One of the things that struck me when I preached through Mark's Gospel last year, was the method of how Jesus healed people. Very often, Jesus used different methods to miraculously bring healing to different people. Sometimes He would touch the affected area of the person. Sometimes He simply spoke someone well. Other times, He called the person to act in some way. The clear implication is that there was a message being communicated through the method of the miracle.
This is something that Charles Spurgeon makes note of in his "Lectures" to his students. He says that "there can be no doubt that the miracles are the acted out sermons of the our Lord Jesus Christ". He then goes on to quote from R.C. Trench, who he acknowledges has many doctrinal failures, yet, when it comes to finding the deeper lessons in Christ's miracles, serves as a very good resource. The example he provides is the healing of a deaf and mute man of Mark 7:31-37.
Warning: One must be careful in interpreting miracles like this. There is much opportunity to over-spiritualize and harm the text (which is the very warning Spurgeon gives in this chapter). But when done faithfully, there is much to be gained. Here is the example he provides:
"The poor creature's maladies are eminently suggestive of man's lost estate, and our Lord's mode of procedure most instructively illustrates that plan of salvation.
'Jesus took him aside from the multitude' -the soul must be made to feel its own personality and individuality, and must be led into loneliness. He 'put his fingers into his ears', the source of the mischief indicated; sinners are convinced of their state. And 'spat' -the gospel is a simple and despised means, and the sinner, in order to salvation, must humble himself to receive it. He 'touched his tongue', further pointing out where the mischief lay - our sense of need grows on us. He 'looked up to heaven' - Jesus reminded his patient that all strength must come from above - a lesson which every seeker must learn. 'He sighed', showing that the sorrows of the Healer are the means of our healing. And then he said, 'Ephphatha, Be opened!' - here was the effectual word of grace which wrought an immediate, perfect, and lasting cure.
From this one exposition learn all, and ever believe that the miracles of Christ are a great picture gallery, illustrating his work among the sons of men."
I have been reading through Charles Spurgeon's "Lectures to My Students". It is a veritable gold mine of pastoral insight. The hardest part of reading through these lectures is trying to figure out what not to highlight and quote. Here is one portion that I could keep from sharing.
The Prince of Preachers is writing about the importance of actually preaching our given text of Scripture and not just using a text as a launching pad to our own brilliant insights.
"Some brethren have done with their text as soon as they have read it. Having paid all due honour to that particular passage by announcing it, they feel no necessity further to refer to it. They touch their hats, as it were, to that part of Scripture, and pass on to fresh fields and pastures new. Why do such men take on texts at all? Why limit their own glorious liberty? Why make Scripture a horsing-block by which to mount upon their unbridled Pegasus? Surely the words of inspiration were never meant to be boot-hooks to help a Talkative to draw on his seven-leagued boots in which to leap from pole to pole."
As a pastor it would be a given that I am very interested in the topic of preaching. Actually, that has not always been the case, but it is certainly now. Because of that interest, I enjoy reading books on preaching. I certainly have not read an exhaustive amount of books on the topic, but I did want to write about the three that have influenced me the most:
#3- "Preaching and Preachers" by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
This is a classic work done by "the Dr.". This book was fundamental in my own development as a pastor. I had often struggled with feelings of acceptance in what I knew pastors to be. I don't usually fit or feel comfortable at your typical pastor's conference. Llyod-Jones spoke to my soul. What he was writing about...I felt, and it helped cement my own calling to preach.
#2- "Preaching for God's Glory" by Alistair Begg
That whole not fitting in at most pastor's conference thing was quickly remedied when I first went to one of Alistair's Basics conferences. At his conference I felt like I was at home. Admittedly, Alistair is my favorite preacher to listen to, and I'm a little biased. This short little book is filled with preaching gold. He talks about the desperate need, and sad lack of expository preaching in pulpits today. He defines expository preaching as preaching that centers on a text of Scripture and not a topic. It is text driven, and as he quotes in the book from John Stott..."it is our conviction that all true Christian preaching is expository preaching."
#1- "Famine in the Land" by Steven J. Lawson'
This book was instrumental in helping to form my convictions on preaching early on in my ministry. Lawson, like Begg, goes to great lengths to show the desperate need for true expository preaching, and the great danger of forsaking it. Lawson cleverly extols the need for expository preaching by writing expositorily in the book. He shows from the Scriptures why the church needs the Word proclaimed to them faithfully.
Honorable mention: "Between Two Worlds" by John Stott and "The Supremacy of God in Preaching" by John Piperhttp://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/213/nm/Preaching+and+Preachers?utm_source=jbenack&utm_medium=blogpartners
