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Luther On Preaching-Part 3

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Over the past couple of days I have posted two blogs on Luther’s view on preaching. The bulk of these blog posts are taken from a research paper that I wrote for a Martin Luther class that I took in seminary. I have not revised this research paper in order for it to be a blog or anything like that. I am simply posting each section of the paper on this blog each day.


With that being said, today we are on part three of this six part series. Monday, we had the introduction. Tuesday we saw how Luther believed that preaching needed to be Word driven. Today, we are going to see how Luther believed that preaching needed to be clearly articulated.
A Brief Word
Preachers would be wise to take heed to what Luther has to say about preaching in a clear, simple way so that all might understand. This is a common thought among great preachers. George Whitefield, John Stott, and Richard Sibbes say things that are very similar to what Luther has said regarding this subject.

The average church goer would be wise to take note of Luther’s teaching on this as well. We would all be better stewards of the Gospel if we studied it so diligently that we were able to teach it to a four year old simply and clearly. Also, we would be better evangelist if we took what Luther says seriously. I say that because in evangelism, you cannot use all kinds of churchy language. You are talking to people that have often times never been to a church, nor have they ever picked up a Bible. With this being the case, you have to teach them. You cannot teach them in a lofty manner (which usually happens when you do not have that great of a grasp on the subject). You must teach them in a simple manner (which becomes easier and easier as you study a little more diligently). Anyways, there is much to be said regarding this subject. I hope to write a blog on the importance of teaching and preaching simply in the coming weeks, but this will suffice to show the importance for now.
Part 3-Clearly Articulated

Luther’s aim in preaching was to get people to understand the Bible. He was not interested in proving himself to be the wisest man in Wittenberg. Rather, he was concerned for the salvation of his hearers. Therefore, he sought to preach in a way that common men and women could understand. Luther understood Christ to have done the same thing. He said, “Christ could have taught in a profound way but he wished to deliver his message with utmost simplicity in order that common people might understand.[1] Seeing that Christ did this, he wanted to imitate his Savior.

Luther also believed that the best preachers are the ones that can teach this way. Luther said, “Accordingly he’s the best preacher who can teach in a plain, childlike, popular, and simple way.”[2] This was incredibly important to Luther. So important that he deplored people who did not preach with simplicity and clarity. Regarding preachers that did not do this, Luther said, “Cursed be every preacher who aims at lofty topics in the church, looking for his own glory and selfishly desiring to please one individual or another.”[3] 

Here Luther is condemning preachers that are seeking to be profound. They want to make a name for themselves. They have no interest in laying out the Gospel promise so that a child can take hold of it. They want to impress the learned so that they can be highly esteemed. Luther knew that this was not the reason a preacher ascends the pulpit though. He says, “Philip (a very intelligent companion to Luther) doesn’t need to be instructed, and I don’t teach or lecture for his sake, but we preach publicly for the sake of plain people.”[4] Luther could not prepare a sermon having only Philip Melanchthon in mind. That would be disgraceful. The preacher must have the uneducated and blue-collar laborers in mind. That is why, when Luther was talking to a student named Bernard, he said, “Therefore, my dear Bernard, take pains to be simple and direct; don’t consider those who claim to be learned but be a preacher to unschooled youth and sucklings.”[5]

Luther believed preaching should be done with clarity and simplicity. He wanted kids, farmers, and servants to be able to lay hold of the main point of the text so that they could hear God speak to them and thus lay hold of the blessed Lord Jesus. He took pains to be diligent in his study so that he could be clear in his proclamation. He also believed that any good preacher was going to labor to do the same. But what was it that Luther was seeking to be clear about? Luther believed that good preaching was soul searching. Therefore, he sought to be clear about the sinfulness of sin within the lives of his hearers. This is what we will turn our attention to tomorrow (Lord willing).

[1]Ibid. 383.
[2]Martin Luther, Luther’s Works: Table Talk, 384.
[3]Ibid. 235.
[4]Ibid. 383.
[5]Ibid. 235-236.

Luther On Preaching-Part 2

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Yesterday, I shared that I was going to be doing a 6 part series going over Luther’s view on preaching.  After I introduced what I was going to be doing, I posted Part 1 of the series which simply consisted of the introduction. Today, we get to the good stuff though. I say that because today we get to look at how Luther believed that preaching was to be Word driven. 


