Keller-Part 3 of 'Preaching'

As we continue our review/study of Tim Keller’s book (For previos posts see here and here), we find ourselves at Chapter 2 of the book, Preaching the Gospel Every Time. Keller begins this chapter with, The Message of the Bible, correctly emphasizing what every young preacher/student of the Bible has been told, context is important. Keller begins ‘big picture’ here stating, “to understand and explain any text of the Bible, you must put it into its context, which includes fitting into the canonical context: the message of the Bible as a whole.” Again, it is never an over emphasis to state that contexts matters in studying/teaching/preaching God’s Word, and here Keller points us to the context of Scripture as a whole, as of utmost importance. What is Keller’s idea of the message of the Bible?

Keller points to Jonah 2:9 (HCSB) “but as for me, I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!” He points to the last phrase in this verse as the Old Testament’s perspective. The New Testament takes up this truth and tells us how? Luke 24:44-45 (NLT) “Then he said, ‘When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” The ‘how’ is only through and by Jesus. So these truths, Salvation is from the Lord and Jesus is the means, is the context in which all scripture must rest. As Jesus stated, “everything written about me…” is the message of the Scriptures. I would include not only the Law, prophets, and Psalms, but the entire New Testament.

Again, I try to underscore the importance, to all levels of preaching, these words of wisdom, and how Keller’s book applies to anyone. Level 2 and 3 (for explanation of Levels, see here) are much more organized and thought out, usually. While Level 1 is the conversation struck up, maybe at a moment’s notice. No matter how formal or not, the importance of the Gospel as the overarching theme of Scripture should be remembered. It can never be overdone, the pointing of someone to the Gospel. Its place as the central theme, of all doctrines, is not to be taken lightly, even at the Level 1 versions of preaching.

The Two Enemies of the Gospel is the direction the chapter takes next. Keller said, “A classic formulation of the gospel…we are saved through Christ alone, by faith alone, but not by a faith which remains alone.” This formula, an almost Creed of sorts, is the basis for Keller’s arguments against two mortal enemies of the Gospel. These enemies are, “legalism” and “antinomianism” (though I would have used licentiousness). By way of simple definition, “legalism” is, “we can put God in our debt and procure his blessing with our goodness.” The opposite extreme is “antinomianism”, defined by Keller as, “we can relate to God without obeying his Word or commands.” This manifests itself in the realization that we can’t emphasize Grace over Law and vice versa. This is a warning to carefully use the verses that seem to espouse one side over the other, and not get stuck on one side or the other too often.

Outwardly it would seem these two ‘enemies’ are polar opposites, when in reality, Keller convincingly argues, are Non-Identical Twins from the Same Womb, the next section of the chapter. The root cause of both “legalism” and “antinomianism” are a skewed view of God. In quoting Sinclair Ferguson, from his book, ‘Whole Christ’, Keller demonstrates the common core of the two enemies of Truth.

Legalism is at root the manifestation of a restricted heart disposition towards God, viewing him through a lens…that obscures….[his] holy love. This is a fatal sickness….This same view of God…lies at the root of antinomianism. (Ferguson)

Keller ends this section with a dire warning. If you think that the “real problem” as Keller states, is “Legalism” or it is “antinomianism”, you probably have at least one foot, in the opposite camp.

Next, Keller then gives us, Two Reasons Why We Should Preach Christ Every Time. This section, as most of the book, is geared toward Level 2 and 3. But, even though that is the intention, there is truth that ALL followers of Christ can use. These two reasons are, to put simply, showing Jesus, and all he came to do, and to show how the whole Bible fits together. Because Christ is the central to all the Word, it is clearly the story of Him. I’m reminded of the verse about John falling down at his angelic guide’s feet, Revelation 19:10 (HCSB) “Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’ “ In all that the Bible says, it shouts and points to Christ.

Our final section is Two Dangers to Avoid. Keller said these are, “1. Preaching a Text, Even about Jesus, Without Really Preaching the Gospel,” and “2. Preaching “Christ’ Without Really Preaching the Text.” Keller launches into a Spurgeon story of an elder Welsh Minister counseling a younger after hearing the younger preach. He commented that the sermon was “poor” because it lacked Christ in it. The younger exclaimed the text (from which he preached that day) contained no reference to Christ, thus he must preach the text, as is. The elder Minister used the illustration of all roads lead to London (in that particular time and place). The analogy carried with it the notion that all texts of the Word lead to the great “metropolis of the Scriptures, that is Christ” (maybe my new favorite analogy). The Welsh Minister even pronounced, if he COULD find a text, which didn’t lead to Christ, that the road didn’t lead to Him, then he “will make one.” Keller uses this illustration to pull back in the idea of the importance of the text, as well as Christ, by concluding the analogy as so, “From the main point in every text, there is some way to preach Christ with integrity. Point to that road and travel down it before ending your sermon.”

#preaching #TimKeller #Study #Bible #Witness