself out of another nation, has ANY IDOL done the AWESOME THINGS THE LORD DID FOR YOU… as he brought you out of EGYPT?
Here’s the point. Here’s what Israel needs to know. That the LORD THEIR GOD is the ONLY GOD. And he’s SPOKEN TO THEM. To DISCIPLINE THEM. Because THEY ARE HIS PEOPLE.
Get the impact of this. Because it’s INCREDIBLY POLITICALLY INCORRECT. That Israel’s God, the GOD WHO HAS SPOKEN… he’s not just ONE CHOICE on the GOD MENU. One selection from the smorgasbord of gods and you can CHOOSE ONE YOU LIKE. You don’t CARVE YOUR OWN GOD IN YOUR OWN IMAGE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT HIM TO. Verse 35. Take it in. “You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD IS GOD; BESIDES HIM THERE IS NO OTHER. 36 From heaven he made you HEAR HIS VOICE to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you HEARD HIS WORDS from out of the fire.
It’s there again in verse 39. For good measure. “Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD IS GOD in heaven above and on the earth below. THERE IS NO OTHER. And so… KEEP HIS DECREES AND COMANDS. So you and your children will be BLESSED. And live LONG IN THE LAND that the Lord your God is giving you.
See, the SPEAKING GOD… is the ONLY GOD. Which in our multicultural, multi-faith world, it’s just NOT THE THING PEOPLE SAY, is it. When you’re a tourist looking up at the GIANT GOLDEN BUDDHA in Japan, or the GIANT GOLDEN KRISHNA in Kuala Lumpur; when you see whole CULTURES devoted to that stuff, the SPEAKING GOD says, the ONE TRUE GOD says, they’re just stuff you can buy from the HARDWARE STORE. And they CAN’T HELP YOU AT ALL. Of course, our WESTERN IDOLATRY is maybe a little bit more SUBTLE. We’ll be looking at it a bit closer in the next few weeks. An idolatry the New Testament calls GREED. Which draws our hearts away from the GOD WHO HAS SPOKEN.
God’s word to us…
Now from this point on, as we’re going to see over the next few weeks, Moses goes on to SPELL OUT the DECREES and COMMANDS God has SPOKEN TO ISRAEL. LAWS for LIFE IN THE LAND. Laws that are designed to SHOW THE WORLD what RIGHTEOUSNESS looks like. With a STRICT PENALTY CODE to go with it. Regulations for EVERY PART OF LIFE, ways for Israel to STAND OUT AS BEING DIFFERENT. Which Moses says back in verse 6 is going to mark them out as a WISE AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE. And their SERVICE of the GOD OF WORD, their RESPONSE TO THE GOD WHO HAS SPOKEN… the way they’re going to SHOW THEY TRUST HIM…. Is very simple. They’re going to REMEMBER WHAT HE’S SAID. And as they live in the land they’re going to KEEP HIS DECREES AND COMMANDS. Because THE SPEAKING GOD SAID SO.
I want to take a moment thinking forward to where WE ARE. And ask the question HOW HAS THE SPEAKING GOD SPOKEN TO US? And how do we respond?
You might be inclined to say, well, I haven’t SEEN A FIRE on a mountain, or HEARD ANY VOICES. Which is maybe why you feel the GRIP OF MATERIALISM is so attractive. Best to spend your time and energy on SOMETHING TANGIBLE. On STUFF YOU CAN SEE.
On the other hand, you might be one of those Christians who feels they hear VOICES ALL THE TIME.
But that’s not actually the NEW TESTAMENT MODEL EITHER.
Because the fact is, the New Testament wants to tell us that God has both BEEN SEEN AND BEEN HEARD… in the PERSON OF JESUS. And so WE … LISTEN TO HIM.
It’s an idea that’s UNPACKED in John’s gospel. And especially in chapter 1. Page?
SLIDE – John 1
Because God is the GOD OF WORD. There’s something DEEPLY PHILOSOPHICAL going on here that I can never quite GET MY HEAD AROUND. But John chapter 1 verse 1 says IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD.
This is the SPEAKING GOD. This is the God who SPOKE CREATION INTO BEING WITH A WORD. This is the God who SPOKE A NATION INTO BEING… with a PROMISE TO ABRAHAM. This is the God who SPOKE HIS LAWS TO MOSES… for LIFE IN THE PROMISED LAND.
In the beginning was the Word, John 1 verse 1, and the Word was WITH God, and the Word WAS God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
SLIDE – JOHN 1:14
And now, John chapter 1 verse 14, STUNNING WORDS. “The Word BECAME FLESH… and made his dwelling among us.” THE INVISIBLE GOD… is now TANGIBLE. Not as an IDOL. But in the person of HIS SON. And so now, “ WE HAVE… SEEN HIS GLORY… the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
SLIDE – JOHN 1:18
And to verse 18. “No one has ever SEEN GOD… but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, HAS MADE HIM KNOWN.”
In other words, THE CLOSEST you can ever get to SEEING THE FORMLESS GOD… is in THE WORD BECAME FLESH. Jesus Christ. The BEST YOU CAN EVER KNOW GOD… is in JESUS CHRIST. The WORD BECAME FLESH.
And so the God who was HEARD BUT NOT SEEN has now been both SEEN AND HEARD. In the person of his SON.
SLIDE – MARK 9
Same idea in MARK CHAPTER 9. Jesus has taken PETER and JAMES and JOHN up a HIGH MOUNTAIN. A reminder of MOUNT HOREB. Where GOD SPOKE BEFORE.
Well, he’s GOING TO SPEAK AGAIN. There’s cloud. There’s blinding light. And THEN THE VOICE. This is the SPEAKING GOD. And here’s what he says.
Read it from verse 7. “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a VOICE CAME FROM THE CLOUD: “This is my son, whom I love. LISTEN TO HIM.”
I don’t know if you ever think much about why we DO WHAT WE DO HERE AT CHURCH. But it’s ALL ABOUT THAT.
See, KNOWING GOD is not going to be all about HOW YOU FEEL, or WHAT YOU FEEL GOD IS TELLING YOU at any particular point. Knowing God is not all about FEELING LED. Or LISTENING TO AN INNER VOICE. Knowing God is about LISTENING TO JESUS.
If Jesus is God’s WORD BECAME FLESH, and if we’re meant to LISTEN TO HIM, it means SOAKING UP HIS EVERY WORD. It means WATCHING WHAT’S REPORTED OF HIS EVERY ACTION. Moses says, GOD SPOKE, SO I TEACH. And the APOSTLES OF JESUS did the same. And we’re meant to HOLD ON THEIR TEACHING ABOUT JESUS. And as generations come and go, NEVER FORGET.
Responding to the God of Word
SLIDE - RESPONDING
On the outline there in the final point I skipped through Deuteronomy 4 and I picked out all the words that described how ISRAEL WAS MEANT TO RESPOND to the GOD OF WORD. Here’s how Israel’s meant to respond to the LAWS and the STATUTES that God gave at Mount Horeb. Here’s how Israel’s going to SHOW THAT THEY TRUST HIM. And for us, they’re going to be words that describe HOW WE RESPOND TO JESUS.
Moses says, HEAR O ISRAEL. LISTEN UP TO GOD’S LAW. In our case, it’s LISTEN UP TO JESUS. Pay attention. One of our CORE COMMITMENTS as a church is that we MAJOR ON CLEAR, CHRIST CENTRED BIBLE TEACHING. But it’s up to YOU to LISTEN.
Moses says, Learn. I’ve TAUGHT YOU THE DECREES OF GOD, So LEARN THEM. It’s up to you to LEARN.
