Preaching in the Advent Season

(cross-posted at capsministry.com)

When it comes to Christmas, some preachers are faced with one or more dilemmas:

• Should I temporarily step away from the book I am preaching through to preach a special Christmas message or series of messages throughout December?
• What texts and topics shall I cover?
• How can I present the old, old story without coming across in a stale way? How do I stay fresh with texts and topics I feel I have exhausted?

Some preachers will not deviate from their normal preaching, but will continue through the book or series they are working through. Some of these will probably recognize the season somewhere in the service. Others will continue their normal preaching rotation, but may use the Christmas story as an illustration of the text. If they are preaching on humility, they may point to how Christ’s first coming provides a perfect example of humility.

Others, however, will devote entire messages to the themes of Christmas. If this is your preference, here are some ideas that may help you present fresh, helpful, Biblical messages for the Advent season, whether you are a pastor or are filling in this month.

Expository Series

• Preaching through a portion of a book – the most obvious idea here would be to preach through Matthew 1 & 2 or Luke 1 & 2. One year, I had the opportunity to fill in at a church in December and preached consecutive messages from Matthew 1:1-17, 1:18-25, 2:1-18, and finished with 28:18-20 (connecting the coming of the King to His marching orders in the Great Commission).
• Preaching through selected passages – one could take a theme and preach expository messages from key passages related to it, for example: “Christmas prophecies made and fulfilled” or “Christmas with the patriarchs & prophets.”
• Preaching stand-alone messages – one could select various passages to preach messages that are not part of a series, except that they share the Christmas theme (such as Genesis 3:15, Genesis 12:1-3, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:1-9, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, John 1:14, Galatians 4:4-7, Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 1, etc.).

Topical Series

• Biographical studies – perhaps “the characters of Christmas”; could focus on the significance of the individual in the larger story and lessons we can learn (positive & negative) from individuals such as: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, magi, scribes, King Herod, Elizabeth, Zacharias, John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, the angel Gabriel, Caesar Augustus (well, maybe not a whole message on him, since he is just mentioned in passing… but there could be some great contrasts between him and the true Ruler), God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and of course, Jesus.
• Geographical theme - trace the events from Bethlehem to Egypt to Nazareth to Calvary or something similar.
• Christmas carols - take the song title as the sermon title, give the background to the song in the introduction and the preach on the main text or truth the song declares (make sure it does teach truth — see the next suggestion).
• Christmas: fact or fiction? or “the myths of Christmas” – could debunk common errors (Really a “silent” night? Is it true that “little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes?” Did the shepherds look up and see a star? Did the wise men visit Jesus immediately after the shepherds?) and focus on giving an accurate account, encouraging the people that it is necessary to know what God’s Word actually says for ourselves.
• The scandal of Christmas – man finds fiancée pregnant before marriage! king born in a cow trough! etc. — there is plenty of shocking material in the Christmas story that points to the glory of God in using the lowly and unexpected to bring His plan to pass.
• The wonder of Christmas – could deal with all the wondering and marveling that the people in the narratives do (Luke 2:18, 33) and how we ought to be far more amazed at what God has done than we are.
• The necessity of Christmas – we don’t need a lot of the stuff we have or get, but we desperately needed for Jesus to come; one could preach a series on our accountability to God our Creator, the punishment our sin deserved, how Christ was qualified to be our sacrifice, and what He accomplished in His life and death

There are many ways to preach helpful, biblical messages for the Advent season. And they can be intermingled as well (for example, preaching a biographical message each year and using the rest of the Sundays for an expository series). But none of them will be as helpful and as biblical as they should be unless you also remember to do the following:

• Connect passage to its context and main point, even if you’re focusing on a minor point.
• Locate the Christmas story in the storyline of the Bible – particularly in how it is fulfilling God’s promises to bring salvation to sinful mankind.
• Be sure to bring out who Jesus is, and the wonder of the incarnation – God taking on flesh, fully God and fully man (but perfect) – it is also good to connect His humble birth, perfect life, substitutionary death, victorious resurrection, exalted title, and His future glorious return.
• Explain why Jesus needed to come – although you could preach a whole message on this topic (one of the suggestions above), it needs to be present in some way any time we preach, if we are to be “gospel” preachers who preach the gospel. And the whole reason Christmas should be so glorious is that it is an announcement of the gospel: “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10).

The Unashamed Workman blog also has some suggestions for dealing with the “Challenges of Christmas Preaching” here.

Two related articles:

"An Ambivalent Hallmark Calendar Guy" by Dr. Michael Lawrence

"100 Failed Human Predictions" by Dr. David Murray

Chattanooga 9Marks Workshop audio

from the Concord Baptist Church website:

Building Healthy Churches

Below is the audio from the 9Marks workshop held at Concord on October 17-18, 2008. At this workshop, many church issues were examined through the light of Scripture to help us answer this question: "What does a healthy church look like?"

Right click and select "save as" to download.

