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MBTS December Graduation Address: Daniel 3:1-30

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My task this morning is a daunting one because my time is so abbreviated. Indeed, I have more verses than I have minutes.

Daniel chapter 3 will be the focus of our attention here briefly. We typically think of commencement as being an occasion for the spring. But over these recent years, institutions like ours have also celebrated a Christmas commencement. Every time you think of commencement, you think of final words of address, final words of exhortation, charges given to the graduates before us. If we were in a secular context, those parting words would often be things like, “Be industrious, be forward thinking, manage your brand wisely, be intentional to cultivate relationships, professionally pursue all that is before you with vigor.”

In Christian or even seminary contexts in certain years, you might hear charges about calls to be faithful, to be fruitful, to be a visionary, to be kind-hearted, to be gracious, or to be passionate. All of those words are fitting and right, but as I have reflected on this year and on this occasion with these December 2018 graduates before me, a different word has come to mind. The word my mind kept coming back to is a character trait that I want you to cultivate, to steward, and to nourish. That word is “courage.” I want you to be courageous.

As said before, Daniel chapter 3 is the passage before us. For those of us who have been reared in Christian contexts and Christian families and churches, it is a passage that you, no doubt, have some familiarity with. As verse one begins, we are told this story about these three men who face a great trial and a great crisis of faith. Look down with me at verse one, and we will read until verse thirty:

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

For this reason, at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the midst of the fire. The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

A few introductory matters are worth mentioning. First of all, this is a remarkable story. It is astonishing to read verse-by-verse, play-by-play. We see an individual, King Nebuchadnezzar, who appears schizophrenic, at times eager to make concessions toward Daniel, his God, and his friends. At other times, he demands worship of himself. Whatever decision he makes, you cannot fault him for making it half-heartedly. Second, because this story is so amazing, you can read it and wonder, is this actually factual and true? Did it historically happen like this? As a matter of public testimony I want to say, I believe every syllable here is true with all that I am. It is God’s word, and we believe it to be holy and inerrant and inspired and authoritative.

In this story, the people of God find themselves in captivity; they are in subjugation to the Babylonians. Daniel finds himself working as a God-fearing individual in a secular context before secular authorities, indeed, before a secular king. In fact, chapter two concludes, interestingly enough, with Daniel in favor and Yahweh being extolled. We are told there that King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and paid homage to Daniel and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense. Moreover, the king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Yet, we find ourselves thrust into chapter three where the stakes are high, the demands are clear, persecution is ripening, and we are presented with, in this crucible, a picture of courage and Christian faithfulness.

There is a danger in this story, though. That is, to merely summarize it as three men who found their way through a fiery furnace and to simply conclude that the moral of this story is that God always preserves his people. Of course, that is true in an ultimate sense. The Lord’s church has marched on triumphantly for 2,000 years, and there is no ambiguity in our minds or in the Scriptures that everything is going toward to its eternal appointed end. But individually, we know emphatically that the blood of the martyrs has often proved to be the seed of the church.

The moral of this story is not that whenever you find yourself in a challenging ministry place or a culture bent on persecution, that you will be delivered. The story is that Christ, who shows up here in preincarnate fashion, will be there with you.

I will not clutter these verses with a heavy outline, and we will move very quickly given the fullness of this service. But just to remind you of a few of the major movements here, we first see this test that these three men encounter in verses one through seven. Our passage begins with a description of Nebuchadnezzar’s image of gold. It is intended to be worshiped. Thus, it is imposing in size -60 cubits by six cubits, roughly 90 feet high, and nine feet wide. It is placed on the plain of Dura and exalted in a visible location. Then, verse two tells us that everyone who is anyone shows up and comes together to engage in what is the newly announced state religion and worship.

The choir and orchestra are assembled, verse four makes plain this is comprehensive and compulsory. All are to worship; none are to be excluded. In verse six, an ultimatum is expressed -“You worship or you die.” In other words, everyone was doing it. Who then would want to be found on the wrong side of history? It was the place to go and the thing to do. Yes, they were forced to do it, but doubtless, they convinced themselves it was the attractive thing to do as well. In verse seven, the band is cued, the instruments play, and the masses bow down.

