Theodicy on Trial

Posted by Joe Thorn - 06/11/08


New sermon series kicking off this Sunday at Redeemer. Big thanks to Chad at Dirty Blue Media for the poster.

Are the Suburbs Killing Your Soul?

Posted by Joe Thorn - 26/08/08

Speaking of “thematic” preaching, this is a poster for the series I am preaching in September. These will go up around town to hopefully generate interest in the subject and buzz about the church. I’ll post more on the series itself later. The short take is: how does the gospel answer the brokennes, corruption and idolatry in our culture? Though it feels “safe” here, suburbia (like anywhere else) is a dangerous place to try and live.

On Preaching: Questions for Hearers

Posted by Joe Thorn - 25/08/08

Ok, these questions are not to be answered by those who preach regularly. I only want to hear from people who listen to preaching week in and week out. Got it? Here we go:

1. What would you like to hear more of from the pulpit?

2. When is a sermon too long?

3. Do you listen to “celebrity” preachers (Driscoll, Piper, etc.) via MP3’s, CDs? If so, who?

4. Do you critique your pastor’s preaching by comparing him to the celebrity preachers? Be honest.

5. In general, are you applying the sermon you hear on Sunday to your life throughout the week?

The Monologue

Posted by Joe Thorn - 28/05/08

Earlier this year at the Acts 29 Bootcamp in Chicago Mark Dever spoke on Evangelism and Church Planting, and something he said about preaching has stuck with me more than anything else I heard at that gathering. It is particularly provocative in light of the current conversation that is taking place among pastors about the nature and place of preaching in the church.

Some have become vocal in their objection to preaching as a “monologue.” Some argue that a unilateral proclamation of truth as the regular form of preaching in the church is a bad thing in that it prohibits dialog, turns people into passive spectators, and contributes to the sit-there-and-do-nothing ethos of many of our evangelical churches. But at the Acts 29 Bootcamp Mark Dever argued that gospel-centered preaching as “monologue” is not only biblical, but is practical in that both the content and even the form itself point to the grace of God as our only hope of redemption.

In salvation God acts. He accomplishes our redemption while we receive it by faith. Because salvation is of the Lord, to “sit there and do nothing” is the proper posture of the sinner. Of course that is an overstatement, and I know this is not the point of those arguing against the monologue, but the point is relevant. God has acted on our behalf, he sends his word out into the world announcing this work, and we respond to this word in faith/repentance. When God converts a man he does so through the preaching/proclamation of the word, (Rom 10). Dialog, while good, is not required. When God sanctifies his people, and brings revival to the church and world, he uses Scripture (Jn. 17:17. 2 Thess. 2:13; ). “Back and forth” is often used, but is not necessary. The explicit testimony of Scripture, and the implicit example of the preaching in both the Old and New Testatments all lift up the sermon as monologue as a good thing. In fact, a normative thing. God speaks, and his people are changed. God’s word goes out, and does not return void.

I believe back and forth is an important and necessary aspect to Christian ministry. We should seek opportunities to cultivate such dialog in order to reason with people about the gospel, counsel, etc. But to claim that dialog is necessary for preaching to be effective is not just a stretch, it mocks both the model of the apostolic church and the means of God. Yes, let’s create opportunities for dialogical ministry/teaching, but let’s not abandon the proclamation of Scripture “as monolog” as if it were merely an antiquated and ineffective approach to teaching. I am convinced with Mark that such preaching makes much of the gospel in content and form.

The Hope of Obedience

Posted by Joe Thorn - 02/05/08

I am preaching on Philippians 2:12, 13 this weekend on “Learning Obedience.” Preaching on obedience is tricky. If all I do is call people to keep the law (obey) it will only result in pride or despair. Pride for those who only superficially examine their lives and see themselves as good performers, and despair for those who see their inability to meet God’s standards. In preaching on obedience I have to be careful to show 1) our ultimate hope is not our obedience, but Jesus’ fulfillment of the law, and 2) that there is real hope for our own progress in obedience - but even that is found outside of ourselves. As Paul wrote, “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

In The Gospel for Real Life Jerry Bridges says it this way,

…just as we by faith look to Christ for our righteous standing before God, so by faith we are to look to Him for the enabling power to live the Christian life. This power comes to us a result of our vital and living union with Him.

This is our hope; this is our encouragement to press on in the midst of our frequent falling and failing - the gospel itself!

It is the assurance in the gospel that we have indeed died to the guilt of sin; that there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ Jesus; that the Lord will never count our sins against us; and that we are truly delivered from the reigning power of sin, that will motivate us and keep us going even in the midst of the tension between the Spirit and the sinful nature.

Bridges goes on to quote Horatius Bonar whose words were the best thing I’ve read this week:

The secret of a believer’s holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety, and his daily [communion] with a crucified and risen Lord. All divine life, and all precious fruits of it, pardon, peace, and holiness, spring from the cross. All fancied sanctification which does not arise wholly from the blood of the cross is nothing better than Pharisaism. If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there; else, notwithstanding all our labour, diligence, fasting, praying and good works, we shall be yet void of real sanctification, destitute of those humble, gracious tempers which accompany a clear view of the cross.

False ideas of holiness are common, not only among those who profess false religions, but among those who profess the true. The love of God to us, and our love to Him, work together for producing holiness. Terror accomplishes no real obedience. Suspense brings forth no fruit unto holiness. No gloomy uncertainty as to God’s favor can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will. But the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches. Only the certainty of love, forgiving love, can do this….

Free and warm reception into the divine favor is the strongest of all motives in leading a man to seek conformity to Him who has thus freely forgiven him all trespasses.

Whether you are preaching, teaching or listening this Sunday - let the law and the gospel do their work, but do not confuse the two. The law should show us the way to live, expose our guilt and condemnation since we do not live that way, and show us our need for God’s mercy. The gospel shows us that Jesus fulfilled the law of God for us (our justification), and empowers us to obey (our sanctification) from a sense of love and joy.

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