Preaching and Teaching From the Minor Prophets

1. The Minor Prophets Preaching and Teaching From the Minor Prophets © John Stevenson, 2010

2. Expository Preaching The communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through him to his hearers. (Robinson, Biblical Preaching, 20).

3. Expository Preaching • Governed by the thoughts and purpose of the original authors. • Applied first to the life of the preacher. • Truth is then applied to the lives of the hearers.

4. Advantages of Expository Preaching • Places the Scriptures in a pre-eminent position. • Helps the preacher to avoid majoring in the minors. • Directs the congregation back to the Bible.

5. Contemporary Preacher Contemporary Congregation Geography Customs Language Culture World View Original Author Original Readers

6. Spanning the Gap Origen’s Allegorical Method The Ancient Text Contemporary Congregation

7. Spanning the Gap Moralizing The Ancient Text Contemporary Congregation

8. Spanning the Gap So What? Teaching in Ancient Culture, Language, Customs, Geography, World Views The Ancient Text Contemporary Congregation

9. Spanning the Gap Look for relevant similarities The Ancient Text Contemporary Congregation

10. Spanning the Gap How did the New Testament writers span the gap to their Old Testament Counterparts? The Old Testament Text The New Testament Authors

11. Spanning the Gap The Old Testament Text The New Testament Authors

12. What approaches did you take in your Sermon/Bible Study Assignment?

13. “A sermon should be a bullet and not buckshot” (Robinson, Biblical Preaching, 33).

14. Each book of the Bible contains a Big Idea Tie the supporting idea back to the Big Idea The various Sections of the Book contain supporting ideas Expositional preaching presents one of those supporting ideas

15. Man-Centered Preaching A Study in Contrasts Sees Christ as the main character Elevates the role of people Focuses upon the main storyline of the Bible Gets sidetracked on isolated points Christ-Centered Preaching Cultivates a habit of looking at life from God’s perspective Operates on the same man-centered perspective that the world uses Glorifies God Glorifies Man Grace focused Works focused Faith-based Performance-based

16. Don’t stretch the Scriptures to make a point that isn’t there Let your big ideas come from the big ideas of the Bible

17. “Modern communications theorists agree that our brave new world hears in megabytes of reason. A thirty-minute sermon divided into three ten minute points is not as effective as a thirty-minute sermon divided into ten three-minute points.” Calvin Miller

18. “Most people hear stories better than they hear megabytes of truth framed in point-driven logic. Perhaps this is why Jesus used them so often.” Calvin Miller

19. The Gospel & the Minor Prophets • Preaching the Law as the Need for the Gospel • Preaching God’s Sovereignty as the Strength of the Gospel • Preaching Grace and Love as the Source of the Gospel • Preaching Hope as the Promise of the Gospel

20. The Gospel & the Minor Prophets • Preaching Judgment as the Warning of the Gospel • Preaching Prophetic Fulfillment as the Victory of the Gospel • Preaching Sanctification as the Outworking of the Gospel

21. Tim Keller’s Model Here is what the passage says Here is how you ought to live on the basis of what it says You have failed to live up to that standard Christ lived up to that standard in your place

22. Review