A Quick Word

We need to take heed to Luther’s admiration for the Word of God. A lot of these men in church history equated how much one loved the Word of God to how much one actually loved God. Now some may say that is idolatry of the Bible. Okay, so I do believe that some people can make the Bible an idol (KJV ONLY PEOPLE!!). But that is not what the reformers were saying when they equated ones love for the Bible as ones actual love for God. 

You see, they knew and understood that God has chosen to make himself known through the Bible. As we look into the pages of sacred Scripture, we see a testimony to who God is. In our day, some people are prone to say, “Well, I believe God to be a God of mercy and not a God of justice.” Or some may say, “To me, God is like …..” That is not how it works though. 

When it comes to who God is, the only correct way to think is, “In the Bible, the Holy Spirit testifies that God is merciful and just.” Everything we believe about God must be grounded in the Bible or it is false. The reason for this is because the Bible is the way in which God has made himself known.

Also, we believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. The Scriptures are what testify to the the person of Jesus Christ. It is in the Bible that we see Christ. It is in the Bible that Christ is revealed to us. That is the only place he is revealed. 

So when the reformers equated how much one loved the Word of God to how much one actually loved God, they simply meant that if you love God then you will love the Word because the Word is a testimony of the one whom you love. I think they are absolutely right.

With that being said, let us now turn to part 2 to see what Luther has to say about Word driven preaching.

Part 2-Word Driven

For Luther, preaching was first and foremost Word driven. A preacher’s authority does not lie within himself, but rather in the words in which he speaks. Therefore, if he is to have any authority in the pulpit, he must be speaking from the authoritative Word of God. This is why Luther is considered to be an expositor of the Word. He sought to preach expositionally, and he sought to get preachers to preach expositionally. With this being the case, he “elevated biblical exposition to its grandest height since the early church.”[1] The amazing extent that Luther was dedicated to the text in his preaching is seen all throughout his writings and sermons. It is in all of his writings and sermons that will lead some to say that it was not only Luther’s conscience that was captive to the Word of God, but it was his preaching too.[2]

When Luther was preparing a sermon, he wanted to find the main point of the text.[3] The main point of the text is what he wanted to focus on and stay on. He wanted it to be the central theme of his sermon. This is, in a sense, why he did not like elaborate introductions. He felt as though that would distract the congregation. Therefore, in the beginning of his sermons he would just simply state the text’s main point.[4] After stating the main point of the text, he would then labor to stick to the text the entirety of the sermon. Regarding this, Luther said, “In my preaching I take pains to treat a verse of the Scriptures, to stick to it, and so to instruct people that they can say, ‘That’s what the sermon was about.’”[5] Thus, he wanted the God inspired text to be so engrained in the minds of his hearers that they could undoubtedly recall the text that the sermon was on. Luther did not simply want this to be a merely academic process though. In other words, he did no want his congregation to feel as though they were listening to a commentary being read. Rather, he believed that the exposition of the Scripture should be clearly articulated in a simple manner so that all could understand.

[1]Steven J. Lawson, The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther, 28.
[2]Fred W. Mueser, Luther the Preacher (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1983) 41.
[3]Ibid. 47.
[4]Fred W. Mueser, Luther the Preacher, 48
[5]Martin Luther, Luther’s Works: Table Talk, ed. Theodore G. Tappert and Helmut T. Lehmann, vol. 54. American Edition (Philadephia: Fortress Press) 160.

Luther On Preaching-Part 1

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I have been doing a great deal of studying on Martin Luther for the past six months now. During this time of becoming acquainted with Luther, I have fallen in love with some of his views on preaching. It is for this reason that I wrote a research paper on this very topic. It is this research paper that I want to share with you all.

What To Expect

Over the next 6 days, I am going to post little sections from my paper that I submitted. Part 1 will be the introduction. Part 2 will cover how Luther believed preaching was to be Word driven. Part 3 will cover how Luther believed preaching was to be clearly articulated. Part 4 will cover how Luther believed preaching ought to be soul searching. Part 5 will cover how Luther believed preaching should be Christ exalting. Lastly, part 6 will be the conclusion of these blog posts.

I Know What You Are Thinking

Okay, so right now you are probably wondering whether keeping up with this will be worth your time or not if you are not a pastor or aspiring to be a pastor. I understand why you would be thinking this. But I want to tell you that it will be worth your time. Preachers are not the only ones that need to understand what good preaching is. The members of the congregation need to understand what good preaching is as well. These little blogs will help you to better understand what good preaching is. This is not because these blogs have been written by me. Rather, it is because they are written about what Luther has said about the preaching ministry, and believe me, he knew a thing or two about preaching the Word of God.