Moses says, KEEP THE COMMANDS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD I GIVE YOU, verse 2. And DON’T WANDER OFF. So in our case, KEEP HOLDING ON TO THE LORD JESUS. The WORD BECOME FLESH. And OBEY HIM.
Moses says, Observe God’s commands CAREFULLY verse 6, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Jesus says, THEY WILL KNOW YOU’RE MY DISCIPLES BY YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. Do people HEAR ABOUT THAT and MARVEL AT IT?
Moses says, Teach this stuff to your children. And REMEMBER. Verse 9. “Only BE CAREFUL, and watch yourselves closely so that you DO NOT FORGET the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Friends, are you doing your best to pass on to YOUR CHILDREN what it looks like to SERVE THE LORD JESUS. Are you teaching them what it means to PRIORITISE GATHERING WITH GOD’S PEOPLE to HEAR FROM GOD’S WORD? Because THAT’S WHAT WE DO HERE, WEEK AFTER WEEK. That’s why we gather. That’s what we’re doing in KIDZBIZ, that’s what we’re doing RIGHT NOW. And more than that… as YOU GET OLDER… don’t let it go.
And one more proviso. TAKE IT TO HEART. The laws GOD SPOKE TO ISRAEL, the REASON HE SPOKE… it wasn’t just to CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOUR ON THE OUTSIDE. It wasn’t just to FILL THEIR HEADS with knowledge. It was to SHAPE THEIR HEARTS. Verse 39. Moses said, “Acknowledge and TAKE TO HEART this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.
There’s no point LEARNING ABOUT THE LORD JESUS… if you’re never going to TAKE IT TO HEART. Friends, you can sit on the fence for a VERY LONG TIME. And I know SOME OF YOU HAVE. But if you don’t TAKE IT TO HEART, if you don’t OWN THE IMPLICATIONS that the ONE AND ONLY GOD has MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US IN HIS SON, if that doesn’t PUSH ALL OTHER FALSE GODS OUT OF YOUR HEART AND YOUR AFFECTIONS… then you might KNOW LOTS OF STUFF. But the journey’s going to go NOWHERE.
That’s the challenge facing ISRAEL on the edge of the promised land. There’s ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS, and that’s the RIVER OF JORDAN. But if they’re not going to LISTEN TO THE SPEAKING GOD and TAKE HIS WORDS TO HEART, they’re really NOT GETTING ANYWHERE. And neither are you.
The God of Word
Deuteronomy 4
SLIDE – SEEN BUT NOT HEARD
Seen but not heard
In Victorian England it was often said that Children, like Domestic servants, should be SEEN, but NOT HEARD. In fact, not just VICTORIAN ENGLAND. When I was growing up, which was in an era SLIGHTLY LATER THAN THAT, when I was growing up and mum and dad were having a DINNER PARTY AT HOME, my younger sister and I were always BUSTING to be allowed to STAY UP. And be PART OF IT. At which point I would be reminded that we could stay up ON THE ONE CONDITION that we REMEMBERED THE RULES. We could HELP WITH SERVING THE CHRISTMAS DRINKS. We could even NIBBLE ON THE CASHEWS. But DON’T BUTT IN on the ADULT CONVERSATIONS. Children… should be SEEN BUT NOT HEARD. Which very much kept us in our place.
Well, children these days get it much better. But as we come to Deuteronomy this morning, Moses is keen to warn the people of Israel about the kind of idol worship that was ABSOLUTELY COMMON ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE. That very conveniently let you MAKE YOURSELF A NON INTERFERING, NON SPEAKING GOD. A good looking god, as you carved out its features and you inlaid it with gold and propped him up in his temple. But WON’T TROUBLE YOU BY SPEAKING. Or TELLING YOU HOW TO LIVE. Domesticated gods. Which the bible calls IDOLS.
So here in Deuteronomy 4, we’ve got this interesting interplay. The decision before Israel as they STAND ON THE BRINK OF THE PROMISED LAND. The choice between their TRUE GOD… WHO SPEAKS BUT HAS NO FORM. Or the IDOLS. Who have FORM. But DO NOT SPEAK.
The God who is HEARD BUT NOT SEEN. Or domesticated, well behaved and convenient idols. Who are SEEN… BUT NOT HEARD.
Show slide - map
If you were here last week, you’ll remember that in Deuteronomy we’re looking at the FINAL SPEECH FROM MOSES, Israel’s great leader, who’s brought the descendants of Abraham, the people of Israel, out of SLAVERY in Egypt, who’s brought them to Mount HOREB where God’s given them his law, who’s LED THEM THE ELEVEN DAY JOURNEY to Kadesh Barnea, where they sent SPIES INTO THE PROMISED LAND. And when the GOD WHO SPEAKS SAYS TO THEM, I’m GIVING YOU THE LAND, GO IN AND TAKE IT… they say, WE CAN’T, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THERE ARE TOO BIG.
And so now, after a GENERATION IN THE DESERT, after 40 years of WILDERNESS WANDERING, they’ve come around to the EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN RIVER. And they’re READY TO CROSS. And maybe THIS TIME… take the land. Which reminded me of the old Sunday School Song that’s still stuck in my head. And it’s got to be one of the advantages of a good kid’s program. Here’s what I learned in St Andrews Inverell Junior Sunday School in 1965, and if you never went to Sunday school, here’s what you missed out on… because there was a song that said THERE’S ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS, and THAT’S THE RIVER OF JORDAN, one more river, there’s one more river to cross.
That’s EXACTLY WHERE WE’RE AT. They’ve IGNORED GOD’S WORD the FIRST TIME at Kadesh Barnea, they’ve had their WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE. And now as they’re PREPARING TO CROSS THEIR FINAL RIVER, there’s ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS. As Moses has a FINAL WORD WITH THEM. About their ATTITUDE… to the WORDS OF GOD WHO SPEAKS BUT IS NOT SEEN.
Pick it up from verse 10. And notice what he’s saying. Because the DEFINING THING these Israelites experienced, the DEFINING MOMENT in their history, was the time when as CHILDREN THEMSELVES, they stood there with their parents at Mount Horeb AS GOD SPOKE TO THEM FROM THE FIERY MOUNTAIN. The thing that THEIR EYES HAVE SEEN, the thing that should be IMBEDDED IN THEIR HEARTS… is on that day 40 years ago back at the mountain, GOD SPOKE. TO THEM.
SLIDE – DT 4v10-12 – Words but no form
Verse 10. Moses says, 10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to HEAR MY WORDS so that they may learn to REVERE ME as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children."
God said, ASSEMBLE THE PEOPLE, to HEAR MY WORDS. So they’ll REVERE ME. So they’ll HOLD ME IN HONOUR.
And so Moses says in verse 11… that’s what you did. You stood there. WHILE THE LORD SPOKE. Follow along. And picture it. How SPOOKY would this be? How much would this RAISE THE HAIRS ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK. How this would’ve set the dogs off HOWLING AT THE MOON. Clouds of black smoke, and deep darkness and BLAZING FIRE. And in the midst of it all a BOOMING VOICE OF GOD HIMSELF. The SPEAKING GOD. STAND IN AWE!
But notice, in spite of the smoke, in spite of the fire, when it comes to God himself, there’s NOTHING TO SEE. This is the God who is HEARD BUT NOT SEEN. Verse 11…
11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. 12 Then the LORD SPOKE TO YOU OUT OF THE FIRE. You heard the SOUND OF WORDS but SAW NO FORM; there was ONLY A VOICE. 13 He DECLARED TO YOU HIS COVENANT, the Ten Commandments, which he COMMANDED YOU TO FOLLOW and then wrote them on two stone tablets.
