September 26, 2014
Examination
Many of the sermons I’ve been
hearing lately are based on only 2-3 verses of Scripture. While there may be
additional verse thrown in here and there, most of the Bible text is surrounded
with stories, illustrations, and anecdotes. I wonder what Paul’s audience in
the Jewish synagogue at Berea would have thought about today’s sermons. “Now
the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they
received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day
to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11 NIV). I think I’m a little
jealous of the Bereans; not only of their great eagerness, but also because Paul’s
sermons had infinitely more Scripture to examine.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----Sermons often aim at mostly the mind or mostly the emotions. Either way, a good sermon can build from one phrase of one verse if it delivers information relevant to understanding and applying that phrase, or if its stories and anecdotes effectively move emotions to join what the Scripture intends. I can see a great sermon in “Remember then from what you have fallen…” (Rev 2:5), or a very fun and informative sermon in “Thou changest them like raiment…” (Ps 102:26c), a very useful sermon in “A man’s steps are ordered by the LORD,” (Prov 20:24a), and a very directive sermon in “…learn by us not to go beyond what is written…” (I Cor 4:6b).
-----Before I deem a sermon worthy of my waking up and hearing, it must deliver the point the Scripture is delivering. One reason the Bible has led to so many different theologies is because it was written by many more than five different men, each touching the elephant in a different place, each just as blind to what the entire elephant is, yet each being directed into the fundamental essence of the elephant by the Spirit of the One who made the elephant. So, although one wrote about the elephant foot, a nature of what he wrote intersects with additional meaning what another wrote about the ear several centuries later. By abiding within the essence found in everything written, everything written comes together to present a pretty good picture of the elephant.
-----“Thou changest them like raiment…” (Ps 102:26c) is a good example. Bible verses and bits of Bible verses, like all other linguistic communication, deliver their meaning within frameworks of context. There are two very meaningful insights in the context of this simple clause. First, God is wearing the physical universe like a garment. When you choose what to wear in the morning, if you are anything like I am (which would not be good,) you probably give a little thought to which garment might express how you are feeling about the new day. The Bible from front cover completely through to the back cover regards how God thinks and feels about and deals with selfishness. That’s what Satan’s initial sin was, disregard for God’s order in place of a regard for his own. Selfishness. So, God put on this physical universe to show all His created beings how that will work out, and why He doesn’t care for it, and why He will destroy selfishness. Then He changes into garments having no selfishness. Peter touched the elephant in the same place and wrote, “…the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire,” as did John, “…from His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them,” (Rev 20:11), and so did even Jesus, “…and the stars will fall from heaven…” (Mat 24:29c). Imagine all of the stars falling to earth! That would sure create a folding up like an old garment as a fiery “lake” of eternal collapse into infinite minuteness of eternal fleeing from the face of the Almighty and Holy God. When you allow one communication in the Bible to link up with what other of the Bible’s authors communicated at different times regarding the same situations or circumstances or topics, you get a whole chain of interesting things to think or feel about or preach on.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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