Part 1-Introduction

Prior to the Reformation, preaching did not have the same importance as it did during the days of Christ and the Apostles. Some time between the days of Chrysostom and Luther, the Roman Catholic Church had made the pulpit a place for the Mass, ceremonies, and rituals. With this being the case, the pulpit was no longer a place for the empowered proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.[1]

So there needed to be a reformation, but if a reformation was going to take place, then there needed to be a recovery of the exposition of the Word of God from the pulpit. This is why Martyn Lloyd Jones, after studying years of church history, said, “What is it that always heralds the dawn of a Reformation or a of a Revival? It is renewed preaching. Not only a new interest in preaching but a new kind of preaching.”[2] Therefore, somebody in the 1500s had to develop and implement a biblical view of preaching. There had to be somebody that was going to understand the importance of the preaching ministry. There had to be somebody that knew the ministry of the Word was of great importance, and who was going to dedicate the entirety of their life to it.

Thankfully there was such a man. God had ordained a man named Martin Luther to be born for such a task as this. God had set Luther apart when he was in the womb of his mother so that he could reform the church through the proclamation of the word of truth from the pulpit. And that is exactly what Luther did. Luther knew that a Reformation of the Roman Catholic Church would only be successful if the preaching of the Word was supreme.[3] Therefore, he labored unto death doing just that.

Since Luther understood the importance of the sermon, it is important to look further into his view of preaching. Luther was passionate and dogmatic about the preaching ministry so he has much to teach people in regards to the preaching ministry. For the purpose of this research paper, there will be an examination of Luther’s view of preaching. This paper will reveal that Luther believed preaching should be Word driven, clearly articulated, soul searching, and Christ exalting.

[1]Steven Lawson, The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther (Sanford, Florida: Reformation Trust, 2013), xvii.
[2]Martyn Lloyd Jones, Preaching and Preachers (Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2011), 31.
[3]Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther (Nashville: Abington Press, 1978) 359.

Why Memorize Scripture?

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Biblical Precedence

Just like everything, you must understand that something must have biblical precedence in order for you to be motivated to do it. That is why this is first. Here are some verses that give biblical precedence for memorizing Scripture:

  • Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.”
    • There may be many ways that we can get the word of Christ to dwell in us, but Scripture memory has to be one of them!
  • John 15:7 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
    • Christ wants us abiding in him, and he wants his words abiding in us. I imagine Scripture memory is a great way to have the words of Christ abiding in us.
  • Psalm 119:16 “I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.”
    • Scripture memory has to be a vital aspect in not forgetting God’s word!
  • Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
    • One way to store God’s Word in our heart is Scripture memory.

There are more verses that give precedence to Scripture memorization, but these will suffice to show that there is biblical precedence for Scripture memory.
Practical Benefit
There are numerous practical benefits to memorizing Scripture. This is probably obvious because there is biblical precedence. That which God has placed any importance on is going to be of practical benefit for us. He never places importance on something that is not good for His children. With that being said, here are some practical benefits of memorizing Scripture:

  • Helps with our sanctification
  • Helps with our evangelism
  • Helps with our prayer
  • Helps with our repentance
  • Helps with our counseling of others
  • Helps with teaching our family the things of God
  • Helps with teaching and preaching

“So how does it help with sanctification?”

Okay, so factual knowledge of the Bible does not always produce spiritual maturity. There are plenty of people that know the Bible, and yet continue to show a great deal of spiritual immaturity in their walks. But I can honestly say that spiritual maturity cannot happen apart from gaining factual knowledge of the Bible. You simply cannot raise your kids up in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” apart from knowing that you are suppose to be doing this. You must have that factual knowledge before you can be obedient to it. 

Scripture memory is going to give us factual knowledge of the Bible. In memorizing Scripture, we are going to understand in greater depths all that Christ Jesus has done for us in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. As you memorize Scripture, you are going to come across specific verses that should increase your affection for God. You are also going to realize commands that God has given us that you were never really aware of before hand. This will allow you to love Christ more, get more joy in who God is, and be obedient to more of the commands of God. 

“So how does it help with our evangelism?”

