Introduction: In the light of all the foregoing, we should therefore not be surprised when we find that we must affirm the goodness of the material world. This should be obvious, but tragically ...
A Theology of Christmas Presents (4)
Bad Preaching Is Effective Also
“A low level of Christian living is due, more than anything else, to a low level of Christian preaching.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 22
The Word Our Life
“It is the word of God that keeps the church alive, directs and sanctifies it, reforms it and renews it. Christ rules and feeds his church through the word of God.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 21
As Opposed to Expecting Nothing and Getting It
“It can thus be said that ‘a true sermon is a real deed.’ We enter the pulpit with a word in our hands, heart and mouth, and this word has power. We should expect results.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 21
A Word That Does
“The Bible presents many pictures of the power of God’s word. It describes it as sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating our mind and our conscience (Heb. 4:12). Like a hammer, it can break stony hearts; like fire it can burn up rubbish (Jer. 23:29). It lights our path, shining like a lamp on a dark night (Ps. 119:105). Like a mirror it shows us bother what we are and what we should be (James 1:22-25). It is compared to a seed leading to birth (James 1:18), to milk causing growth (1 Pet. 2:2), to grain that nourishes whereas straw does not (Jer. 23:28), to honest which sweetens and to gold which enriches its possessor (Ps. 19:10).”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 20
His Word Does
“When God speaks, he acts. His word does more than explain his action; it is active in itself. God achieves his purposes by his word (Is. 55:11).”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 19
A Theology of Christmas Presents (3)
Introduction: As we continue our consideration of the whole question of gift-giving at Christmas, we have been studying the background. What does the Bible teach about giving and receiving generally, and how can we apply these general principles to specific situations—like our Christmas shopping and our presents? So we started with the ultimate gift of …
Permanent Word
“Grasping the truth that God still speaks through what he has spoken protects us from two opposite errors. The first is the belief that God’s voice is silent today. The second is the belief that what God is saying today has little or nothing to do with Scripture. The truth is that God speaks through what he spoke”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 19
No Museum Piece
“On the contrary, [Scripture] is a living word to living people from the living God, a contemporary message for each generation”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 18
Not an Exercise in Wish Fulfillment
“We study each text as it is instead of as we might wish it to be”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 18