Tag: Preaching

Graeme Goldsworthy on How to Use Typology & Biblical Theology in Preaching

~ Bob Hayton

Gavin Ortlund posts a great interview today over at The Gospel Coalition. He interviews Graeme Goldsworthy on how the preacher should use biblical theology when preaching in the Old Testament.

I encourage you to read the whole interview and check out some of Goldsworthy’s books (I have reviewed his Christ-Centered Biblical Theology here).

Here is an excerpt to wet your appetite for the entire interview.

What is typology and when should a preacher use it? Can you give examples?

Typology is the technical term that relates to the way the Old Testament narratives, institutions, events, and persons foreshadow in various ways the person and work of Christ. It is generated by the testimony of Jesus and the New Testament writers that God’s unfolding plan in the historical experience of God’s people in the Old Testament is a shadow of the reality revealed in Christ. The type is often explicitly confirmed in the prophetic promise of the future. The New Testament shows in what various ways Christ is the antitype or fulfilment.

Preachers should refer to typology when moving from the Old Testament to Christ. They can include the occasional series (say, six or eight sermons) exploring a biblical-theological theme, like law or temple or priesthood or kindgom. The typology should be based on the scriptural evidence, and not on the preacher’s imagination or on the association of ideas.

All the major dimensions of kingdom revelation in Old Testament history are typological: creation, covenant, exile and exodus, promised land, tabernacle/temple, dominion/kingship, and of course prophet, priest, king, and wise man.

Suppose you’re preaching or teaching on David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. How would an understanding of biblical theology affect how you interpreted and applied this story to God’s people?

David is the anointed king of God’s people who does for them what they can’t do for themselves. Biblical theology alerts us to the direct line that runs from David through to Jesus. He is the savior of Israel, the shadow of the anointed one (the Christ). He stands in their place and wins the victory for them. Biblical theology doesn’t prevent us from appreciating and aiming to emulate David’s courage and faith in this passage, but it also directs us to the larger themes running throughout the entire Old Testament, centered on the expectation of a coming Messiah who would redeem God’s people from their sins.

Thus a preacher approaching this text from the standpoint of biblical theology would more naturally encourage his listeners to identify themselves, not with David, but with the frightened Israelites whom David saves. Attempts to make David merely an example of faith runs the risk of sending the message that, given enough faith, we can save ourselves.

Two Great Books on Preaching, One Great Price

~ Bob Hayton

Preaching_Keller    Him We Proclaim: Preaching Christ from All the Scriptures by Dennis E. JohnsonAny book by Timothy Keller is worth reading! His books communicate well, are designed for a wide audience, and have the weight of years of pastoral ministry in the heart of New York City behind them. So I am eager to get my hands on his new book on preaching (Viking, 2015). It’s subtitle practically sells the book: “Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism.”

Westminster Bookstore has the book available at almost half off: $17, now through June 16.  And they have a special deal on this book paired with another helpful book on preaching: Him We Proclaim: Preaching Christ From All of the Scriptures by Dennis Johnson (P & R, 2007).

For just $30, you can get both books, along with a smaller booklet of one of Keller’s sermons.

For more on Dennis Johnson’s book, check out my review. I highly recommend that title. Together, the two books should help provide a crash course on effective preaching and bless many pastors and lay teachers. Take advantage of this special, now through June 16!

“When Sinners Say ‘I Do’ DVD” by Dave Harvey

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

When Sinners Say I Do DVD by Dave HarveyMedia Details:
• Speaker: Dave Harvey
• Director: Patrick Gines
• Publisher: Shepherd Press (2014)
• Format: DVD
• Run Time: 195 minutes
• ISBN/ASIN#: 1633420922
• List Price: $59.99 (sale at Shepherd Press for $39.95)
• Rating: Must Watch

Blurbs:
“Dave Harvey skillfully exposes the real root of most marriage problems — each spouse is still a sinner. But he doesn’t leave us to wallow in our sin. He shows the way out through the ongoing power of the gospel. This will be helpful for any married couple whether they’ve been married five weeks or fifty years.”
—Jerry Bridges, Author of the Pursuit of Holiness

“Listen closely as Dave Harvey teaches on the struggles that characterize all marriages. His words are clear and inviting. He says it in a way that is fresh and humble. He cuts to the heart of what all of us are like—people needing daily, freely-given mercies from the Lord. And he cuts to the heart of what all of us need—not self-help, not a pep talk, not a few tips, but an active Savior. Listen, take to heart, and you will grow wiser as a husband or wife.”
—David Powlison, Executive Director, CCEF; Senior Editor, Journal of Biblical Counseling

