sermonfire

the new, new blog

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:50:41 PST

Well, Tumblr has been a poor move choice, too much love with social media and almost no meaningful discussion. I took 6 hours and have put all my good posts together onto...

http://www.theologan.com

And that's where I'll be posting Monday through Friday!

The End (and The Beginning of a New Blog)

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:38:41 PDT

New Blog: http://loganpaschke.tumblr.com

It's time to move on.

It's hard to believe that it's been a year and a half since I started this blog and it's just as difficult to let go.

In one way it feels like I'm giving up, but I know better. I don't give up. I'm a very persistent person.

What are the reasons I'm shutting down this blog? I will count.

Blogger is not well-suited for actually writing. When I type something out and preview it I expect it to look exactly the same. It does not. There's always formatting problems, always double spaces, and it is always frustrating. Blogger may have the most blogs, but it is not best for the writer. And that's what I am. Blogger is also very anti-Web 2.0 which means if you want to connect to other web applications you can't do it easily.
I have a long history here. Nearly 250 posts to be exact. The problem is that far too many of those posts don't represent who I am now. You have to understand that this blog has constantly oscillated between being an echo chamber or a watchdog chamber up until I realized what was going on. I managed to salvage what I wanted this blog to be and even felt satisfied about it. For a while. I have now realized that it is simply beyond repair.
Frankly, no one comments. I know, I know, I should expect that. I'm not well-known, I don't pastor a church, I'm not an awesome writer, and I don't usually respond to comments. Got it, thanks. But, my most popular post had over 600 unique visitors and not a single comment. It is utterly frustrating to write something that is popular but no one comments. Whereas I can post something on facebook or twitter and someone is bound to at least like it or comment on it. I should note that this point is a minor complaint compared to others.
Working on a book makes you a lot more cognizant of who you are and what you are saying on the internet. I fear that I have been too stupid with my words. At my new blog, I will post much more wisely and focus on the book I'm working on.
Speaking of which, when the book comes out and I eventually get the the new blog linked up with the domain, I would rather be proud of it rather than embarrassed by it. I'm happy to defend the work I've done here, but it's a hesitant defense. For example, when a Christian attacks street preaching I defend the street preacher. It becomes a problem when the street preacher I am defending turns out to be a heretic. Now, I know I haven't written anything heretical here, but I have at times been Pharisaical which is utterly wrong.
Simplify. I want to make blogging simple again.
All topics. I want to blog on all topics of life and I feel constrained here.
Original Content. I want to focus more on writing and not pasting.
Daily Blogging. I want to blog daily and blogger makes that difficult.
One less thing to worry about. With this blog shut down, it will make life a little less complicated.

Around 30% of visits came from outside the U.S.A.
Top twenty countries/territories

USA
United Kingdom
Canada
Australia
Brazil
Germany
Philippines
India
Belgium
New Zealand
Singapore
Indonesia
Sweden
Spain
South Africa
France
Italy
Netherlands
Kuwait
Poland

Over 90% of people who visited were new visitors
Over 10,000 page views by over 7,000 unique visitors
Viewed in over 55 different languages
Viewed in over 100 countries/territories
Has been accessed from every region on the earth excluding Middle Africa

To the commentators who commented, thanks!
To the bloggers who put me on their blog roll, thanks!
To the readers of this blog, thanks!
To the friends I've made, thanks!
To the haters, thanks!

all for Jesus,
Logan Paschke

An Interview with John MacArthur - Shepherd's Conference 2010

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:14:07 PDT

Carlos Whittaker EPK

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:50:25 PDT

Beautiful Church - Evangel

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:48:34 PDT

recommended blogs part 1

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:04:37 PDT

Since I'm too busy to type up "actual content" here's a list of blogs I especially recommend.

These are the blogs. I mean, I love these guys and gals. They work hard at blogging. For them, blogging is a way to express truth to many people they will never meet in person. It is an addendum to their daily lives as they serve their local church. Glory to God is their modus operandi and they believe in the words of John the Baptist, that we must decrease so Jesus can increase.

They stand sharply contrasted to the "echo-sphere" of Christian blogging. This is where someone blogs something and then five people blog the same thing without adding or creating anything new. Here's a post on what I'm talking about. It will help you see what the Xtian Blogosphere has turned into.

Their motives are not for fame, money, or self-promotion unlike the vacuous fog of pimpers, pumpers, pastors, and planters who have a blog just to talk about how awesome they are, how great their church is doing, and how they got a new book out that you should buy so ~~they can do even better~~ be more like Jesus. case in point: Perry Noble. /I could give you one thousand other examples similar to Perry Noble, but I have better things to do like count how many verses are in the 10th chapter of Ezekiel whilst whistling Dixie/

They teach true theology. Truly studying who God is and what He has done. These are not marketers, philosophers, or post-modern wishy-washy platitude-spewing puppies. For example, they won't twist baby-food Atheist arguments to try to promote "another gospel" like a certain influential, yet increasingly anti-truth (hence anti-Jesus) inspirational talker. Instead, study is the norm for them, they are always reading, writing, and thinking. But although they know the ivory tower well, they have not forsaken the heart for the head, but instead go hard after that Matthew 22:37

---

Les Lanphere is cool. He sounds like the kind of guy who designs With a blog named Killer Robot Zombie, it has to be good. And it is. When he started blogging, I was checking it quite a bit. But, you know what's even better than his blog? Another blog called Regenerated.us which features Les and three other guys all of whom write articles which play to their strengths and gifts.I believe this presents one of the more unique blogs. It allows four guys of the same reformed theological persuasion to present truth in diverse ways. Not only that but Les has started a bible study for young adults focusing on the the importance of theology, who God is, and what the gospel is.Very cool.

Speaking of Expository Living, let me introduce you to another brother who just started blogging, Tim Truax. A brother from another mother, but a brother none the less. He lives by the Word and is truly gifted in teaching and in study. He is the most joyful, faithful person I've ever met. I would not be surprised to see God use to radically alter thousands and thousands of souls unto the glory of God and the delight of Jesus. Along that line is a devoted heart for the mission field. Listen to him and do not despise him because he is young. Start Living Expository.

