In his opening chapter of Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, Sidney Greidanus lists five reasons for preaching Christ today.
1. Jesus’ command: Go and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20).
2. Exciting News: The King has come! (John 1:41-42).
3. Life-giving news: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:30-31).
4. Exclusive news: There is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:12).
5. Our hearers are living in a non-Christian culture.
Greidanus then provides five reasons why committed Christians as well as non-Christians need to hear explicitly Christ-centered sermons:
1. Centralizes Christ: In a post Christian culture such preaching will enable Christians to sense the centrality of Christ in their lives and in the world
2. Distinguishes from falsehood: It will help them distinguish their specific faith from that of Judaism, Eastern religions, the new age movement, the health-and-wealth gospel, and other competing faiths.
3. Builds faith in Jesus: It will continually build their faith in Jesus, their Savior and Lord.
4. Sustains Christians: Preaching Christ in a non Christian-culture sustains Christians as water sustains nomads in the desert.
5. Guides service: Even those committed to Christ must continually learn and relearn what it means to serve Jesus as Lord of their life.
These paragraphs also contain two great quotes:
“Genuine Christian faith and life can exist only so long as it remains a daily appropriation of Christ.” (J M Reu)
“The main objective of preaching is to expound Scripture so faithfully and relevantly that Jesus Christ is perceived in all his adequacy to meet human need.” (John Stott)
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