Evangelism consist largely of teaching. It really does. As you approach somebody, you engage them with the intent on sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with them. Finally, you get to a point in the conversation where you are going to share. You are about to begin to tell them about Christ Jesus crucified and resurrected for sinners!! This whole moment though is a teaching moment. It really is. You are about to have to teach with clarity and simplicity the greatest news ever told. Memorizing Scripture will help with this. You will be a better teacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as you memorize more of the Bible.

I am not going to answer all of these because it would make this blog entirely to long and you would probably quit reading it. So lets answer only one more.

“So how does it help with our repentance?”

A great theologian once said, “The entire life of believers should be repentance.” This is a striking and truthful statement. Also, it has become evident to me that Scripture memory will allow us to live a life full of repentance. I say that for multiple reasons. Lets say you pick up the Bible and begin to memorize the book of Ephesians. You have made it into chapter 4 and you are memorizing, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). As your memorizing this, you become increasingly aware that God, in these verses, has bid you to live a life worthy of what Christ has accomplished for you on the cross. This means that you are to live a life that is characterized by “all humility and gentleness.” How are you doing on that? Would people think of you as having all humility and gentleness? If your anything like me, probably not. Therefore, as we start thinking about this verse more and more through our toil in memorizing it, we repent because of the piercing truth that it is revealing to us. This will happen time and time again as your memorize the Bible.
Excuses For Not Memorizing
  • I do not have a good memory
  • I do not have enough time
  • I do not know where to start
I am sure there are other excuses, but for the time being we will deal with these.

“I do not have a good memory.”

You have a much better memory than you think. I was tempted to put a youtube video of a classic Lynyrd Skynyrd song to show you that you have a much better memory than you think. We memorize stuff all the time! We memorize songs, birthdays, college football scores, batting averages from when we where in coach pitch, every word from the Star Wars movies. If you can memorize all of those without intentionality, then you can definitely memorize Scripture with intentionality!

“I do not have enough time.”

I have heard an older man say, “We overestimate what we can do in one year and underestimate what we can do in twenty years.” This is so true. It is especially true for people around my age and younger. We do not think long term. We always want to do something and see immediate results. With that attitude, you will never memorize Scripture. One must have a long term vision for memorizing Scripture. I say that because all I am asking you to do is to begin devoting 10 to 15 minutes of your day to memorizing one verse (we will talk more on how to later). 10 to 15 minutes! Everybody has 10 to 15 minutes. If you do not, you can get rid of something in order to have 10 to 15 minutes! This 10 or 15 minutes a day will allow you to memorize one verse. This in a week will allow you to memorize 7. This in a year will allow you to memorize 365. This in 30 years….well you get the point. Dedicate 10 to 15 minutes for the rest of your life and you will see great results!

“I do not know where to start.”

I am going to advocate for memorizing entire books of the Bible (its not that hard, trust me!). With that being said, I recommend you start memorizing a short book of the Bible first. I personally started my memorization with the book of Titus. It is three chapters in length with each chapter being roughly 15 verses or so. Do not only choose a short book though, choose a book that flows. Memorizing the book of Proverbs would be really hard. It does not have a clear flow in it like one of the shorter letters in the New Testament. Therefore, I encourage you to start with a book like Titus, Philippians, James, or something along those lines.
How to memorize
  • Repetition
  • Repetition
  • Repetition
  • Repetition
  • You get the point!

Repetition

Everybody has a different way to memorize verses of the Bible, but all of them have one thing in common. That one thing is repetition. The key to memorizing verses of the Bible is constant repetition. But until you have a method of memorizing Scripture, you can glean from how I memorize. 

Here is an example of what I did in Titus.

Day 1
  1. Read Titus 1:1 out loud ten times. As you read it, look at each word carefully.
  2. Take your eyes off Titus 1:1. Now try to quote it from memory ten times. If you fail, simply look back at the verse, correct yourself, and keep trying without looking.
  3. Now, you are done for the day, or you can meditate on it throughout the day when you have the opportunity (car ride, waiting for somebody, bathroom (redeem the time!), etc.
Day 2
  1. Quote Titus 1:1. If you fail, simply look back to see where you got it wrong, then try it again.
  2. Then read Titus 1:2 out loud ten times. As you read it, look at each word carefully.
  3. Take your eyes off Titus 1:2. Now try to quote it from memory ten times. If you fail, simply look back at the verse, correct yourself, and keep trying without looking.
  4. Now, you are done for the day, or you can meditate on it throughout the day when you have the opportunity (car ride, waiting for somebody, bathroom (redeem the time!), etc.
Lets Skip to day 16