It's hard to put into words just how different we grew up. This is a continuing theme in my life. I meet many Christians that I have nothing in common with except for the gospel and often reformed theology. But, oh that is enough, in fact the gospel overcomes every cultural barrier. For instance, Doug K. Adu-boahen and I come from rather different backgrounds. He grew up in Great Britain, I grew up in North Dakota. He is Black and I am White. /feeling a song coming on here/ He was a Pentecostal, I used to mock Pentecostals. /I still do if they are on the fringe and think that this is biblical/He speaks with a ridiculous accent and I talk normally. All conjecture aside, Doug is a man of God and his blog has so much good teaching. It really does. There was a time when I tried hard to start a joint blog, but I fell in love with the church and the blog never came to fruition. Did he smack me on the head in an angry email for wasting his time? Nope. It's because he knows what grace is and he communicates it very, very well. You might say he's wired4truth.

Dan Phillips hosts a great blog called Biblical Christianity. Everything from pop culture to politics to expositions on theology are there. He has a great feature called "Hither and Thither" in which he goes through the most interesting things happening in the news or on the web and provides wise commentary. I don't think I've ever seen a blog so seamlessly integrate a well-written review of the movie Star Trek and in the next post go through mother's day biblically. That ability to transition from reviewing a movie to the scriptures is something that so many more bloggers (including myself) should learn how to do. Plus he's a fan of lolcats and internet memes, nice. Must Read.

More recommendations to come.

#11 Trapped in the Drive-Thru by Weird Al

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:40:48 PDT

Enough said, I'm feeling like we should kick up our feet and enjoy eleven songs that I feel are worthy to pass on to my loyal (few) but loyal readers, partly because I have no time to write up actual articles and partly because I'm feeling it. You feeling it? Good. Let's roll.

#11

Trapped in the Drive-thru by Weird Al

I still remember when I bought my first album by Weird Al. Ironically, it was (and still is) considered on the lower tier of quality, but I thought it was the best thing since video games. I would loop "Poodle Hat" over and over again on my CD Player, yes I had a CD Player instead of an MP3 Player. This was when CDs were still dominating the music world and dinosaurs roamed the earth. Anyway, I actually went to see his concert while he was on tour for his album. The same concert tour on which he heard that his parents had died. The concert opened with a dedication to his parents with us all responding by rising to our feet and giving a solid five minute ovation.

No one, I repeat, no one has so influenced how I view comedy and humor than Weird Al. This song is one of his best. It perfectly parodies an over-the-top music video by R. Kelly (don't watch it, you're not missing anything). Turning a super-dramatic music video into a mundane hilarious one.

All of this requires observation, creativity, and exaggeration. Important tools to use when making a speech, writing a book, or having a conversation. Christ's use of humor and parables shows that He effectively used these things, we should not hesitate to imitate Him.

I don't go as far as Mark Driscoll. I really don't think that media consumption to be culturally relevant is the most important thing. But there is no reason not to cultivate a strong imagination and mind through reading/writing.

There is a difference between reading/writing and watching/playing. The former is creating something with your imagination while the latter is simply reacting to something. There are exceptions to this, but I don't hesitate to say that what I've just described is a norm. I would love to someday hear a Christian preacher who was a video game designer and hear how he would weave together a sermon. I hear plenty of preachers who play video games, but their imagination and story-telling abilities are usually non-existent.

What is Love? on Mario Paint Composer

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Wed, 26 May 2010 22:36:17 PDT

It's amazing to me what happens when you give people the tools to create things.

The Plumbline Collective, iSix5, and others who rap to rep the King

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:10:16 PDT

We'll be taking a music break for a little while. Just so I can have a little more free time for school.

I highly recommend the Plumbline Collective and iSix5. Both bands are full of radical reformed rappers and they are theologically strong, lyrically tight, and rhythmically fine! And it's free, so blessed be.

"SEMPER REFORMANDA I (SR1)"
http://www.theplumblinecollective.com...

"SEMPER REFORMANDA II (SR2)"
http://www.theplumblinecollective.com/

"UNPACKED"
http://isix5.com/archives/2010/04/06/...

"SONGS OF THE REDEEMED"
http://isix5.com/archives/2010/03/14/...

"AlexFaith - OverNight the EP"
http://www.theplumblinecollective.com/downloads.htm

Sidenote: Next post will have some more music as well as considering the implications (positive and negative) of using powerpoint in sermons.

Here I Stand #2

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Thu, 13 May 2010 03:07:18 PDT

This post is in dedication of all those who think that the reformers were men without emotion, sorrow, or love. May they be reproved and realize that it was the radical recovery of the lost gospel which caused the reformers bring all of their heart, mind, and will to proclaim the doctrines of grace to their very last breath. That discovering the beautiful theology of the reformation drew them nearer to God not farther away.

The solemn vow had been taken. He was a monk, as innocent as a child newly baptized. Luther gave himself over with confidence to the life which the Church regarded as the surest way of salvation. He was content to spend his days in prayer, in song, in meditation and quiet companionship, in disciplined and moderate austerity.

The Terror of the Holy

Thus he might have continued had he not been overtaken by another thunderstorm, this time of the spirit. The occasion was the saying of his first mass. He had been selected for the priesthood by his superior and commenced his functions with this initial celebration.

The occasion was always an ordeal because the mass is the focal point of the Church's means of grace. Here on the altar bread and wine become flesh and blood of God, and the sacrifice of Calvary is re-enacted. The priest who performs the miracle of transforming the elements enjoys a power and privilege denied even to angels. The whole difference between the clergy and laity rests on this. The superiority of the Church over the state likewise is rooted here, for what king or emperor ever conferred upon mankind a boon comparable to that bestowed by the humblest minister at the altar?

Well might the young priest tremble to perform a rite by which God would appear in human form. But many had done it, and the experience of the centuries enabled the manuals to foresee all possible tremors and prescribe the safeguards. The celebrant must be concerned, though not unduly, about the forms. The vestments must be correct; the recitation must be correct, in a low voice and without stammering. The state of the priest's soul must be correct.

Before approaching the altar he must have confessed and received absolution for all his sins. He might easily worry lest he transgress any of these conditions, and Luther testified that a mistake as to the vestments was considered worse than the seven deadly sins. But the manuals encouraged the trainee to regard no mistake as fatal because the efficacy of the sacrament depends only on the right intention to perform it. Even should the priest recall during the celebration a deadly sin unconfessed and unabsolved, he should not flee from the altar but finish the rite, and absolution would be forthcoming afterward. And if nervousness should so assail him that he could not continue, an older priest would be at his side to carry on. No insuperable difficulties faced the celebrant, and we have no reason to suppose that Luther approached his first mass with uncommon dread. The postponement of the date for a month was not due to any serious misgivings.

