Bryan Chapell’s chapter on “A Redemptive Approach to Preaching” is a must-read for preachers! You will find it as chapter 10 in his book, Christ-Centered Preaching (Baker, 2nd edition). Last week, I read it again (for the fourth time in the last decade), and it profoundly influenced the sermon I preached two days ago on Ephesians 5:3-14.
This text is full of negative exhortations related to sexual immorality, impurity, and greed. Preaching the text means challenging listeners to obey these instructions. But Chapell warns: “To preach matters of faith or practice without rooting their foundation or fruit in what God would do, has done, or will do through the ministry of Christ creates a human-centered faith without Christian distinctions” (p. 287). He continues: “Messages that contain only moral instruction imply that we are able to change our fallen condition in our own strength” (p. 293).
The solution is to show how following these commands is possible because of our new identity in Christ – an identity created and shaped by the power of the gospel. Chapell writes: “Every aspect, action, and hope of the Christian life finds its motive, strength, and source in Christ, or it is not of Christ” (p. 288).
When I preached Ephesians 5:3-14, I emphasized from verses 3-7 that ‘God calls us to align our use of sex, power, and money with the interests of His kingdom.’ But then I asked: “How can we do this in a sexually-charged, consumeristic culture? How can we do this in a culture where models from Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch constantly enter our line of vision?” The answer, I pointed out, is in verses 8-14: ‘We can do this when we live out of our identity as children of light.’ In other words, I’m not strong enough to do this on my own. But I can as a Christ-follower who has the Holy Spirit’s presence and in whom Christ is being formed!
Chapell’s chapter reminded me that whenever I preach the exhortations of Scripture, my default answer must be: “It’s only possible to obey because of the gospel!” As Chapell says, “Faithful expository preaching unfolds every text in the context of its redemptive import.”
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 2:44 PM on October 30, 2007
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First off, let me say that I really appreciate your posts on preaching, as it is something I am wrestling with and working on myself - a second year M.Div student at CTS.
About this post, I have to ask this question, since this is the "rub" for myself and some friends here, but what is the difference in what you write here - "I’m not strong enough to do this on my own. But I can as a Christ-follower who has the Holy Spirit’s presence and in whom Christ is being formed!" - and a moralistic statement? Is the only difference that one starts from acceptance and moves out in obedience, and the other starts from obedience and moves towards acceptance? This isn't a critique, just a question to help myself and others sort out how to really do this thing called Christ-Centered Preaching.
Again, thanks for the usually good posts, and look forward to more.
Posted by: Chris Gensheer on October 30, 2007
CHRIS: Thanks for raising an important question. Yes, the difference between a moralistic statement and a legitimate exhortation often relates to the way it is framed. Obviously, both OT and NT contain commands, so we should not be afraid to preach these. But it must be done in the context of "I'm accepted, therefore I obey" rather than "I obey, therefore I am accepted." That's Tim Keller's way of stating it. I would add that also want to say, "I am a Spirit-empowered child of God, therefore I can do what God asks me to do.
I think there are dangers on both sides. One is preaching which gives the impression that Christianity is a list of "do's" and "don'ts." This approach stresses the "imperative" without the "indicative" (who we are in Christ, what Christ has done for us).
The other danger is fearing to preach the imperative lest we give the wrong impression. In some cases, this stems from a more passive approach to sanctification in which the believer (supposedly) stops trying so hard and rests in God's power.
I hope this helps.
Posted by: Steve Mathewson on November 2, 2007