We are a nation without a sanctioned state religion. We are a pluralistic society, but at times it feels like we actually have drifted into a state religion. It is the religion that approves anything and everything with the exception of anyone who would make an exclusive claim about the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. I have been reminded anew of this in watching some of the funeral proceedings of the late president, George H. W. Bush. He was a man who was so inspiring in so many ways. This is not a criticism of him in any way; however, in all of the national proceedings day after day after day, something became evident. It was as though whoever set out to arrange all the proceedings had one goal in mind, namely, not to offend any religious observer of any type, any place, or any religion anywhere. When that takes place, you have, my friends, no religion and no Christianity at all.

Idolatry is a primary concern in Scripture. It runs throughout, ensconced in the Ten Commandments, enforced in Deuteronomy, and articulated in the greatest commandment. It shows up again, and again, and again. Our culture in the 21st century increasingly demands that we forego Christian conviction and that we get ourselves in line with the worship of this age. Our nation worships sexual liberty and personal eroticism. We are told to dispense with any exclusive truth claims, and that we must get along and go along with anything and everything. If we do not, we will be found on the wrong side of a culture that makes such weighty demands.

There is a second movement here in verse eight. We see the trust that these three individuals exhibited. By the way, where is Daniel in this story? We do not know. We can only speculate, but we do not see him in the middle of this, though he is obviously throughout this book. What we do see are these three individuals and the trust that they exhibit. In verse eight, accusations are stated. We are told that these three are brought forth and the Chaldeans make charges against them. They remind Nebuchadnezzar, “This is your decree; this is your law; you are to be honored.” Testosterone is kicking in at this point. Who will back down? Surely not Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 11 is a reminder, whoever does not fall down and worship will be cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. In verse 12, the trap is expressed, “There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These men, oh king, have disregarded you. They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

If they were conspiring to see the ruin of three individuals, they orchestrated the perfect trap. Who will win? Will the king eat humble pie? Will he back down? Will he renege? Will he jeopardize a broader anarchy if he is seen as a monarch who does not keep his laws and back up his edicts? In verse 15, the ultimatum is made plain:

Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?

It is a rhetorical question. The answer is there is no god and there is, indeed, no “g” god. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego respond to the king and remind him, “Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.” In other words, we have a higher authority. We answer to one, and his name is not Nebuchadnezzar. We bow to a God, and you are not him. We serve a master; it is not you. We will live and we will die for the Lord our God, regardless of what you mandate. Verses 17-18 are powerful verses. They say this:

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

Notice their response, as to what God might do, is conditional. Their response as to what they will do is not. This would have been a perfect opportunity for word of faith theology to strut on the scene. But these three make no claims of what God will do by way of their own temporal deliverance because they are certain of what God has done for their eternal deliverance.

So what takes place? We see unfolding here a great triumph. Notice they are not saved from the furnace. Water does not fall from heaven and put out the fire. In fact, we read the fire is intensified so much so that the soldiers, the guards, die in transporting these three to the furnace. Verse 19 tells us that the king is filled with wrath. As a reminder, false gods always rage when they are not worshiped.

Verse 23: “But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.” Somehow Nebuchadnezzar can see what is taking place and this king is astonished.

[He] stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

Nebuchadnezzar does not know of whom he speaks, but clearly, we are seeing a Christophany, a pre-incarnate occurrence of Christ. He is there with these three men; he is there for these three men; he is there delivering these three men. They went into the furnace not anticipating what happened, not expecting what happened, yet, they come out of the furnace having realized what happened. There is a danger in this story to merely conclude that the remarkable turn of events is that these three men came out of the furnace. But, the truly remarkable turn of events is that one went in.

