"True Christian preaching must center on the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross is the central doctrine of the holy scriptures. All other revealed truths either find their fulfillment in the cross or are necessarily founded upon it. Therefore, no doctrine of Scripture may faithfully be set before men unless it is displayed in its relationship to the cross. The one who is called to preach, therefore, must preach Christ because there is no other message from God." Thomas F. Jones, quoted in "Christ Centered Preaching" by Bryan Chapell, pg. 271
How do you preachers feel about RH preaching? Should it be done all the time? Most of the time? Only some of the time?
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All Preaching Should be focus on the Glory of God.
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Gil Garcia
Rehoboth Reformed Church (RCUS)
La Habra, CA
"Indeed, one might say that as far as the doctrine of justification
is concerned, if you are not on the road to Wittenberg or Geneva, then the old proverb is indeed true: all roads lead to Rome." Carl Trueman
Paul says that he only wants to preach Christ crucified.......
Yet, the majority of his exhortations center on Christian relationships in most of his letters.
So, it appears that we are to preach in the shadow of the cross...it need not be about the actual crucifixion every week. CHurch relationships involve a constant dying to self and Paul uses Biblical imagery even when describing husband-wife relationships (Eph 5) and about humbleness (Phil 2).
SO...yes, we are to preach the Gospel as far as the Gospel spreads it influence....ie.. into every area of our life.
P.S. I know some antinomian "sovereign grace baptists" who never preach about sancitifcation because this would get away from preaching about Christ cruficied. So, they preach great justification messages, but there is hardly anything ever said about our lateral relationships with other beleivers.
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Pergamum
"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone
Paul tells us that the cross is at the center of history, . That is, history is centered around what Christ did upon the cross. And we know, as reformed believers, that Christ is supposed to be at the center of all we do, WSC Q1. Therefore by way of application, all biblical preaching should be "centered" upon the cross.
__________________ ~James Helbert~, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn "Is this not a brand plucked from the fire? - Zechariah 3:2
Paul mentions the cross in every epistle he wrote. When reading the NT we need to understand the passage in light of the whole book. This is the reason topical preaching from week to week is inferior to preaching through books in an expository manner. The cross is always the central theme. God intended that we always remember the cross.
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Pastor Mark A. Mitchell
Senior Pastor/ Second Chance Baptist Church
SBC Affiliated
Wauchula Florida www.pastormarkmitchell.org www.2ndchc.org
Jesus said that all the Old Testament was about Him (Luke 24:44-47). Thus, if we are reading and preaching the OT (and, I would argue, the NT) rightly, then we must always end up seeing and preaching Jesus in some way. That way will not always be the same (indeed, it should not), but, if we are to take Jesus at His word, we should ever be seeing Jesus in all the Scriptures.
Of course, your question was "Should all preaching center on the cross?" That is a related, but different question. I would, however, answer it roughly the same. The center of Jesus' ministry is the cross, the point of Scripture is to point to Jesus; thus, in some way, all preaching should be preaching the cross.
As it has already been said, Paul "preached Christ and Him crucified" but showed a great variety in how he did that and what that meant. Thus, the "some way" that we preach the cross and Jesus need not be singular and without variation.
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Lon Graham
Pastor-Christ Community Church
Blaine, WA
For me if I preach without the cross (Gospel) then it's not preaching, it's teaching. I would follow Spurgeon's advice here and say your preaching need not center on the cross but it should always lead to the Cross. I may preach on the role of the husband but I'm going to end that sermon with a call to Christ through the power of the Cross.
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Bob Vigneault (Bawb Vēēn-yo)
I just know there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!
Spurgeon's anecdote here answers this question beautifully.
