Highly Exalted

The preacher has a weighty responsibility in delivering to a church the Word of  God.  Many aspects of the preacher’s job are unseen by typical church members but must not be ignored by the preacher.  The preacher is viewed once or twice a week in a formal context, but what is behind that once or twice a week presentation of the Word?  Danny Akin, Bill Curtis and Stephen Rummage attempt to pull back the curtain into a preacher’s study life and to exhort preachers to compelling and faithful expository preaching in their 2011 B&H book, Engaging Exposition.  David Platt put it best in the foreword when he said, “They have clearly wed together responsible hermeneutics with relevant homiletics to guide preachers and teachers from the preparation of a messages to the delivery of a sermon.”  Not since 19^th century southern baptist statesman, seminary professor and widely-sought preacher, John A. Broadus, wrote his text On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, have we seen a more convincing and useful book on the preaching ministry.

 Akin, Curtis and Rummage collaborate together to write the most definitive and helpful preaching text in the last century.  Its scope is incredible, and its contents are weighty.  Bill Curtis leads off by going through essential hermeneutical principles that should guide every good preacher’s Bible study.  Curtis examines various genres and language mechanics that will help the preacher better understand authorial intent and method.  He also gives practical guides to developing sermon outlines centered around specific literary genres.  Curtis also makes much of context in terms of not only cultural, political, locale and roles but also a theological context that is essential in expository preaching.  Curtis claims that, “Theology is the final contextual element to consider as you conclude the inquiry stage of exegesis.”  Bible exegesis will lead the expositor to a theological end that the Holy Spirit will use in His ministry to the hearers.  Another topic that Curtis introduces is the “main idea of the text” (MIT).  He traces through a path centered around the text involving inspection, inquiry and investigation that leads to the MIT.

 In the next section, Danny Akin transitions by addressing the idea of developing the MIT and structuring issues in the sermon.  Akin provides clarity on the abuse and misuse of illustration and preaching the preacher and not the text.  He writes about the “art” of illustration and its appropriateness and inappropriateness.  Akin employs and evangelistic fervor when writing about sermon craft.  Akin also puts forth the answers to common questions involving biblical messages.

 In a third and final section, Stephen Rummage provides expertise in sermon delivery.  He lays the groundwork for the all-important discussion on why delivery is important.  Readers will be introduced to articulation technique, body gestures and style management.  Rummage provides excellent instruction in the part of sermon craft that many could stand to benefit.  Rummage rounds out the book with a strong exhortation and plea for preachers to demonstrate a consistency between what is said behind the pulpit and what is said and done outside the pulpit.

 This book is for any Bible preacher or teacher.  It combines elements of hermeneutics, exposition and delivery to form what could easily be a three volume work for each man called of God to be His mouthpiece.  However, the authors do so in a singular volume that is thorough but not excessive.  The preacher’s task is one of great enormity and must done so with such care as not to mishandle the Word or bring detraction to the listener.  The preaching ministry is supreme in the church and must never be taken lightly by a preacher or a congregation.  Engaging Exposition is a useful tool for each preacher to read once a year as to refresh one with the importance of the urgent task at hand (Romans 10:17).

