Category: Expository

Topical Opinionating

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository, Independent Baptists, Pastors, Preaching and Teaching

I’m not opposed to topical preaching per se. I think there is a case for it. The sermons recorded in the New Testament seem more topical than expository to me. For example, on the day of Pentecost, Peter argued as his thesis that the miracle the people were witnessing was not the product of drunkenness but a fulfillment of Joel’s prophesy in Joel 2:28-32. Peter brought in Psalm 16:8-11 as a supporting witness. The Sanhedrin charged Stephen with speaking “blasphemous words against ‘this holy place’ (the Temple) and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us” (Acts 6:13-14). Stephen answered by rehearsing the whole history of Moses and the Temple with this conclusion:

Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things? (Acts 7:48-50)

His conclusion patches together parts of Solomon’s dedication of the Temple (I Kings 8:27), an allusion to Psalm 11:4, Michaiah’s warning to King Jehoshaphat (I Kings 19:22), and every Old Testament passage that declares God the creator of all things (Ex 20:11; Ps 33:6-9; 50:9-12; 146:5-6; Isa 40:28; 44:24; 45:7-8,12; Jer 10:11; 32:17).

In the Pisidian Antioch synagogue (Acts 13:14-41), Paul preached that “Of this man’s (David’s) seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus” (23). As proof, he rehearsed the ministry of John the Baptist (24-25), the history of their dealings with Jesus (26-31), and showed from the Old Testament the truth of the claim that “the promise which was made unto the fathers (that “to you is the word of this salvation sent” – v. 26), God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again” (32-33). His proofs are taken from the second Psalm, the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:14-16; Psalm 89:2-4), Psalm 16:10, and the historic contrast between David (who saw corruption) and Jesus of Nazareth (who didn’t). He then repeats the warning of Habakuk 1:5, calling the Jews to repent or perish.

We could continue. Paul’s most famous sermon, which he delivered to the gathered philosophers on Mars’ Hill, includes a handful of Old Testament allusions but does not expound any particular text of Scripture.

At a minimum, New Testament sermon samples allow for the occasional topical sermon. I would point out that the sermons recorded in Acts are given in defense of the gospel, primarily to the Jews but also to the Gentiles (on Mars’ Hill). Preaching to the gathered body of Christ in the New Testament church should mainly focus on expounding the whole of Scripture, “line upon line, precept upon precept.” There is a place for “comparing Scripture with Scripture,” of course, but that should be done to give a thorough presentation of the passage.

Continue reading “Topical Opinionating” →

The Danger of Allegorizing

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository, Pastors, Preaching and Teaching4 Comments

If I were a betting man, I would give two-to-one odds on my annual salary that you’ve heard at least one sermon on David and Goliath where the preacher preached that you too can slay your giants.

David and Goliath might be the most frequently allegorized passage in the Bible. It has been used (and abused) until we almost can’t think of it any other way. I was with a group of fellow pastors a few years ago, and I commented that we tend to make Bible stories about ourselves instead of Christ or instead of seeing why God gave us that story. I gave the story of David and Goliath as a case in point. One of my fellow pastors immediately objected to the notion that the story of David and Goliath might be about Jesus. “That’s allegorizing,” he said. I asked him how it is allegorizing to make it about Jesus but not allegorizing to make it about me?

To allegorize is to interpret symbolically. When we allegorize a passage, we look for hidden spiritual meanings that transcend the text’s literal meaning. “Commentators who use allegory deserve high marks for creativity but low marks for approaching the biblical account as literature.” (Haddon Robinson, Biblical Preaching, 59)

Continue reading “The Danger of Allegorizing” →

Expository Preaching 101

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository, Preaching and Teaching3 Comments

The great design and intention of the office of a Christian preacher (is) to restore the throne and dominion of God in the souls of men. (Cotton Mather)

So, what exactly is expository preaching? Among Independent Baptists, expository preaching is greatly derided and ridiculed. Most consider it to be about two degrees north of dead. I often hear it treated as if every sermon were another episode in deep-sea diving. People fear they’ll run out of oxygen before they resurface. In general, expository preaching is thought to have the same value as a wet blanket – good at extinguishing whatever fire and vigor a church has left in it.

Haddon Robinson described preaching as “a living interaction involving God, the preacher, and the congregation.” He offered this working definition of expository preaching.

Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers. (Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages, p. 5)

Expository preaching operates on the assumption that the Bible comes from one mind and delivers one message. Every passage of Scripture is part of God’s entire message to mankind. And every passage of Scripture contributes an essential part of that message. So, when examining any passage of the Bible, expository preaching seeks to uncover and proclaim the message a loving, heavenly Father has for His children.