I say to you this morning brothers and sisters, graduates before me, pursue your ministry and Christian life in such a way that does not presume upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, be committed to him with all that you are. Know in your fiery furnaces, whether it be a culture that presses in on you or religious liberty in your station of service or cantankerous church members or an unregenerate deacon or whoever would seek to do you harm, that you are committed to Christ. Be men and women of courage who are trusting in Christ and have the settled courage and confidence of these three men. Whether or not you enjoy temporal deliverance is up to the inscrutable wisdom and perfect providence of God. In the end, I know with all that I am, because I know in whom I have placed my faith, that my eternal deliverance is secure. You must know the same.

 

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “Whom He Did Predestinate, Them He Also Called” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Whom He Did Predestinate, Them He Also Called” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, October 11, Evening)

“Whom he did predestinate, them he also called.” (Romans 8:30)

In the second epistle to Timothy, first chapter, and ninth verse, are these words–“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling.” Now, here is a touchstone by which we may try our calling. It is “an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.” This calling forbids all trust in our own doings, and conducts us to Christ alone for salvation, but it afterwards purges us from dead works to serve the living and true God. As he that hath called you is holy, so must you be holy. If you are living in sin, you are not called, but if you are truly Christ’s, you can say, “Nothing pains me so much as sin; I desire to be rid of it; Lord, help me to be holy.” Is this the panting of thy heart? Is this the tenor of thy life towards God, and his divine will? Again, in Philippians, 3:13, 14, we are told of “The high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Is then your calling a high calling? Has it ennobled your heart, and set it upon heavenly things? Has it elevated your hopes, your tastes, your desires? Has it upraised the constant tenor of your life, so that you spend it with God and for God? Another test we find in Hebrews 3:1–“Partakers of the heavenly calling.” Heavenly calling means a call from heaven. If man alone call thee, thou art uncalled. Is thy calling of God? Is it a call to heaven as well as from heaven? Unless thou art a stranger here, and heaven thy home, thou hast not been called with a heavenly calling; for those who have been so called, declare that they look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, and they themselves are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth. Is thy calling thus holy, high, heavenly? Then, beloved, thou hast been called of God, for such is the calling wherewith God doth call his people.

 

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The Primacy of the Master of Divinity Degree

Recently I found myself corresponding with future seminary students about the differences between the Master of Divinity and the shorter Master of Theological Studies degrees. The dialogue, in sum, explored whether the Master of Divinity degree was worth the extra time and expense. I argued, emphatically, that for the typical minister-in-training, the answer is a hearty, “Yes.” Consider with me these ten reasons:

1. While I’m thankful for every student we have, I am concerned when seminarians opt for a shorter degree simply because of ease or expediency. For ministry preparation, the M.Div. ought to be the default unless there is a compelling reason otherwise (life stage, niche calling, etc.). Why? Because it’s a more rigorous and comprehensive degree.

2. It’s true that some churches don’t know the difference between the two degrees–but you do. The M.Div. is the complete ministry toolkit. Spend three-to-four years and be best equipped for the next three-to-four decades. From a pragmatic standpoint, the time you spend now on the M.Div. will be multiplied in time saved in the study. Also, pragmatically, the M.Div. degree will likely lead to a higher ministerial ceiling with higher compensation–thus more than recouping money spent on tuition.

3. As it relates to training, the major difference between the MTS and the M.Div. is the latter equips you for a ministry of the Word (preaching, teaching, counseling, etc.). The M.Div. contains the exegetical and linguistic tools to be best equipped to interpret and teach the text—the essential responsibility of the Christian minister. To be frank, I simply can’t imagine a person called to a ministry of the Word, but casually declining to get the M.Div. degree. I understand it’s not for everyone and that there are always particular circumstances and exigencies, but I challenge you to work for a way into the M.Div. degree, not for a way out.

4. While some churches don’t know the difference between the two degrees, many churches do. In general, the larger and more denominationally engaged the church is, the more they track where one studied and what degree they earned.

5. It is now quite normative for churches averaging north of 300 to expect their pastors to have or be pursuing a doctoral degree–especially churches closer to urban areas. Generally speaking, the M.Div. degree is prerequisite for doctoral studies. Additionally, if one day you desire to teach in a college or seminary setting, the doctorate, and thus the M.Div., are necessary.