Few national organizations come together year after year with a singular mission as extensive and as impactful as the Southern Baptist Convention.  The United States Senate is widely known as America’s greatest deliberative body.  However, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is by far America’s largest deliberative body.  For two days in June, the SBC assembles in a predetermined location for the purpose of cooperating for the good of the represented Southern Baptist churches.  In the “hay day” of the convention, as many as 40,000 Southern Baptists would assemble for the purpose of such cooperation with respect to missions.  Despite a 4,800 messenger attendance, the lowest convention attendance in almost 60 years, this week’s assembly represented a pivotal point of change.  Three of the major SBC entities have new leaders and fresh visions for cooperation as encouraged by the messengers of the 2010 convention in Orlando.  This year’s meeting was a sobering look at the reality of the convention.  Hard things to hear were said, but we pray they were heard.  The North American Mission Board (NAMB) executive, Kevin Ezell, brought the reality of the truth of the number of church plants and how a church is defined.  Ezell brought to the table an honest conversation of the present but an optimistic vision for the future.  Ezell called the convention back to a Great Commission refocus on church planting in unreached areas of North America.  With limited funds hard decisions must be made.  The Great Commission Resurgence (GCR) brought a shift in ministry priorities to the convention.  Ezell’s job was not easy, but he was able to free up millions of dollars to help plant new churches.  The chatter leading up to the SBC revolved around Ezell’s nine month tenure as NAMB’s visionary.  Ezell’s critics have accused him of being anti-Cooperative Program, uncaring and insensitive-all of which are erroneous.  Ezell has set the pace for NAMB for years to come in response to the convention’s direction.  A natural tension exists between church planting and church revitalization.  Both come with rewards and challenges.  Ed Stetzer mentioned that the average local church lifespan is 80 years.  He also said that churches 17 years or younger see the most growth in terms of baptisms.  However, we cannot ignore the churches who have had faithful witnesses for decades and who need help.  In many cases, churches who need revitalization are in locations that are not population centers.  We already see many of these churches close.  As a matter of fact, Ed Stetzer told a attendees at a NAMB luncheon that we are not planting enough churches to maintain the pace with churches who are naturally dying.  We are not keeping up with our rate of attrition.  All this sets the stage for a very a different face to the SBC in 15 years.  Across the American landscape, we are going to see new SBC churches planted at a rate higher than the rate of attrition.  Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, made the claim during the Pastor’s Conference that mature churches are churches who plant churches.  It’s often difficult for some to imagine a small church planting churches.  Johnny Hunt exhorted the Pastor’s Conference that the size of the church does not matter, it is the size of the God they serve.  He suggested that smaller churches cooperate together to plant churches.  Many of the speakers gave testimony to how God reached them through the efforts of Southern Baptist church plants. 

 The other strategic focus was engaging and planting churches amongst the unreached (unengaged) people groups of the world.  During the convention sermon, David Platt passionately exhorted the messengers to action in reaching some of the most Gospel-resistant areas of the world.  Platt highlighted the incredible Gospel need around the world where there is no Gospel work.  We may have many lost people in our communities who need to be saved and perhaps even on our church membership rolls, but those people at least have access to the Gospel.  Many around the world cannot find a Bible in their own language.  International missions is not an option to consider it is a command to be obeyed.  When we consider the reality of technology and resources at our disposable it is possible to engage the unreached people groups – all 3,800 of them.  If we would just mobilize our efforts and resources to that end, we could possibly see the hastening of Christ’s return.  In light of that and the scriptural reality of what Jesus said about His return in connection to the Gospel being preached everywhere and the fact we have the resources to do so may lead us to the conclusion that we do not want to really see Christ return.  Platt drew the final conclusion that Christ’s return is not about us it is about Him being highly exalted and worshipped by people of every tribe and tongue.  Do we long to see Christ adored in this way?  Are we really longing for His glory?  These questions beg a heart check on all believers.  Tom Elliff, newly elected leader of the International Mission Board (IMB), gave in a final presentation following the commissioning of dozens of new missionaries a call to each of the churches represented in the SBC to begin engaging the unreached people groups of the world.  Hundreds of people came forward to commit to that end.  The reality of that commitment will be played out in the months and years to come as churches realize they are the ones called to go to the nations and not the IMB.

 This convention will be pivotal in the future of Southern Baptist missions.  Throughout the weekend, one could sense a profound unity that has been absent in recent conventions.  Is God on the brink of doing something great with Southern Baptists?  Will we continue to yield to His Lordship and reach the lost?  God will do what He wants with our without us.  Let us join our hearts in prayer that God may be glorified in our churches and that we may cooperate together to reach the lost world with the healing balm of the Gospel.

Have you felt beleaguered when thinking about your Bible reading habits?  Is it hard for you to really understand or get excited about Leviticus?  Numbers?  Habakkuk?  Jude?  If you said, “yes” to any of these, this sermon series is for you.  God has a wonderful and graceful purpose that He has woven throughout Scripture that points toward His sovereign purpose.  Rest assured, Leviticus has a purpose.  Micah has a purpose.  Hebrews has a purpose.  At the end of the year-long study, it is my earnest prayer and hope that God will captivate your heart for His Word, draw you closer to Him, and as a result know Him better. 