For Israel, ABSOLUTELY FORMATIVE. Their DEFINING MOMENT. But NOTHING TO SEE. You heard the SOUND OF WORDS. But SAW NO FORM. Which is going to be the constant TEMPTATION at the core of the long battle for Israel’s hearts. Because everyone else has a TANGIBLE, VISIBLE GOD. Why can’t WE HAVE A GOD WE CAN SEE?
For us, I think, it’s WORDS verses FEELINGS. Christians by and large these days would rather have a FEELING FROM GOD than a WORD FROM GOD. Back then, the big thing was to have a god that was SOLID AND SUBSTANTIAL that you could SEE WITH YOUR EYES and HOLD IN YOUR HANDS.
But THE TRUE GOD isn’t like that. “Then the Lord SPOKE TO YOU OUT OF THE FIRE. You heard the SOUND OF WORDS… but SAW NO FORM. There was ONLY A VOICE. Who gave you his commands and decrees and laws.” And so that’s the question. Do you want a God who can be SEEN BUT NOT HEARD? Like the IDOLS? Or a God who is HEARD… BUT NOT SEEN?
Because all the nations around them, all the nations in the land they’re about to TAKE OVER, they’ve got VISIBLE GODS by the truck load. They MAKE THEM themselves, in a workshop. They fashion them out of wood, and stone, and silver and gold. And then… they BOW DOWN TO THEM IN WORSHIP, and they DANCE TO THEM around ASHERAH POLES and they SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN TO THEM IN THE FIRE.
And so ISRAEL’S GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE to make. Every day they live in the land. Every day of their lives. No matter how young, no matter how old. Which is the point Moses goes on to make more strongly in verse 15.
Slide - Verse 15-16 NO FORM SO NO FORMS
15 You saw NO FORM OF ANY KIND the day the Lord SPOKE to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore WATCH YOURSELVES VERY CAREFULLY, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and MAKE FOR YOURSELVES an idol, an IMAGE of ANY SHAPE.
GOD HAS COME TO YOU IN HIS WORD. So HONOUR THAT. Instead of making FORMS and BOWING DOWN TO THEM.
See it’s interesting, in the creation account in Genesis 1:26, God has made MAN as his IMAGE AND LIKENESS. And he’s made MAN to RULE over the ANIMALS OF THE EARTH and the BIRDS IN THE AIR and the FISH OF THE SEA or things that CREEP ON THE GROUND.
And now IDOLATRY turns everything exactly upside down. And instead of WORSHIPING THE CREATOR, and RULING OVER the animals of the earth and the birds in the air… people by nature do the EXACT REVERSE.
And they CREATE FOR THEMSELVES an IMAGE of an ANIMAL. They carve themselves a FISH. And they BOW DOWN TO THAT.
Moses says, WATCH YOURSELVES VERY CAREFULLY, verse 16, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an IMAGE of ANY shape whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.
19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
It might be TEMPTING TO BOW DOWN TO THINGS YOU CAN SEE. Like everyone else does. But the point is, the Lord YOUR GOD has MADE THAT STUFF. And not only that, he’s SPOKEN. To YOU. He’s brought you out of EGYPT, and he’s MADE HIMSELF KNOWN. And he’s VERY PARTICULAR… about WHETHER OR NOT YOU TAKE NOTICE OF HIM.
Which Moses LEARNED TO HIS PERIL. And so like the rest of his generation, he reminds them in verse 20, even MOSES HIMSELF is SHUT OUT OF THE PROMISED LAND.
SLIDE – v24-25 – A JEALOUS GOD…
So here’s what you’ve got to do. Don’t forget GOD’S COVENANT PROMISES; and DON’T MAKE YOURSELVES IDOLS. Because the LORD YOUR GOD, verse 24, is a consuming fire, a jealous God. He CARES ABOUT THIS STUFF. If he speaks and you IGNORE HIM, you DO IT AT YOUR PERIL.
And you can NEVER FORGET, verse 25, even in your old age, even when you’re a GRANDMA or a GRANDPA, there’ll never be a good time to TRADE IN the INVISIBLE GOD WHO SPEAKS for the VISIBLE gods who DON’T. There’ll NEVER BE A GOOD TIME TO GIVE UP ON GOD. There’ll NEVER BE A GOOD TIME TO GIVE UP ON HIS PROMISES. There’ll NEVER BE A GOOD TIME to trade in the GOD OF WORD for MATERIALISM.
Moses says to them, it’s as simple as this. Here’s your choice. TURN TO IDOLS, and you’ll be THROWN OUT OF THE LAND. Turn to idols, and you’ll be SMASHED. And SCATTERED. Turn to idols, and you’ll END UP WITH EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE ASKING FOR. And instead of being God’s SPECIAL PEOPLE in God’s PROMISED LAND… you’ll live among the nations and you’ll BE EXACTLY LIKE THEM. And you’ll WORSHIP WHAT THEY WORSHIP. Verse 28:- “There YOU WILL WORSHIP MAN MADE GODS of WOOD AND STONE, which CANNOT SEE OR HEAR OR EAT OR SMELL.
Gods that YOU CAN SEE. But certainly can’t see you. Or hear you. OR SPEAK TO YOU.
Come on guys. They’re just made out of STUFF YOU’VE BOUGHT FROM BUNNINGS. They’re NOT GODS AT ALL.
So what’s it going to be? The GOD WHO SPEAKS? Who has GIVEN ISRAEL HIS LAW? Or idols. That are SEEN BUT NOT HEARD. Because they’re just lumps of wood.
You’d think the choice will be easy.
But the way the story’s going to play out, it’s clearly NOT SO EASY AT ALL.
SLIDE – V32-33,35 NO OTHER GOD
Verse 32, Moses says as you stand here and look across the Jordan at your PROMISED LAND, CONSIDER YOUR INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE. He says, there’s been NOTHING LIKE THIS since the VERY BEGINNING. Has anything SO GREAT AS THIS EVER HAPPENED, or anything like it ever been HEARD OF?
Verse 33, Has any other people HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKING OUT OF FIRE, as you have, and lived?
Has ANY GOD, has ANY IDOL taken a nation for himself out of another nation, has ANY IDOL done the AWESOME THINGS THE LORD DID FOR YOU… as he brought you out of EGYPT?
Here’s the point. Here’s what Israel needs to know. That the LORD THEIR GOD is the ONLY GOD. And he’s SPOKEN TO THEM. To DISCIPLINE THEM. Because THEY ARE HIS PEOPLE.
Get the impact of this. Because it’s INCREDIBLY POLITICALLY INCORRECT. That Israel’s God, the GOD WHO HAS SPOKEN… he’s not just ONE CHOICE on the GOD MENU. One selection from the smorgasbord of gods and you can CHOOSE ONE YOU LIKE. You don’t CARVE YOUR OWN GOD IN YOUR OWN IMAGE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT HIM TO. Verse 35. Take it in. “You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD IS GOD; BESIDES HIM THERE IS NO OTHER. 36 From heaven he made you HEAR HIS VOICE to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you HEARD HIS WORDS from out of the fire.
It’s there again in verse 39. For good measure. “Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD IS GOD in heaven above and on the earth below. THERE IS NO OTHER. And so… KEEP HIS DECREES AND COMANDS. So you and your children will be BLESSED. And live LONG IN THE LAND that the Lord your God is giving you.