Things like “zeal,” “fire,” and “passion” can be faked. Many preachers function by ranting and raving and consider yelling and screaming essential elements of the sermon. Their passion buckets are full, but their sermon mostly lacks substance. They are like a dry thunderstorm on a hot summer day – full of noise but no refreshing rain.

Continue reading “Expository Preaching 101” →

That Ain’t Expository Preaching

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository, Issues Facing the Church, Pastors, Preaching and Teaching

Expository preaching gets a bad rap nowadays. The blame for it can’t fall entirely on those who lampoon it and draw cute caricatures. Some blame belongs to those who think they preach expository sermons but don’t. And some of the responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of expository preachers.

Orthocrusty is hard to defend, no matter what style it uses. God didn’t call preachers to be “bland leaders of the bland.” Regardless of your style, if your preaching is as dry as cracker juice, you aren’t preaching. Philips Brooks said preaching has “two essential elements: truth and personality.” Dr. A.E. Garvie added, “Preaching is not merely a communication of knowledge. As it exercises the whole personality of the preacher, so it is addressed to the whole personality of the hearer as a moral and religious subject.” [1]

Photo by Greg Gulik on Pexels.com

Preaching that lacks Scriptural content isn’t preaching, nor is preaching that lacks personality. If expository preaching has a bad reputation in some circles, blame it on the tendency to bake the sermon for an hour at 425o, run it through the microwave, leave it out in the sun, and set it under a heat lamp until it is thoroughly dehydrated. A sermon worth preaching won’t much resemble the Sahara in the dry season.

But the fault in dry preaching isn’t the Word preached or the style of preaching. The fault is in the preacher, who loved his study more than his people, who gets more joy in saying what he knows than in communicating truth. A change of style won’t likely fix that.

Many believe topical preaching is livelier, though more shallow, than expository preaching. Some see it as a necessary trade-off. And, all things being equal, it is easier to rant and rave when we have nothing to say, and it might be more essential. Shallow preaching becomes a performing art.

But I am for expository preaching. I decided to preach this way when God put me in the ministry, and I have tried to learn the craft over these many years. A good friend of mine made this remark, which I wholeheartedly endorse:

Expositional preaching should be thought of as an “entry point” to preaching. A preacher must know how to do that before he should move on to other styles. The process shapes the way you think…even when not preaching that exact style of sermon.

I’ve preached my share of forgettable messages. I’ve left the church gasping “Water!” more than once. But prefer overcooked steak to wonder bread – which retains that surprisingly moist texture long after it should have turned stale. Nothing stirs the heart quite like a preacher who has been set on fire by the text or passage he intends to preach.

That said, this particular missive aims to strip away some of the false notions of what constitutes “expository preaching.” Lord willing, we’ll come back and discuss what it is. For now, we’ll discuss what it ain’t (with apologies to Aunt Gertie, who hates that word).

Continue reading “That Ain’t Expository Preaching” →

God Chose Us Before the Foundation of the World

On By Dave MallinakIn Calvinism, Expository, Gospel Conversations, Hot Topics, Issues Facing the Church

Election is a mystery. I admit it. But the Bible teaches election, so we must as well.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

A Few Exegetical Notes

The word “chosen” in verse 4 is the verb form of the word “elect.” Peter uses an adjective form of the same word in I Peter 1:2.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…

Peter uses “elect” descriptively, emphasizing the method God uses in saving them that believe. Paul uses “chosen” as a verb, showing what God did on our behalf. Paul emphasizes the result of our salvation – that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.[1] Because God has chosen us, we are sanctified (4), adopted (5), accepted (6), redeemed and forgiven (7), and we have an inheritance (11).

Paul uses the aorist middle indicative “hath chosen.” The indicative points to the reality of the choice. God’s choice is actual, not potential. The timeless aorist tells us the choice is made for all time. The middle voice tells us that God made the choice for His sake, not ours. 

This selection of the saints in this age of grace is the act of God choosing out from among mankind, certain for Himself. These become His own, to be used for a certain purpose.[2]

The context confirms this.

Continue reading “God Chose Us Before the Foundation of the World” →

What Was That Star of Bethlehem?

