The Christian Prejudice

I spoke to a friend tonight on the phone who is struggling with some people in his life who have, let's just say, a less than Christian Worldview. His struggle reminds me of a statement made by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in a speech he gave in 1925 (when he was only 25 yrs old himself). Here are LLoyd-Jones insightful words:

The business of preaching is to give us a new prejudice, in fact the only prejudice that counts--the Christian prejudice....If we do not start with the same prejudice, discussion is quite impossible, because virtually we shall be talking different languages. To a man who has the Christian prejudice all other prejudices are worse than useless, they spell damnation; to the man who possesses those other prejudices the Christian prejudice appears to be madness. Lunatics, as you know, generally think that all other people are mad (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The First Forty Years 1899-1939 by Iain Murray, 67-68).

Here's the issue with my friend. He has what Lloyd Jones calls a "Christian prejudice." Hence, the "lunatics" in his life think he is "mad." We shouldn't be surprised by this. They called Jesus a glutton and a drunkard. There is nothing new under the sun.

Why is Preaching Necessary and Crucial for Church Health? A 4th Century Preacher Tells Us

Like our human body, the Body of Christ is subject to many diseases. Medicines, correct diet, suitable climate and adequate sleep all help to restore our physical health. But how shall Christ’s Body be healed? One only means and one way of cure has been given us . . . and that is teaching of the Word. This is the best instrument, this the best diet and climate; this serves instead of medicine . . . this one method must be used; and without it nothing else will avail [John Chrystostom; quoted in Stott, Between Two Worlds, pg. 20].

A Gospel Summons from the Prince of Preachers

Meet me in heaven! Do not go down to hell. There is no coming back again from that abode of misery. Why do you wish to enter the way of death when heaven’s gate is open before you? Do not refuse the free pardon, the full salvation which Jesus grants to all who trust him. Do not hesitate and delay. You have had enough of resolving, come to action. Believe in Jesus now, with full and immediate decision. Take with you words and come unto your Lord this day, even this day. Remember, O soul, it may be now or never with you. Let it be now; it would be horrible that it should be never. Farewell. Again I charge you, meet me in heaven. C. H. Spurgeon, All of Grace , p. 128.

The Epistle of James: A Wrap-up

Tonight we completed a 19 week study in James. I thought it would be fitting to offer this helpful synopsis of James by Sinclair Ferguson that I think helpful and challenging.
In this overview, Ferguson discerns 20 resolutions that should characterize one who has been brought forth by the word of truth (James 1:18):

James 1:5 To ask God for wisdom to speak and with a single mind
James 1:9-10 To boast only in exaltation in Christ, & humiliation in world
James 1:13 To set a watch over my mouth
James 1:19 To be constantly quick to hear, slow to speak
James 2:1-4 To learn the gospel way of speaking to poor and the rich
James 2:12 To speak always in the consciousness of the final judgment
James 2:16 To never stand on anyone’s face with my words
James 3:14 To never claim as reality something I do not experience
James 4:1 To resist quarrelsome words in order to mortify a quarrelsome heart
James 4:11 To never speak evil of another
James 4:13 To never boast in what I will accomplish
James 4:15 To always speak as one subject to the providences of God
James 5:9 To never grumble, knowing that the Judge is at the door
James 5:12 To never allow anything but total integrity in my speech
James 5:13 To speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer
James 5:14 To sing praises to God whenever I am cheerful
James 5:14 To ask for the prayers of others when I am sick
James 5:15 To confess it freely whenever I have failed
James 5:15 To pray with and for one another when I am together with others
James 5:19 To speak words of restoration when I see another wander

Doctrinal Preaching

Sound doctrine (in preaching) doesn’t guarantee better programs or more efficient management structures or an answer to the age-old problem of which came first—the bigger sanctuary or the bigger parking lot. If it’s answers to questions like these you want, you’re going to have to look elsewhere. Doctrine isn’t very useful in a ministry of crowd management. But if you want practical help in promoting godliness in your church, fostering love and unity, making disciples, and growing in grace, there’s nothing more practical than sound theology. Could it be that some of us in ministry have lost our interest in sound theology because we’re not really doing Christian ministry anymore? (Michael Lawrence, "Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church," 94).

The Preacher's Responsibility

The expositor (preacher) is only to provide mouth and lips for the passage itself, so that the Word may advance . . . The really great preachers . . . are, in fact, only the servants of the Scriptures. When they have spoken for a time . . . the Word . . . gleams within the passage itself and is listened to: the voice makes itself heard . . . The passage itself is the voice, the speech of God; the preacher is the mouth and the lips, and the congregation . . . the ear in which the voice sounds . . . Only in order that the Word may advance—may go out into the enemy walls to the prisoners world, and force its way through within (Gustaf Wingren).

Lectio Continua

Why do I preach through books of the Bible? Let me give you 15 reasons:
(1) Helps the preacher grow personally in knowledge and obedience by his disciplined exposure to God’s Word.
(2) Helps the preacher conserve time and energy used in choosing a sermon for each week.
(3) Balances the preacher’s area of “expertise” and preferred topics with the breadth of God’s thoughts in the Bible.
(4) Sensitive matters can be addressed without the appearance of pointing a finger at persons or problems in the church.
(5) Gives the preacher accountability to not avoid skipping over what does suit his taste or temperament on any given day.
6) Promotes biblical literacy in the preacher’s congregation by teaching them through example how to study their Bibles. That is, it teaches a reproducible method of Bible study.
(7) Forces the preacher to address a greater number of issues than what readily springs to mind.
8) Much research time can be saved because each new sermon does not require a new study of the book’s or the passage’s authors, background, context, and cause.
9) Increases the likelihood of the pastor preaching the whole counsel of God over time.
(10) Increases the pastor’s God-given prophetic authority in the pulpit by grounding his preaching in the divinely intended meaning of the text.
11) Increases the trustworthiness of the pastor’s preaching in the eyes of the congregation.
(12) Increases the pastor’s God-given blessing in the pulpit by remaining faithful to the intention of the One who sent him to preach.
(13) Increases the congregation’s trust in the inspiration, inerrancy, clarity, and sufficiency of Scripture.
(14) Decreases their likelihood of being deceived by false teaching.
(15) Best communicates that we need all 1189 chapters & 31,102 verses of the Bible for our salvation.