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Lessons From the Mountain
Life on the journey with God often feels like a switchback trail up a mountain.
We may wonder if we’re progressing forward or upward at all. Have the past 2, 5, or 10 years been a waste?
Here are some quick, key lessons from the mountain during my hike up Byers Peak in the Arapaho National Forest near Fraser, Colorado.
:: Lessons from the Mountain :: Video-Devo:
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Summer-Time is Thinking Time
Summer-time is Thinking-time
Perhaps your thinking spot is sitting on the riding lawn mower as you tool around the yard? Maybe on the shoreline of your favorite fishing pond? Perhaps on your bike as you cycle along Michigan’s many backcountry roads? Maybe your pondering place is when you go out for an evening walk or a brisk morning stroll? Or simply as you sit on a porch rocker and listen to the birds?
Here’s one of my favorites: reflecting on the past weeks and months as I gaze into a warm, crackling campfire.
As we take time to think, it’s quite incredible how lessons from the Lord bubble-up to the surface. Loose, stray thoughts land into place and become a meaningful picture or axiom for life.
One day, Moses was working alone with his livestock. My hunch is that he was doing a lot of thinking out there in that dusty, Midianite wilderness. What else was there to do but recall all the lessons, stories, mistakes, snafus, and sins of his past 40-50 years of life? He fled Egypt at the prime age of 40, but now decades had passed (see Exodus 7:7; Acts 7:22:30). Undoubtedly, many thoughts swirled around in his head. Fear, regret, and frustration likely collided back-and-forth in his heart.
Alone.
Thinking.
Then God showed up from the midst of a burning bush: “Moses, Moses!” And Moses replied, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4)
Rattled loose from his daily, lonely introspection, Moses heard the voice of God. He received a mission (Exodus 3:10-22). Every past decade mattered. God had a purpose for all the waiting. Moses was changing through God’s process.
Today, we don’t expect God to speak to us from burning bushes (of course, Moses didn’t either). But through the Word and the indwelling Spirit, God speaks. God directs us and guides us.
Think about it:
What “burning bush” sort of moments have you had with God? Do you remember a time when God clearly spoke to you about a key decision, a personal crisis, a sin conviction, a career change, or a new ministry endeavor? Perhaps an experience like this occurred years ago or maybe quite recently.
Now think collectively as the keepers-of-the-story here at Mayfair Bible Church (or your own local church): what kind of “burning bush” moments can you recall from the recent or distant past in Mayfair’s history? How did God attune you and/or the church family to His guidance?
Let’s take action by sharing a brief story or two about your “burning bush” moments or your family’s seasons when God quite literally shocked you with His gracious guidance and fresh direction. I can’t wait to hear what you’ll bring to the “campfire” this coming Sunday as you converse in the foyer, hallways, pews, or over Sunday dinner.
Anyone bringing s’mores?
In God’s Vineyard,
Michael
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Striking Parallels: Why Jesus Died
We live in a world darkened… stained by sin. Sin = anything we, as humans, think, say, or do that is contrary – opposite to God’s way of love and truth. We face the effects and consequences of sin – death and evil and destruction are everywhere. Depravity is, perhaps, the most empirically verifiable fact in the world.
So, is there any hope? Is there mercy for broken, messed up humanity?
This One, Jesus, who spoke life, hope, forgiveness, and freedom… died. Why?
Tonight, let’s discover why through parallels – looking at lines from one Old Testament passage and crossing over to a New Testament passage. Exodus 24 and Matthew 26. Two men, two leaders. Moses. Jesus. Two tables. Two Covenants.
But first envision a picture frame around these two biblical passages with two short verses from the apostle Peter:
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as foreigners/strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.” (1 Pet. 1:1-2)
What do all those words mean?! Sprinkling blood??
Hold the thought. Keep that frame in view because Peter had a parallel of Scripture in mind. Let’s discover the parallels which reveal to us WHY Jesus died…
God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt via Moses. God gave them the 10 Commandments and additional laws for the functioning of the nation. Then in Exodus 24 we see…
As Moses arose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with 12 pillars for the 12 tribes of Israel (v. 4), SO Jesus, in Matthew 26, built His mission on and communicated the New Covenant in His blood with the 12 disciples (Matt. 26:26-28).