See, the SPEAKING GOD… is the ONLY GOD. Which in our multicultural, multi-faith world, it’s just NOT THE THING PEOPLE SAY, is it. When you’re a tourist looking up at the GIANT GOLDEN BUDDHA in Japan, or the GIANT GOLDEN KRISHNA in Kuala Lumpur; when you see whole CULTURES devoted to that stuff, the SPEAKING GOD says, the ONE TRUE GOD says, they’re just stuff you can buy from the HARDWARE STORE. And they CAN’T HELP YOU AT ALL. Of course, our WESTERN IDOLATRY is maybe a little bit more SUBTLE. We’ll be looking at it a bit closer in the next few weeks. An idolatry the New Testament calls GREED. Which draws our hearts away from the GOD WHO HAS SPOKEN.
God’s word to us…
Now from this point on, as we’re going to see over the next few weeks, Moses goes on to SPELL OUT the DECREES and COMMANDS God has SPOKEN TO ISRAEL. LAWS for LIFE IN THE LAND. Laws that are designed to SHOW THE WORLD what RIGHTEOUSNESS looks like. With a STRICT PENALTY CODE to go with it. Regulations for EVERY PART OF LIFE, ways for Israel to STAND OUT AS BEING DIFFERENT. Which Moses says back in verse 6 is going to mark them out as a WISE AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE. And their SERVICE of the GOD OF WORD, their RESPONSE TO THE GOD WHO HAS SPOKEN… the way they’re going to SHOW THEY TRUST HIM…. Is very simple. They’re going to REMEMBER WHAT HE’S SAID. And as they live in the land they’re going to KEEP HIS DECREES AND COMMANDS. Because THE SPEAKING GOD SAID SO.
I want to take a moment thinking forward to where WE ARE. And ask the question HOW HAS THE SPEAKING GOD SPOKEN TO US? And how do we respond?
You might be inclined to say, well, I haven’t SEEN A FIRE on a mountain, or HEARD ANY VOICES. Which is maybe why you feel the GRIP OF MATERIALISM is so attractive. Best to spend your time and energy on SOMETHING TANGIBLE. On STUFF YOU CAN SEE.
On the other hand, you might be one of those Christians who feels they hear VOICES ALL THE TIME.
But that’s not actually the NEW TESTAMENT MODEL EITHER.
Because the fact is, the New Testament wants to tell us that God has both BEEN SEEN AND BEEN HEARD… in the PERSON OF JESUS. And so WE … LISTEN TO HIM.
It’s an idea that’s UNPACKED in John’s gospel. And especially in chapter 1. Page?
SLIDE – John 1
Because God is the GOD OF WORD. There’s something DEEPLY PHILOSOPHICAL going on here that I can never quite GET MY HEAD AROUND. But John chapter 1 verse 1 says IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD.
This is the SPEAKING GOD. This is the God who SPOKE CREATION INTO BEING WITH A WORD. This is the God who SPOKE A NATION INTO BEING… with a PROMISE TO ABRAHAM. This is the God who SPOKE HIS LAWS TO MOSES… for LIFE IN THE PROMISED LAND.
In the beginning was the Word, John 1 verse 1, and the Word was WITH God, and the Word WAS God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
SLIDE – JOHN 1:14
And now, John chapter 1 verse 14, STUNNING WORDS. “The Word BECAME FLESH… and made his dwelling among us.” THE INVISIBLE GOD… is now TANGIBLE. Not as an IDOL. But in the person of HIS SON. And so now, “ WE HAVE… SEEN HIS GLORY… the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
SLIDE – JOHN 1:18
And to verse 18. “No one has ever SEEN GOD… but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, HAS MADE HIM KNOWN.”
In other words, THE CLOSEST you can ever get to SEEING THE FORMLESS GOD… is in THE WORD BECAME FLESH. Jesus Christ. The BEST YOU CAN EVER KNOW GOD… is in JESUS CHRIST. The WORD BECAME FLESH.
And so the God who was HEARD BUT NOT SEEN has now been both SEEN AND HEARD. In the person of his SON.
SLIDE – MARK 9
Same idea in MARK CHAPTER 9. Jesus has taken PETER and JAMES and JOHN up a HIGH MOUNTAIN. A reminder of MOUNT HOREB. Where GOD SPOKE BEFORE.
Well, he’s GOING TO SPEAK AGAIN. There’s cloud. There’s blinding light. And THEN THE VOICE. This is the SPEAKING GOD. And here’s what he says.
Read it from verse 7. “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a VOICE CAME FROM THE CLOUD: “This is my son, whom I love. LISTEN TO HIM.”
I don’t know if you ever think much about why we DO WHAT WE DO HERE AT CHURCH. But it’s ALL ABOUT THAT.
See, KNOWING GOD is not going to be all about HOW YOU FEEL, or WHAT YOU FEEL GOD IS TELLING YOU at any particular point. Knowing God is not all about FEELING LED. Or LISTENING TO AN INNER VOICE. Knowing God is about LISTENING TO JESUS.
If Jesus is God’s WORD BECAME FLESH, and if we’re meant to LISTEN TO HIM, it means SOAKING UP HIS EVERY WORD. It means WATCHING WHAT’S REPORTED OF HIS EVERY ACTION. Moses says, GOD SPOKE, SO I TEACH. And the APOSTLES OF JESUS did the same. And we’re meant to HOLD ON THEIR TEACHING ABOUT JESUS. And as generations come and go, NEVER FORGET.
Responding to the God of Word
SLIDE - RESPONDING
On the outline there in the final point I skipped through Deuteronomy 4 and I picked out all the words that described how ISRAEL WAS MEANT TO RESPOND to the GOD OF WORD. Here’s how Israel’s meant to respond to the LAWS and the STATUTES that God gave at Mount Horeb. Here’s how Israel’s going to SHOW THAT THEY TRUST HIM. And for us, they’re going to be words that describe HOW WE RESPOND TO JESUS.
Moses says, HEAR O ISRAEL. LISTEN UP TO GOD’S LAW. In our case, it’s LISTEN UP TO JESUS. Pay attention. One of our CORE COMMITMENTS as a church is that we MAJOR ON CLEAR, CHRIST CENTRED BIBLE TEACHING. But it’s up to YOU to LISTEN.
Moses says, Learn. I’ve TAUGHT YOU THE DECREES OF GOD, So LEARN THEM. It’s up to you to LEARN.
Moses says, KEEP THE COMMANDS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD I GIVE YOU, verse 2. And DON’T WANDER OFF. So in our case, KEEP HOLDING ON TO THE LORD JESUS. The WORD BECOME FLESH. And OBEY HIM.
Moses says, Observe God’s commands CAREFULLY verse 6, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Jesus says, THEY WILL KNOW YOU’RE MY DISCIPLES BY YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. Do people HEAR ABOUT THAT and MARVEL AT IT?
Moses says, Teach this stuff to your children. And REMEMBER. Verse 9. “Only BE CAREFUL, and watch yourselves closely so that you DO NOT FORGET the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Friends, are you doing your best to pass on to YOUR CHILDREN what it looks like to SERVE THE LORD JESUS. Are you teaching them what it means to PRIORITISE GATHERING WITH GOD’S PEOPLE to HEAR FROM GOD’S WORD? Because THAT’S WHAT WE DO HERE, WEEK AFTER WEEK. That’s why we gather. That’s what we’re doing in KIDZBIZ, that’s what we’re doing RIGHT NOW. And more than that… as YOU GET OLDER… don’t let it go.
And one more proviso. TAKE IT TO HEART. The laws GOD SPOKE TO ISRAEL, the REASON HE SPOKE… it wasn’t just to CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOUR ON THE OUTSIDE. It wasn’t just to FILL THEIR HEADS with knowledge. It was to SHAPE THEIR HEARTS. Verse 39. Moses said, “Acknowledge and TAKE TO HEART this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.
