Simply the Word

 God speaks through us whenever we plainly and modestly relate whatever He has already said in the Bible. Preachers are to expose God's message, simply and directly ... our bigger-than-life-or-death goal must be to expose God's Word. Expose what He says. Expose His message.  

Jonathan Leeman, Reverberation

It's easy to make ministry so complicated.

It's easy in the quest to make a point, to miss the point.

It's easy, in our preaching and teaching of God's Word, to leave people knowing more about what we think, and less about what God thinks.

Yes. So, so easy. And so, so deadly.

I have been challenged recently to step out of the way (as much as possible) and unleash the Word of God into people's lives. What does this mean? Simple - I will succeed when, and only when, I faithfully and accurately communicate to people what God has already said in His Word.

Isn't that refreshing? The key to giving life to people through our ministry is to recognize that it is God's Word that gives life, and that He is pleased to use our faithful exposition and application of that Word to His ends.

Preachers, too, can be encouraged to employ creativity, charisma, or any other such device, but such devices must remain lowly workers, unassuming eunuchs who usher palace visitors toward the royal throne of God's Word, always serving the message and never mastering it.

The plain and bare goal of preaching is to expose God's Word, and everything in the preacher's arsenal must unite toward that one end.

Jonathan Leeman, Reverberation

May I commend to you two recent books that have proven invaluable to me as I seek to grow as a minister of God's Word?


The first I have already quoted from above. Written by Jonathan Leeman, Reverberation (subtitled "How God's Word Brings Light, Freedom, and Action to His People) is a practical, encouraging, and stimulating consideration of the power and sufficiency of the Bible. I have profited greatly from it in the past few weeks. It can be purchased at ...

http://www.wtsbooks.com/reverberation-jonathan-leeman-9780802422996

 

The second has been equally challenging, stimulating, and helpful. Taking God at His Word, the latest from Kevin DeYoung offers a fresh and accessible look into the doctrine of the Scripture. Its subtitle says it all - Why the Bible is knowable, necessary, and enough, and what that means for you and me. I recommend it highly! It can be purchased at ...

http://www.wtsbooks.com/taking-god-at-his-word-why-the-bible-is-knowable-necessary-and-enough-and-what-that-means-for-you-and-me-kevin-deyoung-9781433542404

One last quote (this one from Taking God at His Word) ...

You can think too highly of your interpretations of Scripture, but you cannot think too highly of Scripture's interpretation of itself. You can exaggerate your authority in handling the scriptures, but you cannot exaggerate the Scripture's authority to handle you. You can use the Word of God to come to wrong conclusions, but you cannot find any wrong conclusions in the Word of God.