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository, Merry Christmas

Matthew doesn’t focus on Herod, the chief priests and scribes, Mary and Joseph, or the wise men in his gospel. Matthew tells us what God did. According to Matthew 2, God prepared a star to guide foreign dignitaries to Jerusalem, where the star disappeared. Because they had no star to guide them, the wise men jolted Jerusalem with their question: “Where is the Born King[1] of the Jews?” To a usurper king like Herod, that question was a threat.  

Having gotten their answer, the Bible tells us that the same star they had seen in the east “went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” We see God’s hand in this – guiding the wise men with the star, bringing them to Jerusalem, hiding the star, provoking their question. God used the wise men to herald the news of Christ’s birth so that Herod the King, the chief priests and scribes, and “all Jerusalem” would hear the news of the birth of Christ.

Then, God gave them the star to guide them once again. I’m surprised, frankly, at the natural explanations that have been offered for this star. Even the more conservative commentators tend to overlook its supernatural nature.

Photo by Alex Andrews on Pexels.com

Many have suggested that it was formed by an alignment of two planets (Jupiter and Saturn). Astrologers tell us that these planets aligned in 7 BC and “would have suggested to Babylonian astrologers the idea of a king in ‘the Westland,’ as they called Palestine.”[2] Others have suggested a supernova; apparently, there is evidence for a prominent one between 5 and 4 BC. My favorite suggestion is that the star was Halley’s Comet, rumored to have appeared in 12 BC. All I can say to that is, you’d need some speedy camels to keep up with that.

An obvious question in response to these suggestions would be, can anyone tell which star stands over your city of residence? Is there a star that stands over Utah but not Indiana? From my house in Utah, I have seen the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper overhead. I also observed these same constellations overhead while visiting family in Pennsylvania. Sailors use the stars to chart their course, yet I doubt it would be possible to discern which state or nation a star might stand over.  

When the star reappeared, some insist that it was there symbolically, but it wasn’t much help.

Matthew does not say that the rising star the Magi had seen … led them to Jerusalem. They went first to the capital city because they thought it the natural place for the king of the Jews to be born. But now the star reappeared ahead of them (v. 9) as they made their way to Bethlehem …. Taking this as confirming their purposes, the Magi were overjoyed (v. 10). The Greek text does not imply that the star pointed out the house where Jesus was; it may simply have hovered over Bethlehem as the Magi approached it. They would then have found the exact house through discreet inquiry… (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, emphasis mine)

Continue reading “What Was That Star of Bethlehem?” →

So What’s the Point of the Armor of God?

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository, Preaching and Teaching1 Comment

In writing this, I realize that I might be confessing too much.  Sometimes I wonder if I’ve been buried under a rock.  How do I miss such important truths for such a long time?  At times, I seem to discover (to my shame) a truth that believers have understood for years.  Nonetheless, when I have that “eureka” moment, I like to share it.

So, here’s my confession: I have never really understood the point of the armor of God.  Pretty sad, huh?  I knew I was to put it on, and I knew what all the pieces were.  But like the guy who shops the bargain bin at the Army surplus store, I had no idea what to do with it.  Should a pastor have a good handle on this, maybe a few years before his ordination?  Probably.  But since I can’t get a do-over on the past 20 years, I’ll have to start where I’m at.  Good for you if you’ve known this. 

So, here’s what I learned: the fiercer the battle rages, the more timid the Christian becomes.  We have this innate sense that if I don’t hit the devil too hard, he’ll leave me alone.  “Don’t rock the boat” becomes the battle plan.  Don’t provoke the enemy.  The enemy will leave me alone if I avoid doing anything too valiant.

I think there is a certain safety in maintaining the status quo within our homes and families.  Remember that the armor of God is set in context with Paul’s instructions related to the family.  When husbands tolerate small insurrections and wives carry on subversive warfare and the children are passively rebellious, we know that any attempt to follow God in our family may result in an all-out war.  If a husband sits down with his wife to discuss a few things where he thinks she is in sin, he expects things to get ugly.  So, he avoids saying anything.  If a parent seeks to correct the kids, he braces for the temper tantrum.  So, we don’t rock the boat. 

We don’t want the fight, so we tolerate the sin.  We make an uneasy truce with disobedience and (sometimes) outright rebellion.  God gives us armor before He sends us out to fight.  But make no mistake: God provides armor because He wants us in the fight. 

And the battle is for holiness.  Three things to consider then…

The Risk of Holiness

Holiness isn’t our default setting.  Nor is it an act of nature.  We fall into sin by the force of gravity, but nobody “falls” into holiness.  Sins grow up like weeds in our life without any special effort; holiness requires careful cultivation.  The way to holiness is the upward way, winding up a steep pass over rocky ground and rugged terrain.  The way to destruction is the pleasing way, a gentle slope, no sudden turns or sharp drops.