“There is no laboratory for the grace of God like the family home. And there is no relationship so crucial to the work of grace in our homes as our marriages. It’s for these reasons I’m so grateful for Dave Harvey’s careful, wise, and relevant teaching in When Sinners Say I Do. Watch closely with your spouse or spouse-to-be, and let Dave lead you with great experience and pastoral care through the hard places of marriage right into the very throne room of God, where you both will find abundant grace for every need you have from now until your nineties.”
—Jared C. Wilson, Director of Content Strategy, Midwestern Seminary; TGC Blogger, The Gospel-Driven Church

Review:
Marriage is under attack today from all sides. Churches are being pressured to recognize marriages between people of the same gender. Our culture insists on “divorce on demand.” Even in conservative evangelical churches it seems that marriages have never been more unstable. Christians are getting divorced at alarmingly high rates.

Solutions to our dilemma abound. There are countless counseling resources and video series aimed at spicing up your marriage, learning the right “love talk,” or trying increasingly bizarre sexual practices as a way to keep our marriages vibrant.

Dave Harvey points out what should be obvious. The problem with marriages lasting comes down to one simple point. Marriage always involves 2 people and both of them are sinners! His book When Sinners Say “I Do” has helped many Christian couples. Now Shepherd Press has released an 8 part video series in an effort to equip the church with Dave’s important message.

This DVD series showcases Pastor Harvey walking through different passages of Scripture and unpacking the Gospel message that applies to our marriages. He emphasizes that sin is often at the root of relational conflict. He stresses the complementary design of God for man and woman. He preaches contentment and the role of mercy. He talks frankly about sex as God’s gift for each spouse – to be mutually enjoyed. And he points to the power for change: God’s stubborn grace.

The sessions are between 20 and 30 minutes long and focus just on Dave and his message. I appreciate this length as it allows the DVD series to be used both in SS classes and small group settings, or even as a seminar or workshop for a marriage retreat. The shorter time allows for questions and interaction by a local pastor or teacher who leads a group of couples through this material. Included with the video is a link to a .PDF study guide which can accompany the DVD and facilitate group discussion.

The series is appropriate for single adults as well, and they are from time to time addressed. It is also helpful for both older and younger couples — he speaks to the needs of both. In his talk on sex, Harvey is careful to be discreet and yet still direct.

The sessions do not major on the psychology of marriage. More time is devoted to unpacking and applying God’s word and then drawing application to marriage. Harvey’s advice is seasoned with years of ministry experience. He brings appropriate and helpful illustrations to capture the attention of the audience. And his insights are powerful and helpful. People in a variety of backgrounds and situations in life will benefit from this series.

I can’t wait to share this in a group setting – either with our small group or a church SS class. I hope this gains a wide audience and encourages many a couple with Gospel grace for their marriage.

Sample:
See six preview clips here, or watch the introduction below.

About the Speaker:
Dave Harvey serves as the Pastor of Preaching at Four Oaks Community Church in Tallahassee, FL. He serves as the Chairman of the board of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Sojourn Network. He is the author of a number of books, including Am I Called, Rescuing Ambition, and When Sinners Say “I Do.” Dave lives in Tallahassee, Florida with his wife, Kim. They have four grown children.

Where to Buy:
• Amazon
• ChristianBook.com
• direct from Kregel

Disclaimer:
This DVD was provided by the publisher for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

Sermon Download: The Church’s Greatest Need

~ Bob Hayton

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to fill the pulpit while our pastor was away. I used the opportunity to encourage the church with respect to “one-another” ministry. Years ago I did a blog post on this topic: the importance the New Testament places on all the “one-another” commands. I took my earlier post and molded it into a message, and it was well received.

If you don’t have time to listen to the entire sermon (48 minutes), please do look over my notes. May God bless this sermon to all who hear it, for His glory and by His grace.