As Moses sacrificed young bulls, took the book of God’s covenant and read it for all the people so that they might respond to God (v. 5-6), SO Jesus instituted the New Covenant with His disciples so that they (and we) could respond to God with faith in His promise.
As Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar and the people, who had responded in confession with the covenant (v. 8), so Jesus symbolically held the cup up as the sign of the New Covenant in His blood, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins.
As the Israelites responded with a promise to obey God (v. 3, 7), yet later failed, so now Christians have been chosen by God to the obedience of faith in Jesus Christ, and so are sprinkled with His blood, by which we’re forgiven (1 Peter 1:2) and He will not fail on His promise to us (Heb. 10:23).
The Israelites were considered cleansed within by being sprinkled with blood on the outside. OUTSIDE – IN. But not anymore! Jesus poured out His blood once-for-all to erase our debt of sin. INSIDE – OUT!
As Moses and the other leaders “saw the God of Israel,” yet did not die but instead saw God, and they ate and drank (v. 9-11), so Jesus the initiator and communicator of the New Covenant was God-in-the-flesh, and the 12 disciples gathered together with Him at the inauguration of the New Covenant and they ate and drank. Table fellowship with God.
And as Moses was called by God to go up a mountain to receive the Law of God on stone tablets, so Jesus the Son of God was called by God the Father to climb up another mountain called Calvary to be the Way of grace, to inaugurate a New and Living Way through the sacrifice of His body on the Cross (Hebrews 10:19-25), so that His Law could be written on the tablets of our hearts (Jer. 31:33-34; 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:10). God mediated His relationship with the Israelites through the Law of Moses, but the Law was never a way to salvation but only the way to demonstrate one’s faith in God and His promises.
Now in Christ, there is just one mediator, the man Jesus Christ, the one whom Moses looked forward to and anticipated (Deut. 18:15). “…the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). And all God’s promises are “yes and amen” in Him! (2 Cor. 1:20)
So, Jesus is Greater than Moses. Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Leader of His people. He is Prophet, Priest, and King. Jesus Christ is your hope and your inheritance.
This is why Jesus died…
So that this world-changing, heart-redeeming good news is what we could be brought into! Therefore, Peter writes to Christians scattered around the ancient known world: “May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure!” The world’s rejects are now God’s elect!
The parallels.
We discover through Exodus 24 and Matthew 26 framed around by other verses that…
Christ’s death – His blood poured out on the Cross – fulfilled the full picture of the Old Testament sacrifice to give us the New Covenant, the new promise, so that the world’s rejects are now God’s elect.
Chosen and cherished by God… so though our sins they are many, His mercy is more.
In God’s Vineyard,
Pastor Michael
Here is the slightly elongated version of this message as delivered on Good Friday 2022 at Mayfair Bible Church in Flushing, MI:
FOOTNOTES
As it turned out, Dr. Thomas Schreiner affirmed my findings:
“To what does the sprinkling of blood refer? In the Old Testament the sprinkling of the blood is used for the cleansing of a leper (Lev 14:6–7), for the sprinkling of priests in ordination (Exod 29:21), and the sprinkling of the blood when the covenant with Moses was inaugurated (Exod 24:3–8). We can reject the sprinkling of blood in the ordination of priests immediately since the context suggests nothing about ordination. Grudem thinks the background is in the cleansing of lepers, arguing that it is an apt picture of the need of cleansing and forgiveness for the sins that disrupt fellowship with God after conversion.34 In addition, he thinks a reference to sprinkling that occurs at conversion is unpersuasive since this sprinkling comes after sanctification and obedience.35 Grudem’s view is possible, but once again it is ultimately unpersuasive.36 His objection about the order of sanctification and obedience only stands if both of these terms refer to life after conversion, but I have already argued that both of these terms refer to conversion as well. Sanctification, obedience, and the sprinkling of blood are three different ways of describing the conversion of believers in this context. Further, Exod 24:3–8 is the most probable background to the passage.37 The covenant is inaugurated with sacrifices in which blood is shed and sprinkled on the altar (Exod 24:5–6). The people pledge obedience to the God of the covenant (Exod 24:3, 7). The promise to obey matches the obedience Peter noted in the first part of the eis clause. Moses then sprinkled the people with the blood, stating, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you” (Exod 24:8). The blood of the covenant signifies the forgiveness and cleansing the people needed to stand in right relation with God. We see, then, that entrance into the covenant has two dimensions: the obedient response to the gospel and the sprinkling of blood. Similarly, God’s work of foreknowing and the Spirit’s work of sanctifying introduce the readers into God’s new covenant.38 Believers enter the covenant by obeying the gospel and through the sprinkled blood of Christ, that is, his cleansing sacrifice.[1]”