Session 1 - A Theological Vision - Churches that Display God's Glory - Matt Schmucker

Session 2 - Preaching & Biblical Theology - Michael Lawrence

First Evening Q&A - Michael Lawrence and Mark Dever

Session 3 - Gospel, Conversion & Evangelism - Mark Dever

Session 4 - Membership, Discipline, and Discipleship - Greg Gilbert

Session 5 - Leadership - Mark Dever

Session 6 - Covenanting Together - Matt Schmucker

Closing Session Q&A

Understanding Scripture in Light of Christ

The Spring 2008 issue of The Tie is now online. Download the free .pdf here. Read Dr. Jim Hamilton's article on the Interpretation of the OT in the NT here. Very helpful material.

Recommendation: Pierced for Our Transgressions

Jeffery, Steve, Michael Ovey & Andrew Sach. Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution. Forward by John Piper. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007. Trade Paperback, 373 pages. $25.00.

reviewed by Doug Smith (This review originally appeared at SharperIron.)

(Review copies courtesy of Crossway Books.)

Purchase: Crossway | WTS | CBD | Amazon | Moody (Kingsport, TN)

ISBNs: 1433501082 / 9781433501081

Special Features: Bibliography (pp. 337-351), Index of Names, and Index of Biblical References

Table of Contents

Excerpts (includes ten pages of Endorsements, Forward by John Piper, Acknowledgments, and Chapter 1: Introduction)

Subjects: Theology, Soteriology, Atonement

Steve Jeffery is a pastor at Holy Trinity, Lyonsdown, in North London. He has a M.S. and Ph.D. in experimental physics from Oxford University. He is married to Nicole, and they have three children: Ben, Becki and Abi.

Mike Ovey is principal-elect and lecturer in Doctrine and Apologetics at Oak Hill Theological College. He has a Ph.D. in Trinitarian Theology from King’s College, London. He is married to Heather, and they have three children: Charlie, Harry and Anastasia.

Andrew Sach studied theology at Oak Hill Theological College and is now on the staff of St Helen’s, Bishopsgate, in central London. He has a Ph.D. from York University.

The word controversy does not usually suggest pleasant thoughts. We often associate division, harsh words, and even confusion with the concept of controversy. But controversy can have its benefits. Some serious controversies in church history have actually been great blessings to the church. They sharpened fuzzy thinking on the deity of Christ and on the Trinity. These controversies resulted in clarity, making clear the distinction between false teaching and sound doctrine. The controversy over the Bible doctrine of Christ’s penal substitutionary death has brought to light such works as Pierced for Our Transgressions: Recovering the Glory of Penal Substitution. This book is a blessing because it not only brings clarity to the controversy but also edifies in its tone (as opposed to being harsh as some would expect in a polemical work), evangelistically useful, and theologically sound.

Description

Two sections compose Pierced. Part one makes the case for the doctrine, and part two answers its critics. The chapters are complemented by a short but substantive foreword by John Piper and an appendix for preachers with cautions about illustrating the doctrine.

Part One

The authors make their case after setting forth the need for it. They recognize that foundational doctrines have always been attacked, but assert that “[t]he more disturbing thing is that some of the more recent critics of penal substitution regard themselves as evangelicals, and claim to be committed to the authority of Scripture” (p. 25). They wisely lay a good, positive foundation for the doctrine before proceeding to overturn critics’ objections.

The book takes a four-pronged approach in arguing the case “that God gave himself in the person of his Son to suffer instead of us the death, punishment and curse due to fallen humanity as the penalty for sin” (p. 21). The biblical foundations, theological framework, pastoral importance, and historical pedigree of penal substitution are presented in a helpful survey. In chapter 2, the authors zoom in on key passages to examine the doctrine as found in Exodus 12, Leviticus 16, Isaiah 52:13-53:12; the books of Mark, John, and Romans; and Galatians 3:10-13. Chapter 3 explores the place of penal substitution within the big picture of the Bible and finds it central to our understanding of doctrines, such as creation, the fall, sin, the Trinity, and redemption. Chapter 4 details the relationship the doctrine has with pastoral concerns, such as assurance of God’s love, confidence in His truthfulness, passion for God’s justice, and realism about our sin. Chapter 5 embarks on a jet tour through church history, showing that the doctrine has been embraced and articulated not only by the biblical authors but also from the second century to the present; in other words, it is not a new teaching.

Part Two

Chapter 6 introduces the debate over penal substitution, arguing that it is important to engage and thoughtfully answer critics’ objections. The authors proceed to directly answer a cadre of objections, many of which are quite serious. The objections Pierced answers include the following: that penal substitution is not taught in the Bible or, if so, that it is not a significant part of it (chapter 7); that it is a product of our culture or that it is irrelevant to it (chapter 8 ); that it encourages violence, that it can be characterized by terminology like “cosmic child abuse,” and that it contradicts Jesus’s message of peace and love (chapter 9); that it is unjust, that it undermines true divine forgiveness, and that it implies universal salvation (chapter 10); that it is contrary to the character of God (chapter 11); and that it cripples true Christian living (chapter 12).