Place: The Heights Church, St. Paul
Date: January 18, 2015
Title: The Church’s Greatest Need
Text: 1 Thess. 5:11-28
Notes: Download PDF
Audio Link: Click to listen (right click to download)

“Invitation to Philippians: Building a Great Church through Humility” by Donald R. Sunukjian

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

Invitation to Philippians by Donald SunukjianBook Details:
• Author: Donald R. Sunukjian
• Publisher: Weaver Book Company (2014)
• Format: paperback
• Page Count: 113
• ISBN#: 9780989167147
• List Price: $14.99
• Rating: Highly Recommended

Blurbs:
“These model sermons remind us that exposition should be interesting, relevant, and at the same time thoroughly biblical.”
—Erwin W. Lutzer, Senior Pastor, The Moody Church

“Sunukjian is one of the best at wedding solid biblical exposition with creative and relevant applications. His artful use of imagination and penetrating questions in connecting the listener to the text is an invaluable guide for faithfully preaching the ever true and practical Word of God.”
—Mark L. Bailey, Professor of Bible Exposition and President, Dallas Theological Seminary

“The best way to learn how to preach well is to copy the masters. Sunukjian’s Biblical Preaching for the Contemporary Church series puts into print a wealth of biblical expositions that are worth imitating.”
—Greg R. Scharf, Professor of Pastoral Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Overview:
There is nothing like great preaching. A gifted man expounding the riches of God’s Word and applying God’s truth to our everyday lives is something every Christian needs. Good preaching breeds good preachers, and what better way to learn how to preach than by listening to a master of the craft preach and studying how he does it.

Invitation to Philippians is a demonstration of effective preaching. Now reading a sermon is not the same as experiencing one, but the warmth and conversational tone that pervades this book make it the next best thing. The book includes eleven sermons through the book of Philippians along with a brief introduction. Each sermon is situated with an introduction that draws the reader in, and then chuck full of poignant application and a clear explanation of the main thrust of the passage at hand.

Donald Sunukjian is a master preacher, and has written a widely used text on preaching: Invitation to Biblical Preaching: Proclaiming Trugh with Clarity and Relevance (Kregel). His comments on the text are relevant and timely, and illustrate well both how to emphasize the point of the text and also how to capture and maintain the attention of one’s audience.

Occasionally he builds in dramatic effect, such as using a step-stool to illustrate Christ’s coming down to our level. His sermons are very engaging and interesting — almost to a fault. The only critique I would have would be that the text and arguments of the text could be emphasized more and greater attention could be paid to parallels and other Scriptures which support the preacher’s point.

Excerpt:
This excerpt comes from the section on 1:27-30.

When we stand for the truth and cannot be scared off, even though we suffer for it, it’s a proof to us that we are genuinely saved and that we belong to God.

Why is this the case? Why does our standing firm and suffering for the truth become a proof to us that our salvation is secure?

Because suffering is God’s way of identifying those who are his. Suffering is God’s way of confirming those who belong to him. Suffering is God’s recognition, God’s assurance that you are living worthy of heaven’s kingdom.

[After pointing to 2 Tim. 3:12 and Acts 14:22, he continues:]

Suffering is God’s way of identifying those who are his. Suffering is God’s gift of assurance that you truly belong to Christ: “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. (1:29-30).” (p. 47-48)

Evaluation:
This book is easy reading and would serve as a touchstone for planning a sermon or teaching series on Philippians. I know it has challenged me to spend more time thinking about how I present my sermons and what engaging illustrations and poignant applications I can offer. Spending time to work on this side of preaching more promises to bless readers and help ensure the main point of the text is caught not just taught. I recommend this work and trust that other titles in the Biblical Preaching for the Contemporary Church series will be as helpful for pastors, teachers and eager students of God’s Word.

Series Description:
This six-volume series by veteran preacher and teacher of preachers provides a model of preaching using a combination of solid scholarly study, fidelity to the meaning and intent of the biblical author, oral clarity, contemporary relevance, humor, and creativity. “Pastors who plan on preaching through any of these biblical books,” says Sunukjian, “could be drawn to these sermons as models or as stimulating prompters for their own messages.”

About the Author:
Donald R. Sunukjian (Ph.D., UCLA; Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) is Professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, where he has taught preachers since 1996. Before that, he taught preaching at Dallas Theological Seminary for more than ten years. He has also served as senior pastor for fourteen years and is the award-winning author of Invitation to Biblical Preaching: Proclaiming Truth with Clarity and Relevance (Kregel), which is a leading textbook on the craft of preaching. Sunukjian has conducted pastors’ conferences in most metropolitan centers of the United States and maintains a regular preaching schedule.

Where to Buy:
• Christianbook.com
• Amazon.com
• Direct from Weaver Book Company

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by the publisher for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.