New Theses, New Reformation

Thesis 21- We must preach Christ.

The Bible is a big book. It was written by scores of different authors over the course of thousands of years. It contains historical narrative, apocalyptic prophecy, poetry, song, law and more. It is written in three different languages. And yet, it remains one book. It is a unity because in all its myriad forms it tells but one story. This is the story that we are called to preach.

The greatest sermon ever preached was given, in the providence of God, to only two men. These men were walking on their way to Emmaus, when the resurrected Lord walked alongside them. Without revealing His identity, we are told, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27).

Sound preaching is preaching the Word in context. Context, however, isn’t merely the few verses before and after our text, or even the whole book from which we are preaching. Instead Jesus is the context. We preach the text rightly, and preach the whole counsel of God only when we preach Christ. The Bible, though it contains wisdom and law and beauty in teaching us about marriage, isn’t a book of tips on having a happy marriage. Though it tells us a great deal about the sinfulness of man, the grace of God, and how God is about the business of remaking us, isn’t a book of systematic theology. The Bible, though it tells us about the coming of God’s judgment, and the promises of God’s goodness to us into eternity, isn’t a book on eschatology. The Bible, though it contains God’s will for every situation we will ever find ourselves in, isn’t a law book. The Bible is the book of Jesus. He is our husband. He is the Word. He is the returning King. He is the very law of God.

The Bible, in short, has the answer to every question we could ever have. And like the little girl in Sunday School who was asked by her teacher, “What hides nuts for the winter and has a bushy tail?” who said, “I know it sounds like a squirrel you’re talking about, but I’m going to guess ‘Jesus’” the right answer is always Jesus. Our sermons should have as their alpha and omega the Alpha and Omega. We should begin with Christ, and we should end with Christ, and we should stay with Him all the way in between.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2). Fools that we are, we come with excellence of speech and wisdom. The Puritans, who were known for being rather austere in their worship, who sought to purify out of the church all that God had not explicitly commanded, happily had an inconsistency. Though Scripture no where enjoins us to do this, many of them would have engraved on their pulpits, facing not the congregation, but the pastor, these words, “Sir, we would see Jesus” (John 12:21). They did this to remind themselves of Him whom they were called to remind their congregations of. We would be wise to do the same.