Distinct Characteristics of Hope Bible Church (Pt. 5)

In this week’s edition, we pick up with additional benefits of expository preaching.

(to follow along with this series and read the previous articles, click here)

Sixth, similar to number 5, expository preaching demonstrates before the whole congregation how to study the Bible correctly.

One of the great weaknesses of the modern church is not only their ignorance of the Bible, but their lack of skill in reading and interpreting the Bible in its historic and cultural context. Since God speaks through Scripture, it is imperative the shepherds of the church model for their sheep how to read and study Scripture. This gives everyone in that church confidence to approach Scripture and to know correctly the doctrines of the historic Christian faith. Error is also more easily identified when the sheep hear truth explained weekly. When you hear a man of God explain Scripture properly each week (explaining its flow of thought, its word meanings, and its connection to other Scriptures) it becomes immediately recognizable when someone else misuses the Bible. This builds a mature and discerning congregation.

Seventh, Expository preaching also destroys error.

When Scripture is interpreted correctly and the normal, plain hermeneutic is followed consistently, the doctrines of the faith embedded in the text shine forth. Each of these doctrines build and safeguard the Christian faith so error does not creep into the church. Quoting Dr. MacArthur again, he declared at Hope Bible Church, “There is only one weapon to destroy error – truth.” Truth comes from correct biblical doctrine, and correct biblical doctrine comes from Scripture, and expository preaching brings out the meaning of Scripture best. There are a hundred errors which can infect the church at any time, but only one truth - one remedy for errors. A church dedicated to expository preaching is a church using truth to refute error.

Eighth, expository preaching puts the preacher on track to explain all the texts of Scripture including the truths that offend culture and make sinners uncomfortable.

One of the newer philosophies of church ministry is for the church to do its best not to offend visitors and newcomers. The thought behind this philosophy is that if you stay away from teaching the hard truths of Christianity and make the unconverted persons comfortable in church, they will keep coming back to hear more. Eventually some of them will get converted. The motive of converting sinners, of course, is good; the method of not offending sinners is surely wrong. The gospel of Jesus is offensive to sinners from the start, for it declares them as morally twisted and under the judgment of God. The crucifixion of Jesus was offensive to both Jews and Greeks, 1 Corinthians 1:21-23, for it was considered weakness and foolishness. The entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation trumpets the recurrent theme, that God is holy and man is sinful and headed for judgment if he does not turn from his sin and embrace a crucified Jew as his Savior. Expository preaching, by staying closely connected to Scripture, makes sure the sinner hears, not what he wants to hear, but the message that will lead him to salvation. He cannot get saved without being offended. With expository preaching, culture is confronted and those whom God is drawing to Himself come to faith and get saved.

Ninth, expository preaching allows the church to cover all of God’s truth by preaching sequentially through books of the Bible.

Topical preaching (the kind of preaching where a preacher chooses a topic and then finds verses that say something about it) can easily become dangerous because it follows the instincts or desires of the preacher rather than the wisdom of the Spirit. It keeps the lead pastor from saddling up one of his hobby horses and thereby frustrating his congregation. We believe, not just that Scripture is truthful, but that God very wisely chose to speak what He thought was most important for us to hear. Since God chose His words carefully, we should preach all his words, not just our favorite ones. Some churches get taught a lot about the powerful Holy Spirit but not enough about man’s weaknesses. Other churches get taught a lot about God’s sovereignty but not enough about human responsibility. Other churches get taught a lot about baptism but not enough about the Lord’s Supper. Each of these examples could be reversed and many more could be given. Topical preaching produces lopsided churches. Expository preaching allows the themes God repeats the most in Scripture to be heard the most in our pulpits, while themes that a preacher thinks should be preached a lot, will be given the proportion God thinks best. We should follow God’s wisdom about what to preach, not our own.

Tenth, expository preaching allows the church to be culturally relevant without trying to keep up with every change in culture.

Culture changes. There is no doubt about that. However, the church does not need to change what it is saying just because culture changes. Truth remains truth from culture to culture and through the ages. Truth also maintains its ability to correct error. If a culture becomes too relative and liberal, as ours has become, Scripture is going to point out the errors of that culture. If it is too formal and unemotional, Scripture will balance that out too. John MacArthur says, “We have nothing to say to the culture and to the church except what God has to say.” “I don't need to be an expert on the culture; I just need to be an expert of the mind of Christ.” When we preach the word of Christ, culture is reached and culture is corrected.

Eleventh, another benefit of expository preaching is that the preacher never runs out of preaching material.

It is very unlikely a preacher can preach through the entire Bible in his lifetime. Few achieve that goal. However, even if he does, when he returns to a book of the Bible he preached 10 or 20 or even 40 years earlier, he will be more mature and will have new insights into that book. He will likely preach it better the second time around. Scripture is a limitless storehouse of truth. It is an endless mine of precious gems. No preacher need ever worry he will run out of good things to say.

Twelfth, expository preaching cultivates a congregation that is devoted to the glory of God.

The mindset of Scripture is that all the glory belongs to God. That is hard, if not impossible, for sinful men to conclude. Sinful humans following Satan’s desires, want the glory for themselves. By hearing Scripture again and again, from different angles, the people of God hear about the glory of God. They see that He alone is worthy of the glory, might, and dominion. Scripture always points to God as good and great. Scripture has only one hero — the Lord God who is three in one. From beginning to end Scripture displays the glory and kingdom and might of the Triune God. Minds so molded by Scripture are dedicated to God’s name and fame, not their own.

In closing, I will let Dr. John MacArthur sum it up.

“That’s the genius of explaining the Scripture because every text is an argument; it’s a cause, it’s a plain argument for truth that leads you to a spiritually exhilarating conclusion. That’s how preaching should be. In that process, people are caught up in the glory of the word of God. And they don’t come here for anything else. ... They know the experience has no parallel, no equal."