Evaluation

A 373-page book on doctrine does not sound appealing to many in an age of sound bites and light devotional reading. But this book is thoroughly doctrinal, interesting, and devotional. It has much potential to be useful for the church. In addition, it could be a good book to give to someone who has no acquaintance with the gospel or a poor understanding of it.

The authors are aware of recent scholarship on this doctrine, including Leon Morris (The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross), John Murray (Redemption Accomplished and Applied), and John R.W. Stott (The Cross of Christ). But the fresh onslaught against the doctrine certainly merits a fresh treatment in our day, and in Pierced we find a clear articulation of biblical doctrine that refutes false teaching. Allegations such as those of “cosmic child abuse” by Steve Chalke and Alan Mann in The Lost Message of Jesus must be answered, and they are answered in Pierced.

And lest we think that these false teachings are not in our own circles, let us remember that the doctrine of penal substitution is contrary to our sinful nature, and we should therefore never take the doctrine for granted. Some fundamentalists have looked to Charles G. Finney as a hero of the Christian faith, but his denial of penal substitution would actually be just cause to warn others about him.

Pierced is scholarly yet readable and useful for the average church member as well as the trained pastor or scholar. It is edifying and would also make a good textbook. The table of contents is helpfully organized with subtopics for each chapter, making the material easy to outline. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 could easily be adapted for teaching in a context like Sunday school. Preachers might consider preaching a series on the cross by expounding texts like those covered in chapter 2. A seminary professor teaching on this doctrine would profit from mining the riches of the entire book (which includes a good bibliography and extensive footnotes).

Before the publicizing of this book, I had never heard of the authors. I had a minor concern that the writing would be stilted with three authors sharing the responsibilities (and no clear distinction of who wrote what), but their labors blended well into a clear and flowing read. The book is marked by good illustrations, making a large work easier to digest. For example, they view the doctrine in relation to the rest of Scripture as a key piece in the puzzle, apart from which the pieces do not connect.

The book also gives a good warning about illustrations in its appendix. Some inadvertently teach the following by using ill-thought illustrations of penal substitution: denial of the active, consenting involvement of the Father and the Son; conflict between God’s law and God’s will; that God is unjust to avert our punishment; a conflict between God’s wrath and God’s will; a conflict between God’s attributes; that God did not foreordain Christ’s work; and that no one actually benefits from Christ’s saving work. One of the most serious offenders is the illustration of the railroad switchman who opts to sacrifice his son who has wandered onto a clear main track rather than the multitude on the train who would perish by crashing into parked freight cars if the switch were thrown to save the son. While realizing that no analogy will correspond to every point in reality (they cite Isaiah’s comparison of Christ to a sheep that is silent before its shearers, but understand that Isaiah is making one point and not saying Christ is like a sheep in every respect), we must take care to not accidentally teach false doctrine by the illustrations we choose to employ. Good illustrations illuminate truth and make clear the point(s) of comparison.

The vigor and thoroughness of the authors’ defense of particular redemption may disturb some readers (pp. 268-278). The writers believe that the doctrine of penal substitution and the teaching of the Bible itself clearly imply that Christ died for a specific group of individuals to actually secure their redemption. They may convince those who have struggled with such a teaching to finally see it in the Bible. But those convinced otherwise can still profit much from this book while being reminded that every theory limits the atonement in some way (by extent or design) except for universalism.

Pierced takes us back to a fundamental doctrine, proving it from the Scriptures and showing its implications. Penal substitutionary atonement is at the heart of the gospel. The cross is the centerpiece of the Bible and human history, and a better understanding should help us live a life worthy of the gospel and point sinners to the Savior.

The book’s website provides primary documents from church history and writings related to the present controversy over penal substitution.

Conclusion

Pierced makes a thorough, airtight case for the glorious doctrine of penal substitution and convincingly answers the critics. The book gives us a better understanding of the teaching and how to share it, should motivate us to faithful evangelism and preaching, and should result in worship of the Lamb who was slain and redeemed us by His blood.

The authors model Titus 1:9, where Paul says that an elder “must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (ESV). They give us a good example of how controversy can result in clarity. I heartily and unreservedly recommend Pierced for Our Transgressions.

Recommendation: The Big Picture Story Bible

David Helm, The Big Picture Story Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004). Illustrated by Gail Schoonmaker.

reviewed by Doug Smith

Many of us have read children’s Bible stories that focus on individual stories in the Bible in a disconnected and disjointed way. However, not all such resources approach the Bible in that way! Having just read The Big Picture Story Bible to our family over the last several weeks (thanks to being a winner in a contest Tony Kummer hosted), I can heartily recommend it to you as one that helps you see the forest of the Bible, not just individual trees. Comprised of 26 chapters (11 cover the Old Testament, 15 cover the New), the 456 pages of this hardcover book go by fast. One can easily read one or two chapters in a brief time of family devotions. Although the book is written simply, it is substantive and edifying for adults as well as children.