There’s no point LEARNING ABOUT THE LORD JESUS… if you’re never going to TAKE IT TO HEART. Friends, you can sit on the fence for a VERY LONG TIME. And I know SOME OF YOU HAVE. But if you don’t TAKE IT TO HEART, if you don’t OWN THE IMPLICATIONS that the ONE AND ONLY GOD has MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US IN HIS SON, if that doesn’t PUSH ALL OTHER FALSE GODS OUT OF YOUR HEART AND YOUR AFFECTIONS… then you might KNOW LOTS OF STUFF. But the journey’s going to go NOWHERE.
That’s the challenge facing ISRAEL on the edge of the promised land. There’s ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS, and that’s the RIVER OF JORDAN. But if they’re not going to LISTEN TO THE SPEAKING GOD and TAKE HIS WORDS TO HEART, they’re really NOT GETTING ANYWHERE. And neither are you.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Don't be a wimp
I have heard this advice twice this week in two different contexts relating to visual design, and it started me thinking. Robyn Williams, in The Non Designers Design Book says the secret to good design is bold contrast. "Don't be a wimp" is her advice. Make the bold REALLY bold. Make the contrast really zing. We got the same advice from an interior designer friend who was looking over our bathroom redesign plans. "Don't be a wimp" was her key advice. No lame half measures with a small area of colour. Be definite and make a splash.
So I wonder what happens if we apply the same rules to preaching. Is it possible to be vividly emphatic without being corny? Loud without being aggressive, then soft without disengaging? Again, I think Mark Driscoll does this really well. Of course, context always counts. If you're preaching in a small room to 20 people, you'll be more constrained than on a large stage. But the same advice will still apply... Don't be a wimp.
So I wonder what happens if we apply the same rules to preaching. Is it possible to be vividly emphatic without being corny? Loud without being aggressive, then soft without disengaging? Again, I think Mark Driscoll does this really well. Of course, context always counts. If you're preaching in a small room to 20 people, you'll be more constrained than on a large stage. But the same advice will still apply... Don't be a wimp.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Preaching for a Funeral
The recent death of my own father necessitated that I think about presenting the gospel at funerals, says BEN SHANNON. I found the short chapter by Simon Manchester in “How to Speak at Special Events” invaluable in shaping my thinking. Here is a brief summary of his thoughts:
It is a rare opportunity that so many non-Christians enter a Church, so the opportunity must be used “carefully and helpfully” (p.105).
“I heard someone say once that no-one but Jesus knows how to get a funeral right. I’m sure this is true.” (p.106).
‘We don’t pretend here that good people go to heaven. Jesus came for sinners so we are not playing a game here that ‘X’ was really a good person – he probably wasn’t. The question for him (and for you one day) is “Are you forgiven?”’ (p.110) It’s important to encourage the family to not paint the deceased as perfect – this makes the gospel redundant and so difficult to preach.
The funeral sermon is “not a time for pious clichés or professional sentimentality.” (p.110)
Explain what you’re doing at the beginning of the talk. We are offering solid and firm information from the Bible, not just an opinion.
John 11 – Why is verse 25 more important than verse 43? “The words to Martha are for all people and offering a resurrection” (not just resuscitation). (p.111)
1 Corinthians 15 – The context is Christians who were “losing their future by various preoccupations with the here and now” (p.111)
It’s hard to know whether someone was converted at the last minute. The hope of conversion should neither be overplayed nor forgotten. Nevertheless, the focus must be on the response of us, those who are still living.
The whole experience has left me thinking about how to speak at funerals. I’d like to offer some of my own thoughts, questions and observations:
A funeral happens quickly and isn’t “planned”. It may well require significant changes to the schedule of the pastor. It may be only a couple of days between when the date for the funeral is set and held. It is worth doing some thinking beforehand.
Even if the deceased was and their family are Christians who want the gospel to be proclaimed at the funeral, many of those who attend the funeral will not agree with the gospel. Many non-Christians will attend to honour the life of the deceased. While it’s fine to offend with the gospel, it needs to be done in a way that doesn’t obliterate their desire to honour the life of the deceased. This is a fine line.This type of talk is probably going to be slightly shorter than most.You want to get the gospel out. However, a thinly veiled presentation of “Two Ways To Live” can sound quite heartless. I think there needs to be sufficient time on acknowledging grief and sadness.
And one more from Maxwell...
Anytime you're getting ready to hear someone speak, if it takes him a long time to get to the point, you know you're in trouble. Winston Churchill once said about a colleague, "He is one of those orators who, before he gets up, does not know what he is going to say; when he is speaking, does not know what he is saying; and when he has sat down, doesn't know what he has said..."I'd go further. It's before you begin to write your talk... or, if you're going to just use brief notes rather than a script, before you start mapping it out. Decide where you're heading, then work out how you're going to get there.
All good communicators get to the point before their listeners start asking "What's the point?" To do that, one must start out already knowing what the point is... obviously, the time to start thinking about the reason for your communicaiton is before you begin to speak."
More from John Maxwell... on being simple and clear
John Maxwell has plenty more to say on simplicty and clarity. To catch on, you really need to think about the difference between being simplistic and being simple. Being simplistic means you're in danger of missing the essence of an issue. Being simple - I think - means actually getting to the essence. Anyway, here's more from Maxwell...
"In his excellent book The Power of Little Words, author John Beckley, former business editor of Newsweek, observes: "The emphasis in education is rarely placed on communicating ideas simply and clearly. Instead, we're encouraged to use more complicated words and sentence structures to show off our learning and literacy. Instead of teaching us how to communicate as clearly as possible, our schooling in English teaches us how to fog things up. It even implants a fear that if we don't make our writing complicated enough, we'll be considered uneducated."
I think everyone can agree that many of the issues we face in life can be complex. A professor may legitimately argue that his or her area of expertise is complicated. I won't contest that. But as leaders and communicators, our job is to bring clarity to a subject, not complexity. It doesn't take nearly as much skill to identify a problem as it does to find a good solution... Making things simple is a skill, and it's a necessary one if you want to connect with people when you communicate. Or to put it the way Albert Einstein did, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it enough."
Connectors Keep it Simple - John C Maxwell
Here's a slice of the action...
Ronnie Ding tells me that after a church service, the pastor shook hands with members of his congregation, and one of them commented on his sermon, saying, "Pastor, you are smarter than Albert Einstein."I'll post more from Maxwell in the next few days. It's good stuff. The publisher has given me a few free copies to give away, so there'll be a prize for the most interesting comment on this and the upoming Maxwell posts.
The Pastor was surprised and flattered by that statement, but he didn't know how to respond... the more he thought about it, the more mystified he was... The following Sunday, he asked the member what he meant by it.
"You see," the man responded, "Albert Einstein wrote something so difficult that only ten persons could understand him at that time. But when you preached, no one could understand you."
I think a lot of people believe that if an individual, epsecially an author or speaker, bomards them with a lot of complex information or writes using big words in a style that is dense and difficult to understand, then he or she is somehow intelligent and credible. In the academic world, that seems to be especially true. When students can't understand their professor, the often assume it's because the professor is so smart and knows so much more than they do. I don't think that's always true... While educators sometimes takes something simple and make it complicated, communicators take something complicated and make it simple."
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Today's Powerpoint
Thanks for another stimulating day in class! Today's PowerPoint can be downloaded here.
Why?
I don't think we spend nearly enough time thinking about why we're saying each part of what we're saying.
