Tuesday, February 11, 2014

What I Have Inside My Bible

The proclamation of the gospel is the great task of my life.  It is a weighty task and one of great privilege and joy.  To remind myself of the gravity of the calling, I have put these things on the inside of the Bible to look over before I open the Word and teach.

“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
Preach the point of the passage.
Open the Bible and tell the people what it means with all of my heart.
Biblical identity is shaped in community as the Word is preached.
Give the people the mind of Christ through the Word.
The Scripture is the voice of the church.  Speak, meditate, read, & proclaim.
Explain the Scriptures with gravity and skill.
Significant preaching comes from a mighty life of prayer.
Teach everything He has commanded. – Matthew 28:20 & Acts 20:27
The Scripture always accomplishes its purpose. Isaiah 55:10-11
Give the sense so that the people understand the reading.  Nehemiah 8:8
“Let us not take into our heads either to seek out God anywhere else than in His sacred Word, or think about Him that is not prompted by His Word, or to speak anything that is not taken from that Word”.  John Calvin
Prayer is the necessity to an effective life and sermon.
“…the Word of God is not bound…” 2 Timothy 2:8
Before I speak on God’s behalf, I need that Word to wash over me.
When I know something is what God truly says, then I must live and proclaim them.
My heart must tremble at His Word!
Declare only the standard of God’s Word, so we will only have one standard.
My life will be a product of my view of Christ and response to His Word.
I need more than head knowledge, I need my heart penetrated by truth.
Preach the Word only after being in God’s presence.
I am called to pray just as much, if not more, as I am called to preach.
My sermon should be stained by the depth and breath of my prayers.
I will study and preach well when I have prayed well.
The Scriptures are sufficient enough for us to know the truth. 
Preach in such a way that people have more of a sense of God’s greatness.
“The great design and intention of the office of a Christian preacher is to restore the throne and dominion of God in the souls of men.”  Cotton Mather
Be a man who is competent in the Scriptures.
Never relax the commandments.  Matthew 5:19
Devote myself to the public reading of scripture.  1 Timothy 4:13
Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16

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