The chief strength of the book is that it is a mini-biblical theology. Graeme Goldsworthy (Gospel and Kingdom; According to Plan) has contended that the Bible is all about the Kingdom of God, which he defines as God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule. David Helm acknowledges Goldsworthy’s influence and does an excellent job showing the unfolding of this theme throughout the Bible. It is exciting to see the story unfold. You learn that neither David nor Solomon is God’s perfect King, and continually wait for Him until you are presented with Jesus Christ, who is the centerpiece of Scripture and fulfills all the promises about the Kingdom of God. The book makes the Gospel and its implications plain (something that many story Bibles overlook!). It helps us see God's sovereignty and holiness, our sin, and the Savior who suffered in the place of those who believe in Him, that He might make them into God's people, in God's place, under God's rule.

Because of the “big picture” perspective, many favorite Bible stories are overlooked. You won’t find anything about King Saul or the feeding of the 5,000. But The Big Picture Story Bible is not meant to be exhaustive – it is meant to be an overview. As a resource that helps us see “the forest,” it must be selective, especially if it is to be of a suitable length to fulfill its purpose. The bird’s eye view of the book gives readers/listeners a good foundation to see the individual stories within the context of the whole Bible. It’s a great place for children to start and was quite profitable for this adult to read as well!

The only caution I would give about the book regards the illustrations. My children (all under 4) love the colorful cartoonish pictures. But some potential readers may have a problem with any pictures of Jesus and whether this violates the second commandment. I’m not necessarily convinced that this is always true (I believe it can be), and it is certainly not an issue to dismiss lightly. So, if this is a matter of conviction for you, be advised that there are pictorial representations of Jesus in the book.

The Big Picture Story Bible is a great resource to have for your child’s bookshelf as well as for family devotions. It would also be great for young children in a Sunday school, pre-school or Christian school context. Its short chapters make it easy to finish in a month. Its substance makes it easy to want to read it again and again. I hope to read it at least two or three times a year to my family to make sure we don’t miss the forest for the trees when learning the small units of the Bible. It reminds us that the whole Bible is about God's Kingdom, being His people, in His place, under His rule, which is only possible through what our Lord Jesus Christ has done by His perfect life, death, and resurrection for all who trust Him.

Learn more and check it out:

• Description
• Table of Contents
• Excerpt: Part 1: The Very Good Beginning - 4,538K PDF
• Excerpt: Part 23: God's Promise Is Explained - 2,804K PDF

Book Review - Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics

Goldsworthy, Graeme. Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2007. Jacketed Hardcover, 341 pp. (Review copy courtesy of InterVarsity Press.) Table of Contents Excerpts: Introduction: Can hermeneutics be saved? 1. The necessity for hermeneutics Graeme Goldsworthy (Th.M. & Ph.D., UTS Virginia) is a retired lecturer at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia. His other books include Prayer and the Knowledge of God (IVP, 2005), According to Plan (IVP, 1991; 2002), Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture (Eerdmans, 2000), Gospel & Kingdom, The Gospel in Revelation, and The Gospel and Wisdom. These last three titles have been reprinted as The Goldsworthy Trilogy (Paternoster, 2001) Is there a key to interpreting the Bible? What should our basic presuppositions for hermeneutics be? What do we need to take into consideration when we approach the exegesis and interpretation of the Bible?

Description

Graeme Goldsworthy argues that the gospel is the hermeneutical key to the Scriptures and reality. In this book, he considers the basic foundations of proper biblical interpretation. His book is divided into three major sections. He lays some ground rules, shows faulty structures that deserve to be torn down, and suggests how we should rebuild in their place.

Section one, “Evangelical Prolegomena to Hermeneutics” (chapters 1-4), looks at the foundations of hermeneutics, particularly the basic presuppositions that support a proper approach. In this section, the author stresses the importance of the doctrines of grace alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone, faith alone, and the Trinity. He also deals with the effect of the fall upon the human mind and the significance of the role of the risen Christ as mediator.

The second section, “Challenges to Evangelical Hermeneutics” (chapters 5-12), surveys the history of interpretation and the problems of faulty presuppositions and approaches. The author admits that he relied on secondary sources for this section, in order “to show some of the reactions and evaluations occurring in recent scholarly comment, particularly by evangelicals” so that we can “see how the various trends in hermeneutical theory have troubled and exercised the critical judgment of evangelicals” (p. 87). From allegorical interpretation in the early church to Enlightenment rationalism, postmodern “reader-response” approaches, and even evangelical pragmatism, the author relentlessly sifts through approaches that have eclipsed the gospel. He shows that liberals do not have a monopoly on the eclipse of the gospel, but many approaches adopted in conservative quarters have also obscured its clarity, including literalist and subjective approaches. He argues that a “proper grammatico-historical exegesis stems from the fact of the incarnation” (p. 99).

