The brightest days of the church have been those when preaching has been honored - Ryle

[Jonathco]

"The brightest days of the church have been those when preaching has been honored. The darkest days of the church have been those when it has been lightly esteemed. Let us honor the sacraments and public prayers of the church and reverently use them. But let us beware that we do not place them above the preaching of the Word."

JC Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

I recently read J. C. Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Matthew and Mark. So much edifying material in such a short space.

 

[Rom]

Amen.

I have been reading through Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Luke as I've been preaching through it. This series was recommended to me by a Seminary prof and I have profited greatly from it.

As an FYI - I am going to post this quote on FB. Thank you for it!

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Amen.

I have been reading through Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Luke as I've been preaching through it. This series was recommended to me by a Seminary prof and I have profited greatly from it.

I am hoping to start the two volumes on Luke soon. I do not currently own them, but think I will buy the new hardcover version that Banner of Truth recently produced. I am also not that long after finishing the three volumes on John's gospel, which I completed shortly before starting Matthew. The critical notes he provides on John are really good, and it was through Ryle that I first got to learn of Rudolf Gwalther (Ryle calls him Gualther).

 

[Rom]

I am hoping to start the two volumes on Luke soon. I do not currently own them, but think I will buy the new hardcover version that Banner of Truth recently produced. I am also not that long after finishing the three volumes on John's gospel, which I completed shortly before starting Matthew. The critical notes he provides on John are really good, and it was through Ryle that I first got to learn of Rudolf Gwalther (Ryle calls him Gualther).

I had them digitally (Logos), but I ended up reading them so often that I got the new Banner edition to have in print (the entire set). They are very nice. Highly recommended!

 

[Jonathco]

I recently read J. C. Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Matthew and Mark. So much edifying material in such a short space.

I am working through Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Matthew (where this quote was taken from) currently. I couldn't agree more; truly edifying.

 

[dhh712]

"The brightest days of the church have been those when preaching has been honored. The darkest days of the church have been those when it has been lightly esteemed. Let us honor the sacraments and public prayers of the church and reverently use them. But let us beware that we do not place them above the preaching of the Word."

Thank you for posting, Jon; we should remember this and take it to heart. It would seem the church may be in her darker days--hopefully not her darkest, but that may be up for debate? I seem to recall reading somewhere how sermons would be like an hour or two, or more, can't remember the exact wording (this would be like in the 1700s, 1800s). That was when there was no television or radio or internet where distractions and quick entertainment could be found.

I find it a bit jarring when I'm listening to sermons on sermon audio and the preacher makes reference to some time limit. How is it then honoring to the preaching of the word to place it on a time limit? It seems very plain then that we are honoring time over it. Not that sermons have to be a certain amount of time, but we shouldn't be concerned if they go on for longer than usual.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

It depends if it is slavish (particularly if a short limit) to a fault. Paying attention to the normally allotted time is not new. You will see in Durham's lectures from the 1650s that he sometimes ends with noting the allotted time has gone. Folks sat through a lecture on some Scripture of some length as well as a sermon in the service. It is said Durham paid attention to his hourglass and was usually strict to it. I don't know what length of time that was but most of his sermons are not hugely long, but they do vary, as do the lectures. That may be a factor of the notes from which they are all taken; Durham had horrible handwriting and didn't use notes; he was said to have a great memory.

"The brightest days of the church have been those when preaching has been honored. The darkest days of the church have been those when it has been lightly esteemed. Let us honor the sacraments and public prayers of the church and reverently use them. But let us beware that we do not place them above the preaching of the Word."

Thank you for posting, Jon; we should remember this and take it to heart. It would seem the church may be in her darker days--hopefully not her darkest, but that may be up for debate? I seem to recall reading somewhere how sermons would be like an hour or two, or more, can't remember the exact wording (this would be like in the 1700s, 1800s). That was when there was no television or radio or internet where distractions and quick entertainment could be found.

I find it a bit jarring when I'm listening to sermons on sermon audio and the preacher makes reference to some time limit. How is it then honoring to the preaching of the word to place it on a time limit? It seems very plain then that we are honoring time over it. Not that sermons have to be a certain amount of time, but we shouldn't be concerned if they go on for longer than usual.

 

[dhh712]

It depends if it is slavish (particularly if a short limit) to a fault. Paying attention to the normally allotted time is not new. You will see in Durham's lectures from the 1650s that he sometimes ends with noting the allotted time has gone. Folks sat through a lecture on some Scripture of some length as well as a sermon in the service. It is said Durham paid attention to his hourglass and was usually strict to it. I don't know what length of time that was but most of his sermons are not hugely long, but they do vary, as do the lectures. That may be a factor of the notes from which they are all taken; Durham had horrible handwriting and didn't use notes; he was said to have a great memory.

Thanks for the info, I hadn't known they were mindful of the time then, but that makes sense. Yes, I think it would be a matter of whether they make a time limit subservient to the sermon all the time. Having it as a guide line is probably not a bad idea!

This brings to mind a story from a sermon I was listening to, the pastor said he had a nightmare that he was preaching for so long and couldn't figure out a way to end it, and the elders had to take him from the pulpit. His sermons did kind of run on the longer end, so it sounds as though this was something he worried about. But that story always cracks me up, can't help it, poor guy; he thought it was funny too though.