Day 16
  1. Quote Titus 1:1-15. If you fail, simply look back to see where you got it wrong, then try it again.
  2. Then read Titus 1:16 out loud ten times. As you read it, look at each word carefully.
  3. Take your eyes off Titus 1:16. Now try to quote it from memory ten times. If you fail, simply look back at the verse, correct yourself, and keep trying without looking.
  4. Now, you are done for the day, or you can meditate on it throughout the day when you have the opportunity (car ride, waiting for somebody, bathroom (redeem the time!), etc.
Alright, so that is chapter one. After this, you go on to chapter two doing the same thing. It is all about repetition! Once you finish memorizing Titus 3:15, which is the last verse of the last chapter of Titus, you are to try and quote the book everyday for a hundred days straight. You will get it wrong. You will skip some days. You will fail at times. You will be frustrated. BUT JUST KEEP REPEATING IT! You will begin conforming more into the image of Christ. You will begin looking, living, and talking like our Lord Jesus! It will be glorious. It will not be easy though. As Christians, we have learned that everything that is beneficial for us in this life is difficult. Therefore, work hard and stay diligent. Always remember Christ who was pierced and put to death for you. Then persevere in memorizing Scripture.
Further Study
Also, if you want a more thorough dealing with Scripture Memorization, this little pdf file will be of great help. It is written by Andy Davis (he is the pastor of the church that I go to). Just being around him has placed within me an eagerness to know and memorize the Bible. I can look at how God has used Scripture memorization in his life, and it makes me eager and zealous for God to work in my life through Scripture memorization.

On My Shelf

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“We are quite persuaded that the very best way for you to be spending your leisure time, is to be either reading or praying. You may get much instruction from books which afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master’s service. Paul cries, ‘Bring the books’-join in the cry.” Spurgeon.
For School
I am currently taking Church History 2. For this class, my professor has assigned three books for us to read. I am currently only reading two of them. 

One of them is “The Story of Christianity.” The other is “The Story of Christian Theology.” In each of these books, there is a focus on the development of Christian thought throughout the time of Christ to the current time. There is also a focus on how the church has developed since the days of Christ. It may be shocking to many people that Baptists, Presbyterian, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Catholics have not always been around. You see, at some point in history, the thought about believers baptism arose. With this thought arising, there were certain groups of people that began implementing it. When they implemented believers baptism, they were called Anabaptist! Lutherans began arising in church history because Luther opposed Medieval Catholicism’s doctrine. As Luther began to develop his views on the Scriptures, people began embracing his interpretation of Scripture. These people were called Lutherans! This kind of information is important. It is important to know how the church has gotten to where it is now. It is important to know what other brothers and sisters in Christ have done throughout history. It is also important to see certain thoughts that arose in church history that were unorthodox and contrary to the truth. Anyways, there are numerous reasons church history is important, and that is why I am taking Church History 2 in Seminary. That is also why I am reading these two rather large books.
On My Own
I am currently reading numerous books on my own. 


John Calvin was one of the greatest systematizers in church history. What I mean by that is that John Calvin had a unique ability to take the Scriptures and teach them in a systematic and orderly way. With that being said, Calvin’s Institutes is the greatest work that he ever published. In it, Calvin teaches Christian doctrine with clarity and simplicity. One cannot help but notice the great passion that this man had for truth. He had a relentless pursuit of sound doctrine. The church has benefited greatly from his labors. I personally have benefited greatly from his labors. He has proven to be a helpful teacher to me in the past year or so.


George Whitefield was a preacher of the Church of England in the 18th century. He was a zealous evangelist and sought to preach the gospel as often as he could and wherever he could. When I say that, I am not exaggerating. He would preach so often that his body would be on the brink of dying. He would then rest and labor in prayer. The Holy Spirit would then revive his soul and he would go on preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He would preach in the open fields to 40,000 people without amplification. God used him for the conversion of thousands of people in both England and the colonies. He had a relentless drive to know and serve Jesus Christ. This biography of Whitefield by Arnold Dallimore is riveting. It really is. It has encouraged, convicted, and edified me greatly!