More Driscoll Transcript
=================
15:00-20:00
...And I would tell you this on behalf of your pastors and elders and deacons and community group leaders, there are seasons of ministry that absolutely feel like this. Jesus is at this point, is God become a man, so in this instant he can only be in one place at one time he only has so many minutes in an hour and so many hours in a day and all of these needs are crushing and collapsing around him, and Jairus’ daughter is some ways away, and the requests of these crowds are somewhat legitimate and Jesus has this very difficult moment where he has to choose who he will serve in that instance.
...And I would tell you this on behalf of your pastors and elders and deacons and community group leaders, there are seasons of ministry that absolutely feel like this. Jesus is at this point, is God become a man, so in this instant he can only be in one place at one time he only has so many minutes in an hour and so many hours in a day and all of these needs are crushing and collapsing around him, and Jairus’ daughter is some ways away, and the requests of these crowds are somewhat legitimate and Jesus has this very difficult moment where he has to choose who he will serve in that instance.
Pray for your leaders. And if you don’t feel like we got back to you quickly or perhaps you were somehow not tended to, accept my sincere apology. And please don’t grow weary in letting us know how we can love better. But I would also say, please also be understanding that sometimes it is 5 crises to get to your crisis, and sometimes we’re overwhelmed. Jesus in this instance is surrounded with need.
And so what will he do?
Verse 43 and there was a woman who had a discharge of blood for how long?
This woman had chronic bleeding, possibly a uterine haemorrhage, for twelve years. As long as the little girl, Jairus’ daughter, had been alive, this woman had been bleeding. And though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. That is the clinical diagnosis of Luke the physician, our author.
This woman is desperate, and she’s destitute. She’s desperate in that she’s tried every form of treatment. She’s gone to the doctor, she’s undergone alternative therapy, she’s prayed, she’s fasted, she has gone to the healing centre. She has done everything that medicine would make available to her, she is also destitute in addition desperate.
She has spent all of her money. She is now absolutely impoverished. This is what happens to those who are suffering, who have physical ailment, even in our own day. Some of you are in that condition. Some of you know and love people in that condition. They have spent their life savings, they have sold their home, they have unloaded their possessions, they have cashed in their retirement account, they have maxed out their credit cards, their friends, family and co-workers have hosted benefits, they have thrown all the money they can pull together toward that need, and nothing changes. And they’re without hope and they’re without help. And they’re desperate and they’re destitute.
This woman is in a horrible condition. And here she is before Jesus. And who will Jesus serve? Will he serve this woman, who has a very legitimate need? Or will he serve Jairus’ daughter, who also has a very legitimate need? And this is the burden of ministry for those who tend to God’s people and love them.
The story tells us as well; she had been in this condition for twelve years. And let me say, in Luke 15, that this would have made her ritually, ceremonially, under the Old Covenant, unclean. Here’s what this means, friends. No-one has touched her in twelve years. No-one has hugged her. No-one has laid a hand on her to pray for her. No one has kissed her on the top of the head, which is what I like to do when I go on a hospital visit, when someone is hurting and bed-ridden. No-one has held her hand. She has not had physical contact for a dozen years. She is very isolated and lonely in her suffering. She can’t be in crowds. She’s not allowed to go to the temple or to synagogue, to join God’s people in worship.
The only thing worse than suffering is suffering in isolation. There’s no one to be with you, to talk to you, to share with you. And see we don’t see a lot of this yet at Mars Hill, because we have hundreds of weddings for every funeral. Older people are coming to Mars Hill and the people here like me, I’m pushin’ 40, are getting’ older. But there will be a day as our congregation ages and more older people come, that the number of weddings and funerals will start to balance. That the list of people with cancer and debilitating illness, and untreatable trauma or injury or sickness, that that list grows.
And you need to know that those people oftentimes are destitute, desperate and lonely.
Grace and I first saw this when in college I was a new Christian. And as most college students I was hanging out as a new Christian with a lot of college age friends and some families who loved the Lord.
Monday, July 19, 2010
There's no point just telling people stuff...
One thing I've noticed as I've worked at training preachers is that there's an assumption that just 'telling people' stuff is all we need to do. As long as it's "right stuff", we've done the job. Not so! ‘Assertions’ are just ‘bald statements’ that come right out at people. It’s just you saying “THIS IS HOW IT IS.” It feels like a fast flow of facts. Instead of winning your way in to peoples’ thoughts, or having yourself ‘invited in’, you are just banging away with information, information, information. Listening feels very much like being sprayed with a firehose.
One friend is in the habit of delivering multi-clause ‘definitional sentences.’ Multi clause sentences might be good for completeness or for the sake of dictionary definitions, but that’s not the game we are playing. Pick off ONE IDEA AT A TIME and sell it. If there are TOO MANY IDEAS going on, isolate, develop, persuade with the BIG ONES and leave the little ones out. Here's an example of 'assertionism' from my friend's talk, which he has kindly agreed to share...
Most new people will leave fairly quickly at the close of the service. It’s fairly natural to not want to hang around if you don’t know too many people. Church growth studies have suggested that new people will only stay up until the 6 month mark in a church if they’ve met at least 6-7 people who KNOW them. (That means 36 people here will be needed if we want to welcome and integrate 6 new people in the next 6 months).
Can you think back to the last time you were NEW at church? Maybe NEW HERE? Maybe on holidays. I remember last time we were on holidays we went to a church as strangers, and after the service we stood around outside and NOBODY TALKED TO US. Nobody TOLD US WHERE TO GO FOR COFFEE. They all kind of disappeared up to the hall at the back and NOBODY TOLD US.But I want to take your mind one step further than that. What if you’re new to a church, and the first week goes okay, and then you come back. You’ve DECIDED TO MAKE IT YOUR CHURCH. What’s it going to take for someone to STICK.The problem is, and you might have felt this yourself, the problem is, if you’re new to a church you’ll probably get the SIX MONTH ITCH. People say marriages get the SEVEN YEAR ITCH with a lot of divorces after seven years. Well, with CHURCH, it’s the SIX MONTH ITCH. And there have been studies done on this, with STATISTICS. And the studies show, if you’ve been in a church SIX MONTHS, you’ll PROBABLY LEAVE… unless… and this is the big one… not UNLESS THE MUSIC IS TERRIFIC. The MUSIC WON’T KEEP YOU. And not UNLESS THE MINISTER IS TERRIFIC. The ONLY THING THAT’S GOING TO HOLD YOU… is if AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO KNOW YOU. And YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW THEM.Now think about that. And maybe if you’ve been here at latechurch about six months you’re starting to count up in your head. How many people KNOW ME. How many people DO I KNOW. How many people have CALLED ME and asked me what I’m doing FRIDAY NIGHT?If you haven’t made AT LEAST SIX CONNECTIONS, the SAD NEWS IS, you’re probably not feeling PART OF IT. And you’re starting to think about trying church SOMEWHERE ELSE.Which is a HUGE CHALLENGE for those of us who call this OUR CHURCH HOME. And want to actually GROW OUR CHURCH and INCORPORATE NEWCOMERS. And if we’ve got even ONE NEW PERSON A MONTH COMING ALONG, they’re going to need SIX NEW CONNECTIONS to keep them here. Which means by the end of six months, that’s THIRTY SIX REGULARS involved in MAKING NEW FRIENDSHIPS.
It's a whole lot more words, and a whole lot more work... but that's what it takes to communicate your way into people's consciousness. Because it's more words, and it takes longer, that means you'll be able to cover less territory in your talk. But at least the crowd will come with you.
Class - time to make some comments!