34 Grudem, 1 Peter, 52–54.
35 Ibid.
36 For views similar to my own see Michaels, 1 Peter, 12–13; Achtemeier, 1 Peter, 86–88.
37 Michaels also draws attention to the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer in Numbers 19 (1 Peter, 12). It seems unlikely, though, that this is the most natural background since Exod 24:3–8 relates more directly to conversion, to the inauguration of God’s covenant with his people.
38 So Achtemeier, 1 Peter, 89.
[1] Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 56.
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Jesus.
Jesus.
He is the reason we live, breathe, and have our being. He is the foundation of our existence as a local church. He is why we gather, serve, worship, and proclaim.
When Jesus was transfigured in front of Peter, James, and John, the scene of glory overwhelmed them. Moses and Elijah were there, too.
Imagine the sights, sounds, and feelings for a moment.
But Peter – being the ever talkative one – starts jabbering about how to apply the experience. “Here’s what I think we should do…” he starts in. But the next line grabs our attention:
“He [yes, that is Peter] was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5; cf. Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35)
Yes, listen to Jesus.
We have much planned for tonight’s Good Friday communion service. Our team is over-the-top excited about all that is in the works for Resurrection Sunday. But unless God is at work, it’s all just paper and noise. Unless Jesus is exalted, reverenced, remembered, and listened to, then the whole weekend is a long, tiring adventure of missing the point.
So tonight, come and listen. Soak in the Story of stories. Respond to the Savior.
Come to the Table.
Be renewed… maybe even redeemed.
An acquaintance of mine, Glen Scrivener, labors as a preacher, evangelist, and poet in the UK. He wrote these beautiful, powerful words for this set apart Friday:
1. The glory of the bloodied God,
His fruitfulness in shame.
Stooped lower than all men have trod,
In torment in the flame.2. The writhing worm, disjointed dry,
Rejected from His birth.
Thrust groaning into Satan’s sky,
Accursed by heaven and earth.3. Hell’s blackest cloak enfolds with death,
From Pinnacle to pit.
To choke the Source of Living Breath
Extinguish all that’s lit.4. The Mighty Man at war cries out,
It echoes ‘gainst the sky.
Resounding as a futile shout,
Within a victory cry.5. Creation torn from Head to toe,
His body out of joint.
The Rock that splits is split in two,
Creation to anoint.6. Our Jonah hurled as recompense
Into abysmal depths.
The beast that swallows Innocence
Is swallowed by His death.7. Divine appeasing blood poured out,
Divinely pleasing scent.
While man appraises with his snout,
Declares it death’s descent.8. Then crowned in curse, enthroned on wood,
My God nailed to the tree.
The reigning blood, that cleansing flood,
Is opened up for me.
_____________________________________
I’m praying for you and looking forward to listening to Jesus tonight with you at our 6PM Good Friday Service and through the special events and services planned on Easter Sunday, too, at Mayfair Bible Church.
Soli deo gloria.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Michael
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Holy Week.
Holy Week.
Christians all around the globe set this week apart from all others to remember Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem amid shouts of “Hosanna,” His steps to the cross, the foot-washing and Passover celebration, and the impending Resurrection Sunday. Such is why we call it Holy Week. The Father’s love for the world poured through the passion of the Son.
