939. The Matter of Preaching

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. The school was founded in 1927. The evangelist Dr. Bob Jones Senior's intent was to make a school where Christ would be the center of everything, so he established daily chapel services today. That tradition continues with fervent biblical preaching from the University Chapel platform today on The Daily Platform were continuing a study series called church matters. These messages were preached at Bob Jones University to help students choose a church home while attending college. However, these biblical principles apply to everyone helping us choose where to worship with the body of believers each week. Today's sermon will be preached by Dr. Alan Benson, VP for student development and discipleship take your Bible this morning. Turn with me to second Timothy chapter 3, second Timothy chapter 3 were continuing today in our series on church matters and today were going to consider the matter of expository preaching the nature of preaching. Maybe you have never actually stopped and asked questions about church. Why do we do this, why do we do that why the order service that we have is it intentional.

Is it what we've always done, why, why do we baptize the way we baptize. Why do we take the Lord's supper widely read scripture in church. If you do that why pray so many times. Why, why do we have messages in the form that we have them. I would encourage you not to be a skeptic but I do want to encourage you to be a thinker because there's something about asking the right questions and getting the right answers.

That brings us intentionality and what we do and I think all too often we do too much.

That is a part of our faith and they are right things and maybe we actually do them for right reasons but we don't do that with enough purpose. And so I would encourage you to think through church.

Why do we do church.

What is church where they come from one of the elements that makes church church from God's perspective and really in this church matters series.

That's really what we're endeavoring to do is to think through church and take some of the things that we think God has pointed out as being important and essential to church and visiting them from the text of Scripture so that we really understand why we do what we do. I would ask you to think about something this morning that I hope will frame your thinking about your general walk with God. Do you really believe that what you believe is really real. Do you really believe that what you believe is really real them think through that.

It's kind early do you really believe that what you believe is really real. It's a question I think we all ought to ask and that we ought to answer by the evidence of our lives because of I really believe that what I believe is really real.

I will really live it so I want to encourage you not to be a skeptic but to ask right questions the purpose of getting right answers so that you live with commitment. I say that you to say this morning. This series is not designed so that we will encourage you at some point to attend church a little more. That is not my purpose the purposes action that you will come to a place of convincing so that you will be committed to church, not just to attend a little more, but understand what commitment to a local body of believers actually looks like.

I hope that you understand that that means a whole lot more than just attending preaching. Why do we preach there is a time that I was preaching in one of my children was sitting out in the congregation. I'd like to think taking really copious notes on what I was preaching, but based upon her age. She was actually probably more drawing pictures of what I was preaching get her head down. She was fully engagement, but listening and I at times, as you probably understand get quite energized when I'm speaking and I had gotten quite energized and my daughter almost dusting clear tone. She wasn't real out but she said while she was drawing. Why does he always have to yell the course that caused rumblings and laughter all around her and to be easy to say because that's what preaching is.

That is not what preaching. It's not just slick oratory. It's not the ability to tell a great story.

It's not the ability to captivate an audience so that they hang on every word, though I would say more.

Preachers need to work more diligently on the trade of actually presenting the truth but preaching is actually presenting truth, why do we do it. It actually rests in where we were at the beginning of this series and that is in the authority of Scripture to set the context is listen to a few phrases.

I'm just starting to move quickly through some of of second Timothy to get to our text but listens to some of the things that Paul writes to Timothy.

He says chapter 1, number six stir up the gift of God which is in the by the putting on of my hands for safe. Be thou be not now ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Verse nine who has saved us and called us with an holy calling, he says in verse 11. Whereunto I am appointed preacher. Verse 13 hold fast the form of sound words, chapter 2, he says, but the word of God is not bound in verse nine verse 14 on these things put them in remembrance, charging them verse 15 you know well study to show thyself approved on the God, a workman that need not to be a shameless and rightly dividing the word of truth.

He says in verse 25 in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. He comes to chapter 3, he says, but now has fully known my doctrine. Verse 15 and that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, do you hear flowing from chapter 1 all the way to our text that Paul is writing to Timothy about the importance of the word and its presentation in his ministry. And thus we come to chapter 3 in verse 16 and he writes these all familiar words, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Listen that the man of God may be perfect through only furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom preach the word. Be instant in season, out of season, reproof, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned on to fables preaching. I wanted to cease quickly for things about preaching what I wanted to see the demand for expository preaching. The demand for expository preaching. You see the phrase in chapter 4 were Paul gives a charge to Timothy and that charge is preach the word and it's based on the fact that he says therefore I believe textually that therefore is actually referring back to verse 17 of chapter 3 and will see a second part of the charge that comes down at the end of this passage, so I want us to contemplate. Verse 17 because it's there that we see the intended purpose of God in his word and its impact on man God has given us the word, and it has four facets to it which will explore before we won't today but there's four applications on the word of God to our life and those applications accomplish a purpose and that purpose is that the man of God would be fully equipped completely outfitted to fit in a sufficient or complete way. One lexicon translates it able to meet all demands. In other words, he says the full counsel of God's words enables the man of God to meet all the demands which life may require of him. The demand for preaching is this that people in order to live rightly for God. Need to rightly understand and apply God's truth to their line.