 The Bible is a unique compilation of writings of various genres that God has used to give testimony to Christ and to reveal His will.  Our Bible study time is often “cherry-picked” from seemingly random spots in the Bible.  As a result, we often have a disjointed understanding of the Bible and the common themes that are traced throughout Scripture.  As Baptists who believe the Bible is God’s inerrant Word it behooves us to commit significant study to Scripture in order to know God better through His Son.

 This sermon series is designed to equip believers with a level of biblical literacy that will marry the understanding of God’s sovereign acts of grace with the Lord Jesus Christ’s command to make disciples.  From this simple equation of biblical command, we will gain a more comprehensive understanding of God’s sovereign purposes as revealed to us in His Word.  It is my prayer that the church will be blessed and will be fruitful as a result of this year-long endeavor. 

 Each sermon in this series will be accompanied by a family ministry guide/summary for in-home, family worship that will be made available to participants each week.  Collect all in order to have a complete outline of the Bible and a great discipleship tool for your family for years to come.

On Sunday nights starting this Sunday, we are beginning an extensive look at Paul’s first of two letters to the Corinthian church.  As a guide we are looking to Mark Dever’s, Twelve Challenges Churches Face.  In his book he brings to the ecclesiastical discussion twelve issues that plagued the early church that are still evident in the modern, evangelical church.  Dever guides the reader into a solid scriptural analysis of the problems that seem to arise in the church at Corinth.

 The twelve problems Dever identifies in 1 Corinthians include:  forgetfulness, division, imposters, sin, asceticism, disobedience, legalism, autonomy, thoughtfulness, selfishness, death and decline.  Each week throughout the summer, we will examine a problem from 1 Corinthians and search our hearts for where we need to repent.  Come and join us as we travel this road together and pray the Holy Spirit will be enlighten our minds and attention to the authority of Scripture.

The symptoms are ubiquitous.  They are easy to recognize in others but very difficult to diagnose in one’s self.  The symptoms point toward a spiritual disease that has ravaged believer and unbeliever alike.  Stephen Altrogge identifies discontentment in western society in his recent publication by Crossway, The Greener Grass Conspiracy:  Finding Contentment on Your Side of the Fence.  Altrogge does a marvelous job shedding light on the one thing that pierces hearts.  Many people are decidedly tied to the pursuit of material goods and the increasing “high” they receive from it.  Altrogge explains that contentment is something that is increasingly rare, however, it is something to be cultivated.  In a society that preaches, “bigger, faster, stronger,” how is the Christian to respond?  Altrogge suggests finding contentment not in worldly pursuits but in the joy of knowing Jesus Christ. 

 Altrogge also grapples with the hard issues of life that tend to produce circumstances that do not make it easy to find contentment.  Altrogge is clear that circumstances are not the issue; the issue, he claims, is this conspiracy of our hearts.  The conspiracy of our hearts, as it should be no surprise, is the core of the problem.  Contentment, Altrogge explains, is a “disposition of the heart” and not tied to possessions.  He recognizes the idolatry that is so pervasive and points the reader toward redemption in Jesus Christ.  Altrogge’s use of scripture is commendable and fair to the context from which it is taken. 

 Throughout this book, Altrogge, laces a thread of humor that keeps the reader focused on the reality of discontentment in our society and the source of joy in knowing Jesus.  One can easily discern Altrogge’s pastoral heart as he gently rebukes and exhorts readers.  This book will be useful especially for believers who struggle with misplaced desires and who never seem content with themselves or their religion.  This book is written for anyone who has ever thought the grass must be greener on the other side.  After reading this book, people will realize how green their side is when Jesus is the sole caretaker.

Check out the video:  http://vimeo.com/21402348

In this passage of Scripture, we look to the common event of the crucifixion as portrayed by each of the Gospels.  However, only Matthew includes an important miracle that is worthy of our attention.  Several miraculous things are associated with the crucifixion of Christ, perhaps, none so strange as the resurrection of dead saints.  In Matthew’s account of the crucifixion, Christ’s surrendering of His life sets off a chain of events with subsequent enormity. 