This is a book of puritan prayers. I have been reading this as a devotional this year. What I mean by that is that I read about one of these prayers a day. This book has been helpful in teaching me to pray. The puritans revered God a great deal. They had an incredible esteem for Christ. They were also incredibly quick to repent of sin. This means that their prayers are jaw dropping and convicting. Seriously, if you just read one of their prayers, you will realize that they saw the beauty, holiness, righteousness, and majesty of God in a way that most of us simply do not. With that being said, I encourage some you all to read this as a devotional as well!


Lately I have been seeking to discipline myself to evangelize. By that, I simply mean that I have been seeking to intentionally set up a day and time where I am going to go out and share my faith. And no, I am not the best at evangelism. It is sometimes awkward. Sometimes I fear man. Sometimes I leave out certain things that I ought not leave out when talking about Christ (I have left out the resurrection before!!!). With all that being said, that is why I am reading this book. I simply picked this book up because I wanted to be more knowledgeable about evangelism. This book has been faithful to do just that. It is a very simple read. It is a book that teaches the people of God what evangelism is, how we should cultivate a culture of evangelism, and helpful tips in evangelism. 

A Few Reasons Why Expository Preaching is Better

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A Brief Word

I wrote this small paper for an internship that I am doing at First Baptist Church Durham in North Carolina. This paper is not exhaustive by any means. This is but an introduction to why Expository preaching is so important. With that being said, I hope to only gain your interest in this subject so that you can put some thought in it yourself. That is the only reason I am posting this!

The Main Word

In chapter one of Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, Mark Dever lists expository preaching as the most important mark of a healthy church. Dever is right. Expository preaching is foundational within the life of a local church. There are numerous reasons to explain why this is true. Dever gives numerous of them throughout this chapter. In order to understand the importance of expository preaching though, we will discuss the flaws of topological preaching.

There is no doubt that topological preaching can be done well if it is done rarely and expositionally. Topological preaching is centered on a subject of particular interest. This particular subject is supported with biblical text. All of this is presented to the congregation in the form of a sermon. If this is done frequently, there is great danger in taking a particular passage and preaching a sermon that is not centered on the main point of the passage. This is a horrible mistake to make in the ministry of the word. It is all the more terrible when one begins to think about judgment day. It is on judgment day that a preacher will have to give an account for his faithfulness or unfaithfulness to the Word.

Another great danger in topological preaching is that it leaves the congregation malnourished. I say this for multiple reasons. The first reason is because the preacher that preaches topological sermons usually preaches on topics that are of particular interest to him. If he is keenly interested in the grace of God in Christ, then he will rarely ever choose to preach from a passage that deals with eternal judgment in the lake of fire for all of eternity. If he is deeply interested in the free will of man, then he will seek to avoid certain text that go against his theological viewpoint. This is a dangerous place to be. The preacher is only preaching on what he knows. He cannot say to his church like the Apostle Paul, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27). He cannot look into the eyes of his congregation and say that he is innocent of the blood of them all! He has not proclaimed the whole counsel of God. He has not proclaimed the depth, width, height, and length of the wisdom of God revealed in the Scriptures. This is what the people need. This is what their soul longs for.

This not only has ramifications for the congregation though. It does not only leave the congregation malnourished. It leaves the preacher malnourished. The preacher is opening the Bible to a particular place already knowing what he intends to find there. He is also reading with presuppositions as to certain truths that he wants to get across to the congregation. This is not feasting on the Word. I would venture to say that this is not sitting under the Word, and taking heed to what it says. Rather, this is sitting over the Word with the great danger of forcing the Word to say what you desire. This leaves the soul wanting.

Expository preaching, however, does not present these types of problems. In expository preaching, the pastor is seeking to preach through specific books of the Bible with his congregation. As he preaches through books of the Bible, he is seeking to get the main meaning of a particular passage so that he can thrust that authoritative; God inspired meaning before his congregation. As he thrust that authoritative word before the congregation, they are able to see the relevance for every verse of Scripture. They are able to see the whole counsel of God. Everything that God has addressed through the Word is being presented to the people of God.