Photo by kristen munk on Pexels.com

Maybe that’s why so many Christians have come to terms with their sins and have made an easy truce with them.  Because it seems to me that when you leave a sin alone and don’t try to fix it, it lurks in the background without causing too much of a fuss.  Bad habits and sinful thought patterns pester us without causing us too much disruption.  We can be “at ease in Zion.”  But confronting a sinful pattern in our lives is like poking a smoldering fire.  It is bound to flare up again. 

The Philistines secure their place in the garrison and are pleased to let you come and go.  But if you try to drive them out, they won’t leave without a fight.  And that’s why God gives us armor.  Because you will have to fight; it will cost you something.  You know you can’t drive out an entrenched sin without some pain and suffering and maybe a little embarrassment.  And we are all a little afraid of the damage we might suffer.

God gives us armor so we can confront principalities and powers as they manifest themselves in our own lives.  And we can overcome.  Our armor prevents our being overcome of evil and enables us to overcome evil with good.

When I was a teen, I heard Jack Hyles preach, “You can’t fall from a crawl.”  It rhymed, which made it extra persuasive.  He pointed to some of the great heroes of the faith – Samson, David, even Moses.  And he explained that they fell because they were running.  They were in the fight.  The guy who is doing something is the guy who falls.  You can’t fall from a crawl. 

Continue reading “So What’s the Point of the Armor of God?” →

When You Strap on the Armor, Be Ready to Fight!

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18)

I have always heard prayer linked to the sword of the Spirit as part of the soldier’s offensive arsenal.  E.M. Bounds famously wrote about the Weapon of Prayer, and I think most Christians would consider prayer a weapon.  No doubt we could make a solid case for this view, and I won’t quibble with it.

However, I don’t believe Paul means to treat prayer as a weapon in his catalog of the panoply of God.  Notice what Paul says between the 17th and 18th verses.  He begins with a command – the only imperative in the register of armor: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.”  He follows this command with “praying always” – clearly descriptive of the way we take the helmet and sword.  The grammar supports this understanding.  The Greek uses a genitive prepositional phrase, literally “through all prayer.”  Prayer is the way we take the helmet and sword. 

The message is simple.  You strap on the armor because you are going to war, so be ready.  And nothing prepares us for battle like watchful prayer.  So when you strap on the armor, you better be praying and watching.  Be alert in prayer; be praying watchfully.

Prayer, then, is the soldier’s readiness.  We want soldiers who not only arm themselves but who are poised to strike.  What good is a soldier who sluffs around in his armor?  For that matter, when a soldier straps on his armor, he better not sit down.  Armor can be heavy: he might not get back up if he sits.  Once the armor is in place (and we put it on when we receive Christ), it is time to go to war. 

So then, prayer and watchfulness aren’t additional pieces of armor, nor are they weapons.  Instead, they refer to the soldier’s attitude when He is armed – He is ready to fight.  He prepares for battle by praying and watching.  Let’s expand this into four elements of “readiness.”

Continue reading “When You Strap on the Armor, Be Ready to Fight!” →

The Practical Value of the Armor of God 3

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository

When we think of sanctification, we tend to think of things like resisting the devil, living godly in Christ Jesus, studying to show ourselves approved to God, not being conformed to this world, being transformed by the renewing of our mind.  We give attention to our walk with God, our time in the Word, our time of prayer.  We focus on overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

But we pay little attention to the armor of God.  At least, I haven’t given it much thought.  Yet, God has armed us and equipped us for the battle so Satan cannot ultimately overthrow us.  Of course, he can trip us up and stumble us.  He can catch us in his snares.  He can tempt us and cause us to fall.  But he cannot pluck us out of the Father’s hand.  And this is in part thanks to our armor.

Our Heavenly Father is no helicopter Dad, hovering above us to ensure we never have trouble.  He is no Celestial Snowplow, clearing our lane so we can travel smoothly without disrupting our pilgrim way.  Instead, God gives us legs and teaches us to walk.  He infuses us with the strength of His grace so we might walk upright.  God raises us into maturity so we have the strength to confront principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places.  He declares us “more than conquerors.” 

So, God holds us in His hand but doesn’t hold our hand.  He sets us out to join the battle and confront the enemy while protecting us by His grace.  The panoply of God is His grace surrounding us, protecting us, defending us. 