His body broken for us.
His blood shed for us.
For nearly 2,000 years, followers of Jesus have recited these ancient-yet-ever-true words:
THE NICENE CREED
We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy universal and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Pause for another moment. Retrace this confession of faith birthed from the Council of Nicea in 325 AD.
These are phrases of deep Gospel truth.
Notice how the Nicene Creed leads us through Creation, Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and the coming Kingdom’s Consummation? This week, let’s take time each day to reflect and rejoice in this great announcement of good news to the world.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Michael
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We, the Church
Common nomenclature compels us to talk about going to church, being at church, and liking or disliking a church or church service. But Christ’s plan for the church is something quite different.
Although we’re blessed with a beautiful church facility here at Mayfair, we could have all the carpet nicely vacuumed, a superb sound system, great coffee, good song selections, and a decent sermon, yet still miss God’s pattern and purpose for the church.
A church is…
…a worshiping assembly of believers in Jesus
…a body of localized followers functioning as one in Jesus
…a holy dwelling of the Spirit founded on Jesus
…a spiritual family and household in Jesus
…a team working together on the mission of Jesus
Further definition could be added to a fully-orbed picture of Christ’s plan for His people (the list above is simply derived from Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 3:9; 12:11-14; Eph. 2:18-22; 4:1-13; Phil. 1:27).
But notice something about the descriptors and metaphors employed by God to define His church: the church in whole and in part is a people not a place. The church is not a building, business, or buy-in social club, but the new covenant community of the Spirit — a radically distinctive entity commissioned by Christ, the resurrected Savior.
You live these truths so faithfully, beloved.
As we look ahead to what is known as Holy Week, starting this Sunday and through Easter, consider how our worship gathered and our service to one another scattered is distinct from and compelling to people who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus and His church.
Today, who may you invite to Jesus? This coming week, who could you invite into the environment of our Good Friday and Easter Sunday gatherings?
You see, we’re not inviting them to enter a building for a program but rather to experience first-hand the good news and joy Christ among us. The beauty of Christ’s life-giving gospel isn’t found in a facility or service set-up, but in the smiles, tears, laughter, singing, giving, praying, and serving of the people He has redeemed.
So let’s pray, invest, and invite.
- Pray for the love and truth of Jesus to be communicated in word and deed through us. Pray specifically, by name, for people who need Jesus’ saving grace.
- Invest time into caring for the people for whom you are praying.
- Invite them to experience an environment that is composed of people redeemed by Jesus, his church.
Wait. Trust. See what God can do.
Soli deo gloria.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Michael
Mayfair Bible Church gathered for worship. Photo credit: David Kamuiru (2021)
P.S. This Sunday at Mayfair Bible Church, we’ll supply you with handy-dandy invitations to utilized in our “pray, invest, and invite” mission. These aren’t “on-the-fridge” reminder slips for you, but intended as a tool for others to experience the grace of God’s family among us.
So take as many as you’ll give away! 🙂
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Putting the Truth to Work: BOOK REVIEW
InREVIEW: Book Look
By Michael J. Breznau
Doriani, Daniel, M. Putting the Truth to Work: The Theory and Practice of Biblical Application
Many pastors deal with continual angst as they face their congregations week-after-week and wonder, “Is what I’m saying connecting with their lives…is this message going to make a difference?” Doriani, long-time pastor and seminary professor faced the same consternation during his first fifteen years in the pulpit (pg. vii). When he approached other pastors about how to effectively weave together application, he was most often struck with the same concern – they were in the same boat as he was (pg. vii)!
We, as pastors, are fairly well-trained in biblical exegesis, theological method, and general homiletical form. But concentrated efforts on application are sorely lacking. Yet some pastors and teachers claim that one should not even include application in the sermon. “Teach the Bible with clarity and leave the application up to the Holy Spirit as you close in prayer,” so it has been said by one well-known expositor. On the other side of the spectrum, others jump from the felt-needs of their congregants immediately to application ideas as they cherry-pick Bible verses off their top of the heads for the next fireside chat with Pastor Chad.