The reason was rather a joyous one. He wanted his father to be present, and the date was set to suit his convenience. The son and the father had not seen each other since the university days when the old Hans presented Martin with a copy of the Roman law and addressed him in the polite speech. The father had been vehemently opposed to his entry into the monastery, but now he appeared to have overcome all resentment and was willing, like other parents, to make a gala day of the occasion. With a company of twenty horsemen Hans Luther came riding in and made a handsome contribution to the monastery. The day began with the chiming of the cloister bells and the chanting of the psalm, "O sing unto the Lord a new song." Luther took his place before the altar and begin to recite the introductory portion of the mass until he came to the words, "We offer unto thee, the living, the true, the eternal God."

He related afterward:

At these words I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken. I thought to myself, "With what tongue shall I address such Majesty, seeing that all men ought to tremble in the presence of even an earthly prince? Who am I, that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my hands to the divine Majesty? The angels surround him. At his nod the earth trembles. And shall I, a miserable little pygmy, say 'I want this, I ask for that'? For I am dust and ashes and full of sin and I am speaking to the living, eternal and true God."

The terror of the Holy, the horror of Infinitude, smote him like a new lighting bolt, and only through a fearful restraint could he hold himself at the altar to the end.

The man of our secularized generation may have difficulty in understanding the tremors of his medieval forebear. There are indeed elements in the religion of Luther of a very primitive character, which hark back to the childhood of the race. He suffered from the savage's fear of a malevolent deity, the enemy of men, capricious easily and unwittingly offended if sacred places be violated or magical formulas mispronounced. His was the fear of ancient Israel before the ark of the Lord's presence. Luther felt similarly toward the sacred host of the Savior's body; and when it was carried in the procession, panic took hold of him. His God was the God who inhabited the storm clouds brooding on the brow of Sinai, into whose presence Moses could not enter with unveiled face and live. Luther's experience, however, far exceeds the primitive and should not be so unintelligible to the modern man who, gazing upon the uncharted nebulae through instruments of his own devising, recoils with a sense of abject littleness.

Luther's tremor was augmented by the recognition of unworthiness. "I am dust and ashes and full of sin." Creatureliness and imperfection alike oppressed him. Toward God he was at once attracted and repelled. Only in harmony with the Ultimate could he find peace. But how could a pigmy stand before divine Majesty; how could a transgressor confront divine Holiness? Before God the high and God the holy Luther was stupefied. For such an experience he had a word which has as much right to be carried over into English as Blitzkrieg. The word he used was Anfechtung, for which there is no English equivalent. It may be a trial sent by God to test man, or an assault by the Devil to destroy mean. It is all the doubt, turmoil, pang, tremor, panic, despair, desolation, and desperation which invade the spirit of man.

Utterly limp, he came from the altar to the table where his father and the guests would make merry with the brothers. After shuddering at the unapproachableness of the heavely Father he now craved some word of assurance from the earthly father. How his heart would be warmed to hear from the lips of old Hans that his resentment had entirely passed, and that he was now cordially in accord with his son's decision! They sat down to meet together, and Martin, as if he was still a little child, turned and said, "Dear father, why were you so contrary to my becoming a monk? And perhaps you are not quite satisfied even now. The life is so quiet and godly."

This was too much for old Hans, who had been doing his best to smother his rebellion. He flared up before all the doctors and the masters and the guests, "You learned scholar, have you never read in the Bible that you should honor your father and your mother? And here you have left me and your dear mother to look after ourselves in our old age."

Luther had not expected this. But he knew the answer. All the manuals recalled the gospel injunction to forsake father and mother, wife and child, and pointed out the greater benefits to be conferred in the spiritual sphere. Luther answered, "But, father, I could do you more good by prayers than if I had stayed in the world." And then he must have added what to him was the clinching argument, that he had been called by a voice from heaven out of the thunder cloud.

"God grant," said the old Hans, "it was not an apparition of the Devil."
_____________

The Preacher as Lover

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:57:02 PDT

The Preacher as Lover

If Cupid the world's god of love fires arrows, how much more do we as preachers of the gospel fire arrows? His arrows are of a distinctly sensual nature, our arrows are of a distinctly spiritual nature. His arrows cause his target to have infatuation and lust, our arrows wound the sinner so the savior may heal. His arrows cause his targets to believe the lie that they are in control and that they are in love. Our arrows effectively show our targets that they are in spiritual bondage and that they love only themselves. In the example of Christ, the preacher loves the people to the truth. More than love based on mere acceptance, affirmation, or relationships; the preacher strives to exhibit the unconditional love of Christ. When people don't show up to the bible study, when he is gossiped about, or when the newspaper slanders him. He counts it all worthy, if only he might proclaim and live out the majestic love of God found in the glorious gospel. Everything else becomes meaningless if he can simply love God and love people. In his failure to do it perfectly, he falls to the feet of Christ on the cross and holds on. It is his only justification for his failures, nay, his sins against the sheep and against the shepherd. He may wish the words and actions of his past to be gone, but they remain. But they are forgiven. The preacher is a lover because God is a lover of "whom He will have mercy on". And for God's glory, this wretched hater of God was turned into a lover of God. This same simple truth is the reason the preacher continues. He has drank the water and he no longer thirsts. He has eaten the bread and he no longer hungers. He has known the truth and he can not but proclaim Him. Note well that what the preacher says is born out of love. It is not a love by which hard things are ignored, tough conversations are not had, and discipline is denied.

Again, the preacher seeks to be like Christ and hits hard with the perfecting love of Christ. Be wary of denying his claims when you know they are true and his holy life is putting your life to shame. He is not interested in tidbit theology or platitude puffiness which wastes precious time. There is no play, movie, novel, or story that is as full of truthful love as what he speaks throughout the week. This message has consequences that make many quake, implications that involve the tearing down of churches that do not accord with it, and has the power of God behind it. His life and doctrine meet together as two great kings of two great kingdoms allying themselves against any fools that dare fight them. Would you stop a man born of God, saved by Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and following the single greatest commission ever issued? Even if you would you could not. He is not there to coddle the sinner into giving money and to calm the christian into spiritual complacency. Instead, he is there to awaken the sinner to life and to mature the Christian into a soldier who would rather kill himself than not charge Hell through the preaching of the gospel.