The final section, “Reconstructing Evangelical Hermeneutics” (chapters 13-19), gives Goldsworthy’s prescription for a hermeneutical approach that is faithful to the Bible and therefore centered upon the gospel. Goldsworthy advocates “typology as a method of relating the Testaments” that underlines “the perspective of both their unity and diversity” (p. 238) by asking every text “how it testifies to Jesus” (p. 252). An extensive chart demonstrates how a macrotypology of the Bible works (pp. 253-256). He deals with the literary, historical, and theological dimensions of gospel-centered interpretation and takes a look at the concept of contextualization, including considerations relevant for Bible translation. He includes practical suggestions for Bible study (such as reading plans, taking notes, and prayer) and lists resources for teaching sound hermeneutics to children.

Evaluation

I found this book to be stimulating and fascinating. At least three strong points distinguish this book. The book is stellar in focusing on Christ as the hermeneutic of Scripture and reality, whereas many standard (even “evangelical”) hermeneutics texts neglect the scriptural idea that Christ is the hermeneutical key (Luke 24:27, 44). It seems so obvious, but it has been so obviously forgotten: “the principles of hermeneutics are to be found within the Scriptures themselves” (p. 22). Goldsworthy also persuasively argues that our hermeneutical approach is part of our sanctification, the renewing of our minds, made possible by the gospel. The fall affected our minds and ability for correct interpretation, but Christ even died for this—to justify and sanctify us from our faulty hermeneutics. Finally, the author’s analysis of how the gospel has been eclipsed by flawed hermeneutical approaches is no pedantic exercise but a helpful warning of how quickly we can move from the approach to the Bible advocated by Christ Himself and that displays His gospel in all its clarity. Neither historical proximity to the time of the apostles nor an accumulation of centuries of knowledge are fail-safe measures to ensure proper interpretation; only a renewed mind submitted to the Scriptures will protect Bible-believing Christians from alien influences that undermine the gospel in their hermeneutics.

Goldsworthy addresses several practical concerns with helpful warnings. He warns that separating biblical theology from systematic theology puts one “on the road to liberalism” (p. 271). He warns that the more dynamic Bible translations tend to iron out its metaphors, obscuring the way the text was originally communicated (pp. 290, 293). He writes that “recourse to commentaries and other helps is best left until later rather than sooner in the process of dealing with a text” (p. 313).

Despite the strengths of the book, one should use this book with much discrimination.

First, this book is not a handbook on hermeneutics for the average person.

Its best use would be at the seminary and graduate level. Even then, it may not be a good choice for an introductory hermeneutics class. Its lengthy treatment of matters related to hermeneutical theory is helpful. The author gives some advice about putting theory to work, but the book lacks a comprehensive method for hermeneutics. I point this out, not to denigrate the book, but to help people like me who might assume by its title that it would contain a comprehensive method for its approach. I recommend reading it in thinking through hermeneutical theory, but if you must choose one book to help you interpret the Bible, this is not the one. To see a work designed more for the purpose of equipping one to practice the gospel-centered interpretation the author advocates, see his introduction to biblical theology titled According to Plan: the Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible (IVP, 2002) or the shorter summary by Vaughan Roberts, God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible (IVP, 2002 -- see my review here). (He does provide a brief overview the role of biblical theology in chapter 4 of this book.) The purpose of these works is to help one interpret the parts of the Bible in light of its big picture (something often neglected in hermeneutics texts), but are insufficient to equip one to deal with the various literary genres of Scripture.

Second, the reader should be aware of the author’s view on “literal” interpretation.

Goldsworthy classifies literalism as one of the culprits for the eclipse of the gospel in evangelicalism (p. 169ff.). While conceding that the incarnation required some literal fulfillment, he argues that the New Testament does not support a literal interpretation of Old Testament promises for the restoration of Israel, Jerusalem, and the temple (p. 170). He asserts that the “one great hermeneutic divide that separated Jesus from the unbelieving Jews concerned this very issue of prophetic fulfillment . . . That the Old Testament Scriptures are, as he says, about him (John 5:39-47; 8:39-47, 56-58) must seriously qualify literalism, since Jesus (as Jesus) is not literally in the Old Testament” and adds that “the hermeneutical principle of the Old Testament could only be understood Christologically” (p. 170). As convincing as his arguments appear, some may counter that New Testament events do not decisively rule out a future literal fulfillment, particularly since the prophets often saw events of Christ’s first and second coming together, like peaks of a mountain range that look side by side from afar.

Related to these views on literal interpretation is Goldsworthy’s amillennial eschatology. “Instead of the expected glorious reign of the Christ in a renewed Jerusalem, we learn that the scepter of the risen Christ is the preached word that will be the focus of the worldwide missionary endeavor of the church . . . Pentecost is the demonstration that the millennium has begun, Satan is bound, and Christ reigns through his gospel” (pp. 224-225, cf. p. 82).

Third, the author should probably give more caution in his advice about utilizing critical scholarship.

