Banner Redeux

Back in May I attended the Banner of Truth Minister's Conference on the topic “Our Godly Heritage” (500th Birthday of John Calvin). I didn't blog about it then, but now, below, I give you an outline of the conference. D.V., I plan to go again next year -- you should, too! Click on the Banner of Truth link of the side of this blog for more information.

1. Conference Sermon:

Hebrews 11:1-16; 13:7
It is right for us to remember historical figures, so long as we (1) do it honestly and (2) don’t put them on a pedestal.
They help us (1) as an encouragement to persevere, (2) as a model of faith and life, and (3) as men to lead us to Christ.

2. Persuasive Preaching (1)

John Murray – “preaching is a personal, passionate plea.” To “do it” and “urge it” is costly – preaching the Gospel and suffering (cf. Paul and his thorn in the flesh).
Three peculiar challenges to the task of preaching seriously:
(1) the personal challenge – natural inhibitions/temperament – must remember that preaching is the persuasive work of the Holy Spirit; self-preservation – preaching cannot be about us; danger of triviality – don’t lose the sense of wonder/awe.
(2) the cultural challenge – the world says all is meaningless; we say there is meaning. Exposit the Word; don’t entertain.
(3) the challenge of the theological – we must not separate sovereignty and responsibility – preach a real call to repentance and belief, and that God is Sovereign in salvation.
Three things we need:
(1) clarity – explain that in order to get clean, one must understand that one is dirty.
(2) authority/boldness – we are sent on behalf of Christ with the message of reconciliation. Augustine – “the cross is the pulpit of God’s Love.”
(3) urgency – there is no need for restraint.

3. Union with Christ: Gospel Foundations

Colossians 3:1-17
Calvin – “Everything that Christ has done for us is of no value while we remain outside of Christ.”
The Colossian heresy had something to do with the idea of “fullness.” We must be Christ-centered, not personal experience-centered. It is a work of supernatural grace to preach supernatural grace in Christ.
The basic pattern of apostolic teaching:
(1) There is a grammar of the Gospel. We are continuing to learn how to present the foreign language of the Gospel. The basics of this grammar is that every imperative is rooted in an indicative.
(2) There is a chronology of the Gospel. The present Christ is rooted in the past Christ. The past must be understood to understand the present and future in Christ.
(3) There is a geography of the Gospel. We have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God. We are citizens of heaven living on earth.
(4) There is a rhythm of the Gospel. We are in Christ. Therefore, we are to mortify the flesh, which must be alongside of vivification.
The basic substance of apostolic exposition:
(1) union with Christ is union to Christ – the great ambition of our life is just to know Him.
(2) We don’t just believe in Christ, but He has come to live in us.
(3) Extent – we see life through the lense of putting on the new garments of Christ.

4. The Pastoral Theology of John Chrysostom (1)

I Corinthians 13
[This session gave us some biographical background to Chrysostom.]

5. Calvin the Pastor

Philippians 3:7-16
Pastors don’t just preach to the congregation, but to each individual sheep. Calvin was grieved by how far short he fell of his call.
Features of Calvin’s ministry:
(1) He carried out in the conviction that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and we are the undershepherds. We are not our own.
(2) He reflected the conviction that the Love of Christ is the animator of the ministry. Unless the Love of Christ reigns in our hearts, we shall not persuade with certainty.
(3) He reflected the servant spirit of the Chief Pastor. All pastors are nothing more than servants. If we do not speak with a servant’s heart, we should keep our mouths shut.
(4) His ministry was founded upon his conviction that preaching and teaching the Gospel are the primary ways to minister to the people. We must immerse ourselves in preaching and teaching.
(A) In preaching the minister has two voices: one for edifying the sheep and one for scaring away the wolves.
(B) When God speaks to the whole body, He speaks to each individual, so we need to know each individual and their needs.
(5) Pastoral visitation is essential. Private instruction is necessary. We must remember that we are sheep who are shepherds, not vice versa. We must stand against all that distances a pastor from his people.
(6) Never weary to tell the congregation to get out of themselves and into Christ. This is the point of pastoral ministry. Neither we, nor our people, are as far along as we think.
(7) Calvin was indelibly shaped and impregnated by his union with Christ. It lay at the heart of his ministry.
Lessons:
(1) We see a humanity that endeared people to Calvin. Being a great preachers is not enough.
(2) He had a deep sense of his own weakness; he knew his strength was is Christ.
(3) Remember that the best theologians are pastors that minister to their flocks. Seminaries ought to have well-tested pastors teaching in them.
(4) He was willing to lay down his life for the flock of Christ.

