Biblical Preaching

by Bud Lambert

This is an article written by my dad several years ago in Communique, VOL.4., NO.3, March 1985, which reminded me of how blessed we are at Mt. Juliet to have David Shannon preach to us each Lord's Day. After reading the article I think you will agree.

When is preaching biblical? Preaching that is biblical in content but does not relate to the needs of today's hearers is not truly biblical. Preaching that deals with life situations but is not biblical in content is not biblical preaching. Biblical preaching is both rooted in biblical truth and related to the needs of the hearers. It has both a biblical stance and a contemporary stance. Biblical preaching is a biblical idea applied to the needs of the hearers by a preacher whose attitudes and way of life have been affected by this truth.
Biblical preaching must be filled with biblical content. Such preaching demands that the preacher be a skilled student of the Bible. Biblical preaching forces the preacher to bend his thoughts to the Scripture. It is not done to prove his own ideas, but to lead others to a discovery of God's will. A biblical preacher must be ready to reject his most cherished beliefs and the conclusions of his favorite teachers for the truth. He is committed to speaking where the Bible speaks and keeping silent where the Bible is silent.
To be a biblical preacher, one must learn to live under the authority of the Bible and to preach by the authority of the Bible. He must not seek to speak to the Bible, but seek to let the Bible speak to him. The biblical preacher does not desire to tell others what to believe or how to live, but, through applying biblical truth to their problems, he seeks to let God tell them what to believe and how to live.
Biblical preaching is done by men who first apply biblical truth to their own attitudes and way of life. Someone has said that many preachers fail as Christians before they fail as preachers because they do not think biblically. It is also said that preaching is not only the art of making a sermon and delivering it, but it is the art of making a preacher and delivering that. Preachers cannot lead where they are unwilling to go. He must be an example of the strong faith, loving spirit, and godly conduct which he seeks to help others attain. Before he begins to make God known, it is essential that he first show that he knows God. Spurgeon quotes Gregory as saying, "The hand that means to make another clean, must not itself be dirty." Spurgeon says, "How horrible to be a preacher of the gospel and yet be unconverted!" He then adds, "To be lost under the shadow of the pulpit is dreadful, but how much more so to perish from the pulpit itself!" Paul admonishes, "Keep thyself pure."
Preaching is biblical only when the sermon is applied to the needs of the hearers. The preaching of Jesus was therapeutic. He spoke to meet the needs of men in the contemporary situation. Since God is not only a historical deity who dealt with historical men in a historical situation, the biblical preacher must present the contemporary God who offers solutions and help for the contemporary human situation. Biblical preaching bridges the gap between the time of the writing of the biblical message and the time and needs of the modern hearer. It is not designed to lecture on biblical history, but it is designed to confront man about himself. Hadden Robinson says that preachers speak to congregations who have convened as juries to judge themselves, not to convict Solomon, Judas, or Peter. Biblical preachers must be good exegetes of the Scriptures and good exegetes of men; they must know both biblical truth and the needs of men. Biblical preaching moves from biblical exegesis to application. Dull and unsuccessful preaching usually lacks creative application.
Therefore, the preacher must struggle with the meaning of the biblical text. He must also wrestle with how God wants to change him. And he must ponder what God wants him to say to his hearers. Biblical preaching is the communication of the God-given message by a God-fearing man who preaches to meet the needs of his hearers.

As you have an opportunity this week, let David know how much you appreciate his commitment to biblical preaching!