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

by Tony Merida

Second, our identity must be firmly rooted in Christ, or else we will not address people from various cultures authentically or effectively.

Those who take their political identity, national identity, racial identity, or economic identity as more important than their identity in Christ will never contextualize well.

After citing his prized Jewish background in Philippians 3, he said it was “rubbish” compared to being found in Christ.

Finally, we should also seek the wisdom of God in order to be effective bridge builders.

We must be relentless in our commitment to make the gospel known, and we should also be mindful of our audience each time we stand up to deliver the Word.

Paul describes how the gospel is first Christological. Christ died, was buried, and was raised (vv. 3–4). We are not preaching the gospel if we are not preaching Christ.

Second, he says the gospel is also biblical. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (vv. 3–4). He preached this gospel from the Bible.

Third, we see that the gospel is historical. A real Jesus, a real cross, a real tomb, and a real resurrection took place in human history. Christ entered into this world through his incarnation, and numerous people saw the resurrected Lord. We do not affirm “the idea of Jesus” or the “idea of the resu...

Fourth, the gospel is doctrinal. Christ did not merely die and rise. ...

Christ dying and rising is historical; Christ dying for our...

Some have not abandoned it theologically, but they never say it publicly! They have substituted the substitute with self-help and moralism.

Fifth, the gospel is personal. The gospel requires personal belief, as Paul reminds us, “so we proclaim and so you have believed” (1 Cor 15:11).

Sixth, the gospel is practical. Paul’s words and testimony show us how the gospel does many wonderful things in our lives. The gospel makes us humble.

Finally, the gospel maintains unity in the church.

Keller says, “The gospel has supernatural versatility to address the particular hopes, fears, and idols of every culture and every person.”302

Finally, the gospel is doxological. A true understanding of the gospel leads to praise.

Faithfulness in the pulpit is all about the main things, the plain things, and the same things.

Repeating the gospel was no burden to Paul, and it was the best and safest thing for the Philippians to receive. Giving the gospel over and over was an expression of Paul’s love for the church; it was not the result of him lacking anything else to talk about.

Expect different worldviews.

Assume biblical illiteracy.

This practice communicates a lack of sensitivity toward the people who are biblically illiterate.

Further, the biblically knowledgeable people will benefit from this kind of sensitive exposition because it is refreshing to hear the message with childlike clarity.

Preach the narrative of Scripture.

Be redemptive.

Preach the gospel every week! Make Jesus look glorious to the skeptic, the hedonist, or the atheist.

The Spirit honors Christ and is able to break through the hardest of hearts and show them the way.

Preach to your old self.

“Could I now reach who I once was?”305

Utilize testimonies.

Keep listening, loving, and studying.

Preachers in every generation are bridge builders. While the gospel is unchanging and always relevant, we must connect with our culture without conforming to the culture, and show them why and how the gospel is relevant. To be both faithful to the gospel and effective in communication, expositors need to establish a point of contact and a point of conflict with people. Building on the biblical foundations for contextualization, expository evangelists take up this challenge week by week. Some of the essentials for expositing the gospel in today’s world include expecting different worldviews, assuming biblical cluelessness, being redemptive, preaching the story line of Scripture, and preaching to our old self and to keep learning, loving, and studying.

What we need is ten million “ordinary” pastors who love people and declare the Christ-centered Word faithfully, not ten more great conference speakers.

But because of the Savior, let us rejoice if and when we face mockery, misrepresentation, threats, accusations, and even martyrdom. We are aligning ourselves with the faithful (Matt 5:10–12; Acts 5:41).