Finally, the preacher's love is to be a overflowing love. The musician writes music and lyrics out of the overflow of the experiences of life. When we "live and move and have our being" in Christ alone, we deeply and consistently meditate on true love of Christ for His sheep. When we think of Christ's love towards us, we want to give back to Him. The preacher knows how to give. He is to obey Christ and "feed my sheep". And how are we to feed the sheep? By giving them the "milk and meat". The milk is the gospel and the basics of the faith, it must never be lost, assumed, looked down upon, or forgotten. The meat is everything "profound, perfect, and mysterious", it should be differentiated from the milk, but proclaimed as well. So how do we acquire milk and meat for others? We must first have it for ourselves. There is a supreme satisfaction in preparing a meal and eating it with others. And this is how our love ought to overflow, it begins with our own desires. Do we truly desire to change our heart to be more like Christ? If we do and present our lives as a sacrifice for all to see then others will see Christ through us. But, it starts with us as Christians. We must now more than ever feast on the milk and meat so that our own love of the food will cause us to cook for others. How many people share their newborn children's photos because they have such an abundant love for their son or daughter. How much more must we have for Christ, savior of our souls and redeemer of our lives.

Here I Stand #1

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:13:17 PDT

Been reading through an excellent biography on Martin Luther, "Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther" by Roland H. Bainton.

Here is a glimpse of how hard he worked and why he was "less impelled to voice a protest against immoral abuses in the Church than were some of his contemporaries".

I could use two secretaries. I do almost nothing during the day but write letters. I am a conventual preacher, reader at meals, parochial preacher, director of studies, overseer of eleven monasteries, superintendent of the fish pond at Litzkau, referee of the squabble at Torgau, lecturer on Paul, collector of material for a commentary on the Psalms, and then, as I said, I am overwhelmed with letters. I rarely have time for the canonical hours and for saying mass, not to mention my own temptations with the world, the flesh, and the Devil.

You see how lazy I am.

Faith and Family Night

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:22:15 PDT

In dedication of Brent Thomas who was not evangelical enough and too missional to attend this event:

Just a few thoughts from the "Faith and Family Night" I recently attended at Chase Stadium.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are a decent team. Apparently we have good hitting, but horrible pitching. Prayers were offered up to no avail as the Brewers finished us out on a double play. Tough loss.

This was the first professional baseball game I remember. I've been to plenty of games when I was a kid, but I don't remember any of them.

I was on the big screen. How about that? Crazy and Ironic. I knew I should have worn my Johnathan Edwards is my homeboy t-shirt.

After the game, we enjoyed some nice fireworks set to music that will not be played in church (Led Zeppelin). I'm sure mothers covered their children's ears to protect them from the evil sound waves.

Did I mention that the fireworks were sponsored by a casino?

So, we then went down to a section of seats by the field. There were around 6,000 people scurrying everywhere for seats. I managed to snag seats relatively close to the stage for people who apparently wanted to have close seats.

So they started setting up the (around) 15-20 feet of stage on the grass. Slowly.

Grand Canyon University apparently sponsored the "Faith and Family Night" as evidenced by the giant sign being dragged along by the stage and the Grand Canyon Coyote Mascot dancing around.

Sound check, stage check, microphone malfunctions.

The main guy gets up and introduces himself. Gives history of the "Faith and Family Night".

Three Christian athletes get up on the stage.

The main guy asks them to "Explain why you love Jesus so much". Needless to say, I was expecting some horrible responses, but no, I was surprised and not surprised at the same time.

The first guy had a half-decent gospel presentation, the second guy talked about Jesus as the rock of his life, and the third guy talked about how God has a plan for our life. Sin was mentioned, but not defined. Christ was given as the solution to sin. It was something and that is better than nothing. Also heard, "Christ died on the cross to forgive your sins". Very simple and blunt. Of course there is the danger of being moralistic, but these are baseball players not preachers.

The main guy asked the three guys to give some lessons on living the Christian life.

First guy said we should be "different than the world". Good lesson, but the danger of presenting a moralistic gospel...

Second guy...I can't remember.

Third guy went on about Jeremiah 29 which I think he had forgotten because he looked like he really wanted to say it but couldn't remember it.

Now onto to the music.

Let me just preface this by saying that I have never heard Jars of Clay before tonight and I now understand why CCM has gone the way of the dinosaur. Let me just set this up a little bit so you can get why the concert did not work.

20 foot stage. 4 lights going off randomly to blind you. All the lights in the Stadium were still on.

Getting the picture?

I was expecting the lights in the stadium to go down, but they did not and it was difficult to get into it.

Next, Jars of Clay. I'll just summarize the music quickly and move onto the things the main guy said.

The vocals were horrible, the beats oscillated between interesting and boring, and the lyrics were insufferable and impossible to understand. Okay, maybe some people like this music, but DC Talk, Newsboys, and others are so much better. Anyway. Not to disparage them any more, if you like them, fine. Not going to rain on your parade, flooding however...

He talked about how they started their band in Nashville, how they wrote their most popular song "Flood" in Nashville, and now his house and other people's houses are flooded. Then he said an unintentionally hilarious line.

"People keep telling us on twitter that, that's ironic, but that's not the definition of irony."

But...that is the definition of irony. so yeah.

As if that wasn't funny enough, one of the guitarists kept playing two chords over and over again.

Soon after this, I couldn't take it and saw a chance to escape. I took it.

Anyway. Good times.

The Preacher as Blacksmith

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Mon, 03 May 2010 23:35:42 PDT

The Preacher as Blacksmith

I would rather be a blacksmith of the gospel than a diplomat of the gospel. The Blacksmith seeks transformation of the metal. This is his job. He brings down the hammer over and over. There is no coercing, no whimpering, and no compromise. He is not interested in other theories of how useless metal is made into a deadly sword. He knows what to do and he does it. The blacksmith is a man of passion. When he works, you know it. Sweat intermixed with yelling. He understands the importance of being strong. And he knows how to be strong. Do not take the blacksmith to be a stupid, blunt man with harsh words. There are many times when younger blacksmiths come to him with questions. He answers their questions with truth and love born out of a genuine desire to see them become better blacksmiths. Many do not like the blacksmith. This is because he is not a diplomat. And if the workshop forgets the reason for the workshop, they will replace him with someone else. He does not sip tea or call meetings to order. He stands up and brings down truth to make swords and to smash out imperfections in all swords. One day all these swords will be ready. There have been many blacksmiths before me and many after. As Spurgeon's father said of his son, "He may preach better than me, but he does not preach a better gospel than me." There is one last thing I would like to say. Whenever you watch the blacksmith in action, you will see his knees buckle every time he brings down the hammer. This is because the true blacksmith is not just hammering out your heart on the anvil with the Word of God, but his own heart as well.