6. While we at Midwestern Seminary have students that bridge from the MTS to the M.Div. after completing the former, as a rule I discourage that plan. Why? Because you’re putting off the more difficult classes until the second half. This path makes the second hill the more difficult one to climb.

7. Ministry is increasingly complex. We live in a zany world. The culture is imploding, ethical quandaries abound, our church members need, and will need, more from their ministers, not less. Let’s be ready for the challenge, and the M.Div. best prepares you to meet it head on.

8. Due to technological advances, theological education has never been more accessible. You can complete the entire M.Div. online. If you can’t go to the seminary, the seminary can come to you. The 100% online M.Div. is new and transformative in its reach.

9. Due to Southern Baptist generosity through the Cooperative Program, while tuition is more than we would like it to be, it’s a steal compared to other evangelical seminaries. SBC seminaries are generally less than half the price of comparable evangelical institutions. Thus compared to other seminary students, Southern Baptists can pursue the M.Div. and still pay less than the cost of a shorter degree at another institution.

10. Don’t put it off. Life, family, and ministry get more complicated with each passing year. Additionally, as life progresses, your family and church will likely grow, which means they will both require more of you. Generally, putting off your education makes it less attainable, not more.

In conclusion, the question of the M.Div. vs. the MTS is a question that one should consider carefully. After all, it is not your ministry but the Lord’s that you are stewarding. Admittedly, circumstances and calling vary from person to person, but there’s good reason why the Master of Divinity degree has long since been the gold standard for ministry preparation.

 

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “Let Us Lift Up Our Heart” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Let Us Lift Up Our Heart” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, October 11, Morning)

“Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.” (Lamentations 3:41)

The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, which is a very salutary lesson for such proud beings as we are. If God gave us favours without constraining us to pray for them we should never know how poor we are, but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalogue of necessities, a revelation of hidden poverty. While it is an application to divine wealth, it is a confession of human emptiness. The most healthy state of a Christian is to be always empty in self and constantly depending upon the Lord for supplies; to be always poor in self and rich in Jesus; weak as water personally, but mighty through God to do great exploits; and hence the use of prayer, because, while it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be, in the very dust. Prayer is in itself, apart from the answer which it brings, a great benefit to the Christian. As the runner gains strength for the race by daily exercise, so for the great race of life we acquire energy by the hallowed labour of prayer. Prayer plumes the wings of God’s young eaglets, that they may learn to mount above the clouds. Prayer girds the loins of God’s warriors, and sends them forth to combat with their sinews braced and their muscles firm. An earnest pleader cometh out of his closet, even as the sun ariseth from the chambers of the east, rejoicing like a strong man to run his race. Prayer is that uplifted hand of Moses which routs the Amalekites more than the sword of Joshua; it is the arrow shot from the chamber of the prophet foreboding defeat to the Syrians. Prayer girds human weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives to troubled mortals the peace of God. We know not what prayer cannot do! We thank thee, great God, for the mercy-seat, a choice proof of thy marvellous lovingkindness. Help us to use it aright throughout this day!

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The One Passion Every Pastor Must Have

There is no work quite like Ph.D. work. Those who’ve completed the degree know exactly what I’m talking about. You must set aside five or so years of your life to research and write on a topic, ending your labors with a dissertation that makes a unique contribution to your field of study.

The Ph.D. is known as a “terminal degree” because it is the highest degree one can earn, but all who’ve completed one knows it can feel terminal in other ways.

Shockingly, the three letters most associated with the Doctor of Philosophy degree is not Ph.D. They are A.B.D.—all but dissertation. Half of those who undertake the Ph.D. degree never complete it, with most stalling out during the dissertation phase, thus becoming known as A.B.D.[1]

A good friend who’d completed his Ph.D. a few years before I completed mine gave me advice that was, in hindsight, absolutely essential. He told me, “Whatever you do, pick a topic to write your dissertation on that absolutely captivates you; that will animate you day in and day out until you complete your dissertation.”