Thankfully, Doriani is convinced otherwise. He writes, “Skillful application rests upon skillful interpretation” (pg. 3). The two essential methods go hand-in-glove. In Putting the Truth to Work he aims to provide the tools “for those who want to cross a river representing barriers to the communication of God’s word wrought by the passing of time and changes in cultures and language” (pg. 12). Moving from the bridge metaphor to concrete definition, the essence of biblical application may be defined this way: “knowing the God who redeems and conforming ourselves to him” (pg. 13, cf. pg. 39). The movement of knowledge to life-transformation according to God’s will can receive its impetus through faithful preaching with application.
Some greenhorn seminarians may naively believe that sermon application is as easy as a walk in the park, while battle-weary pastors or cynical skeptics may surmise that crossing the bridge from an ancient text to contemporary life is near impossible (pg. 32-33). But Doriani believes there is a way forward over the bridge. To add a metaphor (he’s a preacher after all), “one must find a coach and become a student of the game.” To this end, Doriani will “fill the gap and tread the seam between academic and pastoral theology” so that any dedicated pastor can learn to form consistent, creative biblical application (pg. 40).
Strong Points
One thing is clear: Doriani is an encourager par excellence. He is convinced that every preacher can put Paul’s promise into practice with their sermons, namely, that “Scripture is inspired and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” so that our church members will be “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) (pg. 41). He joyfully, enthusiastically persuades the reader like a good baseball coach: “You can do this! Keep it coming!”
The book is rich with examples, visuals, diagrams, and thorough explanations. The thirteen chapters logically plod forward and cover nearly all the significant questions that pastors face with the weekly task of sermon building and application. This is no mere handbook. More than three hundred pages are filled with key steps, advice, and again, encouragement.
Weak Points
Due to the book’s extensiveness it is also at-risk of being overly exhaustive. Doriani is clearly a preacher-at-heart. The chapters – especially the introduction – wax eloquent with illustrations, quotes, and pastoral persuasion. Some pastors may find themselves hurrying past some of the more florid material to access the meat of the book.
A cheap-shot at the news media is poorly taken on pg. 43, he writes, “News media can obscure this, since they convey masses of apparently useless information – what can we do about hurricanes, riots, or train derailments in distant nations?” A friend reminded me of the regular barrage of off-handed attacks he daily receives as the morning anchor at our local TV station. As a believer and son of a pastor, he has helped me see from the other side of the news desk. Doriani would do well to encourage pastors to not bash the news media when such an approach is unwarranted – especially if they desire to also reach them with the gospel.
Reflection and Interaction
Doriani contributes a powerful discussion on preaching God-centric sermons, rather than hovering in the rather depressing clouds of anthropocentric sermonizing. He also holds to a mainstream Reformed view of Christocentric interpretation. He writes, “The prophets anticipated him, the apostles looked back to him, and he continually pointed to himself as he handled the law, prophecy, and biblical themes. In doing so, he declared himself greater than Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jonah, and Solomon; greater than temple and priest, David and kingship. He is the great prophet, the final judge, the wisdom of God” (pg. 58).
While these declarations certainly ring true to the argument of the book of Hebrews and related passages, one is left wondering if this also means that Christ is the overall theme of Scripture or the specific meaning behind every Old Testament verse? Doriani utilizes a somewhat peculiar word to emphasize his Christocentric approach: “Jesus’ reading and application of Scripture are relentlessly theocentric and egocentric” (pg. 51),[1] meaning the Scriptures are all about him. On the surface, that sounds noble and right. But it is unclear how Doriani would apply certain Old Testament narrative texts in light of this perspective. If every passage is all about Jesus, then one is inclined to believe we must find him in there somewhere, regardless of the genre and historical context.
Christians have been known to do all sorts of things out of literalistic obedience to the Bible. Doriani comments, “People make decisions by flipping coins because Israel cast lots (Josh. 7:14-23; Acts 1:23-26). Like Gideon they lay out “fleeces,” though Judges portrays Gideon as a weak man (Judg. 6:36-40). They divest possessions to imitate the early church and horde them to imitate the patriarchs” (pg. 211). Therefore, we must guide them to the one, singular point of narrative passages. Doriani shines with clarity on how to accomplish this task in Chapter 8. Our goal is not to form some “free-floating moral stories” (pg. 211). Instead, I concur with the author that we must ascertain the central, God-centric truth of the passage and weave application into the sermon that aligns with that primary idea. Our aim is to “lead hearers to God” (pg. 259) not into a reliance on themselves or some outlandish behavior.
Should application be direct or indirect? Doriani waffles on this point, “The center of application is not commanding but expressing truth so that its relevance is obvious” (pg. 39). While I agree that not all application should be overt, we can and should graciously express God’s Word with imperatives, commands, directives where appropriate.
One will be disappointed that more attention is not given to expressing dependence on God in prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit in the sermon development process. However, the obvious pastoral care of the author and his fastidious detail work in the scriptures makes this a book that will stand the test of time. Doriani’s emphasis on biblical integrity, shepherding sensitivity, and applicational relevance form a message that every preacher should devour.
FOOTNOTES
[1] Doriani goes on to use the term “egocentric” five times (see pg. 48, 49, 51, 280).
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Applying the Sermon: How to Balance Biblical Integrity and Cultural Relevance BOOK REVIEW
InREVIEW: Book Look by Michael J. Breznau
Overdorf, Daniel. Applying the Sermon: How to Balance Biblical Integrity and Cultural Relevance
Here is a book written for preachers by a preacher! Just like a great sermon, Overdorf grabs the reader’s attention and sets out on a fast-paced journey that is both remarkably interesting and informative. What is surprising is all that he is able to convey in a mere 175 pages (plus an appendix). He clearly knows the burdens of a pastor. Time is often short. Distractions are many. But faithful shepherds desire to present their best exegetical-theological-homiletical work every Sunday. Applying the Sermon offers not only warm, heartfelt encouragement but also great tools, points, and worksheets to help any pastor sharpen their game on a weekly basis.
Overdorf doesn’t lie. Building appropriate application into sermons and communicating those applications to a congregation is scary business. As pastors, preaching for application, in effect, is making a “thus says the Lord” pronouncement to God’s people. We better get this right!
So he begins, “Sermon application frightens me . . . Application is neither science nor art . . . practice and effort spur some progress, but it is not always significant. I seldom enter the pulpit confident in my sermon’s applications” (pg. 13-14). With Overdorf’s disarming honesty, the inquiring pastor enters this book wondering if there is a way forward to improve his application of God’s Word. To this end, Overdorf presents his central purpose: “Effective preaching includes application that, first, allows the Word of God to speak (which requires biblical integrity) and, second, allows the Word of God to speak as explicitly and concretely today as it did originally (which requires contemporary relevance)” (pg. 15).
Why is this book so important? Because “preachers often ‘fall off the wagon,’ as Willimon put it, because our application lacks one or both of these elements” (pg. 15). In short, our communication of God’s Word must drive toward application that “preserves biblical integrity while pursuing contemporary relevance” (pg. 19).
Applying the Sermon includes not only Overdorf’s on-point discussions but also insightful interview material from five other well-seasoned pastors: Will Willimon, Tom Long, Haddon Robinson, Bob Russell, and Vic Pentz. Each chapter includes engaging anecdotes from these men that coincide with each section. The chapters smoothly, logically progress from the necessity and definition of effective preaching (Ch. 1), to cooperating with the Holy Spirit (Ch. 2), a defense of sermon application in the Bible (Ch. 3), how to avoid application heresy (Ch. 4), discovering ten key process questions for developing effective sermon application (Chs. 5-6), the explanation of his sermon application worksheet (Ch. 7), and finally, how to integrate application into sermons through using the worksheet (Ch. 8). Overall, his process is clear, engaging, and biblically faithful. I closed this book with a renewed excitement to utilize these tools in my sermon development this week!