He suggests that Fundamentalism desires a return to pre-critical exegetical methods (p. 138, cf. pp. 181-182), although he may be painting with a bit of a broad brush, as some fundamentalist seminaries do engage critical works and even recommend critical commentaries as resources. While Goldsworthy recognizes the problem “of the extent to which we can plunder the Egyptians without returning to the leeks and the garlic” (p. 138), it seems that a further caveat should be given. There is a time and place to engage such scholarship, but it is probably best done—with much caution—by the trained scholar or pastor.

Conclusion

In this book, Goldsworthy addresses key issues in regard to hermeneutics. It is a challenging and worthwhile read for the serious student (although a subject index could have increased its usefulness), but may not be the best choice for a stand-alone guide to hermeneutics.

Reviewed by Doug Smith

This review is revised from its original appearance at www.sharperiron.org.

Beginning to Read with M'Cheyne

One of the helpful things about a Bible reading plan like M'Cheyne's is that the reader is immersed in four different areas of Scripture at once. In January, the calendar takes one through Genesis (chapters 1-32), Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (chapters 1-8), Matthew, Mark (chapters 1-3), Acts, and Romans (chapters 1-3).

One of the advantages of this variety is that one may observe the unity of the Bible quicker than consecutively reading through from Genesis to Revelation (although there's nothing wrong with that approach!). My wife and I have thoroughly been enjoying the private readings in our time alone with the Lord and the family readings in our time together. Once or twice a month I would like to post some reflections from one or more readings the calendar includes in that month. These will not usually be comprehensive summaries of the readings, but thoughts on certain key points. In addition, this could be a place where others who are reading through the Bible on M'Cheyne's plan could post comments reflecting on passages from the month.

Right away, the Bible shows us some key things about God and ourselves. God is the uncreated Creator. He is so powerful that He speaks and things come out of nothing. Everytime God speaks, it says "and it was so." He is good and wise and provides habitats and food for his creation. He creates spaces and then fills them. He makes promises and fulfills them (the readings in Ezra, Matthew, and Acts are replete with references to fulfillment). We have a faithful God who creates by His Word and keeps His promises.

He creates mankind out of the dust of the ground. But He makes Adam and Eve "in His image" to reflect His glory, to be fruitful and multiply, and to have dominion over the creation. Yet man rebels and spurns God's warning against disobedience. A curse comes on the earth and life as we know it (marriage, childbearing, and work being affected immediately) is changed forever. Death is now certain for man, and so the genealogies repeatedly say "...and he died," with the exception of Enoch, who walked with God and was taken by Him.

The definition of the kingdom of God advanced by writers like Graeme Goldsworthy and Vaughan Roberts seems to be seen early on in the Scriptures. What they call "God's people in God's place under God's rule enjoying God's blessing" is seen early on. When God created the world and placed Adam and Eve on the earth, they walked with Him in the garden of Eden, obeying Him and enjoying His blessing. But their disobedience changed all that. When deciding to make the rules themselves, they were banished from the garden and life was cursed. Yet there was hope for a return, as the promised seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent one day (Gen. 3:15, the first prophecy of the coming Redeemer, Jesus Christ). The rest of the Bible is about that return to being God's people in God's place under God's rule enjoying God's blessing, and aspects of that theme are present in the other passages of this month.

The story of Abraham is a cornerstone in setting the stage for the drama of redemptive history. Although there were instances and foreshadowings of God's redemptive plan in the early chapters of Genesis (such as the promise of 3:15, the taking of Enoch, and the salvation of Noah's family), things really start to unfold in Genesis 12. God calls Abram (later Abraham) to go into the land that He will show Him and promises to make him a great nation and give him a multitude of descendents. Abram had already started toward Canaan with his father, after they left Ur of the Chaldees, but God appeared specifically to Abram after his father's death to call him to the land. It is quite interesting that the very place God calls Abram from is in the area to which his descendents are later exiled for their disobedience (Chaldea/Babylon).

It is in Abraham, and ultimately, in Christ through whom all the promises of God are yes and amen, that all nations will be blessed. And Matthew recognizes that in the genealogy he gives of King Jesus, as the lineage is ultimately traced back to Abraham. He introduces the King, Jesus, who tells us with divine authority how God's people must live in order to enjoy the fullness of God's blessing (chapters 5-7).

In Ezra, we read of the exiles returning to the land. These were Jews who had been in captivity in Babylon, a consequence for them failing to worship God alone when they were in the promised land. But now God was granting mercy to go back and restore His public worship and live as His people again.

In the second chapter of Acts, we see at Pentecost a reversal of the confusion of languages that took place in Genesis 11, as everyone hears God's Word in their own language. People had been scattered because of their rebellion, but now God was saving people of different languages through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This, of course, is a prelude to the day that God's people from every tribe and tongue will be gathered to praise God in heaven (Rev. 5:9; 7:9).

