Preach the Bible

Objectives:

• Examine the “how” of worship: Read, Preach, Pray, Sing, and See the Bible
• Explain why the “How” of worship matters, which includes the elements, historical evidences, cultural accommodations, biblical characteristics, and challenges of worship in our modern culture, particularly in regards to the preaching of the Bible

I. Preaching is God’s prime appointed instrument to build up his church

1. Romans 10:14 & 17
   1. How can they hear without a preacher?
2. Preaching is at the center of public worship
3. High view of worship = High view of preaching
   1. Not looking for personality driven, theologically void, superficially practical monologues
   2. They will be looking for rich, meaty, technical, canonical, expository preaching
4. 2 Timothy 4:2
5. Preaching: Read the Bible, explain it

“The preached word is the central feature of reformed worship.” – Hughes Oliphant Old

II. Teach your people how to listen to preaching

1. Good sermons and bad sermons
   1. Bad sermons might come from a good man who isn’t preaching heretical theology, but might just have a stinker of a sermon.
2. Richard Baxter
   1. In his Christian Directory, Baxter gives over thirty points about how to listen to a sermon.
   2. J.I. Packer updates this list for modern readers in his book, Truth & Power
3. What to teach your people:
   1. Your pastor does not move from topic to topic, but from text to topic, not topic to text.
   2. Expository preaching

III. Evangelism and Discipleship in preaching

1. The job of preaching is to convict and comfort
2. It is to build up and evangelize
3. It is to evangelize and disciple

“The preached word is the central feature of reformed worship.” – Hughes Oliphant Old

“The great design of all preaching is to bring them within the covenant who are without, and to make those who are within the covenant to walk suitably to it. As these are never separated on the Lord’s side so they should never be separated on our side.” – James Durham

IV. How To Avoid Preaching The Same Sermon

1. Use 9 Marks preaching grid
2. There is not just one type of person listening to our sermons
   1. We tend to preach as though there is just a legalistic person sitting in the congregation who needs to be reminded of justification.
   2. However, there are myriad other types of people
   3. The Puritans outlined twelve categories of people listening to a sermon
3. Assess the besetting topic you keep wanting to preach about
4. Jay Adams
   1. Sermon about worry with application for both believers and unbelievers