Monday, December 19, 2011
posted by Ty Blake
Those who are called to preach (it’s not a vocation that we choose) know that our “charge” is given in the Scripture in the inspired writing of the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:2. Simply; “preach the word!”
PREACH: To proclaim, herald, teach with authority, pronounce, public discourse on a religious subject or from a text of scripture.
THE WORD: The word is used of two things in Scripture: 1. The LORD JESUS CHRIST the incarnate WORD. Which we are to proclaim. But the context supports here 2. the Scriptures. (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
So, then we see the preacher is to preach the Scriptures. Not opinions. politics, philosophy or psychology! Let us leave the political punditing to the political pundits. It does not belong in the Pulpit!
Expository preaching is preaching the word. Some preachers may preach a message and then try to build the Scripture around his message. However, in expository preaching the message comes from the text. That is, the text itself gives the message. As Haddon Robinson teaches it’s finding the “big idea” of the text of Scripture and that becomes the message.
EXPOSITION means the setting forth of the meaning or purpose; A discourse designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand; An explanation of something. As a verb TO EXPOSIT means to set forth, expound, elaborate, flesh out, to clarify the meaning of a subject (In our case the Bible).
To exposit also means TO EXPOUND (see above): To present or explain systematically and in detail or to explain the meaning of. The word expound is used several times in the New Testament:
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. (Mark 4:34)
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. (Acts 18:26)
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
Here notice the response: And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32)
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures (Luke 24:45)
Maybe this is explained best in Nehemiah 8:8, So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Expository preaching gives GOD the voice not man. It gives the teaching authority because it’s “Thus saith the LORD”. Expository preaching increases the Biblical knowledge of the congregation and stirs in them a love for GOD’s word and promotes a desire in them to study it for themselves. Bible exposition puts forth HIS word to them and it’s the word of GOD that transforms lives (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
The preacher’s employ is THE BOOK (The Bible, The Scriptures, The Word)! He is to faithfully exposit/expound (teach) it. And he is to be the faithful steward of it’s mysteries. (2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Corinthians 4:1&2).
In expository preaching, GOD and HIS Word are exalted and not the man behind the pulpit! While, at times, the preacher as a “watchman on the wall” (the subject of another post), he must warn against current trends. But to step down from the pulpit into the world of politics is to put one’s hand to the plough and looking back (Luke 9:26).
Pastor Ty