That leaves us to ponder this question: are we headed toward the promised land of God or toward exile? There are only two ways to live and only two final destinations for eternity. Either we are trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone or we are trusting ourselves. Christ was the God-man who was a sinless sacrifice for sinners, Who rose from the dead and lives forever and who is coming back to judge the world in righteousness. Everyone who trusts Him is accepted by God, but those who reject Him are rejected by God and will be forever banished from God's blessing. While God's people will enjoy His blessing forever in the new heaven and earth, those who reject Christ reject a place in the people of God who lovingly live under God's rule in God's place and enjoy His blessing forever. For those who die without Christ, this life is as good as it gets, because eternal conscious torment in the lake of fire is their destiny. But for those of us who are trusting Christ, this life is the worst it gets. We have much to look forward to in the age to come, and we have much to whet our appetites as we continue to read His Word this year. May this privilege of reading help you and me to live as much as possible as faithful, loving subjects of the King here and now so that we may enjoy Him all the more when we see the kingdom in its fullness.

Book Review-God's Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible

Vaughan Roberts, God's Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), 160pp. Paper.

One of the most helpful features of much modern technology is the "zoom" option. From cameras to word processors, the ability to see both small details and the big picture is helpful to understand more about what we are looking at. Vaughan Roberts' book, God's Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible is one attempt to give students of God's Word "an overview of the main storyline of the Bible" to provide a helpful framework to keep in mind when studying its parts (20). Roberts helps readers "zoom out" to see what the forest of biblical theology looks like so we can better understand the purpose of the individual trees in the Bible and thus "get [our] bearings when [we] land in any part of it" (20).

DESCRIPTION

Roberts aims "to help Christians find their way around the Bible and to see how it all holds together and points us to Jesus" (14). Some have called this book "Goldsworthy lite," thinking of it as a simplified version of Graeme Goldsworthy's approach to biblical theology. Roberts admits as much, saying, "Anyone who has read Gospel and Kingdom [by Goldsworthy] will see its influence in these pages" (10). Both writers see Scripture as a unified and interconnected work. Roberts explains:

The Old Testament on its own is an unfinished story; a promise without a fulfillment. We must read on to the New Testament if we want to know what it really means. And the New Testament constantly looks back to the promise it fulfills. (19-20)

God's Big Picture sees the kingdom of God as the unifying theme that shows how the Bible fits together. This theme is not forced upon the Scripture but arises out it and it sufficiently encompasses the whole of Scripture in a way that allows "each part to make its own distinct contribution" (20-21). Furthermore, "God's kingdom was the dominant theme in Jesus' teaching" (21). The kingdom of God is understood to be presented throughout Scripture as "God's people in God's place under God's rule and blessing" (21).

In eight chapters, the book traces the kingdom motif throughout the Bible.

"The Pattern of the Kingdom" introduces us to elements of this unifying them by looking at Genesis 1:1-2:25. "The Perished Kingdom" (Gen. 3) shows the results of man's rejection of God's kingdom. "The Promised Kingdom" (Gen. 17:1-8; Gal. 3:6-14) focuses on God's promises of salvation. It particularly emphasizes God's covenant with Abraham, which promised a people, a land, and blessing, and shows that, from the start, the kingdom of God was intended to include Gentiles as well as Jews. "The Partial Kingdom" (a lengthy chapter in comparison with the others) covers passages ranging from Genesis 12 to 2 Samuel 7:1-17 to trace the kingdom through the history of Israel and highlights the promise of a king. "The Prophesied Kingdom" focuses on the role of the prophets in announcing the coming fulfillment of the promises of the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God "sums up the prophetic hope" (108), according to Roberts. As the book turns to the New Testament in "The Present Kingdom," the author states:

At first sight we may feel that a genealogy is an uninspiring way to start the New Testament, but, if we remember God's promises, we will be on the edge of our seats as soon as we read the words: 'A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham' (Matthew 1:1). He is the one who fulfills the promises to Abraham in Genesis 12 and to David in 2 Samuel 7. The apostle Paul expresses it clearly: 'no matter how many promises God has made, they are "yes" in Christ' (2 Corinthians 1:20). (107)

The chapter shows how Jesus brings the kingdom of God. As for God's people, Jesus did what Adam and Israel failed to do. Jesus is the place of God's kingdom, fulfilling the purposes of the tabernacle and temple. God's rule and blessing come about through the new covenant Jesus establishes and the blessing that flows from His kingship. These things came about through the "triumphant success" of the cross (114). There was no other way for Christ to bring God's kingdom apart from His obedience to the Father and death as a substitute for sinners. His resurrection inaugurates a new age of God's blessing.

Roberts' bite-size overview of the Gospels culminates in his assertion that the kingdom has come, although it has not yet come in its fullness (119). He compares Jesus to a conductor who has returned to offer salvation to those who have refused to play God's tune. While some submit to this redeemer, they will continue to play some wrong notes and produce discord, since there is still a future aspect to the kingdom (118-119).