That was excellent advice. It took me six years to complete my Ph.D. I was serving full-time at Southern Seminary, had served local churches as pastor and interim pastor, and was a husband and the father of five young children. Literally, for years on end, most nights of the week, I put my wife and children to bed at 8 p.m. and worked until 3 a.m. or so completing the project.

That advice is good for those entering doctoral work, but it is even better for those contemplating ministry. Unless you have a singular, overarching passion that will pull you forward in ministry, it may be best not to pursue it. That passion must be for the gospel and the Great Commission.

Spurgeon proves prophetic on this point, saying:

“Brethren, if the Lord gives you no zeal for souls, keep to the lapstone or the trowel, but avoid the pulpit.”[2] He further insists, “We must feel that woe is unto us if we preach not the gospel; the word of God must be unto us as a fire in our bones, other-wise, if we undertake the ministry, we shall be unhappy in it, shall be unable to bear the self-denials incident to it, and shall be of little service to those among whom we minister.”[3]

An Apostolic Pattern

Passion to preach the gospel drove Paul’s entire ministry. He endured hardship, suffering, and eventual martyrdom because of his drive to reach the lost.

Those called to ministry have a passion for the gospel and the Great Commission, and those most used by God in ministry have an extraordinary passion for the same.

The Apostle Paul was set apart from his mother’s womb, and “made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me.”[4] Of this calling, he reflected, “If I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”[5] Paul’s calling was a calling to preach the gospel.

This is key. Fundamentally, if the ministry is viewed through a humanistic lens, then it is easy to sign up for and withdraw from the ministry based upon the relative feelings of the pastor.  The preacher preaches because he wants to preach; he must preach; he has to preach. Woe is me if I do not preach.

A cursory survey of Paul’s 13 New Testament letters makes this clear. His heart bled for the lost, and it propelled him forward in gospel ministry, in spite of terror and tumult.

For example, consider Paul’s letter to the church at Rome. To the Romans, he reflected:

I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.  So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.[6]

And in this letter, he reflected to the Romans about this burden for his own countrymen, the Jewish people, who, in the main, had rejected Christ. Again, consider the Apostle’s heart for the lost:

I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh… [7]

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for theirsalvation.[8]

A Personal Responsibility

Evangelistic urgency isn’t reserved for Paul, or some other elite class of super Christians. Every person in ministry is called to the work of gospel proclamation. In God’s divine economy, it is his plan for reaching the world for the glory of his name.  Look at Paul’s airtight logic for gospel ministry.

For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.’  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’[9]

Your evangelistic urgency will ebb and flow due to many factors, including the receptivity of your hearers, your own spiritual vitality, and other personal and contextual variables. But I know of no better way to evaluate my spiritual and ministry vitality than how passionate I am about the gospel. If I’m lukewarm about the Great Commission, it points to deeper concerns.

Conclusion

To pursue ministry but not having a passion for the gospel and fulfilling the Great Commission is like pursuing medicine, but not liking patients. I suppose you can manage along, but you will lack fruitfulness and joy. Most troubling of all, you will hinder God’s divine plan for reaching the world for Christ.

Ministry work is gospel work. A love for the lost, and a desire to see them come to know Christ, will be forward propulsion for your ministry. Don’t embark on ministry without a love for the gospel and the Great Commission. It’s the one passion every pastor must have.

[1] Laura Morrison, Why Do People Drop Out of Ph.D. Programs?GradSchools.com, April 2014. http://www.gradschools.com/get-inform....

[2] Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, 26.

[3] Ibid., 29.

[4] Colossians 1:25.

[5] I Corinthians 9:16.

[6] Romans 1:13-16.

[7] Romans 12:1-3.

[8] Romans 10:1.

[9] Romans 10:13-15.