And this armor is of practical value.  It doesn’t exist merely in doctrinal platitudes.  We should give careful attention to the whole armor of God because of the spiritual protection for the spiritual war it provides. 

We gird on the armor when we maintain our relationship with God in vital spiritual arenas related to the armor itself.  The sincere way we pursue the truth, our growing righteousness, our ever-deepening grasp of the gospel, our vibrant witness, and our taking hold of God’s promises and resting in them.  By looking to Christ in the Word and growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, we keep the armor fitted properly and in good repair.

This might not be all that sexy to a generation accustomed to quick fixes, Jiffy Lubes, and row upon row of self-help books.  But this is what God has provided for His saints so that we are armed for battle and ready to join the fray.  So, we must be attentive to our relationship with God to be armed for war. 

I wish I could write “10 hot tips for spiritual warfare.”  I wish I could tell you practical things, like “Tell yourself NO!  LOUD!” or “Spend 30 minutes in prayer before you read your Bible.”  “Stay off sugar.”  “Don’t watch YouTube after 10:00 at night.”  No doubt, these things could be helpful.  But God wants you to be attentive to His gifts of grace.  Ensure your armor fits right, is all in place, and is in good repair.  Be attentive to your salvation, sanctification, sincerity, and soul-winning.  Not fun, not fluff, but fundamental.

The final two pieces of armor will complete the panoply.  May God teach us to utilize His gifts of grace aimed at protecting us in this conflict.

The Helmet of Salvation

Before we consider the helmet, notice how the grammar changes at Ephesians 6:17.  With the first four pieces of armor, Paul used participles to describe how we stand.  “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness…” “taking the shield of faith.”    But now, Paul uses an imperative: “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.”  He no longer describes the soldier standing, but calls the soldier to action.  Grab your helmet, grab your sword, and let’s go! 

Continue reading “The Practical Value of the Armor of God 3” →

The Practical Value of the Armor of God, Part 2

On By Dave MallinakIn Expository

God provides us with spiritual armor for a spiritual battle with a spiritual foe.  Dressed in the armor of God, we can enter the fray confidently, knowing that God has provided us with the protection we need against a dangerous enemy. 

And yet, we approach the armor casually, as if these are mere doctrinal theories to be discussed and (perhaps) debated among God’s people.  I don’t deny the need to understand the armor of God on a doctrinal level, nor do I deny that spiritual armor comes from our theology.  But of course, the Christian wants to know how this works, the practical value, “What do I do?” 

A young man in our church joined our local sheriff’s department, and when he started on patrol, he would often come to church straight off his shift – wearing his police uniform and gear.  The kids were most fascinated by his belt, which is like a small armory.  He definitely enjoyed showing them everything he carried and explaining their use.  But before this, he spent time training, learning the use of the things he carried in his belt. 

Think of this little series of articles as training.  We need to know our armor – not because learning about the armor gives us any kind of protection, but because we are soldiers, and a soldier should know his armor.  Knowing how the armor protects us will make us confident as we face our enemy in battle.  The armor does its work whether or not you are aware.  But knowing the armor gives us the courage to stand and fight.

God, by His grace, has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness.  But the most practical gifts of grace are the armor of God.  As we tour the pieces, we are reminded that our protection in battle comes from our relationship with the Lord.  By strengthening that relationship and keeping it in good repair, we ensure that the armor God has provided will do its job in the heat of battle.  Though the armor is spiritual, it consists of concrete spiritual truths – grace in exercise – that provide the protection we need.  Therefore, we must wear the armor and keep it in good repair so that in the day of battle, we will be armed and equipped and not be taken by the enemy or give up ground to him.

Consider then the shoes for the feet and the shield of faith.

Shoes for the Feet

I never feel more unprepared for battle than when I have my shoes off.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get into a fight when I’m barefoot.  Maybe that’s why I haven’t done martial arts.  I want my feet protected.

Leading up to the description of the armor of God, Paul stresses the importance of standing.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (11-14)

You get the idea from Paul that a soldier’s great duty on the battlefield is to “stand.”  There will be times when he must advance and times when he must charge.  But for much of the time, he must stand.  He must not give up ground.  He must hold the ground he has gained, and he must gain ground on the enemy.

A soldier’s footwear must have two qualities: It must allow for mobility – in other words, it must not be cumbersome or clunky and difficult to move; and it must give him sure footing, keeping his feet from sliding.  God has provided the Christian soldier with shoes for his feet – “the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

Continue reading “The Practical Value of the Armor of God, Part 2” →