God has always used the preaching of the Word to lead His people to carry out their mission. Before examining how Moses actually led the Israelites through a preaching ministry, one must have a clear understanding of the mission of God's Old Covenant people. Alan Cole says, “The idea of acting as God's representative to and for the other nations of the world.
16 Christopher Wright, The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission (Grand Rapids: Zondervan. The mission of the Israelites in the Old Testament was to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests to show the glory of God to the nations.
In chapter 1:6-8, Moses begins his sermon
As we find in Deuteronomy, the Law is interpreted and applied to the situation at hand. Finally, the core of the sermon in the sixth part comes from chapter 4, which will be explained in more detail below. The second component is interpretation; preaching involves elaboration and application of the law to the concrete situation of the day.
The tension of the entire sermon pivots on the
Deuteronomy is the second giving of the Law, so Moses explains and actually applies the already written Word delivered from Sinai. This is not a new word from God, but an exposition and application of the written Word that is given a second time to a new generation that is about to fulfill their mission in the Promised Land. Moses provides four key exhortations in this chapter, which serve as the heart of the.
The first exhortation is found in verses 5-8 and relates to their mission of being a “priestly” and “holy” nation as a “display-people” to the
The second exhortation comes in a specific application for parents to teach these laws to their children as they cross over to occupy the land
The first exhortation is found in verses 5-8 and relates to their mission to be a "priestly" and "holy" nation as a "display people" for the. Goheen relates this exhortation to Israel's mission: “No faithful missionary community will survive that does not take seriously the task of training the next generation to walk in the way of the Lord. Without such instruction, that next generation will be terribly vulnerable to the idolatrous ways of the surrounding nations.”78.
In this third exhortation Moses passionately urges them to be very careful not to break the first and second commandments as given in
Oblivion opened the door to failure, and so it was vital that the people of God not only remember their past experience of God's mighty hand, but that they pass on the memory, and thus the experience, to their children.77. The life of Israel, shaped by God's Torah, must stand in contrast to the nations, a light shining in the midst of pagan darkness.79. In the fourth and final exhortation, Moses preaches about some of the most important attributes of God to motivate the people to remain faithful to them.
In the fourth and final exhortation, Moses preaches on some of the key attributes of God in order to motivate the people to remain true to their
There is a vital connection between the mission of the Old Covenant and the New Testament church. The Synoptic Gospels clearly reveal that the mission of Jesus placed the highest priority on the authoritative preaching of the kingdom of God. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007).
An Expository Sermon in the Nazareth Synagogue the Nazareth Synagogue
First, it involves the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit to preach with authority. Preaching with the anointing of the Holy Spirit never neutralizes an individual, group or congregation. This does not honor the word of God or the work of the Holy Spirit.69.
Carson, Commentary on the Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Books 2007), 289. Johnson, The Glory of Preaching: Participating in God's Transformation of the World (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Academic, 2009) , 25 Friedrich says: “At the heart of the New Testament kerygma is the government of God.
Like Moses, he used the whole counsel of God's Word in the entirety of the Law, Psalms, and Prophets. The preaching in Acts connects the mission of God's people in the Old Testament to be a holy nation with the mission of the people of the New Covenant to obey the Great Commission. 1 of Scripture Reading and Preaching in Church Worship (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company.
The Pastor-Teacher
Based on the syntactic and grammatical evidence, along with Paul's other references in the pastoral letters, one must conclude that the office of priest-teacher is indeed combined as one. It is reasonable to infer from this construction that teaching must be understood as a principle element in the priest's office."30 O'Brien defines a priest's teaching role: "Teaching is often an interpretation or application of Scripture. The primary role of the pastor-teacher involves equipping the church for ministry so that the whole body will grow to maturity in obedience to God's mission.
Timothy is one of the most relevant letters in the New Testament for understanding the mission, organization and life of the local church."34 First Timothy 3:1-2 reads: "The word is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he wants a noble task. The author of this thesis argues that the role of the pastor-teacher (Ephesians 4:11) is synonymous with Paul's use of the word "overseer" and "elder" that he uses in the pastoral letters. Culturally in Paul's day, there was little difference between the use and meaning of the words "elder" and.
