“The sacred orator is quickened by the analytic study of the sacred volume into a freedom, freshness, and force, that are utterly beyond his reach without it” (Shedd, p. 7).
The Basic Task
“In the presence of both nature and revelation, men, as Lord Bacon phrases it, is a minister and interpreter, and not a creator and lord” (Shedd, Homiletics and Pastoral Theology, p. 5).
Surveying the Text: Joel
Introduction: The occasion of this prophecy was a swarm of locusts that devastated the land of Judah. That was a true disaster that was a portent of another follow-up disaster, an invading Gentile army. Joel calls upon the people of God to repent, and promises them true restoration if they do so. Part of his …
On Christian Disobedience #2
Introduction: With regard to our duties of civil obedience and submission, we have to consider the express teaching of the Bible. But we must do this in context, which means we have to set a contextual stage. This context is important in two respects—the broader context of doctrine and theology, and the second is the …
Paul and the Rhetorical Schools
“Paul disavows the grand style of the Asiatic rhetoric, while actually practicing the plain style of the Atticist rhetorician” (Overstreet, Persuasive Preaching, p. 53).
Surveying the Text: Hosea
Apart from what we can glean from the book itself, we do not know a lot about the prophet Hosea. He was a prophet from the north, and the hard date we can gather from Hosea 1:4 means that his ministry was in the mid 700’s B.C. The theme of the book is Israel’s unfaithfulness …
Animals and the Resurrection
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) The Basket Case Chronicles #188 “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not …
Surveying the Text/Revelation
Introduction: The book of Revelation is written in a genre that we in the modern world no longer use, and consequently it can be a very difficult book for us to understand. G.K. Chesterton said that John the apostle saw many strange monsters in his vision, but none so strange as any one of his …
On Christian Disobedience #1
Introduction: The state is the great idol of modernity, and so of course Christians have to think through what things are lawful to render to Caesar and what things are not. This week we will consider the nature of our problem—the corruption of the system and the corruptions of those who oppose it. The next …
Coal Fires and Fish
Introduction: The physical presence of the Lord Jesus, alive after the resurrection just as He promised He would be, transforms everything. We can see this very clearly in the fall and restoration of the apostle Peter after the resurrection of Jesus. The Text: “And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire …