Anything less than expository preaching
is technically not really preaching at all.[1]
—
A. Duane Litfin
Take a deep breath before you read this
next sentence—it’s my working definition of expository preaching. Here we go: Having
prepared his own soul, and having studied the historical background, context,
words, structure, and syntax of a portion (or portions) of Scripture in order
to discover the original author’s intended meaning, and filtering that meaning
through a systematic theological grid to determine the timeless biblical truth,
the preacher then authoritatively proclaims that timeless truth to his
contemporary audience by implicating them with a full explanation of the text
(or texts), drawing them to a steadfast conviction of that timeless truth, and
fully expecting corresponding personal assimilation and Christ-exalting
responses in today’s context. Whew! You can breathe again. Despite what some
people say, expository preaching is not verse-by-verse commentary void of
illustration and compelling argumentation. It’s not limited to a three-point
outline. It’s not a lecture presenting pure scholarly exegesis void of passion
and pastoral care. Neither is it a devotional or prayer meeting talk.
In his classic book on preaching, Between Two Worlds, John Stott dismisses
a popular misnomer:
All true Christian preaching
is expository preaching. Of course, if by an ‘expository’ sermon is meant a
verse-by-verse explanation of a lengthy passage of Scripture, then indeed it is
only one possible way of preaching, but this would be a misuse of the word.
Properly speaking, ‘exposition’ has a much broader meaning. It refers to the
content of the sermon (biblical truth) rather than its style (a running
commentary). To expound Scripture is to bring out of the text what is there and
expose it to view. The expositor prizes open what appears to be closed, makes
plain what is obscure, unravels what is knotted and unfolds what is tightly
packed. The opposite of exposition is ‘imposition,’ which is to impose on the
text what is not there. But the ‘text’ in question could be a verse, or a
sentence, or even a single word. It could equally be a paragraph, or a chapter,
or a whole book. The size of the text is immaterial, so long as it is biblical.
What matters is what we do with it. Whether it is long or short, our
responsibility as expositors is to open it up in such a way that it speaks its
message clearly, plainly, accurately, relevantly, without addition, subtraction
or falsification. In expository preaching the biblical text is . . . a master
which dictates and controls what is said.[2]
In other words, all preaching is to be
expositional if it is indeed true preaching. If the sermon is not expositional,
it doesn’t have the goal of exposing the biblical text for public viewing. If
it doesn’t expose the text, it’s not from God. If it’s not from God, the
preacher should be replaced by a man who will deliver exposition.
Paul commanded Timothy: “Give attention to
the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (1 Tim 4:13).
Mark Dever contends: “A commitment to expositional preaching is a commitment to
hear God’s Word.”[3]
“Someone may happily profess that God’s Word is authoritative and that the
Bible is inerrant. Yet if that person in practice (intentionally or not) does
not preach expositionally, he denies his own claim.”[4]
Pastor, don’t read this blog looking for a
shortcut to community sermon-listening. Your desire for church-wide impact (via
community sermon-listening) starts with your dedication to expository
preaching.
Lance Quinn asserts:
Expository preaching is and always has been God’s chief tool for
producing growth in grace. Therefore, it deserves the closest attention. Though
every Christian should read, study, and meditate on Scripture, God uses Bible
exposition for the optimal enhancement of his spiritual growth. It is not
overstating the case that preaching should be the chief means of dispensing
strengthening grace in a believer’s life. Spiritual advancement, then, will hinge
on how determined one is to assemble with other Christians when God’s Word is
faithfully proclaimed.[5]
So important is the task of preaching that
Mark Dever willingly admits, “I [am] happy to see every aspect of my public
ministry fail if it [needs] to . . . except for the preaching of God’s Word.”[6] He
knew he was “set apart by the congregation for the public teaching of God’s
Word.”[7]
Notice how Dever recognizes the church’s affirmation of this important task. If
the church doesn’t also buy into this conviction, then the whole process of
preaching will break down eventually. Pastor, you need to lead the congregation
in this regard. Both you and your people need to be equally committed to the
ministry of preaching God’s Word and you may need to teach them that. Preach on
the subject of preaching. From time to time, you might include the following
quotes in your church bulletin, or reference them in your sermons on the
subject of preaching:
Word and worship belong indissolubly to each other. All worship is an
intelligent and loving response to the revelation of God, because it is the
adoration of His name. Therefore acceptable worship is impossible without
preaching. For preaching is making known the Name of the Lord, and worship is
praising the Name of the Lord made known. Far from being an alien intrusion
into worship, the reading and preaching of the word are actually indispensable
to it. The two cannot be divorced. Indeed, it is their unnatural divorce which
accounts for the low level of so much contemporary worship. Our worship is poor
because our knowledge of God is poor, and our knowledge of God is poor because
our preaching is poor. But when the Word of God is expounded in its fullness,
and the congregation begin to glimpse the glory of the living God, they bow
down in solemn awe and joyful wonder before His throne. It is preaching which
accomplishes this, the proclamation of the Word of God in the power of the
Spirit of God. That is why preaching is unique and irreplaceable.[8]
One of the first steps to a recovery of authentic Christian
preaching is to stop saying, “I prefer expository preaching.” Rather, we should
define exactly what we mean when we say “preach.” What we mean is, very simply,
reading the text and explaining it—reproving, rebuking, exhorting, and
patiently teaching directly from the text of Scripture. If you are not doing
that, then you are not preaching.[9]
Preaching is therefore always a matter of life and death. The people
in our churches depend for their very lives on the ministry of the Word;
therefore our preaching had better be nothing less—and nothing other—than the
exposition of the Bible. Nothing else will do.[10]
Expository preaching is therefore inescapably bound to the serious
work of exegesis. If the preacher is to explain the text, he must first study
the text and devote the hours of study and research necessary to understand it.[11]
Tell your congregation you’re going to put
away your “butter knives and plastic utensils.”[12]
Tell them you’re going to wield something sharper than a two-edged sword. “For the
word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and
piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow,
and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12).
If you and your congregation are devoted to
hearing God’s voice in the sermon event, you’ll all contend for its practice in
the local church, and you’ll not be willing to replace it with trendy,
ineffective substitutes.
Next week, we’ll see that in order to
maximize the impact of your preaching ministry, you must not only be committed
to exposition, but you must also be willing to make the necessary preparations. Catch you next week for “Preach with a Plan.”
[1] A. Duane Litfin, “Theological Presuppositions and Preaching: An
Evangelical Perspective” (Ph.D. diss., Purdue University, 1973), 169–170.
[2] John R. W. Stott, Between Two Worlds: The Art of Preaching in
the Twentieth Century (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1998), 125–26.
[3] Mark Dever, What Is a Healthy Church? (Wheaton, IL: Crossway
Books, 2007), 64.
[4] Ibid., 65.
[5] Lance Quinn, “Epilogue: The Listener’s Responsibility,” in John MacArthur,
Jr. and The Master’s Seminary Faculty, Rediscovering Expository Preaching
(Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, 1992), 354.
[6] Mark Dever and Paul Alexander, The Deliberate Church: Building
Your Ministry on the Gospel (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005), 33.
[7] Ibid.
[8] John Stott, Between Two Worlds, 82–83.
[9] R. Albert Mohler, He Is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern
World (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008), 52.
[10] Ibid., 63.
[11] Ibid., 66.
[12] A phrase coined by Steve Lawson in a sermon
entitled The Preacher’s Invincible Weapon (Hebrews 4:12–13) preached March
7, 2008 at Shepherds’ Conference, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA.
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