Part 8, talking about Chapter 7

I find myself coming to the end of a book, which I know will be a future resource for years to come. I may even make it a habit to read it over and over, for years to come. Of course the book I am referring to is the book by Pastor Tim Keller, entitled “Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism”, a book I’ve spent several weeks looking at and exploring various thoughts he explores, in posts here on my BLOG. These articles I’ve posted, one for each chapter, even including the prologue, have attempted to illustrate the truths, show their applications, and promote the use for all, at least this was my hope. I understand that these articles cannot do Keller’s book the treatment it deserves, and only in reading it do you fully delight in all it offers, and I highly recommend you do.

We find ourselves in the third section of Keller’s book which deals with ‘In Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power’, the other two being ‘Serving the Word’ and ‘Reaching the People’, and unlike the previous two sections has only one chapter (section one and two each had three chapters). The seventh chapter, and final, is entitled ‘Preaching and The Spirit’. Keller begins the chapter with a quote from 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (KJV) “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (Note: Keller uses the NIV in the book) This sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the chapter.

Keller makes the argument, and very convincingly, that everyone is evaluating you as a speaker. Again, as in previous posts, everyone is a preacher, Level 1, 2, or 3 (see early posts here to explain levels). So, everyone is deciding if they like you, trust you, and feel comfortable with you as the messenger. Keller states, “To be sure, your listeners as responding to your skills, preparation, character, and conviction in a general sense.” He says all that to illustrate the point of the first two sections of the book, and preparation of speaker and message are vital. There is also a ‘but’ which this chapter (that is chapter 7) deals with and Keller describes, “there’s something even more central to persuasion: your listener’s sense of the Holy Spirit working in and through you.”

George Whitefield was asked to publish some sermons, to which he stated, “You’ll never be able to put down the thunder and lightning on the page.” (D. M. Lloyd-Jones, ‘Preaching and Preachers’) Keller uses this quote to begin the process of showing why, and even in some sense-how, the Spirit should work in us. Referring to Colossians 1:25-29, Keller extrapolates, within these verses, “the two great task of preaching…preaching the whole Word of God and preaching to the heart.” He also emphasizes, “there’s something even more central…the Holy Spirit working in you and through you.” Keller moves through the rest of the chapter, as masterfully as he has in previous chapters, expounding great truths on the Spirit at work in preaching.

Keller describes two reasons why the Spirit would work in the lives of preachers, such as Whitefield and the apostle Paul. First, he states that it is, “what they did.” By this he means, “they didn’t just talk about Christ but lifted him up, showed him to be glorious, and expressed their own wonder and joy as they did so.” Which puts me in mind of the advice every young writer receives, at some point, “show don’t tell.” This literary principle is meant to help young authors realize the reader gets more from the description, shown, as opposed to told. Keller makes this truth clear, the listener will be receptive to a message from someone showing Christ, in their own lives. The second reason, the Spirit works in effective preachers, was because of “who they were.” This is Keller’s way of explaining their spiritual character and the graces at operation in their lives. Simply put, there is what we do and what we are. Our gift may be in speaking, preaching or teaching, but who we are, spiritually, is born out in spiritual fruit or graces.

Keller states, “Deep godly character, or spiritual maturity, combines qualities that cannot be united in the natural man apart from the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.” This should convict us all, and it did me, pastor or not, that we must be more spiritually mature than we are. Keller uses the phrase, “warmth and force” to describe the spiritually mature preacher (Christian). In Jonathan Edwards’ book ‘The Excellency of Jesus Christ’, Keller quotes, about having, “admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ.” Edwards’ point, and ultimately Keller’s, is Christ exhibits qualities that seem contradictory. Christ is both meek and powerful. “He is the Lamb and Lion of God, proclaims Edwards,” Keller illustrates. This “warmth and force” is not normal human characteristics, and Keller demonstrates how this is vitally important in preaching, and only accomplished by the Holy Spirit at work in our lives.

Keller moves into a new section to explain subtext, or the meaning behind or undergirding, your words, or as Keller states, “the message under your message.” In getting us to this point, he first began by saying preaching has three ‘texts’, which are, “the biblical text, the listeners’ context, and the subtext of your own heart.” Keller asks us to test or subtext, and this can discover our spiritually maturity. He even gives some examples of typical subtexts that may permeate some preaching. He begins with a "reinforcement" subtext, this is summarized by him as, “Aren’t we great?” He said this subtext is a slap on the back, “we are all okay,” mentality. This he calls “gatekeeping”. When the church is simply pulled within themselves, guarding what they have, never changing anyone else (or seldom). He next describes a subtext that he calls “performance”. Again, simplistically he describes this as, “Aren’t I great?” He said the message is, “Don’t you think I’m a great preacher, and don’t you think this is a great church?” This subtext is grounded in “selling” Keller stresses, a church (and preacher) bent on selling their church, but not so much Christ. Another subtext described, briefly, is “training” where Keller shows this to be simply a “teaching” subtext, described as, “Isn’t this truth great?” And this is when information is desired and imparted, but the Gospel is not given (to change the sinner).

The final context, and this is the one to strive for, is a subtext of “worship” and it is simply stated by him as, “Isn’t Christ Great?” Obviously, this is the subtext to strive for, and as this chapter is emphatic on Spirit lead preaching, this is a spiritual subtext created by the Holy Spirit. Keller summarizes, in a few words, the message of this subtext, “Look at how Christ is so much grander and more wonderful than you thought! Don’t you see that all your problems stem from failing to see this?” This, Keller postulates, is preaching, or at least, “the heart of true preaching.” The last paragraph in this section states it all, “In short, the temptation will be to let the pulpit drive you into the Word, but instead you must let the Word drive you to the pulpit. Prepare the preacher more than you prepare the sermon.”

His next section, he entitles “Preaching from the Heart,” is simply a summary of HOW preaching should be done. He gives five characteristics, he briefly describes, that mark spirit-lead, heart-felt, Godly preaching. These are, you will preach “powerfully,” not to please but to be confident in your message, next, “wondrously,” Keller calls, “’tasting’ your salvation even as you offer it to others.” He goes on to, “affectionately,” where you present the One who held your broken heart as the means to heal others, then, “authentically,” bringing a ‘real’ message in simple, understandable language, and finally, “Christ-adoring,” in which you are, “enacting a vivid presentation of him.” Keller ends this section with a great word of advice, coming form 2 Corinthians 12:9, great strength is shown thru our weakness, “It leads to desperate dependence on the Spirit.”

The last section of this chapter, Keller extolls us to become, “a Voice.” His person of choice, as our example, is the original, “Voice in the wilderness,” John the Baptist. John was both humble and bold. Keller points to the passage where John was asked if he was the Messiah, ‘the Prophet’ (in Jewish though of the time a separate person from the Messiah-spoken of by Moses), or Elijah. John refused, Keller postulates from humility, to believe he was the coming of Elijah. Yet, Jesus later stated as such, and we see John’s greatness that he would have not recognized in himself. John claimed only that he was “a voice.” This is the secret to successful preaching, as Keller uses Paul’s description, 2 Corinthians 4:5 (HCSB) “For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus.” I will leave you with Keller’s own words, finishing this significant chapter. “If you proclaim Christ and not yourself and let God’s Word come to people through you, you can also become a voice, like John did. It doesn’t matter if in yourself you feel week. All the better.” INDEED!

#preaching #timKeller #spiritual #spiritpreaching