When Jesus voluntarily gave up His spirit and said, “It is finished,” at once several things happened.  The temple veil was torn from top to bottom thereby exposing the holy of holies and sealing Christ’s role as the satisfaction of God’s wrath, the ultimate sacrifice, and the Great High Priest who makes intercession on our behalf.  Christ’s death was the long-awaited fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham even though most first century Jews did not recognize it.  At this time as well the earth shook.  As a consequence of this, tombs of the dead were either split or rolled away thereby exposing the graves of some saints and ruining a good cemetery.  Only Matthew records what comes next.  Dead saints began walking.  There is much debate on this particular topic.  Some scholars resign this part of the story to lore while others hold to the factual occurence.  It should be no surprise given the centrality of the doctrine of inerrancy that we must hold to this literal reading of Matthew.  So when we read of dead men walking a few things come to mind.  The first is, who are these who are resurrected?  Secondly, what does one do when resurrected?  Perhaps, thirdly, the poignant question, why?

Scripture is pretty clear that the ones who were raised were the redeemed.  Albeit, how can they be raised or redeemed on that side of Jesus’ empty tomb?  Perhaps they were saints who trusted in God’s provision that He would bring the Messiah or they could have been believers who died during Jesus’ earthly life and knew trusted Him as the coming Savior or they were Old Testaments saints who had faith in God and like Abraham it was reckoned to him as righteousness.  Whichever of the three scenarios, the point is bodily resurrection is real, and it will be our future should we die before Jesus returns.

What do the resurrected do?  This must be answered in light of the entire New Testament, namely 1 Corinthians 15:20.  It is clear in Paul’s writings that Christ must be the first fruits of those who are asleep.  However, Matthew’s account is pretty clear that the bodies of saints were raised and then after Jesus’ resurrection, they came out of the tomb and went to Jerusalem.  “The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many” (vv52-53).

But why?  The satisfaction of God’s holy wrath that sinners should have bore was a transaction that was so monumental that it could only have been done through the will of Christ.  The Bible says He gave up His spirit once the atoning work was done.  So significant was that work that the earth shook and exposed graves.  Jesus’ death was so enormous, it is as if an eternal rippling occured and some of the first rings of the ripple included dead saints’ graves.  This ought to cause us to pause at the glorious work of Christ and see how sinners separated from Christ are being reconciled to God by faith in Jesus even today.  Another ripple of this was the testimony of the centurion in verse 54.  After all these things happened He acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God.  The work of the cross began immediately after Jesus’ death.  Lives were being changed and they are still being changed today.  The cross was meant to be the instrument of death for Jesus, and it has ended up being the instrument of our second birth in Christ.  Soli Deo gloria!

In our understanding of discipleship, we come to one of the most difficult commands of Jesus’ most prevalent teaching on genuine discipleship.  In a modern world, with every imaginable convenience at our disposal, many western Christians have grown accustomed to perishable things.  Although there is certainly nothing wrong with owning things or having material wealth, we must come to know where the danger lies.  As followers of Christ, we must understand this passage (Matthew 6:19-24) in light of first century life.  When we think of the first century our minds do not immediately go to the idea of convenience or ease of life.  Yet Jesus addresses the idol of materialism in a first century context.  Fast forward to the 21^st century and think about what consumes our lives and churches.  The danger that Jesus teaches against is the danger of caring so much about our things that it disrupts our devotion to Jesus.  Our love of things so clouds our lives that we either do not trust God with our treasure or we choose our riches over trusting in God.  Could we “do” church without PowerPoint, sound systems, a nursery, pews, hymnals or offering envelopes?  How much of how we do church is wrapped up in the things of church and not the adoration of a Savior who loves us enough to die on a cross in our place. 

 Certainly, God has blessed us as a people, but are we really using our blessing in order to bless other people with the love of Jesus Christ?  Are we being good stewards of God’s blessing?  Is our total aim the exaltation of Christ in everything we do?  If this passage is about anything, it is about idolatry.  Jesus is very clear.  We have a choice to make.  When we try and serve both our wealth and God, we are being idolatrous.  Like Joshua, we must choose whom we will serve.