Strong Points
The uniqueness and charm of this book is Overdorf’s ability to write with a chastened economy of words. Every step in the process is gainfully explained and well-illustrated, both from present-day pastoring and also examples from the Bible. Unlike many other books on preaching, he provides a deeper level discussion on cooperating with the Spirit in the process of sermon development, as well as, in the preaching moment (see esp. pg. 37-39, 46-50).
He also gives an objective presentation of those with a differing viewpoint, namely, that application should be left entirely to the work of the Holy Spirit (not the preacher) (pg. 36-39). He treats proponents of this view with fairness and charity, even mentioning his own need to heed some of their advice. Overdorf provides excellent, fully-orbed biblical discussions from the Old and New Testaments that defend the inclusion of application in the sermon event (pg. 63-72).
His recap-summaries at the end of each chapter are also helpful for sealing the steps in mind as the reader moves through the tightly woven argument. Combined with his crisp, creative writing style, interview anecdotes, and well laid-out thought pattern, this work is easily accessible to anyone engaged in periodic or frequent preaching.
Weaker Points
Certain examples were straw-men, per se. Over-the-top extremes of scriptural misuse and misapplication brought a smile – even laughter (pg. 73-76). Overdorf admits as much (pg. 76). But while the examples are humorous (and make the point loud and clear), illustrations truer to the application mistakes we are all prone to make would likely have more bite. Yeah.
Two brief discussions are provided about ascertaining the “principle behind the pattern” (i.e. the timeless truth or theological proposition) (pg. 85 and pg. 112-113). However, most of the book centers on the need to move from the original meaning of the text/the authorial intent and then toward present-day application. While Overdorf clearly understands the need for robust theology to operate as the bridge between, an undiscerning reader might assume the only necessary steps for biblical preaching are found in obtaining the text’s meaning and moving straightway to a plausible application based on the filter of his ten key questions (Ch. 5-6).
Reflection and Interaction
Overdorf provides two key ways application can be communicated: with explanation or in demonstration (pg. 21-25 and repeated throughout). These two categories are quite simple yet I’ve never heard it detailed as found in this text. He later shows just how to employ both of these methods separately or in a blended approach (pg. 164-169). I’ve employed both of these forms of illustration many times over, but without the specific knowledge of how they work and why they work. This work brought clarity for better use of these forms in the future.
Ultimately, the extensive (yet rapid) processing of Overdorf’s ten key questions and further development through the filter of his worksheet is worth more than price of the book. My previous homiletical studies focused more on exegetical and theological precision. While application was expected and somewhat explained, my perception is that many of us did not complete the classes with a clear plan on how to derive and communicate relevant application every single week.
Applying the Sermon takes it even one step further: learning, discerning, and praying over your congregation is essential in the process of forming application (pg. 124-130). He writes, “Perhaps, to make certain he considers individuals, the preacher leafs through the church pictorial directory. He sees faces and remembers conversations. He recalls counseling sessions, weddings, births, and time shared in hospital waiting rooms. Or, he might imagine a cross section of listeners sitting around his desk as he prepares the sermon. He hears their questions, struggles, fears, and joys” (pg. 125).
Is this not the central task of the pastor? To “preach the Word and love the people” sage pastors often say. Perhaps the first axiom flows from the second. We love the people we are shepherding so much so that we are forever aflame with the desire to preach the Word to them. At the same time, our deep, shepherding love for them not only motivates our preaching but informs our preaching. In this way, our church-flocks are transformed by the Word of God as we proclaim it in the power of the Spirit and for God’s glory. Together in this beautiful process, we are conformed to Christ.
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How Can Christians Sing At Funerals?!
“How can Christians sing at funerals?!” someone once asked me.
Death is terrible. God designed us to grieve. The tears flow for our deceased loved ones.
But death need not be viewed as tragedy if we know there is another chapter beyond this life in God’s grand, redemptive story.
Christians, in this way, can yet smile in the face of death and send loved ones out with singing because they know their hope is not in vain and, one day, their faith will be sight.
