Preaching Christ, part 2

It is possible to preach much valuable truth essentially belonging to the Gospel, and yet not to preach the Gospel . . . Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry, p. 254

Without hesitation I can say I regret my early years of ministry.  I wish I could take back many of the sermons I preached.  It is not that they were heretical -- they simply lacked the Center -- Jesus Christ crucified and risen.  I preached the Gospel to the lost and exhorted the saved with the law.  I did not point my people to their Redeemer.  I failed to relate every part of the Christian life to the Savior. 

I am reading Charles Bridges discussion of Preaching the Gospel, from The Christian Ministry. (see previous blog for link).  He notes that the NT is filled with examples of relating Christ Crucified to almost every obligation -- and it does so seemlessly.

A few quotes:
How naturally do the Apostles introduce their Master in the midst of discussions apparently the most irrelevant. . . . . (and then in the footnote on this sentence:) Such as the duties of husbands, Eph v.25; servants, 1 Peter ii.18-25; the sin of evil speaking, Titus 111.2-6; matters of eccesiastical discipline, 1 Cor v.7

EXACTLY! There is no moralism in the NT -- it is all the fruit of the blood of Christ applied to the depths of the sinful human heart as the only remedy sufficient to bring change and forgiveness.  This was a huge discovery for me.  Not too bright am I!

One more quote, citing Matthew Henry:
Though the Scriptures are the circumference of faith, the round of which it walks, and every point of which compass it touches.  yet the center of it is Christ; that is the polar star on which it rests. To say this in our language -- Scripture is a vast circle which touches on so many subjects, but the center of that circle in the person and work of Christ and they are all related to him.

Let us never give our people any hope of heaven or holiness but the Redeemer's glorious work for us.

Comments

[Daniel Lang]

My name is Daniel and I preach the one and true gospel which Paul declared clearly in 1 Cor 15:1-6,"I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;by which ye are saved,if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you,unless ye have believed in vain.For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,how that the Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,and that He was buried, and that He rose again according to the scriptures."Jesus said, "the prophets and the Law prophesy until John" Jesus said, "(You) search the scriptures;for in them ye think ye have eternal life:and they are they which testify of me"...All the writings of the prophets, no exception first and foremost prophesy of the Christ, and Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. The true gospel is and only is the "word preached by the gospel". And the gospel is that the Christ died for our sins according to all the writings of the prophets, He was buried and He rose again the third day according to every single passage written in what we call the New Testament, and Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ.

All things are judged by this gospel. This gospel is preached and how do men respond- the spirits are tested. And the gospel Paul preached is the gospel Jesus preached-they are one and the same. (Luke 24)

All understanding comes from knowing Christ Jesus, and all the scriptures in the light of this true gospel message (there is only one gospel) reveal the Christ and Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ.

Daniel Lang