In "The Proclaimed Kingdom," the author says, "The promises of the kingdom will not be completely fulfilled until [Christ's] second coming" (123). He gives 2 Timothy 3:1 and James 5:3 as reasons for viewing "the last days" as the time between the first and second comings of Jesus, meaning that, according to New Testament usage, we have been in the last days for the last two millennia. God has delayed Jesus' return "so that more people will have a chance to hear the gospel and repent before it is too late" (125). Right now, God is working by His Spirit through the proclamation of the gospel to extend His kingdom. The Spirit is reversing the judgment of Babel (separation of nations along linguistic lines) and, in a way peculiar to this age, He indwells and empowers believers to bear witness to the truth before those who do not believe. The return of Jesus takes place after the gospel is preached to all nations.

The church is God's people (131). God's place is this holy people who trust Christ. God's Spirit dwells in us individually and as a Christian community (131), and helps us to enjoy God's rule and blessing by living according to His standards (132).

The present age leaves us longing for "The Perfected Kingdom." In this chapter, Roberts surveys the book of Revelation to show what God has told us about the complete fulfillment all His promises, particularly as His people are with Him in the new creation, in the new temple, enjoying His rule and blessing forever.

EVALUATION

The book has several advantages. Its brevity and ease of reading make it accessible to a wide audience, even as young as high school. Most of the chapters are short and include questions for discussion and application, making it ideal for Sunday school, classroom use, or personal study. It contains many helpful charts. It whets the appetite for further Bible study and is useful even for students advanced in their hermeneutics that may be familiar with the minutiae of Scripture but have forgotten what the view of the whole thing looks like. It is common to hear that we should interpret a text in light of its immediate context, the book that it is in, and the whole Bible, but sometimes it is difficult to see how it fits in with the rest of the canon. Vaughan Roberts has given us a resource that helps in this area.

As useful as the book is, the reader should be aware of Robert's views of the interpretation of the days in Genesis 1, the nation Israel, and eschatology. These particular concerns would keep me from recommending the book for private study to those without a good grounding in the Scriptures and Christian theology.

Roberts states the following about God's creation of the world:

Whether he completed the job in six literal twenty-four hours days or over a longer period does not really matter (Christian opinions differ over how we should interpret Genesis 1). What is important is the fact that God is the creator of all things. (27)

However, such an issue may well matter a great deal, as one's view of the days of Genesis could impact one's view of the historicity of Adam and Eve, the origin of sin, and even the events of the gospel itself. Some spiritualize the days of Genesis into long ages simply to accommodate a supposed body of scientific evidence that would render the literal interpretation nonsensical. These interpreters may well be guilty of compromising the very foundations of the gospel (albeit unintentionally).

Dispensational readers may quickly notice that Roberts' does not share their views on the nature of Israel and predictive prophecy. His amillennial eschatology surfaces frequently in the last half of the book (I write as a premillennialist).

Roberts plainly states, "The new Israel is the church" (131). As far as a future for Israel, he discourages readers from looking for fulfillment of the Old Testament promises "in the State of Israel" and says not "to expect a new temple to be build there" (108). He writes:

God made his promises to Israel in ways they could understand. He used categories they were familiar with, such as the nation, the temple and material prosperity in the land. But the fulfillment breaks the boundaries of those categories. To expect a literal fulfillment is to miss the point. (109)

It would have been helpful to see his analysis of Romans chapters 9-11 (especially chapter 11) in regard to these points.

Neither the 1,000 years of Christ's reign nor the 144,000 should be understood in terms of literal numbers, according to Roberts (145, 148). The lake of fire is seen to represent eternal death; Roberts does not clearly indicate whether he thinks this means there is an eternal conscious torment of the damned or not (144).

He also makes his amillennial views clear when he speaks about other passages in Revelation in an endnote, writing:

Revelation 20:2-3 speaks of Satan being bound and then thrown into the Abyss at the start of the thousand-year period. There is good reason to believe that those events have taken place in the past. Revelation 12:10 makes it clear that Satan has already been hurled down from heaven. He was defeated by the death and resurrection of Christ and has been bound ever since. He is powerless to stop God calling his elect into his kingdom, but he has still not admitted defeat and continues to attack God's people. Revelation 11:7 describes him coming up from the Abyss to attack the witnessing church. He could not have come up from the bottomless pit if he had not already been thrown down into it. I believe that occurred when Christ died and rose. That is when the millennium began. It will continue until just before the return of Christ.

These concerns should not result in a dismissal of Roberts' book, but they need to be pointed out. Because of them, I think the book would be most useful in a classroom setting or a discipleship/mentoring relationship where a more competent teacher can help the student when these issues arise.

CONCLUSION

Vaughan Roberts' small volume of biblical theology is useful to help us "zoom out" and see the big picture of the Bible. Despite the caveats given above, the book is still valuable to help us see what the Bible is all about so we can interpret its parts in light of it as a whole. God's Big Picture is a great starting point for encouragement to be better students of God's Word, clear proclaimers of His truth, more obedient children of God, and more faithful evangelists in spreading the good news of King Jesus.

UPDATE (12/27/07): Jason Button has posted links to some other reviews of this book, including a triple book review at 9Marks (this book and Goldsworthy's Gospel & Kingdom and According to Plan)