Expository preaching is forcing the preacher to study the Bible diligently week in and week out. He has to immerse himself in the Word. As he immerses himself in the Word, his presuppositions are being challenged. His former theological beliefs are being tested. This drives him deeper and deeper into the Word. This diving into the Word is allowing his soul to feast. He is being strengthened and transformed by the Spirit working through the Word. He then gets into the pulpit having gained a better understanding about the person of God, and also having his affections for Christ stirred up by the living Word of God. He then stands before the congregation and delivers, with great passion, the glorious truths that caused his soul to exult in God. That is but a glimpse to the benefits of expository preaching compared to topological preaching.
It is important to note that expository preaching is not simply laying out each individual truth that one finds in a passage of the Bible. That is what we have commentaries and other resources for. Expository preaching, when done faithfully, is so much more. This is where it is helpful to look into Jonathon Edwards and John Piper’s teachings on preaching. It is here that we will see what expository preaching should consist of.

A pastor is to know and understand that preaching is a gift of God that serves in the conversion of sinners and the perseverance of the saints. This means that salvation is at stake every time the pastor ascends the pulpit. Piper says, “Therefore, every sermon is a ‘salvation sermon’-not just because of its aim to convert sinners, but also in its aim to preserve the holy affections of the saints and so enable them to confirm their calling and election and be saved” (pg. 81). This should make the pastor tremble. The weight of what is happening in a sermon is breathtaking. The ministry of the Word is a solemn responsibility and is to be taken seriously.
Since preaching is so very important and is to be taken seriously, there is a great need to do it in a way that is the most effective. What is most effective is showing to the unbeliever and believer alike that God is absolutely supreme. The preacher is to show all who are there that God reigns forever more, and nobody can contend for his throne and win. In doing this, we are to seek to stir up people’s affections for the things of God. In stirring up their affections for the things of God, every action they do will be one that is pleasing to God. This is the case because they will not be obedient to God begrudgingly, rather they will be obedient to God delightfully which is true and proper obedience (pg. 85).
Another thing a preacher of the word is to do is enlighten the mind with doctrinal truths. This will serve in creating good, holy affections. Preachers are to teach the great doctrines of the Bible. They are to seek to explain these doctrines clearly. This reveals the wisdom of God. The preacher is to show the mind these doctrines by the power of the Holy Spirit in hopes that by the power of the Holy Spirit the congregation will delight in them. This way of renewing the mind leads to true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:23-24).


Of course, none of this is possible apart from a deep delight in the Scriptures. A pastor will never be able to increase his people’s affections for Christ if he has no delight in the Word of God. He will not be able to enlighten the mind with deep doctrinal truths apart from a deep desire to know the word and to make the word known. In short, he will not be able to exult in what he is preaching in because he cannot exult in the God of the Scriptures. With this being said, the great need that a preacher has is to love the Word. In doing this, preaching the Word will come with great power.

A Mini Biography of John Huss

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Foxe’s Book of Martyrs by John Foxe, edited by Harold J. Chadwick, Alachua, Florida 2001. 436 pages. Reviewed by Philip McDuffie

John Huss was born in Hussenitz, Bohemia, in 1372 (73). He received his education from the University of Prague. It was there that he studied theology. It was also there that John Huss was ordained as a priest and a preacher at Bethlehem Chapel in 1402. Seven years after his ordination, he was made rector of the University of Prague (73). John Huss, however, would be known as far more than a theologian, priest, preacher, and rector. He would go on to be known as a martyr. One who willingly gave his life for the name of Christ Jesus. One who revered the Gospel of Christ so much so that he was willing to shed his blood for the sake of the Christ whom had His blood shed.

There is so much to look into in regards to this man’s remarkable life and God glorifying death. Since this is so, this paper will examine the events that led to the persecution, and the persecution itself. This paper will seek to reveal the persecution event from the multiple viewpoints of those who witnessed it. After examining all this, there will be a focus on the activity of God after the persecution event. Then lastly, this paper will end with me writing about how this persecution event impacted me specifically, and also a comparison between the persecution of John Huss and the persecution of believers today.

There are multiple events that led to the persecution of John Huss. One event was the life of the reformer John Wycliffe. John Wycliffe faced opposition from the Roman Catholic Church, but he was never martyred for the doctrines that he preached. Wycliffe breathed his last in the year 1384. Although this reformer had past away, his teachings on the Scripture continued impacting people mightily. One man that Wycliffe’s teachings just so happened to impact was John Huss. John Huss, by God’s grace, had the teachings of Wycliffe. These doctrines that the Roman Catholic Church abhorred, John Huss delighted in. Huss believed that the Pope did not carry the supreme authority, but rather that the Scriptures carried the supreme authority. He rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation. He rejected the notion that only the noble could have a copy of the Bible. He believed that Christians should have their own Bible that they could study and read. In short, Huss believed that the Roman Catholic Church was corrupt and that it needed a reformation. These beliefs alone would not have attracted a great deal of attention, but when these beliefs are preached and taught to the public, one can be sure that it will attract a great deal of attention. This is exactly what happened.