Tips for Clear Communication - 5. People want to hear about People
5. People love to hear about people - and not abstract ideas.
Take a look at the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald sometime. Are interest rates rising? Then you’re almost sure to see a photograph of an affected family. Graphs and statistics can come later. The journalist’s rule is, if there are no people, there's no story. Accordingly, populate your preaching with real people. Use people-based illustrations, use people-based application. I confess. Instead of talking concretely about somebody dealing with a situation, I talked about abstractions. And nobody was listening.
Take a look at the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald sometime. Are interest rates rising? Then you’re almost sure to see a photograph of an affected family. Graphs and statistics can come later. The journalist’s rule is, if there are no people, there's no story. Accordingly, populate your preaching with real people. Use people-based illustrations, use people-based application. I confess. Instead of talking concretely about somebody dealing with a situation, I talked about abstractions. And nobody was listening.
Tips for Clear Communication - 4. Succinct Sentences
4. Use succinct sentences.
Ideas are packaged as sentences. Listeners can't start processing an idea until they’ve caught the sense of the sentence. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep sentences short. According to the Readers’ Digest style guide, the ideal sentence length is between 17 and 20 words. That works quite well for talks too. Take the time to analyse the average sentence length of your last sermon. (If you use Microsoft Word, you can enable the ‘Readability Score’ feature by selecting Tools | Options | Spelling & Grammar. After checking spelling and grammar, information about the reading level of the document is displayed, based on the average number of syllables per word and words per sentence. Aim for a score of 70 to 80 on the Flesch Reading Ease scale, or 6.0 to 7.0 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale.)
I confess. I used long, multi-claused sentences, then wondered why people didn’t stick with me. But don’t be fooled. This isn’t about “dumbing down” your content. It’s about communicating complex content clearly. (Note, however, that excessive alliteration is no longer considered tasteful.)
Ideas are packaged as sentences. Listeners can't start processing an idea until they’ve caught the sense of the sentence. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep sentences short. According to the Readers’ Digest style guide, the ideal sentence length is between 17 and 20 words. That works quite well for talks too. Take the time to analyse the average sentence length of your last sermon. (If you use Microsoft Word, you can enable the ‘Readability Score’ feature by selecting Tools | Options | Spelling & Grammar. After checking spelling and grammar, information about the reading level of the document is displayed, based on the average number of syllables per word and words per sentence. Aim for a score of 70 to 80 on the Flesch Reading Ease scale, or 6.0 to 7.0 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale.)
I confess. I used long, multi-claused sentences, then wondered why people didn’t stick with me. But don’t be fooled. This isn’t about “dumbing down” your content. It’s about communicating complex content clearly. (Note, however, that excessive alliteration is no longer considered tasteful.)
Tips for Clear Communication - 3. Shorter Words
3. Choose the Shortest, Most Ordinary Words
The day I realised intelligent listeners weren’t impressed by big words was a turning point. Even the best thinkers prefer simple, clear communication. Clear communication is build from clear words. Some words – like “utilise” – are nothing but fancy, padded, versions of a simpler, shorter word – like “use.” When there’s a choice, always use the shorter, simpler word. This is one of the key differences between written and spoken communication; we naturally use smaller words when we speak. Listen to yourself sometime. I confess - I should have eschewed utilising cumbersome terminology when diminutive vocabulary would have adequately sufficed.
The day I realised intelligent listeners weren’t impressed by big words was a turning point. Even the best thinkers prefer simple, clear communication. Clear communication is build from clear words. Some words – like “utilise” – are nothing but fancy, padded, versions of a simpler, shorter word – like “use.” When there’s a choice, always use the shorter, simpler word. This is one of the key differences between written and spoken communication; we naturally use smaller words when we speak. Listen to yourself sometime. I confess - I should have eschewed utilising cumbersome terminology when diminutive vocabulary would have adequately sufficed.
Tips for Clear Communication - 1. Say Less
1. The more you say, the less people will remember.
The Compact Oxford English dictionary defines a sermon as “a long or tedious moralizing or admonitory talk.” It’s a sad fact of life - most preachers talk for longer than people want to listen. Why do we do it? In the words of Ecclesiastes 6:11, “The more the words, the less the meaning - and how does that profit anyone?” I confess. I was trying to say way too much.
The Compact Oxford English dictionary defines a sermon as “a long or tedious moralizing or admonitory talk.” It’s a sad fact of life - most preachers talk for longer than people want to listen. Why do we do it? In the words of Ecclesiastes 6:11, “The more the words, the less the meaning - and how does that profit anyone?” I confess. I was trying to say way too much.
Tips for Clear Communication - 2. Grab the Big Idea
2. Grab the Big Idea – and don’t let it go
Haddon Robinson has taught a generation of preachers that a sermon should grow from a clear, single sentence summary. The single sentence summary is the product of your hard hours of exegesis, and will summarise the main point of the passage along with its key application. In short, the single sentence becomes the “big idea” of your sermon. Robinson is right – the single sentence summary is a powerful tool. The hard part is putting his principles into practice.
So how do you keep a talk focused on the “big idea”? Simple. Take out anything that isn’t. Most preachers aren’t prepared to prune. An American Presidential Speech Writer was once asked how he wrote such great speeches. “It’s easy,” he said. “First, you write a speech – then you take out all the bits that ain't great.”
If the passage is complex, choose one key idea, and leave the rest for next time. John Chapman says a memorable sermon will cover only 15% of the detail of a passage, a small group Bible study will cover 75%, and a Bible College lecture, 95%. If you’ve passed your 15% mark, maybe it’s time to start trimming.
Again, the quality of the sermon will depend entirely on how hard you’ve worked at distilling the key idea. But once you’ve got it, don’t dilute it. Build your structure around it, and don’t be tempted by side-tracks… they’re fascinating, but a dangerous trap for your listeners.
Ultimately, it’s about self-discipline as you prepare. I confess – I fell in love my first draft, when I should have treated every word and paragraph like the enemy. Prune anything that doesn’t help advance the big idea!
Haddon Robinson has taught a generation of preachers that a sermon should grow from a clear, single sentence summary. The single sentence summary is the product of your hard hours of exegesis, and will summarise the main point of the passage along with its key application. In short, the single sentence becomes the “big idea” of your sermon. Robinson is right – the single sentence summary is a powerful tool. The hard part is putting his principles into practice.
So how do you keep a talk focused on the “big idea”? Simple. Take out anything that isn’t. Most preachers aren’t prepared to prune. An American Presidential Speech Writer was once asked how he wrote such great speeches. “It’s easy,” he said. “First, you write a speech – then you take out all the bits that ain't great.”
If the passage is complex, choose one key idea, and leave the rest for next time. John Chapman says a memorable sermon will cover only 15% of the detail of a passage, a small group Bible study will cover 75%, and a Bible College lecture, 95%. If you’ve passed your 15% mark, maybe it’s time to start trimming.
Again, the quality of the sermon will depend entirely on how hard you’ve worked at distilling the key idea. But once you’ve got it, don’t dilute it. Build your structure around it, and don’t be tempted by side-tracks… they’re fascinating, but a dangerous trap for your listeners.
Ultimately, it’s about self-discipline as you prepare. I confess – I fell in love my first draft, when I should have treated every word and paragraph like the enemy. Prune anything that doesn’t help advance the big idea!
