Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World: Applying Christ: Getting Down to Earth Part One

By Tim Keller

Faith in the saving work of Christ is the only tool to dismantle sin in our lives.
We are sanctified by faith, not just justified by faith.

3 macro-Strategies for applying a text
1) Critique religion as well as irreligion
2) Aim at heart motives as well as the outward behaviour
3) Look at the text through three application perspectives

1) Critique religion as well as irreligion
Say that the gospel is neither morality nor immorality. The gospel is the third way
Religion says ‘if I work hard on biblical principles God will bless me.’
The gospel says ‘God will bless me through trusting in His Son, this gives me power to work hard at biblical principles.’
Functionally the churchman’s heart tends to religion.

Reasons why this method is useful:
a) Many professing Christians are not Christians
b) We constantly need our practise aligned with their theology
c) Some people who reject Christianity reject it because they believe it to be religion

If we preach: ‘immorality bad and Christianity good’ people tend to think that Christianity is the opposite of immorality and

Moralism tends to stress truth over grace
Immoralism tends to stress grace over truth

Truth without grace is not truth. Grace without truth is not grace. Christ came full of grace and truth.

Religious people don’t believe that the God of wrath has been propitiated. The religious man has to keep on working to gain the blessing of God.
Immoral people don’t believe that there is a God of wrath to be propitiated. Immoral people do not feel accountability towards God.

If we preach the gospel we will offend the religious like Christ did: ‘Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.’ (Matthew 21:31)

In Gal 2:14 Paul deals with Peter’s racial pride. Paul does this by exhorting Peter to live by the implications of the gospel and not by quoting a rule. This is the best way of dealing with racism.

‘The truth of the gospel is the principle article all Christian doctrine most necessary is it that we know this article well, teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually.’ – Luther

Applying the gospel to discouragement:
Moral approach: You’re breaking the rules, repent
Immoral approach: Enjoy yourself it’ll be fine
Gospel approach: If I’m downcast it’s because something is more important to me than Christ

Applying the gospel to family life
Moral approach: Obey the family values. In the moralistic mindset the family is important.
Immoral approach: There’s no need for family loyalty
Gospel approach: If God is my ultimate Father than I am freed from being too dependent or hostile to my parents!

Applying the gospel to guilt:
Moral approach:
Immoral approach: Loosen the standards so you don’t feel guilty any more
Gospel approach:

If the real god of your life is to be a successful businessman and you don’t become successful you will feel guilt without the hope of forgiveness. This is the god of the Pharisees- a god of wrath who wants to satisfied by works that can never be propitiated.

(To be continued in part two)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World: Introduction to the Christ Centred Model of Preaching

Lectured Tim Keller In order to prepare a good sermon the preacher should be asking: What does this text tell me about the person and work of Jesus? In preaching the preacher should be asking the people: How am I failing to rejoice in and live as if this text is true about who Jesus is? The preacher should be showing that people are poor due to their lack of faith in Christ. The aim of every sermon is to experience Christ through the text. You need to get people to adore and enjoy Christ through the text. We shouldn’t preach principles or example to live up to but re-assure people that living a holy life is derived from faith in Christ. In a lecture the aim is to transfer information. In a sermon the aim is to be get the listener to worship on the spot. Three types of questions to evaluate a sermon: 1) Was it a sound sermon? Was Jesus the climax of the text? 2) Was it practical? Was Jesus presented as the solution to spiritual problems? 3) Was there a sense of God? Was Jesus made visib
Read more

Judges through Poets- 3b: Deborah and Japhthah

The cycle found in Judges reaches its climax with Samson. Deborah- Judges 4:1-5 Deborah is a woman with a specified role of leadership in the OC. V4 tells us that Deborah is a Prophetess. The Hebrew word for Prophetess used here means ‘a woman female prophetess’. By using this word the writer is telling us that this is not a common situation. Deborah is the wife of Lapidoth (v4). The Prophetess is under male authority. Deborah was judging Israel. The word ‘judging’ is used over 200 times in the OT. Judges 4:4 is the only instance where the word is connected to a woman. We can see that Deborah’s position is not normative but special. What was the condition of Israel at this time? Severe oppression (v3). The same word used here for ‘oppression’ is also used in Exodus 22:21 to describe the oppression of the Egyptians to the Israelites. The oppressor was Jabin from Hazor (v2) The Israelites had demolished Hazor in Joshua 11:10-13. The Canaanites re-settled in the land of Hazor with Jaben a
Read more

Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World: Expounding Christ through the Structure of Redemptive History Part One

By Edmund Clowney We must see scripture as a whole. When Christ met with His disciples leaving Jerusalem in Emmaus they were discouraged. Christ says that the disciples didn’t understand the whole of scripture. They didn’t understand that the concept of spiritual redemption came from the Jewish scriptures. Christ showed them that Old Testament is all about Him. The disciple’s hearts burned within them. In scripture we have one complete story with Christ being the completion of this story. We live in the time of climax. He said ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30). The Lord in His own redeeming act initiated redemptive history The Exodus was a move of liberation on God’s part. The Israelites were delivered by the power of God. God didn’t only bring them out of Egypt; He brought the people into covenant relationship and the promised land of Canaan on eagle’s wings (Exodus 19:4). In Leviticus 26 God promises to walk among His people and be their God. He promises His presence through the construc
Read more