The more and more Huss became confident in the Scriptures and the teachings of Wycliffe, the more he opposed the foolishness of the papacy. Huss, now known by the multitude, was summoned to stand in Rome. Huss sent representatives to stand in his place. This made the papacy furious and ultimately led the excommunication of Huss and all of his friends and followers. Since he was excommunicated, he went back to Hussenitz and labored in preaching and writing the same biblical doctrines that he had fallen so in love with. While he was in his hometown, he was invited to attend the Counsel of Constance. An emperor named Sigismund guaranteed Huss that he would be safe in the midst of being in the grasp of the Roman Catholic Church (75). This was not so.

Huss arrived in Constance and was arrested. There were repeals made saying that this could not happen because of what Sigismund had guaranteed Huss, but Sigismund, cowardly, did not seek to rescue Huss from the evil papacy. The counsel then moved to try Huss. They read bits of his doctrine and made false accusations regarding this man of God. As Huss made his appeal to the great judge, Christ Jesus the Lord, people began mocking him. They became incredibly indignant and sentenced him to be burned. They placed priestly robes on him as they mocked him. Then the stripped them from him. They went on to place a paper crown on his that said, “A ringleader of the heretics” (77). In all that they did to Huss, Huss faithfully represented Christ. They then committed his soul to hell, but Huss looked into the heavens and committed his soul to Jesus. They placed him on a stake, and then wrapped him in chains. They then set him on fire and Huss was faithful unto death. He was taken into the heavens as he sang a hymn to the praise of God’s glory.

This man of God could no longer use his oratory to preach with great boldness the wonderful doctrines that he gave his life for. Huss could no longer pick up a pen, dip it in ink, and seek to expound the Scriptures for the common man to see. He could no longer be filled with great anguish over the state of the papacy and seek to argue why he believed that they were corrupt. Although he could no longer do these things, Huss’ martyrdom was not in vain. God used Huss mightily even after his death. As John Foxe says, “In death, Huss was more of a threat to the papacy then in life” (77).

The persecution of John Huss has impacted me greatly. Here is a man that seems to have the utmost confidence in the Word of God. In a day and age where the majority of people are acknowledging the Pope as having the supreme authority, Huss looked at the Scriptures and proclaimed that the Scriptures have the ultimate authority. In a time where most people believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, Huss refused to acknowledge such a doctrine as being Scriptural, and taught what was true regarding the Lord’s Supper. Even as I am writing this write now, all I am thinking about, in regards to Huss, is Galatians 1:10. It is there that Paul writes, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). Huss knew that every word that came out of his mouth pertaining to the papacy was going to lead to disapproval with the papacy. He knew that every word that he wrote refuting the doctrines that the papacy holds so dearly too was going to lead to disapproval with the papacy. He knew that the more he resisted the beast of the Roman Catholic Church, then the more and more he was going to face the resistance of the Roman Catholic Church. Even though Huss knew all this, he did not budge. He knew that he must obey God rather than men; even if it cost him his very life. It did cost him his life, and I for one, am delighted to call this man a brother of mine in Christ.

The last topic that I really want to address is how the persecution of John Huss differs from the persecution of believers today. As I read this account of persecution, I was struck by the very fact that Huss was placed on a stake and burned alive for doctrinal reasons. Huss was not killed in the name of Allah. He was not killed because he simply followed Christ. He was killed because he stood up to an institution (the Roman Catholic Church) that was incredibly corrupt. Satan, through this institution, was masquerading as an angel of light. This institution murdered Huss in the name of Christ because Huss opposed their traditions and simply clung to the Scriptures. This fact alone amazed me.

The reason for such amazement is because believers in our day are put to death by hostile governments or radicals of other religions. Believers are not murdered by people in the name of Christ over doctrinal differences regarding Christ like Huss was. It is interesting to see the different activities of Satan as one looks at the persecution of Huss, and the persecution of believers today. Either way, the blood of our brothers and sisters was not, and is not, being poured out in vain. This is evident all throughout history. Throughout history there are two truths that are ever so apparent. The first truth being that the gates of hell will oppose the church. The second truth being that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. All glory be to God.