Theology That Bites Back
The Twelfth Decade of Psalms: Introduction: This psalm is part of a matched set, together with the previous one. Both this psalm and Ps. 111 are alphabetic psalms, with each portion beginning with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet. As a consequence, the two psalms are right around the same length, and there are …
The Lord does not gather you here, week after week, and year after year, in order for you to watch trained professionals conduct religious activities on your behalf. You are here as singers, as communicants, as learners, as worshipers, as disciples. You are not here as mere spectators, as simple observers. Every person here has …
Because our church community is growing so rapidly, it is necessary for us to remind you of certain things from time to time, and this is one such reminder. If you are new to our community, as many of you are, you may have noticed that our children worship together with us, though the entire …
“We learn, for instance, that sexual intercourse belongs only in lifelong heterosexual marriage (Gen. 2:24; Mark 10:5-9; 1 Thess. 4:3-5). What is more, since marriage was established at creation, these divine standards apply to everybody, not just to believers. It is impossible, therefore, to limit the faithful teaching of biblical sex ethics to the congregation; we also have to be involved in public discussion about marriage, about divorce, about the remarriage of divorced persons and about homosexual partnerships. Christians should discuss these issues thoroughly and should use the pulpit to do so clearly and bravely.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 38
“To teach the standards of moral conduct that adorn the gospel and insist that our hearers heed them is neither legalism nor pharisaism but plain apostolic Christianity.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 35
“Jesus Christ . . . is the fulfillment of every human desire (Col. 2:3, 9-10). Therefore, above all else, we must preach Christ.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 34
Jon was an older bachelor, although still in his thirties, who had been part of the church since he graduated from college. He had always been reclusive, and almost never had people over to his apartment. In years past he had attended worship regularly, but over the previous three years that attendance had grown increasingly …
The Twelfth Decade of Psalms: Introduction: Here is a straightforward psalm of praise, but we have to extend our arms all the way out to hold and carry what we are praising Him for. In order to wield this psalm rightly, we will have to beseech God to enlarge our hearts. Enlarge our hearts all …
“We find that conservatives are biblical but not contemporary, while liberals and radicals are modern but not biblical.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 32
“If we uncritically accept the world’s own self-understanding, we may find ourselves the servants of the latest trend instead of the servants of God. In our eagerness to be relevant, we may disregard God’s revealed truth.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 32