That's why preaching is demanded because people need to know and understand the word of God so that they might rightly apply it to their lives because it will out for them to successfully live for God. That's why preaching thoroughly equipped means completely outfitted. Having that which is necessary for every need, see the Scriptures are able young people to fully furnish you to completely equip you to thoroughly up for you for the tasks of living a godly life. I would say to you this way. If the word of God is absent from your life, you will not live successfully for God in this life we need the word of God.

We need not just to have it around. We don't need a book to be a form of idolatry that sits on our shelf. Like an idle, we actually need the truth of the Scriptures so that we get into the word in such a way that the word gets into office so were thoroughly outfitted.

It's our resource when challenges come and so therefore the demand for preaching the word actually has in the backdrop the knee.

How should I preach the word. Should I just preach about the word. Should I just find a neat phrase in the word and then from that then give you my own thoughts in my own understanding and and maybe my own application.

Should I get your attention by just telling you stories understand that if it is the word itself that thoroughly equipped completely outfits and enables us to live successfully for God in this life.

You don't need stories about the word. What you need is the word, and thus the charge to preach the word. It was the responsibility of Timothy Paul actually understood.

It is his responsibility when chapter 1 he referred to himself as a preacher.

So what is preaching missing the demand for preaching. Now let's look at a definition of expository preaching here so I captured is just Allen's definition. It is the proclamation of divine truth from human personality to human personality for the purpose of change to the glory of God.

The proclamation of divine truth from human personality to human personality for the purpose of change to the glory of God. And so there's a source.

The proclamation of divine truth there is a presentation it's a proclamation declaration of truth God's truth. God's word coming through human personality that God has equipped that God has provided a life to so that that life can present the truth in any given setting. There is something to the actual nature and personality, and giftedness of the preacher. Therefore, they don't all have to be the same to human personality. There's an audience involved.

God has a message for an audience and you individually as a part of that audience.

God has a message for you. And so, being mindful of who that audiences in the presentation of that truth. But it's proclaimed for the purpose of change.

It's not just teaching for teaching sake. It's not just presenting facts so that people can can fill their head that actually is a proclamation is presented in such a way that it brings a call to change in response to that truth and that all of that.

Both the proclamation the use of the giftedness and the call to change our all for the glory of God. This is preaching understand that I'm not referring to expository preaching merely as a style or technique is much as I am as an approach to the source material that expository preaching really has in mind that the purpose of what I'm about to do is to expose what God has said it is to take what is in the text and expose it in such a way that it can be seen that is the idea of exposition, expository sermon rises from the biblical text and from nowhere else. The information, explanation, application and exhortation are all in and in clear fashion linked to the text. It's message, its purpose and its significance.

I'm leery of people and and understand her people at say expressions and don't really think a whole lot through but I'm leery of expressions like can we do appreciate God's given me a message know God has given you a book and God has a message and my job is merely to expose from God's text God's message because it is God through his word that will change live that must be the passion preaching fitted and approaches a God-given message with the heart being that that I want merely for people to see. Know and understand what God has said so exposing the meaning of the text. Recognizing that the message is in the text that the power of change comes from the text. This is preaching you will understand it in its content that the content by a large of the message ought to be the truth of Scripture is.

It's interesting this word preach the word, Paul calls himself a preacher. He uses an interesting Greek word that that isn't just found uniquely in Scripture. It was a word that was in use in the day. Paul in chapter 111 calls himself a preacher in the word that he uses. There is the idea of a hair role at town crier. A messenger who is vested with public authority who conveyed the official messages of Kings and magistrates, princes, military commanders or who gave a public summons or demand, and performed various other duties with the understanding that he and his person added. Not one single ounce of authority to the message that was declared it wasn't his to translate to interpret to explain or even to apply. It was his merely to pronounce the message of his authority. Harold, this is a preacher and he is to preach is to declare the message of the king. Paul here in this passage of Scripture then gives us. Thirdly, the demonstration of expository preaching.

Notice what he says to Timothy about this. Preaching the word. And he really says three things that he is the duty he reaches out to his heart with passion and he says to him that this thing that you're supposed to do. I want to encourage you to do it with all long-suffering and doctrine that you do it with truth and that you do it with with passion that won't give in other words, keep on be passionate about preaching the word. He reinforces this earlier in the text when he says to him do it when it's convenient and do it when it's not in season and out of season, but there will be times you can't wait to get up and preach like today I have been so eager to preach, but there are times that due to the nature of the truth that you are proclaiming due to the needs that are so obvious to the people at your preaching to that. It's not convenient at the heart is happy, that it's difficult, but in both of those occasions realize what God can and will do through preaching and preach the word. Be ready to preach when it's convenient when it's not, and do it would long-suffering do it with a a a a persistent perseverance to the task that you will labor in the word labor all over the word labor in presenting the word because it matters so much young people as you think about picking a church don't pick a church where you going to send in your great story go in with a heart and with a mind that asks the question, am I hearing the word of God is at me. The preacher's perfect note is a mean that he get times will make ever make a mistake that that maybes ease off his game if you will, and presentation isn't as good as it could have been.

That's not what I'm saying but you need to approach a church and you need approach it with his primary thought am I hearing and understanding the word of God is it being preached to me in a way that is calling me to life change so that I might live to the glory of God. If the word of God is intended for me to live successfully in my hearing the word in such a way that it's challenging me in my thinking and it's encouraging me in my living so that I might better live if you're attending a church and that is not true friends. You need to go find a church where the word of God is preach Timothy is encouraged to preach the word and there's three dynamics to reprove rebuking sort and actually the words there are.

Interesting that first word reprove actually has the idea of convincing that I should present the word of God in such a fashion that is bringing about an impact on the will that convinces me that what I am hearing is not just true great but it's necessary to rebuke means to confront the idea of reproving orcs or to send church speaking seriously with a tone that warns about the cost of not heeding what I'm hearing that I contemplate in a sense the dangers of not doing what the truth of God is calling me to do and then thirdly, to exhort the ideas to challenge to birds to encourage took took to make life change in light of life changing true. I say it is presented in such a way that it calls us to change the word of God ought to impact the way we live. I want to get under the fourth thing I want to make some application for us and are setting the decision of expository preaching at the end end of this section, there's a ominous warning verse three the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine really think the emphasis of the text. There is, upon the will that there's a willful decision that I am not putting up with something in sound doctrine is actually describing the very nature of the truth that is encouraged Timothy to preach. It's not that they will put up with Timothy that they won't put up with the truth. The Timothy is being challenged to declare but after their own loss their own desires of their heart. What they want to still keep to themselves teachers, having itching ears and other words will tell you what we want and we expect you to listen in and tell us what we want. It's a warning they'll turn their ears away from the truth, and shall be turned on the fable friends of the decision when it comes to expository preaching. Never heard the expression familiarity breeds contempt. And sometimes I'm so familiar.

Something that I don't appreciate it anymore Joe that's easy for us to easy for us in the amount preaching receive your Bob Jones University.

If you don't sit in contempt for the word of God that there's a sense in which are no longer giving it the audience that if the man you can tell and preaching from an iPad that I'm a guy that's given to electronics. I love them so preacher of an iPad. I use my my phone often for my Bible reading the job done something different this year on purpose to my Bible reading. Now pick the plan on reading for chapters. In the mornings. Four different places in the Bible and I decided this year that I was gonna go back to reading from a book, why to engage my mind. I wanted to be different as I want really old school. I sit down to my Bible reading in the morning I open my Bible.

I get out two things I get a pencil and an old-school ruler had to go find as I read the Scriptures. I actually am looking for verses in every passage that I can underline in your I found just by doing something different like that and so engaged in my Bible reading I'm I'm looking for truth that I want to jump out at me time looking for truth that I want to speak to me in people I want to give you an encouragement the word of God demands your presence. What do I mean by that I don't mean that you sit here I mean that there is a decision of the will that says when the word of God is being presented in the way that God wants it presented. I will exercise my will to give it first place. Note that means means that even now on speaking a bunch of you need to lift your heads and stop texting whoever you're texting right now means that some of you need to stop generating mean memes while the word of God is being preach mean some of you right now need to stop scrolling through pictures that really will not matter in eternity. See, this is a willful decision for them. They made a willful decision that the word of God was not going to be primary in the end result of that was that they turned away from the truth. And so what this means for us, the decision of preaching is for me when the word of God is being presented.

I will make a willful decision to give it first place is not to get the preacher first place is the word of God personally. I want to challenge you for the rest of this semester. Give the word of God in chapel first place in chapel, not where you're sitting behind we are seated by not who you're texting, not how quickly you can get out and get to lunch. I know all those things are important, and I know life, but friends, this is God's word and it is God's given means for you to live successfully in a world that is increasingly difficult to live for God in and you cannot do it without God instructing your heart and God will not instruct your heart unless you make the willful choice to say God, your words being declared, I will give it my primary attention. Find a church that makes much of the preaching of God's word.

Let's pray father dismiss us with your blessing. Thank you for your work in Jesus name we pray. Amen. You've been listening to a sermon preached at Bob Jones University by Ellen Benson for the series called church matters. I'm Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University.

Thank you for listening to The Daily Platform, please visit our beautiful campus in Greenville, South Carolina to see how God is working in the lives of our students both spiritually and academically. For more information about Bob Jones University's more than 100 accredited academic programs visit BJ you.edu or call 800-252-6363. Join us again tomorrow as we continue this series on church membership here on The Daily Platform