New Mac Ad

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:39:42 PDT

Picture of Hipster in his natural habitat with his natural burrito.

Check out this new mac ad with a skinny hipster with black, plastic glasses wearing stylish black clothing in front of a white backgr-

Oh wait it's Rob Bell talking about how Christ's resurrection makes awesome artwork or something.

You know. Let's not focus on eternal life, substitutionary atonement, or penal substitution.

Or maybe, let's forget the whole reason Christ came and emphasize "cultural renewal" instead.

Usually I wouldn't even bother, but I've never felt from any other video (dead serious here) where I literally feel the "ear-tickling" happening. 2 Timothy 4:3

The entire video is designed to emotionally persuade me.

Christianity is not cool, Rob Bell.

It is a radical call to repentance of sin, belief that the God-Man Jesus Christ took my sins on Him on the cross and gave me His righteousness, and the call to be like Jesus in every area of life.

H/T: Wittenburg Church Door

Church Planting is for Wimps #1

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 11:01:47 PDT

I had already received a few other offers to plant churches, but I had turned them down. I had never thought of myself as a church planter. Seminarians often talk about church planting as if it requires an indelible mark on the soul. "Are you a church planter?" they ask in hushed tones. The truly gifted men can recall thoughts of planting from their time in their mother's womb.

I, on the other hand, had checked my soul twice but never found any indelible marks, at least not of that kind.

Still, several organizations had approached me about planting churches in the trendy part of the city where all the wealthy young professionals live and drink. The idea, I think was that I would be the tattooed pastor in the punk rock band T-shirt with a church full of twenty-somethings, all of whom wore plastic black eyeglasses. We would meet in a warehouse on Tuesday nights, followed by a trip to the local brew-house.

Good Theology.

Loud Music.

Maybe a trendy church name taken from a Greek or Latin word that will sound cool for five or six years.

Can you see the picture?

Let's face it - it would have been a lot of fun. I could have met cool people and done some good ministry.

But it seemed like a really bad way to build a church.

When we start churches intentionally designed to appeal to a certain kind of person, we fail to heed the biblical mandate to become all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:22). It seems like many churches want to embrace the first phrase without the second. We want to become all things to some people. The problem is, becoming all things to some people - say, by rocking the tattoos and turning up the music - often keeps us from reaching all kinds of people. After all, wooing one demographic (for example, urban young people) often means alienating others (such as older people or foreigners).

It seems to me that Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 wasn't saying that he would mimic the people he was trying to reach, you know, with a ripped tunic and Doc Marten sandals. He was trying instead to remove unnecessary offense whenever possible. He wasn't telling them to sport goatees - he was telling them not to flaunt their Christian freedom in everyone's faces. He was encouraging the church to be sensitive to surrounding cultures, yes, but by being sacrificial in its love, willing to give up things it might not have preferred to give up. To this day, I enjoy punk rock.

I could flaunt the tatts and plant a punk rock church that took its musical cues from Stiff Little Fingers and its attitude from the Clash. But how would this show love for the elderly women in my neighborhood, the same kind of elderly women who welcomed me to Capitol Hill Baptist? It seems like we should intentionally plant churches that will, as much as possible, welcome and engage people who are different and diverse with respect to age, gender, personality, and nationality.

But this hardly ever happens!

According to one study, only 5 percent of Protestant congregations in America are multiracial churches (defined as a church with an ethnic mix where no more than 80 percent of the congregation is of one dominant group). Let that sink in for a second. If you are planting a church in a rural county where 99% of the population belongs to one ethnic group. I can understand why your church is mono-ethnic. But if we're starting churches in cities and growing suburbs, locations with great diversity, shouldn't our churches reflect that diversity? It could be that our efforts to "engage the culture" have pigeonholed us into reaching only one culture group.

Perhaps you're thinking,

But young people simply won't go to churches where the music is not tailored to them.

That may be partly true, but it's only true insofar as they've been in churches with no biblical vision for reaching all people.

But what if pastors everywhere decided to stop capitulating to consumeristic demands?

What if pastors taught church members to lay down their rights for the sake of people who are different?

Pastor, are you afraid that if you try doing this you might lose some of your market share?

- thanks Justin Taylor for telling me about this book

Lectures to my Students #5

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:30:43 PDT

In the second place, combined with the earnest desire to become a pastor, there must be Aptness to teach and some measure of other qualities needful for the office of a public instructor.

I do not claim that the first time a man rises to speak he must preach as well as Robert Hall did in his later days. If he preaches no worse than that great man did at first, he must not be condemned.

Some of the noblest speakers were not in their early days the most fluent. Even Cicero at first suffered from a weak voice and a difficulty of utterance. Still, a man must not consider that he is called to preach until he has proved that he can speak. God certainly has not created behemoth to fly; and should leviathan have a strong desire to ascend with the lark, it would evidently be an unwise aspiration, since he is not furnished with wings. If a man be called to preach, he will be endowed with a degree of speaking ability, which he will cultivate and increase.

The trial of your powers will go far to reveal to you your deficiency, if you have not the needed ability. I know of nothing better. We must give ourselves a fair trial in this matter, or we cannot assuredly know whether God has called us or not; and during the probation we must often ask ourselves whether, upon the whole we can hope to edify others with such discourses.

We must, however, do much more than put it to our own conscience and judgment, for we are poor judges. There is not much dependence to be placed upon our own opinion, but much may be learned from judicious, spiritual-minded persons. It is by no means a law which ought to bind all persons, but still it is a good old custom in many of our country churches for the young man who aspires to the ministry to preach before the church. It can hardly ever be a very pleasant ordeal for the youthful aspirant, and, in many cases, it will scarcely be a very edifying exercise for the people; but still it may prove a most salutary piece of discipline, and save the public exposure of rampant ignorance.