This Week in Advanced Preaching
Hi preachers. This week in class we're going to press on with more analysis of Driscoll's sermon on the sick woman and the dead daughter, and Dan will bring us his talk to play with as well. I've emailed to ask everyone to do a five minute slice of transcript from the Driscoll talk, which will give us the whole thing to analyse much more closely. Please let me know if you can't contribute. When it's complete, I'll post it here. Here are some questions to ponder. Driscoll begins with a large (10 minute!) excursus on being a father to his daughter. Why is he doing this? (There could be a number of reasons!) At what point in the talk does it 'pay off'? What reasons can you see for, and against, doing something like this?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Genius of Driscoll
Mark Driscoll is a communication phenomenon. But what makes him tick? What is it about his style and manner that makes him so commanding and a speaker? How does he energise his words? In class, we listened to the first section of his recent sermon on Luke 8:40-46, looking for clues to his effectiveness. The transcript of the first few minutes of Driscoll's sermon is below, or if you want to grab the full fifteen minute transcript you can download the word file here. The full talk is 63 minutes long, and you can download audio here.
We noticed immediately that Driscoll moves narrative into the present by retelling in the present tense, naturally inserting present day analogies (like 'having a Jack Bauer day', kids 'taking a day off school' to see Jesus) and also by making direct association between Jesus and the disciples and Driscoll and the Mars Hill elders.
There's plenty more to talk about in this. Stay tuned.
JESUS HEALS A WOMAN AND A GIRL
Mark Driscoll Transcript (First 15 minutes of 63:38)
2591 words at average 172 wpm. (163 wpm in intro)
Well, happy one-third Mars Hill.
It will take a hundred and six sermons to get through Luke and today is number 35. (Woohooo!)
We are one third of the way through Luke and today we are in Luke 8 30 through 46 as Jesus heals a woman and a young girl.
As you’re turning there, you’re going to see Jesus absolutely transform the lives of an older woman and a younger girl as he loves and serves them both exceedingly well. We’ll start with the fact that Jesus cleanses, and Luke chapter 8 verses 40 through 48, and jump right into the story. Luke chapter 8 verse 40.
Now, when Jesus returned. Returned from where? Casting demons out of the demon possessed man. Let me just unpack Jesus’ succession of Jack Bauer days. Has large crowds coming to him, he’s healing and performing miracles, he needs a break, so he gets in a boat and he’s so exhausted that as they row across the sea of Galilee an enormous storm comes upon them and he is so tired that although their life is in danger, he’s asleep on the boat. That’s how tired he is. They wake him up and he calms the storm, he commands creation to obey him, they rowed to the other side of the lake, he gets off the boat, and here comes the demon possessed man, naked, crazy, the guy who broke shackles and lived in the graveyard, so that’s the welcoming committee. So this is no day off or day at the spa for Jesus, he casts the demons out of the man, ministers to those people, gets back in the boat, goes across the lake, gets out of the boat, and here’s an entirely new crowd of needy people. Jesus is unbelievable in his outpouring of love, affection and service for people, and there are seasons of ministry that feel like this.
I would say on behalf of your elders, it’s been one of those seasons for the past month or two, Grace recently asked, did you have a hard day? No, I had a hard LIFE. Ahhh. But yes that would include a hard day. There are just SEASONS like that where the needs are SO GREAT that everywhere you go and everyone you talk to and everything you see just reveals greater needs for love and care and compassion and teaching and prayer and service and funds and help and Jesus is having this succession of experiences.
Now when Jesus returned the crowd welcomed him. So, everyone took the day off work, and got off school and they’re all just waiting on the shore. Can you see it? Now here comes the disciples rowing up, yeppp, there they are, and Jesus is coming, there are first second third, they’re all like the DMV, everybody’s got a number, lined up, waiting for their appointment with Jesus, their list of needs, for they were all waiting for him. (3:10)
To be continued...
QTC Advanced Preaching Course Outline
QTC Advanced Preaching Course
Second Semester 2010
Lecturer: Phil Campbell | phil@mpc.org.au
13 July Week 1
Course outline, expectations. A key goal - to move from a sequence of assertions to creation of an inner dialogue. Campbell method revised. Finding your 'voice'. Examining various preaching and preparation methods. Sample sermon analysis - why things work. Driscoll. Keller. Trevaskis. Cree. Smith. Special Occasion Preaching. Funerals, weddings, Christmas. Student sermon workshop in class based on G. Millar Deuteronomy outlines. Deuteronomy breakup and allocation. Homework - Driscoll listening.
20 July Week 2
Campbell method revised Part 1. Moving beyond assertions. Driscoll transcript continued. What works and why? DAN LEISTER GENESIS TALK
27 July Week 3
Campbell method revised Part 2. Developing the argument of your talk. Driscoll transcript continued. Bryson Smith video - Song of Songs intro. Matt Purnell on Galatians 5:13-26.
3 Aug Week 4
Developing the argument of your talk. Trevaskis method - guest lecturer Leigh Trevaskis.
10 Aug Week 5
Gracious engagement. Tim Keller paradigm. Analysis of "The Google lecture."
17 Aug Week 6
A Captive Audience - Real world tips on preaching at weddings and funerals. Dave Bailey Wedding Talk.
24 Aug Week 7
Christmas crackers. New angles on old stories. Andrew Poyser on Judges 13-16?
31 Aug Week 8
Without a Safety net. The Cree method. Guest lecturer Steve Cree.
7 Sept Week 9
Student talks 1 - choose your method.
Peter Evans - Mission Marriage Talk
14 Sept Week 10 – Mission Week.
21 Sept HOLIDAYS
28 Sept HOLIDAYS
5 Oct Week 10 – Student Talks
12 Oct Essay Week
19 Oct Week 11 – Student talks
26 October Week 12 – Student talks, wrap up
Second Semester 2010
Lecturer: Phil Campbell | phil@mpc.org.au
13 July Week 1
Course outline, expectations. A key goal - to move from a sequence of assertions to creation of an inner dialogue. Campbell method revised. Finding your 'voice'. Examining various preaching and preparation methods. Sample sermon analysis - why things work. Driscoll. Keller. Trevaskis. Cree. Smith. Special Occasion Preaching. Funerals, weddings, Christmas. Student sermon workshop in class based on G. Millar Deuteronomy outlines. Deuteronomy breakup and allocation. Homework - Driscoll listening.
20 July Week 2
Campbell method revised Part 1. Moving beyond assertions. Driscoll transcript continued. What works and why? DAN LEISTER GENESIS TALK
27 July Week 3
Campbell method revised Part 2. Developing the argument of your talk. Driscoll transcript continued. Bryson Smith video - Song of Songs intro. Matt Purnell on Galatians 5:13-26.
3 Aug Week 4
Developing the argument of your talk. Trevaskis method - guest lecturer Leigh Trevaskis.
10 Aug Week 5
Gracious engagement. Tim Keller paradigm. Analysis of "The Google lecture."
17 Aug Week 6
A Captive Audience - Real world tips on preaching at weddings and funerals. Dave Bailey Wedding Talk.
24 Aug Week 7
Christmas crackers. New angles on old stories. Andrew Poyser on Judges 13-16?
31 Aug Week 8
Without a Safety net. The Cree method. Guest lecturer Steve Cree.
7 Sept Week 9
Student talks 1 - choose your method.
Peter Evans - Mission Marriage Talk
14 Sept Week 10 – Mission Week.
21 Sept HOLIDAYS
28 Sept HOLIDAYS
5 Oct Week 10 – Student Talks
12 Oct Essay Week
19 Oct Week 11 – Student talks
26 October Week 12 – Student talks, wrap up
Welcome to The Reformed Bore
Hi, and welcome to the official blog of the Advanced Preaching Group at QTC. I'll be posting course notes regularly, and looking for course members (and anyone else) to generate comments and discussion along the way, as well as sharing links and ideas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)