Preaching Christ Alone (pt. 3)

Problem #3 with sermons today? According to the article Preaching Christ Alone it is Carelessness: "Unfortunately, too much of the preaching we come across these days does not even have the merit of attempting a faithful exposition of the Scriptures, as these preceding methods do."

Horton quotes John Calvin on the Roman Catholic messages of his day:

"Nay, what one sermon was there from which old wives might not carry off more whimsies than they could devise at their own fireside in a month? For as sermons were usually then divided, the first half was devoted to those misty questions of the schools which might astonish the rude populace, while the second contained sweet stories and amusing speculations by which the hearers might be kept awake. Only a few expressions were thrown in from the Word of God, that by their majesty they might procure credit for these frivolities." [emphasis added]

Calvin is describing a message where the substance doesn't come from the Bible. Rather, the Bible is a kind of encyclopedia of verses that may be turned to when it matches up with what the preacher has already decided to say.

This isn't always an obviously bad approach. Why? Because the message may still be true and beneficial. People may learn. People may grow. But it's a bad idea--like riding a motorcycle without a helmet. It may be fine most of the time, but proves fatal the rest of the time. If I get in the habit of finding verses that line up with what I want to say, then I will never ask what God wants to say. As Horton says: "Good communicators can get away with the lack of content by their witty, anecdotal style, but they are still unfaithful as ministers of the Word, even if they help people and keep folks coming back for more."