The Christ-Centered Expositor: A Field Guide for Word-Driven Disciple Makers

by Tony Merida

Though the work is laborious, Jesus’s power is limitless. Paul shows us that Jesus is not only the subject of our proclamation; he is also the source of power behind it.

But the subject of preaching falls properly in the area of practical theology and cannot be taught without an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit.

We cannot assume the Spirit’s work. We need to understand his work and personally depend on him daily for Spirit-empowered proclamation as the early church did.

It is true: “All Word and no Spirit, the people dry up; all Spirit and no Word, the people blow up; both Spirit and Word, people grow up.”

Education and biblical training are essential but not sufficient.

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In this chapter I will focus my attention on only two activities of the Spirit: called by the Spirit and proclaiming by the Spirit.

Every Christian is called to be a minister and a missionary in some way.

I cannot help but believe that one of the reasons for so many fruitless ministries is that many have “stumbled into the pulpit” instead of being summoned to it.

Years earlier Luther said a similar statement, “If I could today become a king or emperor, I would not give up my office as a preacher.”116

C – Confirmation. Is there internal and external confirmation?

118 A Spirit-called person will have a great sense of God’s leading and sense of His providence.

A – Aspiration. Is there an intense, all-absorbing desire for the work?

Do you have a fire in your bones to preach and serve the body? Is there a constraining desire for expounding the Scriptures to the flock of God? Can you do anything else and be happy? If you have a passion, then fan it into flame (2 Tim 1:6).

L – Lifestyle. Do you have a lifestyle that is exemplary and above reproach?

L – Leadership Gifts. Has God given you the necessary spiritual gifts for ministry?

As we mentioned earlier, godliness makes up for many deficiencies in gifting, but God gifts the people whom he calls to do the work of ministry.

We need to remind ourselves repeatedly that apart from the branch we can do nothing (John 15:5). Apart from the Spirit of God, we will not see the glory of God (1 Cor 2:9–12).

We might preach till our tongues rotted, till we should exhaust our lungs and die, but never would a soul be converted unless there were the mysterious power of the Holy Spirit going with it, changing the will of man.

Like Paul, we must desperately desire to see God transform hearts, instead of desiring to captivate a crowd.

Whatever one makes of these differing tenses, we must at least conclude that the Spirit is mightily at work in the proclamation of his Word.

Getting a verbal response is no barometer for the presence of the Spirit.

It seems that the Spirit works mightily when Christ is made much of in the pulpit. Spirit-empowered preaching will be God-centered, Christ-exalting preaching because the Spirit glorifies Christ and makes the glory of God known (John 15:26; 16:14; 1 Cor 2:9–11).

First, proclaim Christ (John 16:14).

Second, preach the crucified Christ as a crucified man (1 Cor 2:1–5).

Paul highlights four traits of a crucified preacher: (1) not allowing communication style to rise above or overshadow God’s message (1 Cor 2:1–2); (2) a sense of weakness and humble trembling (v. 3); (3) the renouncing of human manipulation (v. 4); and (4) a total reliance on the Spirit to transform lives (v. 5).

We must die to our love affair with people’s applause, to the feeling that we have arrived, to worldly salesmanship, and to self-reliance. To preach the cross from the pulpit effectively, we must walk as people of the cross personally.

Third, beware of ministry prof...

Fourth, maintain personal holiness (2 Tim 2:21).

Spurgeon said, “God will speak through a fool, if he is but a holy man.”135

Fifth, pray for God to do a great work through you (John 14:12–14).

Sixth, pray for illumination (Ps 119:18; Acts 16:14).

Seventh, do your own homework (2 Tim 2:15).

Eighth, work to cultivate congregational unity (Eph 4:25–32).

Sin in the camp offends the Spirit, but holiness and love attracts the Spirit.

Finally, ask for the prayers of God’s people (Eph 6:18–20; 1 Thess 5:25).

As ministry leaders, we must always remind ourselves that study and sermon delivery are not all that we are required to do.

Spurgeon said to his students, “All our libraries and studies are mere emptiness compared with our closets. We grow, we wax mightily, we prevail in private prayer.”145

The logic is obvious: if Jesus, the incarnate Word, had to spend time in solitude with the Father, how much more do we?

Long-time pastor Kent Hughes said that he kept a daily prayer list with the following headings: Family, Staff, Secretaries and Custodians, Ill, Grieving, Important Events, Present Problems, Ministries, Weekly Worship, New Believers, and Missions Lists.161

If God be near a church, it must pray. And if he be not there, one of the first tokens of his absence will be a slothfulness in prayer.165

We need to deal with two related problems that keep us from having a vibrant prayer life: (1) our common excuses and (2) our sinful actions.

Good things can do great damage. Before you turn on the computer and get to work, remember to choose what is best. Cut something out, but do not neglect time at the feet of Jesus.

Failure to seek the Lord is an obvious mark of pride and our arrogant self-righteousness.

“Sin will keep you from the Bible, and the Bible will keep you from sin.”

So your relationship with your spouse affects your prayers.

Furthermore, two quite practical problems block our communication with God: unconcern for the poor and an unforgiving spirit.

Another great barrier to vibrant prayer is a lack of forgiveness.

By God’s grace, kill the spiders—for the good of your relationship with God and others.

First, plan to pray.