The Path — 4/1/24
Discourses, Persuasion & Assurance, John Calvin, Uniting Public & Private Ministry, & What Kids Need
This week, we will take a look at how to study Scripture at the discourse level, how persuasion and assurance of Scripture is a gift of the Holy Spirit, John Calvin’s proclamation of the majesty of God through the majesty of the Word of God, uniting the public and private ministry of the Word, and what children need to develop spiritually.
Translation & Exegesis
In chapter 5 of Grasping God’s Word, the authors end their discussion of how to read the Bible. So far, they have encouraged us to read carefully, always looking for more details. On the sentence level, we should look out for repetition of words, contrasts, comparisons, lists, cause and effect, figures of speech, conjunctions, verbs, and pronouns. On the paragraph level, we want to look for questions and answers, dialogue, means, purpose/result statements, general to specific, specific to general, conditional clauses, actions/roles of God, actions/roles of people, emotional terms, and tone of the passage.
Duvall and Hays use the term discourse to refer to units of connected text that are longer than a paragraph. You could think of it in terms of story, pericope, episode, unit of thought, or chapter. The goal here is to tackle larger units of biblical text. Here are 5 things we should look out for as we observe discourses in Scripture:
Connections to other paragraphs and episodes—How does the passage connect to the one that precedes it and the one that follows it?
Shifts in the story/pivots—Is the passage being used as a key to understanding a dramatic shift in the story?
Interchange—Does the passage shift back and forth between two scenes or characters?
Chiasm—Does the passage have any chiastic arrangements, such as a-b-c-d-c´-b´-a´?
Inclusio—Does the passage open and close with similar statements or events?
Here’s an example from John 12:12-19, the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
I have found this section of Grasping God’s Word to be such an encouragement to dive deeply into God’s Word, and I hope you have too! Let’s commit to being serious students of Scripture.
Theology
We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God, the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet not withstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.
The London Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Paragraph 5
The Bible is one of the most influential books of all time, in addition to being the best-selling book. While anyone can recognize this and hold Scripture in high esteem, it takes a work of the Spirit to bring full persuasion and assurance of God’s Word.
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12 (ESV)
My youth group and I went on a missions trip to London in the summer of 2017. Our main task was to begin Christ-centered discussions with people on the High Street in Woolwich. We were shocked when we began running into people who had read the Bible more than we had.
Many of them held Scripture in high esteem. They knew the statistics about the efficacy of Scripture. They understood the majestic style. They knew all the apologetic arguments about the Bible’s consistency. But the one thing they lacked was the Spirit of God.
Those of us who are saved have many reasons to praise God for His gift of the Holy Spirit. We should be especially thankful for the enlightening work of the Spirit. It is He who convinces us with full persuasion and assurance of God’s Word. Every time we open God’s Word, we ought to shout for joy that we can truly appreciate it for all that it is.
Church History
John Calvin is one of the most important thinkers in church history. He was a prominent French theologian and a leading figure in the Reformation in Geneva. His writings helped establish the Reformation throughout Europe. Today, Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion still serves as an influential systematic theology.
In 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy, John Piper points out that Calvin’s ministry was driven by the divine majesty of the Word. Upon his salvation, John Calvin saw both the majesty of God and the Word of God. These two things were interwoven. The majesty vindicated the Word, and the Word described the majesty. As a result, Calvin dedicated himself to displaying the majesty of God through the exposition of the Word of God.
John Calvin was convinced of the necessity of sequential expository preaching. As a pastor, he spent years systematically proclaiming God’s Word verse by verse. He did this for three reasons. First, he believed God’s Word was a lamp that had been taken away from the churches. Second, Calvin was horrified by those who preached their own ideas from the pulpit. Third, he was convinced that God’s Word was indeed God’s Word.
These reasons are valid today just as they were 400 years ago. Those of us who are pastors ought to commit ourselves to systematic exposition of Scripture in order to proclaim the majesty of God.
Biblical Counseling
God’s children need us to do everything we can to maximize our efforts as we minister the Word. Good public ministry of the Word takes time, effort, creativity, diligence, and hard work. So also does the private ministry of the Word. Thankfully, done well, our diligence in each realm will not merely complement the other but will enhance our overall ministry of the Word. The synergy provided by both is important because God’s children are important. Biblical Counseling and the Church, pg. 88
The public ministry of the Word (preaching and teaching) is necessary. It is a necessary part of fulfilling the great commission, a pastor’s role, maturity in Christ, and the transference of truth. This important ministry involves helping others understand the big picture, theology, personal sanctification, the Gospel, and Christ. To prepare for it, one must determine what the biblical text means and consider how we ought to apply it. The public ministry of the Word is beneficial in that it helps the hearers learn and apply the Bible, enables members’ growth and stability, provides a biblical value system, and develops a network of shared wisdom.
Private ministry of the Word involves face-to-face ministry conversations, taking the Word of God and applying it to a specific person’s life. While public ministry is general, private ministry is specific and personal. It keeps the public ministry grounded. It makes the general process of sanctification described in the pulpit practical by helping someone live it out.
Investing in both the public and private ministry of the Word can greatly benefit a church. Private ministry can help inform what needs to be taught in the public ministry. Public ministry provides teaching that can be lived out in the private ministry.
Regardless of where or how we minister the Word, we ought to diligently prepare to minister God’s Word to God’s children.
Pastoral Ministry
In Chapter 4 of Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, George Barna discusses what kids need. There's a lot of helpful information in this chapter, and I would recommend it to any parent or individual involved in children's ministry.
Human development involves growth in five key areas of life: moral, spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual. Each of these areas is important, but the basis for each is one's spiritual foundation.
Research has been conducted on influential agents, and Barna presents six conclusions based on this research:
Three Tiers of Influence Exist:
Tier One: contemporary music, movies (including videos and DVDs), television programming, the Internet, publications (dominated by books but including magazines and newspapers), laws and public policies, and parents
Tier Two: peers, schools, radio, mentors, colleges and universities and siblings
Tier Three: churches and faith communities, adult education, counseling and therapy experiences, and extended family
Levels of Influence Vary: Influence can vary based on a person’s age, stage of life, family character, and socioeconomic standing
Foundations Develop Early: By the age of nine, most of the moral and spiritual foundations of an individual are in place
Validity of Views is Continually Challenged: Every new experience challenges defined perspectives
External Elements Influence: Many people deny that they are influenced by the previously mentioned agents of influence
Intentional Effort Impacts: Unintentional influence is still influence, but intentional influence increases the chances of impacting someone’s thoughts or behavior
So, what do kids need? Barna suggests that kids need help with four Ps:
Purpose—identifying their purpose in life
Perspective—clarifying their core life perspectives
Provision—providing basic conditions and benefits they need to grow in a healthy manner
Performance—describing the performance of specific activities that enable them to lead productive and meaningful lives
This is truly a monumental task. I was particularly challenged by perspective. The four cornerstones to help children build a solid foundation are the Bible, a comprehensive knowledge of biblical content, the identification of organizing principles, and a burning desire to obey God. Children need to be given a biblical perspective of life in order to live a God-honoring life.
Let's accept the challenge to provide children with what they need in order to grow into great spiritual men and women.
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Soli Deo Gloria,
Caleb Friske