“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
–II Timothy 3:16-17Following the voice of the Good Shepherd requires an extraordinary humility. I need God’s breathed out Scripture because I am an ignorant fool who needs to be taught, rebuked, corrected, and trained to be righteous. Oh, what grace is there for a weak fool like me in the deep instruction of the Bible! All of my faults and sins, my weaknesses and temptations, my needs to be further conformed to the image of the Son are confronted by God’s Word to my humble and ready ears.
This why I am committed to expository preaching. That is, the entire point of every sermon is the text of Scripture itself which is relayed to the life of the Christian and the local church. In Alistair Begg’s fine booklet Preachingfor God’s Glory he contends, “We are on the wrong track if we think expository preaching merely as a preaching style chosen from a list (topical, devotional, evangelistic, textual, apologetic, prophetic, expository). As John Stott says, ‘All true Christian preaching is expository preaching.’”
I know topical preaching and topical Bible studies are the more popular in our culture. One may think, “well, that’s just what I prefer.” I understand it is what you prefer, but is that truly wise? We are tempted to raise our children in more exciting settings as if Scripture taught deeply passage by passage is not enough to keep my children in the faith when they get older. I understand it is what your children prefer, but is that truly wise?
Glance at a list of sermons on a topical preacher’s website or Sunday School’s curriculum and you will find massive gaps. Why do they skip large portions of Exodus or the Gospel of Matthew, for example? Then ask yourself, what riches in these large passages am I and my family missing which we need to be taught, rebuked, corrected, and trained to be righteous with?
Topical preaching feeds truths in portions, but misses the deep riches of entire swaths of God’s Word and reduces difficult texts as simply marginal or lessons for moral living. The “types and shadows” which lead human history to Christ’s kingship making all things new are oblivious in the ears of the preacher who simply wants to discuss steps to improve marriages or various other subjects. These steps and subjects are indeed in Scripture, but to handle the Word of God as simply a collection of topics to help rather than deeply understanding the whole counsel of God in reference to Christ will miss the “fire in our hearts” as the men on the road to Emmaus experienced.
If you are a preacher or teacher of God’s Word, remember we are held to a higher account for how we handle God’s Word in the face of God’s people. We are to lead them deeper into the text, not use the text to move them away from it. I encourage everyone willing to take the time to read this article to attend a church devoted to the exposition of Scripture. You may visit us at Allison Avenue, watch our livestream, or download our sermons. It is here in the deep study and understanding of God’s Word we hear the voice of our Good Shepherd and follow Him. And this is good news: such preaching and teaching of God’s Word will equip you and your family “for every good work” as God’s craftsmanship for God’s glory.
Heavenly Father, prepare my heart to receive Your Word as a skillful farmer plows, plants, and waters. Grant me patience to hear Your wise instruction to bear in me much fruit. If it pleases You, reveal Yourself to me through the rich treasures of Scripture which points to Christ and burns like fire in my heart. For Your glory’s sake I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