I remember well how earnestly I was dissuaded from preaching by as godly a Christian matron as ever breathed; the value of her opinion I endeavored to estimate with patience and candour - but it was outweighed by the judgment of persons of wider experience. Young men in doubt will do well to take with them the wisest friends when they go out to the country chapel or village meeting-room and essay to deliver the Word.

I should not complete this point if I did not add that mere ability to edify, and aptness to teach, is not enough: there must be other talents to complete the pastoral character. Sound judgment and solid experience must instruct you; gentle manners and loving affections must sway you; firmness and courage must be manifest; and tenderness and sympathy must not be lacking. Gifts administrative in ruling well will be as requisite as gifts instructive in teaching well.

You must be fitted to lead, prepared to endure, and able to persevere.

In grace, you should be head and shoulders above the rest of the people, able to be their father and counsellor.

Read carefully the qualifications of a bishop, given in 1 Timothy 3:2-7 and in Titus 1:6-9. If such gifts and graces be not in you and abound, it may be possible for you to succeed as an evangelist, but as a pastor it will be of no account.

lectures to my students #4

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:22:43 PDT

How may a young man know he is called or not? part 1 of 4

An intense all-absorbing desire for the work

'Do not enter the ministry if you can help it,' was the deeply sage advice of a divine (spiritually mature Christian in ministry) to one who sought his judgment. If any student in this room could be content to be a newspaper editor, or a grocer, or a farmer, or a lawyer, or a senator, or a king in the name of heaven and earth let him go his way; he is not the man in whom dwells the Spirit of God in its fullness, for a man so filled with God would utterly weary of any pursuit but that for which his inmost soul pants.

If on the other hand, you can say that for all the wealth of both the Indies you could not and dare not espouse any other calling so as to be put aside from preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, then, depend upon it, if other things be equally satisfactory, you have the signs of this apostleship.

We must feel that woe is unto us if we preach not the gospel; the Word of God must be unto us a fire in our bones, otherwise, if we undertake the ministry, we shall be unhappy in it, shall be unable to bear the self-denials incident to it, and shall be of little service to those among whom we minister.

This desire must be thoughtful one. It should be a sudden impulse unattended by anxious consideration. It should be the outgrowth of our heart in its best moments, the object of our reverent aspirations, the subject of our most fervent prayers. It must continue with us when tempting offers of wealth and comfort come into conflict with it, and remain as a calm, clear-headed resolve after everything has been estimated at its right figure, and the cost thoroughly counted.

Mark well, that the desire I have spoken of must be thoroughly disinterested. If a man can detect, after the most earnest self examination, any other motive than the glory of God and the good of souls in his seeking the bishopric (ministry), he had better turn aside from it at once; for the Lord will abhor the bringing of buyers and sellers into his temple: the introduction of anything mercenary (mercenary here meaning a man who does ministry for money rather than the glory of God), even in the smallest degree will be like the fly in the pot of ointment, and will spoil it all.

This desire should be one which continues with us, a passion which bears the test of trial, a longing from which it is quite impossible for us to escape, though we may have tried to do so; a desire, in fact which grows more intense by the lapse of years, until it becomes a yearning, a pining, a famishing to proclaim the Word. This intense desire is so noble and beautiful a thing, that whenever I perceive it glowing in any young man's bosom, I am always slow to discourage him, even though I may have my doubts as to his abilities.

If you do not feel the consecrated glow, I beseech you return to your homes and serve God in your proper spheres; but if assuredly the coals of juniper blaze within, do not stifle them, unless, indeed, other considerations of great moment should prove to you that the desire is not a fire of heavenly origin.

To those who are curious, we are only on page 32 of 500.

the prodigal God #1

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:32:42 PDT

It is hard for us to realize this today, but when Christianity first arose in the world it was not called a religion. It was the non-religion. Imagine the neighbors of early Christians asking them about their faith.

"Where's your temple?" they'd ask.

The Christians would reply that they didn't have a temple.

"But how could that be? Where do your priests labor?"

The Christians would have replied that they didn't have priests.

"But . . . but," the neighbors would have sputtered.

"Where are the sacrifices made to please your gods?"

The Christians would have responded that they did not make sacrifices anymore.

Jesus himself was the temple to end all temples, the priest to end all priests, and the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

No one had ever heard anything like this. So the Romans called them "atheists," because what the Chrisitans were saying about spiritual reality was unique and could not be classified with the other religions of the world. This parable (referring to the parable of the two sons, the focus of this book) explains why they were absolutely right to call them atheists.

The irony of this should not be lost on us, standing as we do in the midst of the modern culture wars. To most people in our society, Christianity is religion and moralism. The only alternative to it (besides some other world religions) is pluralistic secularism.

But from the beginning it was not so. Christianity was recognized as a tertium quid, something else entirely.

I'll be occasionally posting some of the gems from Tim Keller's book "The Prodigal God", enjoy.

What the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ means to me

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 04:02:23 PDT

When Jesus the Christ was raised bodily from the dead, it was the confirmation on the promise He makes to me in His ministry on the earth. His bodily resurrection ensures that I too will arise and will be given a glorified body like Jesus. When I consider the bodily resurrection of Christ, I think of how He was the only one who would and who could go to the cross and atone for sins and give me His righteousness. Even while everyone, including Peter, urged him to take another path. Jesus Himself asked the Father several times for another path.

But, God's will is effective and Jesus submitted to His will. Jesus was to die so that He could rise for the glory of God and the salvation of His people. He is not another prophet who starts a religion and then dies and stays dead.

Jesus Christ embodied perfect righteousness in His birth, in His life, His death, and specifically His perfect resurrection both in glorified body and victorious spirit. In His bodily resurrection, we see this simple truth manifested among His disciples, His enemies, and His world

Matthew 16:24-28

Then Jesus told his disciples,

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?

Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

(thanks to TeamPyro for the inspiration)

lectures to my students #3

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 05:39:30 PDT

The Call to the Ministry

The propagation of the gospel is left, not to a few, but to all the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ: according to the measure of grace entrusted to him by the Holy Spirit, each man is bound to minister in his day and generation, both to the church and among unbelievers.

Men who dare to avow themselves ambassadors for Christ must feel most solemnly that the Lord has 'committed' to them the word of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18,19). If it be said that this is restricted to the apostles, I answer that the epistle is written not in the name of Paul only, but of Timothy also, and hence includes other ministry besides apostleship. In the first epistle to the Corinthians we read, 'Let a man so account of us (the us here meaning Paul and Sosthenes, 1 Cor. 1:1) Surely a steward must hold his office from the Master. He cannon be a steward merely because he chooses to be so, or is regarded by others.

That hundreds have missed their way, and stumbled against a pulpit is sorrowfully evident from the fruitless ministries and decaying churches which surround us. It is a fearful calamity to a man to miss his calling, and to a church upon whom he imposes himself, his mistake involves an affliction of the most grievous kind.

What are the signs of the heavenly calling to the ministry?

An intense all-absorbing desire for the work
An aptness to teach and some measure of the other qualities needful for the office of public instructor
Seeing a measure of conversion-work going on under your efforts
Seeing that your preaching should be acceptable to the people of God

These four points will be expounded upon in the next blog post.

lectures to my students #2

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:45:14 PDT

The Minister's Self-Watch part 1

Of 1st importance, that we are saved.

In many instances of young men put to a trade which they cannot endure, they run away to sea sooner than follow an irksome business; but where shall that man flee who is apprenticed for life to his holy calling, and yet is a total stranger to the power of godliness? How can he daily bid men come to Christ, while he himself is a stranger to his dying love? O sirs, surely this must be a perpetual slavery. Such a man must hate the sight of a pulpit as much as a galley-slave hates the oar.

And how unserviceable such a man must be. He has to guide travelers along a road which he has never trodden, to navigate a vessel along a coast of which he knows none of the landmarks! He is called to instruct others, being himself a fool. What can he be but a cloud without rain, a tree of leaves only. As when the caravan in the wilderness, all athirst and ready to die beneath the broiling sun, comes to the long desired well, and, horror of horrors! Finds it without a drop of water; so when souls thirsting after God come to a graceless ministry, they are ready to perish because the water of life is not found.

Better abolish pulpits than fill them with men who have no experimental knowledge of what they teach.

Can any reasonable man imagine that God should save men for offering salvation to others, while they refused it themselves, and for telling others those truths which they themselves neglected and abused? Many a tailor goes in rags that makes costly clothes for others; and many cook scarcely licks his fingers, when he has dressed for others the most costly dishes.

Believe it, brethren, God never saved any man for being a preacher, nor because he was an able preacher; but because he was a justified, sanctified man, and consequently faithful in his Master's work.

The Minister's Self-Watch part 2

Of 2nd importance, that we are vigorously pious (or holy)

He is not to be content with being equal to the rank and file of Christians, he must be a mature and advanced believer; for the ministry of Christ has been truly called 'the choicest of his choice, the elect of his election, a church picked out of the church.' If he were called to an ordinary position, and to common work, common indolent satisfaction; but being elect to extraordinary labors, and called to a place of unusual peril, he should be anxious to possess that superior strength which alone is adequate to his station. His pulse of vital godliness must beat strongly and regularly; his eye of faith must be bright; his foot of resolution must be firm; his hand of activity must be quick; his whole inner man must be in the highest degree of sanity.

There are some works which we should never allot to the invalid or deformed. A man may not be qualified for climbing lofty buildings, his brain may be too weak, and elevated work might place him in great danger; by all means let him keep on the ground and find useful occupation where a steady brain is less important: there are brethren who have analogous spiritual deficiencies, they cannot be called to service which is conspicuous and elevated, because their heads are too weak. If they were permitted a little success they would be intoxicated with vanity - a vice all too common among ministers, and of all things the least becoming in them, and the most certain to secure them a fall.

Should we as a nation be called to defend our hearths and homes, we would not send out our boys and girls with swords and guns to meet he foe, neither may the church send out every fluent novice or inexperienced zealot to plead for the faith.

You must remember, too, that we have need of very vigorous piety, because our danger is so much greater than that of others. Upon the whole, no place is so assailed with temptation as the ministry. Despite the popular idea that ours is a snug retreat from temptation, it is no less true that our dangers are more numerous and insidious than those of ordinary Christians.

Your own observation will soon reveal to you a thousand snares, unless indeed your eyes are blinded.

If you will be leaders against him, he will spare you no further than God restrains him. He bears you the greatest malice that are engaged to do him the greatest mischief. As he hates Christ more than any of us, because he is the General of the field, and the "Captain of our salvation," and does more than all the world besides against the kingdom of darkness; so does he note the leaders under him more than the common soldiers, on the like account, in their proportion. He knows what a rout he may make among the rest, if the leaders fall before their eyes.

The labor of the Christian ministry is well performed in exact proportion to the vigor of our renewed nature. Our work is only well done when it is well with ourselves.

The Minister's Self-Watch part 3

Of 3nd importance, that our personal character agrees in all respects with our ministry

Here I would not alone warn you of sins of commission, but of sins of omission. Too many preachers forget to serve God when they are out of the pulpit, their lives are negatively inconsistent. Abhor, dear brethren, the thought of being clockwork ministers who are not alive by abiding grace within, but are wound up by temporary influences; men who are only ministers for the time being, under the stress of the hour of ministering, but cease to be ministers when they descend the pulpit stairs. True ministers are always ministers.

Too many preachers are like those sand-toys we buy for our children; you turn the box upside down, and the little acrobat revolves and revolves till the sand is all run down, and then he hangs motionless; so there are some who perservere in the ministrations of truth as long as there is an official necessity for their work, but after, no pay, no paternoster; no salary, no sermon.

Holiness in a minster is at once his chief necessity and his goodliest ornament. Mere moral excellence is not enough, there must be the higher virtue; there must be a consistent character, but his must be anointed with the sacred consecrating oil, or that which makes us most fragrant to God and man will be wanting.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam, 'To do what will most glorify God,' that is the line you must walk by.

Even in little things the minister should take care that his life is consistent with his ministry. He should be especially careful never to fall short of his word. This should be pushed even to scrupulosity; we cannot be too careful; truth must not only be in us, but shine from us.

We are watched by a thousand eagle eyes; let us so act that we shall never need to care if all heaven, and earth, and hell swelled the list of spectators. Our public position is a great gain if we are enabled to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit in our lives; take heed, brethren, that you throw not away the advantage.