*This article was originally published on 2/22/16*

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “And I Will Deliver Thee Out Of The Hand Of The Wicked” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “And I Will Deliver Thee Out Of The Hand Of The Wicked” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, October 10, Evening)

“And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.” (Jeremiah 15:21)

Note the glorious personality of the promise. I will, I will. The Lord Jehovah himself interposes to deliver and redeem his people. He pledges himself personally to rescue them. His own arm shall do it, that he may have the glory. Here is not a word said of any effort of our own which may be needed to assist the Lord. Neither our strength nor our weakness is taken into the account, but the lone I, like the sun in the heavens, shines out resplendent in all-sufficience. Why then do we calculate our forces, and consult with flesh and blood to our grievous wounding? Jehovah has power enough without borrowing from our puny arm. Peace, ye unbelieving thoughts, be still, and know that the Lord reigneth. Nor is there a hint concerning secondary means and causes. The Lord says nothing of friends and helpers: he undertakes the work alone, and feels no need of human arms to aid him. Vain are all our lookings around to companions and relatives; they are broken reeds if we lean upon them–often unwilling when able, and unable when they are willing. Since the promise comes alone from God, it would be well to wait only upon him; and when we do so, our expectation never fails us. Who are the wicked that we should fear them? The Lord will utterly consume them; they are to be pitied rather than feared. As for terrible ones, they are only terrors to those who have no God to fly to, for when the Lord is on our side, whom shall we fear? If we run into sin to please the wicked, we have cause to be alarmed, but if we hold fast our integrity, the rage of tyrants shall be overruled for our good. When the fish swallowed Jonah, he found him a morsel which he could not digest; and when the world devours the church, it is glad to be rid of it again. In all times of fiery trial, in patience let us possess our souls.

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “Faultless Before The Presence Of His Glory” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Faultless Before The Presence Of His Glory” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, October 10, Morning)

“Faultless before the presence of his glory.” (Jude 24)

Revolve in your mind that wondrous word, “faultless!” We are far off from it now; but as our Lord never stops short of perfection in his work of love, we shall reach it one day. The Saviour who will keep his people to the end, will also present them at last to himself, as “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish.” All the jewels in the Saviour’s crown are of the first water and without a single flaw. All the maids of honour who attend the Lamb’s wife are pure virgins without spot or stain. But how will Jesus make us faultless? He will wash us from our sins in his own blood until we are white and fair as God’s purest angel; and we shall be clothed in his righteousness, that righteousness which makes the saint who wears it positively faultless; yea, perfect in the sight of God. We shall be unblameable and unreproveable even in his eyes. His law will not only have no charge against us, but it will be magnified in us. Moreover, the work of the Holy Spirit within us will be altogether complete. He will make us so perfectly holy, that we shall have no lingering tendency to sin. Judgment, memory, will–every power and passion shall be emancipated from the thraldom of evil. We shall be holy even as God is holy, and in his presence we shall dwell forever. Saints will not be out of place in heaven, their beauty will be as great as that of the place prepared for them. Oh the rapture of that hour when the everlasting doors shall be lifted up, and we, being made meet for the inheritance, shall dwell with the saints in light. Sin gone, Satan shut out, temptation past forever, and ourselves “faultless” before God, this will be heaven indeed! Let us be joyful now as we rehearse the song of eternal praise so soon to roll forth in full chorus from all the blood-washed host; let us copy David’s exultings before the ark as a prelude to our ecstasies before the throne.

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On Preaching and the Public Invitation System

Several years ago, I preached a series of renewal services at Rosedale Baptist Church in Abingdon, VA. Commonly referred to as a “revival,” or, in previous generations, a “protracted meeting,” each service carried a specifically evangelistic emphasis. I prayed the Lord would be pleased to honor the preaching of His Word, call many to faith in Christ, and produce spiritual fruit that remains.

Each service, I preached the gospel and called sinners to repentance and faith in Christ. My week of evangelistic preaching reminded me of a question a student recently asked me, “Should the sermon conclude with an invitation?” I responded, “Yes, a sermon certainly can conclude with an invitation, but, more importantly, the sermon must be an invitation.”

Such is the New Testament pattern. Preaching is to inform the mind, impact the emotion, and challenge the will. Real preaching is confrontational, always calling for a verdict, and that should happen throughout the sermon, not just during the conclusion.