So the apostle Paul wrote, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
What if every Sunday were a funeral? So it may likely have been in the first-century AD. Consider that during the time of the Roman Empire some 40-45 percent of children aged 14-15 had lost their father. Aristotle famously said that “most children die before the seventh day” (Historia animalium 588a8).
According to one study of Roman life expectancy, it was 21 at birth but doubled to 42 by the age of 5.
Imagine if every person 43 years or older was gone in your church and family. Even harsher, the life-expectancy for Christians in the first-century may have been as low as 35 years due to persecution. Death was in their face every day. Multiple funerals may have been held each week of the year.
Yet Christians led their dead out with singing and buried them in the ground… in the hope of the resurrection of the righteous unto glory.
Maybe the last 2 years are giving us a taste of life in the first or second century?
How may this reality transform the way you read, interpret, and apply the New Testament?
I know it’s changing my reading of nearly every page.
In Christ Alone,
P.S.
For a quick yet rich read on the Christian hope of our bodily resurrection, I encourage you to read my friend, Dr. Michael Svigel’s article, “Don’t Walk on Those Graves!”: The Christian View of the Resurrection. (Click here)
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Weary.
Weary.
By Michael J. Breznau 2021
How can we be filled with Christmas cheer when our eyes are welling up with tears?
Our hearts are aching from loved ones dying
Our minds are racing with COVID news recycling
Our bodies are breaking under the weight of societal dividing, cities rioting, and politicians lying
Shelves emptying, fuel prices rising, inflation skyrocketing
Who could possibly be rejoicing as our world deteriorates into more screaming and fighting?
We’ve buried too many, yet the hospitals say, “Case counts keeping climbing!”
Who else will be taken today?
“Help Wanted,” shopkeepers shout with their colorful signs, yet few workers are found
amid all the fear, uncertainty, and doubt
2020 is gone, never to be heard from again
“Hooray!” we proclaimed at the dawn of the year ’21
Yet the tidal wave of pain left us languishing on Depression Lane
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining,”
The favored carol is chiming
Once distant ideas of darkness long ago
Now stare us in the face with present realities we cannot forego
We are the weary
Ones tired of clichés, delays, and fickle hoorays
When the words don’t come
And everything feels numb
When tears fall and hands tremble
And our capacities no longer keep us stable
“Help…” we whisper through choked, dry throats
“Why?” we shout into the heavens with dissonant notes
But then we hear a baby’s cry
And remember a dark night when glad tidings of joy pierced the sky
God’s people long-oppressed longed for Light
Joseph and Mary, the angel said, would have a Son who’d bring peace, salvation, and Life
For shepherds and laborers, fisherman and farmers, priests and kings
And everybody in between!
The news broke-through the shadowlands
Into the hearts of an old woman and man
Simeon, wearied, wrinkled, and worn
From many years of seeing Israel torn
Held the Hope of the world oft-forlorn
He saw Israel’s consolation, God’s salvation
The Light of revelation to people from every nation
Long-widowed Anna, warm memories of her husband grew distant and cold
Yet her heart was steadfastly holding to hope
There in the temple she waited and prayed
Until that same day when she beheld the face of redemption and all her fears were assuaged
The prophetess proclaimed: Joy for the weary!
God is writing a healing, redeeming story
We are the weary
The world viciously spins on in this dark night
But the song of Joy has not ceased – there is Light
You and I may experience His Life
Step out of the cold, wearied isolation
Look upon the face of salvation
Hold onto Him for consolation
For a Savior was born to rescue us from all our shame, fear, and condemnation
We’re invited to fall on our knees – to remember that night divine
For our redemption draws nigh
In Him we discover a new Joy within our hearts
Through the forgiveness and new Life that He alone imparts
___________________________
“For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2:30-32)
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As always, we love to hear from you! Let us know about your present needs and prayer requests or what you think of the poem video in the comment field below.
I pray and hope that you have a blessed Christmas season and a joy-filled, Christ-focused launch into the New Year.
Love in Christ,
Michael