Quote:
A young man had been preaching in the presence of a venerable divine, and after he had done he went to the old minister, and said, "What do you think of my sermon?" "A very poor sermon indeed," said he. "A poor sermon?" said the young man, "it took me a long time to study it." "Ay, no doubt of it." "Why, did you not think my explanation of the text a very good one?" "Oh, yes," said the old preacher, "very good indeed." "Well, then, why do you say it is a poor sermon? Didn't you think the metaphors were appropriate and the arguments conclusive?" "Yes, they were very good as far as that goes, but still it was a very poor sermon." "Will you tell me why you think it a poor sermon?" "Because," said he, "there was no Christ in it." "Well," said the young man, "Christ was not in the text; we are not to be preaching Christ always, we must preach what is in the text." So the old man said, "Don't you know young man that from every town, and every village, and every little hamlet in England, wherever it may be, there is a road to London?" "Yes," said the young man. "Ah!" said the old divine "and so form every text in Scripture, there is a road to the metropolis of the Scriptures, that is Christ. And my dear brother, your business in when you get to a text, to say, 'Now what is the road to Christ?' and then preach a sermon, running along the road towards the great metropolis—Christ. And," said he, "I have never yet found a text that had not got a road to Christ in it, and if I ever do find one that has not a road to Christ in it, I will make one; I will go over hedge and ditch but I would get at my Master, for the sermon cannot do any good unless there is a savour of Christ in it." (The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon 242)
If you find me short in things, impute that to my love of brevity. If you find me besides the truth in anything, impute that to my infirmity. But if you find anything here that serves to your furtherance and joy of the faith, impute that to the mercy of God bestowed on you and me. Yours to serve you with what little I have. John Bunyan (Works, 1:336).
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If all preaching is not centering there, flee with all due speed! Its also one of the reasons Christ is not seen in the OT by Churches today 2000+ years removed. John 5 is a stunning accusation and danger because it speaks not of another religious book but Scripture:
John 5:38-40, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
Gods glory is revealed and summed up in Christ and the glory of the Law and the Gospel blaze forth at the Cross like no where else:
Hebrews 1:1-4, In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Revelation 21:22-24, I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
These can easily be multiplied endlessly,
Blessings,
L
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Larry Hughes
Geologist
Tates Creek PCA
Lexington, KY
PCA
Galatians 4:29, "But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also."
While I agree that all preaching should be Christ-centered, not all passages are equally clear to be cross-centered. For example. 1 Chronicles
Quote:
14And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.
16To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.
17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.
18At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.
Where is the cross? I am not being ornery, but this is a question that people will ask.
*bump*
Usually my first response is to direct them to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, on the road to Emmaus, Luke 24:25,26. After speaking of Christ "having suffered these things, and to enter into his glory", the Bible says that "beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." Now, I readily admit that if someone used the verses you cited, it would take more time to "make the connection". I also believe that someone who has not been regenerated or enlightened by the Holy Ghost cannot and will not understand or receive the things of Christ. MacArthur cites 3 main doctrines in 1 Chronicles; blessing, judgement, and the Davidic covenant. Anyone else want to jump in?
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Briant Holley
Grace Reformed Baptist Church
Husband to Barbara, Father of Alexis, Justin, and Lacey
Silver Creek, MS
While I agree that all preaching should be Christ-centered, not all passages are equally clear to be cross-centered. For example. 1 Chronicles
Where is the cross? I am not being ornery, but this is a question that people will ask.
*bump*
Usually my first response is to direct them to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, on the road to Emmaus, Luke 24:25,26. After speaking of Christ "having suffered these things, and to enter into his glory", the Bible says that "beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." Now, I readily admit that if someone used the verses you cited, it would take more time to "make the connection". I also believe that someone who has not been regenerated or enlightened by the Holy Ghost cannot and will not understand or receive the things of Christ. MacArthur cites 3 main doctrines in 1 Chronicles; blessing, judgement, and the Davidic covenant. Anyone else want to jump in?
I am not disputing that preaching ought to be cross/Christ-centered. That is a given per the verses you quoted. My question is *how* does Parbar reflect the cross?
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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College
While I agree that all preaching should be Christ-centered, not all passages are equally clear to be cross-centered. For example. 1 Chronicles
Quote:
14And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.
16To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.
17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.
18At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.
Where is the cross? I am not being ornery, but this is a question that people will ask.
*bump*
It's a ridiculous question. As a preacher, I probably wouldn't preach on just these four verses. I would place them in their historical and biblical context on a sermon as I was preaching through 1 Chronicles, which details the development and preservation of the Davidic line that leads to Christ. This is an easy connection.