Invitations without Sermons

I once sat through a sermon that began, literally, with the invitation. The entirety of the sermon was given to explaining the forthcoming invitation and to encouraging the listeners to come forward during it. There was no preached word; no gospel presentation to which one should respond. I kept thinking, “Come forward in light of what? Come forward for what?” I didn’t have a seminary degree then, but I had a hunch that merely changing one’s geographic location in a room wouldn’t save.

This is not to argue for the impropriety of calling on people to respond publicly to Christ. In fact, every time I preach I do just that. I gave my life to Christ, as a college student, during a Sunday-morning public invitation. My pastor preached the gospel, the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin, and I responded. In fact, many of the people I know most cautious of the invitation system were actually saved in the context of a public invitation. Just like faith in faith doesn’t save, but faith in Christ saves, so walking an aisle during a public invitation doesn’t save, but responding to a call to follow Christ does.

Sermons without Invitations

Similarly, I have sat through sermons where the pastor explained the gospel, but it came without a sense of urgency or a call for response. The text had been appropriately explained, and the work of Christ expounded, but no plea for repentance and submission to Christ. Such sermons are like setting a plated meal before a hungry guest, but never inviting them to eat.

To be sure, unregenerate church members plague the modern church, and emotionalism, decisionism, and manipulative invitations have produced their share of them. False converts hinder the congregation’s witness and undermine the glory of Christ in his church. But, if not careful, a minister can become so afraid of making false converts that he never gets around to making converts at all. This is tragic as well.

The Sermon as Invitation

A better way—and, I believe, a more biblical way—is for the sermon to be an invitation. Seeking to persuade is integral to biblical preaching. Paul’s ministry evidenced such persuasion. He “was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.” Paul testified, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”[i]

If you haven’t invited, you haven’t preached. If you haven’t persuaded, you haven’t preached. If you haven’t begged, you haven’t preached. You may have lectured, led an inductive Bible study, or presented an insightful exposition, but to be a preacher is to be a pleader, a persuader, a beggar.

Viewing the sermon as an invitation helps ensure the sermon is intentionally evangelistic throughout. It also forces the preacher to connect the text to Christ; to preach the text in light of Christ, which is a part of faithful exposition. The gospel deserves more than to be politely tacked on to the end of a sermon. When the sermon is an invitation, the entire discourse is a frontal assault on the human heart. Such preaching leads to more gospel, not less; and makes the sermon more direct, and more evangelistic.

This does not negate an opportunity to respond, it ensures it. Whether the sermon concludes with a long, formal invitation, a short, formal invitation, or no formal invitation, the sinner has been consistently presented the gospel and consistently challenged to follow Christ.

Whether the response is at a dedicated time following the sermon, later after the service, or a follow-up meeting, the preacher must apply the urgency of the gospel, give his hearers a way to respond, and their commitment must ultimately get public, most appropriately in the waters of baptism.

Conclusion

Should the sermon conclude with invitation? Yes, a sermon certainly can conclude with an invitation, but, more importantly, the sermon must be an invitation.

___________________________________________________________________

[i] Acts 18:4, II Corinthians 5:20.

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “But He Answered Her Not A Word” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “But He Answered Her Not A Word” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, October 9, Evening)

“But he answered her not a word.” (Matthew 15:23)

Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the blessing, may take comfort from the story before us. The Saviour did not at once bestow the blessing, even though the woman had great faith in him. He intended to give it, but he waited awhile. “He answered her not a word.” Were not her prayers good? Never better in the world. Was not her case needy? Sorrowfully needy. Did she not feel her need sufficiently? She felt it overwhelmingly. Was she not earnest enough? She was intensely so. Had she no faith? She had such a high degree of it that even Jesus wondered, and said, “O woman, great is thy faith.” See then, although it is true that faith brings peace, yet it does not always bring it instantaneously. There may be certain reasons calling for the trial of faith, rather than the reward of faith. Genuine faith may be in the soul like a hidden seed, but as yet it may not have budded and blossomed into joy and peace. A painful silence from the Saviour is the grievous trial of many a seeking soul, but heavier still is the affliction of a harsh cutting reply such as this, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” Many in waiting upon the Lord find immediate delight, but this is not the case with all. Some, like the jailer, are in a moment turned from darkness to light, but others are plants of slower growth. A deeper sense of sin may be given to you instead of a sense of pardon, and in such a case you will have need of patience to bear the heavy blow. Ah! poor heart, though Christ beat and bruise thee, or even slay thee, trust him; though he should give thee an angry word, believe in the love of his heart. Do not, I beseech thee, give up seeking or trusting my Master, because thou hast not yet obtained the conscious joy which thou longest for. Cast thyself on him, and perseveringly depend even where thou canst not rejoicingly hope.

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How Do You Know if a Sermon is Expository?

What constitutes an expository sermon? Better yet, how might the preacher know if he has preached an expository sermon, and how might the congregation know if they’ve heard one?

The question is a bit more angular than one might initially perceive. It is a question that has struck me in recent months, as I have heard multiple preachers describe their preaching style as expository. Never mind that they give little attention to interpreting the text, applying the text, or actually preaching the text.

Regrettably, the title “expository preaching” has grown so elastic that it has become an almost inadequate, if not altogether unhelpful, designation. Much preaching gets crammed under the heading “expository preaching,” though it bears little resemblance to classical exposition.

In fact, the designation “expository preaching” has become like the designation “evangelical.” There is enough residual respectability in these labels that many want to cling to them, even if their theology or preaching methodology have long since given up any true resemblance to it.

So, what constitutes an expository sermon? Expository preaching begins with a commitment to preach the text. This commitment is rooted in the Bible’s self-attestation that “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” and that the preacher’s primary task is to “preach the Word.” As he does, the preacher stands on promises like, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the lord endures forever.”[1]

These passages, among many others, provide a rationale for biblical exposition, but they do not delineate its essential, distinguishing marks. A consensus definition of expository preaching proves stubbornly elusive, but there are three essential marks that are supported by Scripture and consistent within most classical definitions of the term. Consider how Alistair Begg, Haddon Robinson, and Bryan Chappel define expository preaching.

Begg defines expository preaching as, “Unfolding the text of Scripture in such a way that it makes contact with the listener’s world while exalting Christ and confronting them with the need for action.”[2]

Robinson’s definition, which has been standard issue in seminary classrooms for several decades, presents exposition as, “The communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through him to the hearers.”[3]

Chappel argues expository preaching has occurred when, “The main idea of the sermon (the topic), the divisions of that idea (the main points), and the development of those divisions (the sub-points) all come from truths the text itself contains.  No significant portion of the text is ignored.  In other words, expositors willingly stay within the boundaries of a text (and its relevant context) and do not leave until they have surveyed its entirety with their listeners.”[4]

Note, “preaching the word” is marked by these three essentials:

1. The necessity of accurately interpreting the text in its immediate, and broader, biblical context.

2. The necessity of the main point of the sermon and the sermon’s sub-points to be derived from the text.

3. The necessity of the sermon’s application to come from the text and for the text to be brought to bear on the congregation.

These three marks are, admittedly, minimalistic, but they are essential. They are found where an expository sermon is to be found. Consequentially, expository preaching may be much more than this, but it mustn’t be anything less than this.

So, how do you know if a sermon is an expository one?

Is the text accurately interpreted, with consideration given to both its immediate and broader biblical contexts?


Are the main point of the sermon and its sub-points derived from the text?


Does the sermon’s application come from the text and is the text being brought to bear on the congregation?

 

An expositor doesn’t merely preach from a text or on a text. An expositor preaches the text.  These three essentials mark an expository sermon, and these three questions will let you know when, in fact, the Word has been preached.

[1]  I Peter 1:23-25.

[2]  Alistair Begg, Preaching for God’s Glory (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 23.

[3]  Haddon W. Robinson, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages  (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980), 21.

[4] Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 131.

*This article was originally posted on 12/6/15*

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