“There are plenty of popular preachers, but not many powerful ones, who preach in the power of the Spirit. Is it because the cost of such preaching is too great? It seems that the only preaching God honours, through which His wisdom and power are expressed, is the preaching of a man who is willing …
Reformed Evangelism
INTRODUCTION: And we need to begin with the strong assertion that the title of this message—Reformed evangelism—is not an oxymoron. Sharing our faith with others is not optional. But at the same time, the way we understand that faith does have an impact on how we go about evangelism. THE TEXT: “Finally, be ye all …
How Jesus Said to Receive Him
In this portion of Scripture, we find the Lord teaching the disciples a lesson of enormous importance, and we find that Mark presents this lesson to us in a series of unforgettable contrasts. “And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them …” (Mark …
Preaching, Not Negotiating
“We are called to proclaim Christ, not to discuss Him” (John Stott, The Preacher’s Portrait, p. 110).
Baptism of Light
Peter has confessed the identify of his master. He has spoken the truth, but has still spoken more than he knew. The Lord is now revealed in His glory to three of his disciples, and the foretaste of glory helps to ameliorate the difficulties of the hard sayings He placed upon them at the end …
Faith Overcomes the World
“God’s plan is to save through the gospel not those who are clever and learned, but those who believe. The condition of salvation is faith, not intellectual brilliance” (John Stott, The Preacher’s Portrait, p. 110).
Like Trees Walking
We find here a passage with great contrasts and comparisons. Peter the Confessor is also Satan, and the blind man who saw men as trees walking provides a good picture of the disciples. “And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him . . .” …
The Only Font of Our Authority
“Granted that only the power of God can make the blind see and the dead live, where is this power to be found? How can preachers become such channels of it as to be ‘servants through whom’ others will believe? There is no clearer exposition in the New Testament of the place of divine power …
Leaven of the Pharisees
The passage we consider here culminates in Christ’s rebuke of the disciples for their continued and ongoing hardness of heart. The picture we have of hardness in a believer is most instructive — provided we are not hard of heart ourselves. “In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus …
Improper and Unbecoming
“The shameful cult of human personalities which tarnished the life of the first century Corinthian church still persists in Christendom, and a most improper and unbecoming regard is paid to some church leaders today” (John Stott, The Preacher’s Portrait, p. 101).