If I wanted to I could probably take these four verses which relate to the establishment of the sons of Korah who served as gatekeepers in the temple and I could extend it to describing how Christ is the fulfillment of that type as the true gatekeeper of the house of God.
While I agree that all preaching should be Christ-centered, not all passages are equally clear to be cross-centered. For example. 1 Chronicles
Where is the cross? I am not being ornery, but this is a question that people will ask.
*bump*
It's a ridiculous question. As a preacher, I probably wouldn't preach on just these four verses. I would place them in their historical and biblical context on a sermon as I was preaching through 1 Chronicles, which details the development and preservation of the Davidic line that leads to Christ. This is an easy connection.
Ridiculous? maybe, but given Lk. 24 it is certainly a legitimate question. If all the scriptures are revelatory of the cross/Christ, then this reflects back on my example. I am not trying to throw out reductios for the sake of it. Rather, I am trying to force reflection beyond cliches to helpful application. Yes, as the other person who responded to me noted, it takes more time and reflection.
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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College
It's a ridiculous question. As a preacher, I probably wouldn't preach on just these four verses. I would place them in their historical and biblical context on a sermon as I was preaching through 1 Chronicles, which details the development and preservation of the Davidic line that leads to Christ. This is an easy connection.
Ridiculous? maybe, but given Lk. 24 it is certainly a legitimate question. If all the scriptures are revelatory of the cross/Christ, then this reflects back on my example. I am not trying to throw out reductios for the sake of it. Rather, I am trying to force reflection beyond cliches to helpful application. Yes, as the other person who responded to me noted, it takes more time and reflection.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said ridiculous because the intent wasn't ridiculous. Often a question like this is similar to the "Did Adam and Eve have belly-buttons" type.
I gave two examples of how it could be done fairly easily just looking at the larger context. Like I said, as a preacher, I most likely (in the process of going through 1 Chronicles) would not just cover these 4 verses. I would probably cover them in a larger context which, most likely, would have a clear connection to Christ and the cross. If I was Charles Spurgeon, I would be able to cover one of the verses with 7 points and have a clear connection to the cross. But, Spurgeon I definitely am not.
During my time in Afghanistan I had the good pleasure of working with an old chaplain who is a very "crotchety" confessional LCMS minister. He was a blast.
As you (probably) know, Lutheran theology focuses on the Law/Gospel distinction... When that paradigm is applied to homiletics, a "whole" sermon includes BOTH Law and Gospel.
I agree.
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Ben
Sanford, NC
TE Ohio Valley Presbytery, PCA
Man…this whole matter has aroused in me a great craving to preach Christ & Him crucified! I loved that Spurgeon quote…the heart of the matter!
I would go as far as to say that not only is 'All Scripture' Cross-centered; but it is all built upon Gen 3:15, which, as I see it, is centered on both the crucifixion & the resurrection of Christ! If it were merely 'crucifixion' focused then it would be false prophesy! It would then need to read; 'He shall bruise your head & you shall bruise His head'! This, of course would leave us all hopeless & with a poor dead Jesus! On the contrary, & this is our great joy, in the light of 'Easter Sunday' that which was otherwise a 'bruised head' is rightly termed a merely 'bruised heel'!
So yes, without apology, we preach the resurrected Savior Christ Jesus the Lamb of God!
Incidentally, it is only once we are graced with a riveting & awe inspiring glimpse of the sheer glory of all that is ours in Him that we will begin to make any real progress whatsoever in the whole area of 'Sanctification'! God doesn’t need our goodness...our morality! If He has us at all He has all of us!
What blessed my socks off was the ‘School of Preaching’ held in RSA recently where Ian Duguid was the speaker; He was exceptionally good & helpful in this whole matter! I would also like to recommend Robert Reymond's book on preaching, 'The God-Centered Preacher', & with that Edmond Clowney’s, ‘Preaching Christ in all of Scripture’.
God bless you all
Glen Thompson
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Glen Thompson
Pastor of the Sydenham Baptist Church
Port Elizabeth RSA
Should All Preaching Center On The Cross? 