Sunday will mark the conclusion of two months on this section of Matthew 6 where Jesus teaches about spiritual devotion through the giving of alms, prayer and fasting.  This week we narrow in on fasting.  How do we fast?  How do we not fast?  Why does fasting matter to the Gospel?  When you reduce the point of this part of chapter six, we find that Jesus is addressing the hypocrisy of the “righteous,” and teaching about the regenerate heart of a disciple.

When we talk of fasting, fear strikes the heart of many Christians whose minds move immediately toward the hunger pangs of mid-day and trying to occupy the time that they otherwise would spend eating.  The problem with this all too common understanding of fasting is that it is without mention or concern for the heart of the disciple.  Of all the spiritual disciplines covered in this chapter of Matthew (alms-giving, praying and fasting),  fasting is probably the most misunderstood because the cultural mores of today neglect the heart.  We fast out of spiritual obligation not at all concerned with Jesus or His will or His work or His purposes.  Therefore we find a culture that fasts nominally but not without a feast of excess either before (i.e. Mardi Gras in the Catholic religion) or after (i.e. Ramadan in the Islamic religion).  However, in Christianity, we find Jesus teaching disciples that fasting in and of itself is not spiritual but the heart’s retalitory response to Jesus’ drawing sinners to Himself.  Christians should fast because they want to know God and His Word better.  When a contrite heart seeks after the Lord in this way, we are assured that the Lord is faithful to notice the genuine “faster” and to reward him with the presence of God and a greater understanding of His magnificent will.

We have slowed to a crawl during our study of the sermon on the mount in order to study the disciples’ prayer more closely.  Prayer is a central part of what we do as believers; it should be natural to our very lives.  After all we are creatures created by the Creator for a purposeful and worshipful relationship.  All of us stand to gain something from carefully studying our Lord’s instruction.  In the past few weeks, we have taken this part of scripture a verse at a time trying to discern that which God desires to speak to His people.  During this time we began in Matthew 6:9-10 finding the priority in prayer.  Last week we studied the provision in prayer and this week we will see the pardon in prayer. 

 We turn our attention to the final part of Jesus’ model prayer.  Here we see Jesus re-introduce forgiveness.  This idea of forgiveness is not new.  A careful look at the Old Testament will reveal a God who continually demonstrates His forgiveness and mercy toward His chosen people.  Over and over God is pictured as a God of second and third and fourth chances when it comes to the people on whom His affection rests.  In Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6, we find an imperative that asks God to forgive as we forgive others. 

 The reality of God’s forgiveness is the result of the Gospel.  We see forgiveness afforded to us as sinners when Christ became our substitute on the cross and when we repent and trust Him.  He extends to us forgiveness, and we as His disciples are to mimic His example.  As believers we are called to extend forgiveness as many times as the transgressor repents (Luke 17:3-4).

A closer look at the Disciple’s Prayer in the Matthew 6 will reveal several important things for believers to consider.  As we have discussed the last three weeks, we see how God is the priority in prayer.  In Jesus’ model prayer, He saves the first things for that which belongs to the heavenly Father.  It is only after the items related to God’s will and His kingdom and sovereignty that he switches gears toward something more mortal.  We must come to know God as the One who longs to make provision for us so we must include this in our prayer.  Of the many things this particular text tells us, verse 11 communicates three imperatives:  a) Dependence ON God, b) Trust IN God and c) Satisfaction WITH God.  This week we are looking at verse 11 where Jesus teaches us to ask, “give us this day our daily bread.”  When we think about this verse our mind will automatically rush toward food (well, mine does anyway), but I challenge you to ask yourself this question:  Why should I pray for that which I should probably consume less of?  How does our western culture influence how we view this part of Scripture?  We will answer these questions and more Sunday at 11am at Cash Creek Baptist Church.  To connect church and home, check out www.cashcreekbaptist.org/preaching for a weekly family worship guide to go along with the sermon.  See you Sunday!