Even in your recreations, remember that you are ministers. When you are off the parade you are still officers in the army of Christ, and as such demean yourselves. But if the lesser things must be looked after, how careful should you be in the great matters of morality, honesty, and integrity! Here the minister must not fail. His private life must ever keep good tune with his ministry, or his day will soon set with him, and the sooner he retires the better, for his continuance in his office will only dishonor the cause of God and ruin himself.

lectures to my students #1

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:20:03 PDT

I'm usually very inconsistent with a regularly occurring blog post.

Tim Challies, Brent Thomas, and Dan Phillips all are very good at posting on a good schedule.

Not my spiritual gift, but I'm working through Lectures To My Students by Charles Spurgeon.

So you'll be seeing wisdom from one of the great pastors of all time every once in a while.

Including right now once in a while (image "borrowed" from the Resurgence)

Chapter One: The Minister's Self-Watch

For the herald of the gospel to be spiritually out of order in his own proper person is, both to himself and to his work, a most serious calamity; and yet, my brethren, how easily is such an evil produced, and with what watchfulness must it be guarded against!

Travelling one day by express from Perth to Edinburgh, all of a sudden we came to a dead stop, because a very small screw in one of the engines - every railway locomotive consisting virtually of two engines - had been broken, and when we started again we were obliged to crawl along with one piston-rod at work instead of two. Only a small screw was gone. If that had been right the train would have rushed along its iron road, but the absence of that insignificant piece of iron disarranged the whole. A train is said to have been stopped on one of the United States' railways by flies in the grease-boxes of the carriage wheels.

The analogy is perfect; a man in all other respects fitted to be useful, may by some small defect be exceedingly hindered, or even rendered utterly useless. Such a result is all the more grievous, because it is associated with the gospel, which in the highest sense is adapted to effect the grandest results. It is a terrible thing when the healing balm loses its efficacy through the blunderer who administers it. You all know the injurious effects frequently produced upon water through flowing along leaden pipes; even so the gospel itself, in flowing through men who are spiritually unhealthy, may be debased until it grows injurious to their hearers.

Enter the Journal of Nehemiah

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:19:31 PDT

Here's a simple teaching outline I did for Nehemiah 1:1-11

Enjoy

1. Nehemiah's Journal

Nehemiah = Jehovah Comforts

Chislev is 4 months before Nisan in chapter 2:1

2. Parallel = Army Wife

Nehemiah cares because God cares

3. Alive BUT crippled. Army wife. Temple has been built, BUT it can be destroyed again.

4. Gut Reaction. Mourning and Repentance.

5-11 Models a good prayer in response to horrible news

5 God is good and sovereign

5 God keeps His promises

5 God loves His people who love Him and keep His commandments

6 HEAR ME LORD

6 I confess my sin, the sin of my people, and the sin of my house. A.) National B.) Household C.) Personal

7 We have sinned against you

8 You warned us, but we did not listen and it happened.

9 Pleading for His Grace so His name could once again be great

10 God has redeemed us

11 Hear my request, I am your humble and willing servant

Give Success to me

Grant me mercy in the king's sight

---

I think one of the most profound things in Nehemiah is that the vast majority of Nehemiah's prayer is not "Hey Jesus, I need you to help me finish my paper." Instead, we see something very different. . .

God's Promises
God's Attributes
God's Characteristics
God's People
Confession
Repentance
Two Petitions

Instead of this prayer, could it be that we only focus on number 7?

Wake up.

God is going to help you on your paper, but what about God? My life is full of pressure, stress, trials, tribulations, and temptations. But, if I focus on those things; I am overwhelmed by trivial circumstances. It is my prayer that today you would stop being overwhelmed by the world and be overwhelmed by God and who He is and who you are.

Maybe you've never considered what Jesus has done on the cross for you. It is Good News. It is the Gospel. I beg you.

sermon reflection

sermonfire@gmail.com (sermonfire) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:14:26 PDT

Having now preached two sermons, I'm thinking it all over.

That's the thing though isn't it? You always learn from your mistakes after you make them, not before.

Be yourself. I listened to a bunch of C.J. Mahaney sermons the prior days before I preached. When I practiced my sermon I occasionally sounded like him. The influence of others can supersede who Christ has made you to be. Do not let that happen. Moses was not Aaron and Aaron was not Moses.
The introduction. It's so much easier to preach open-air than in a pulpit. From my experience, the introduction is without a doubt the hardest for me to do. All simply because I do not have someone I'm dialoguing with. This is what I need to work on.
Christ is THE point of every text. My first sermon felt to me as if it was more of a moralistic exhortation whereas this felt like I was leading people to worship Christ with me. I will not stand up and teach, but I will stand up there and glorify Jesus Christ because that is why we gather.
Ethos is more important than Logos and Pathos. I'm not a natural at preaching. I'm not a Spurgeon, Whitefield, Calvin, or Edwards. But, people know me. They know my struggles, they know who I am, and they look at my life when they hear me speak. See, you can have all the logical arguments logos and all the emotional pleas pathos but if you don't have their respect because of how you live Ethos. If you don't live "above reproach" then it doesn't really matter. As preachers we must walk the talk or we walk the plank.
Passion. We are not in a mortuary or a prison. We are gathered together so that we can lift our worship up to him through our gifts. We all have different gifts, we are all different parts of the body. It's amazing to see a well-trained, on a mission athlete speeding down a course. The most memorable part of the last summer Olympics was a man nicknamed "bolt" who broke records. Let's run this race, not look back, not give up, and may the world wonder.
3 application in the conclusion. I did not think through the conclusion much, another thing I wish I had done better. Pulled this from the lecture series I'll mention later. "The three people you're applying the text to are A.) Non-Christians B.) Young Christians C.) Mature Christians" Very true. I need to put this into action next time.
Preach as though there are non-Christians in the front row. This is something I wished I had thought through before preaching this sermon. The average non-Christian does not automatically assume that God is angry at their sin. The average non-Christian believes that "A loving God would not send people to Hell." The good news is for sinners so they may become Christians and for Christians so they may live out the implications of the good news. What Tim Keller and Edmund Clowney said in their excellent lecture series: "Preaching Christ in a postmodern world" is that we must

A.) Affirm the good things in a non-Christian's objection like love, justice, and honesty
B.) Show how only the gospel can truly allow those things to happen and their worldview actually prevents a realization of those things
C.) Proclaim the good news to them so they may have life abundantly.

Just a few thoughts and reflections.

all for now,
Logan