35William Mounce says, "The use of the other form ἐπισκοπή suggests that Paul is thinking specifically of the office." William H. Indeed, what distinguishes Christian pastoral ministry is the preeminence in it of the Word of God.”37 Lea says, . Paul's scriptural instructions in both the Ephesians 4 passage and the Pastoral Letters describe the nature of the office of minister-teacher.
36Philip Towner says: “The Greek term for 'elders' was used in Hellenistic Judaism to refer collectively to the older members of the community.
The Apostles’ Priority of Leading by Preaching
Echoing Ephesians 4:11, the pastor-teacher prepares the saints for the works of ministry specifically through his devotion to prayer and the ministry of the Word. The ministry of the word undoubtedly included the whole pattern of preaching the gospel and teaching its implications, shown in the apostolic sermons and in the later account of Paul's ministry in Ephesus (Acts Pastors lead and inspire the church to fulfill its mission when they prioritize the expository preaching and teaching of the Word as their primary ministry methodology The wisdom of the apostles in leadership and prioritization led to the advancement of the church's mission as seen in Acts 6:7 where the word of God spread, the church grew, disciples and large numbers of people came to faith in Christ .
Many times pastors believe they have to do all the work by taking on unnecessary burdens. And, indeed, men of worth and good character were chosen from among the people, who, united with the pastors in a common council and authority, administered the discipleship of the Church. 46. Presbyterians believe that all elders are elected by the congregation, ordained to the eldership, and participate in the government of the church.
Their exegesis of 1 Timothy 5:17, which compared it to the total teaching of the New Testament, convinced Baptists that the office of ruling elder deprived the congregation of its rightful authority." Shawn D. All the elders exercise oversight, but the senior pastor has the unique position of leading through his preaching by communicating the theological and missiological vision of the church (see chapter 5 for a more detailed treatment of this topic). This dissertation argues that the main way in which a pastor leads is through an expository preaching ministry, but this does not mean that his leadership is not underpinned and supported by a plurality of other elders who share in leading the affairs of the church not.
Pastors not only lead by example, but also serve as scouts who go ahead of the church to help chart the course for the future.
Paul provides a list of spiritual gifts and specifically
Instead, pastors must lead with passionate enthusiasm along with a servant's heart dedicated to the spiritual maturity of the church. There must be a compassion, a tenderness, a deep love that informs the leadership of the church. Of course, such leadership must be grounded in Scripture, not the selfish will of the pastor. 79.
It is a sin of the gravest kind to preach the Word of God in a dull and unattractive manner. Only a healthy diet of systematic expository preaching of the whole counsel of God's Word will support and strengthen the church in fulfilling its mission. The ministry of the Word involves more than simply preaching from a pulpit to the congregation gathered on the Lord's Day, important as that is.
Adam gives insight into many aspects of what ministry of the Word looks like in the life of a pastor. Those of us who are committed to preaching must also be committed to the wider ministry of the Word. In this passage, Paul gives a threefold command for how pastors should minister the Word in the life of the church.
The public reading of the Scriptures (ἀνάγνωσις) stands as the first element of the ministry of the Word.
Paul writes the epistle to Titus in order to charge him to appoint elders on the island of Crete and, thereby, this letter clearly defines the roles and
If one combines many of the elements present in the expository preaching of Moses (chap. It requires the power of the Holy Spirit, a clear sense of calling, an unwavering faith in. The absence of authoritative expository preaching inevitably leads to the absence of the congregation of conviction and confusion about the mission of the church.
One of the most depressing spectacles in the Church today is her lack of power. Unbiblical theology and practices can creep into the fabric of the church's ethos when congregations do not live under the authority of God's Word. The doctrine of the nature of Scripture must shape the definition and practice of expository preaching.
Expository preaching frees the minister to lead the church from the inherent authority of Scripture. God's full power is manifested when the Word of God is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. Johnson, The Glory of Preaching: Participating in God's Transformation of the World (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press Academic, 2009), 75.
Preaching God's Word in the power of the Holy Spirit does more than connect with listeners. Leadership through expository preaching confronts both a flawed theology and a misunderstanding of the mission of the Church. Through this work of good leadership through expository preaching, the pastor shepherds the flock to live under the authority of the Word.
