“I always find I can preach best when I can manage to lie a-soak in my text. I like to get a text, and find out its meaning and bearings, and so on; and then, after I have bathed in it, I delight to lie down in it, and let it soak into me. It …
For He Is Small/Amos 8
INTRODUCTION: When we come to chapter seven of Amos, we shift from poetry to prose, from woe-oracles to narrative. The theme and the message are the same as throughout the rest of the book, but the form in which it comes is quite different. In the first six chapters, Yahweh has been the main speaker; …
Some Preachers Have Marvelous Skill in Missing
“We must preach as men to men, not as divines before the clergy and nobility. Preach straight at them. It is of no use to fire your rifle into the sky when your object is to pierce men’s hearts. To flourish your sabre finely is a thing which has been done so often that you …
Preach the Communion into Communion
“Try to make church fellowship full of life and love by preaching and living the gospel of love and brotherhood” (Charles Spurgeon, An All-Round Ministry, p. 108).
The Secret Motor
Over the last few years, I have learned a lot about the secret motor that makes pretty much everyone go down the road. But God gives more grace, as James would say. Here is a set of messages where I try to condense into manageable form some of what I have learned about this.
Preach Everything to a Head
“Preach the doctrines of grace, dear brethren, and those who like not your Lord will either be changed themselves or change their minister” (Charles Spurgeon, An All-Round Ministry, pp. 106-107).
A Seven-fold Woe/Amos 7
INTRODUCTION: In this passage, we begin part way through chapter five, and continue on through the entirety of chapter six. Amos eloquently continues to hammer away at the two things that turn God’s stomach—false worship and an opulent, violent stupidity. THE TEXT: “Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! . . .” …
Science as Blowing Bubbles
“So the bubbles go on bursting, and meanwhile more are being blown, and we are expected to believe in whatever comes, and wait with open mouth to see what comes next. But we shall not just yet fall down and worship the image of human wisdom, notwithstanding all the flutes, harps, sackbuts, psalteries, dulcimers, weekly …
And We Do It Very Well
“What is science? The method by which man tries to conceal his ignorance” (Charles Spurgeon, An All-Round Ministry, p. 97).
No Jesus, No Way/Amos 6
INTRODUCTION: In this next section, we are going to have to follow the way Amos arranged the unit, which, although it starts at verse 1, does not match the chapter divisions (vv. 1-17). This section is a chiasm, and again, not surprisingly, it is seven-fold. THE TEXT: “Hear ye this word which I take up …