6. The Pastoral Theology of John Chrysostom (2)

Being a minister of Christ gives one the opportunity to show love to Christ by feeding the sheep.
The Word of God is sufficient for the treating of sick souls. Don’t let whispers and complaints overwhelm you.
Preaching Christian love in I Corinthians 13:
vs 1-3 the place of love in the order of Christian virtues
vs 4-7 Christian love tends to give us meaning – this love is unbounded
vs 8-11 Christian love is timeless

7. Calvin the Teacher

Titus 1:1-2:1
Calvin died saying that he had been faithful to the best of his knowledge.
The three-fold duty of a pastor: to be instructed in knowledge, to hold fast to his doctrine, to seek the solid advantage of the church – the method of edifying the church
(1) Calvin’s theology remained largely the same since age 26. Changes were largely additions. The pasterns of guilt-grace-gratitude remained.
(2) Calvin spent three hours teaching each day. Every minister must be diligent in study. He worked in the lifelong teeth of oppression by the assurance that the Gospel is from God. It is by faith that we live and overcome the enemy.
(3) Calvin preached the lively Scripture, no matter if anyone objected. Don’t preach vainly, but for the profit and salvation of all. The first duty of a pastor is to be in total agreement with the Bible. Anything not found in the Scripture is a vain boast.

8. Persuasive Preaching (2)

Acts 25:23-26:32
Examine the text:
background, scene, religious progeny, opposition and persecution, divine intervention, explanation, interpretation – respectfully, rationally, and skillfully, application, and conclusion.

9. Union with Christ: Gospel Implications

Colossians 3:1-27; II Corinthians 5:17
The change is not alone but within the new order of reality – the real way of progress is not through a list of do’s and don’t’s, but in sharing in the humiliation and exaltation of Christ. We go through mortification and vivification – internally and externally. So we are to be living examples of what we preach.
In studying the Psalms, Calvin found he had more problems with those inside the church than those outside.
Suffering and its reasons are not always understood in this world.
(1) Christ’s people are united in such a way that trying to destroy them is to try to destroy Jesus.
(2) death worked in Stephen, but life worked in Saul.
We ought not to desire suffering, but understand that suffering is not God losing, but God winning.
Colossians symphony:
orientation
mortification
transformation
disposition
(1) People do not naturally live by the biblical paradigms. We must saturate our people with them to wear down their old nature and show them that you can’t live the life Christ calls us to in 24 minutes of preaching.
(2) Your sins don’t disappear at conversion. They don’t have dominion. Emphasize unity in Christ. Specifically teach mortification. The Nike method: “Just do it.” Grace doesn’t stop obedience, but effects it.
(3) Let the Work of Christ dwell in you richly. Read your Bible more, preach more. Sing the Psalms, it is the first sign of conversion. Run worm worship that destroys – idolatry. Let thankfulness dominate.

10. Modern Challenges to Calvinism

II Timothy 3:1-17
There are perilous times because:
(1) of the nature of depravity
(2) of the false religionists – progressing from one deception to another
Corrections:
(1) We must be different from those around us and very confrontational.
(2) The church needs preaching that tells them that there will be suffering.
(3) Seasoned ministers ought to tell young ministers about suffering and hardship.
(4) A biblical system of doctrine must be handed down. The Scripture is all we need for the ministry. We must never compromise what the Scripture says.

11. Q & A session

12. Closing Sermon

II Corinthians 4:1-18
God has entrusted us with an almost overwhelming responsibility, and Satan will do all he can to get us to lose heart and be cast down. We must keep our eyes on Christ and not on ourselves.
We don’t lose heart for two reasons:
(1) because of the greatness of the ministry that God has entrusted to us – the privilege we have. It is a ministry of being united with the Great Minister. There is an inevitable cross. We ought to expect violence, prison, and death in the Christian ministry. Our scars are for a good cause and a Great Master.
(2) because of the greatness of the mercy we have received. At our best, we are damnable, Hell-deserving sinners, but we have received mercy. We are doing the most significant thing in the whole cosmos. Our weakness is held by our Strong Savior.