# Jesus still Speaks to us Today!



## ChristopherPaul (Mar 21, 2006)

Reading Calvin's commentary on Hebrews, I came across the quote below and found it very interesting. It helps me give more reverence to the gospel as well as putting it's proclamation in proper perspective:



> We must further notice the office which Christ assumes, which is that of _proclaiming the name of God_; and this began to be done when the gospel was first promulgated and is now done daily by the ministry of pastors. We hence learn, that the gospel has been presented to us for this end, that we may be brought to the knowledge of God, in order that his goodness may be celebrated by us, and that Christ is the author of the gospel in whatever manner it may be offered to us. And this is what Paul says, for he declares that he and others were ambassadors for Christ; and he exhorted men as it were in the name of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20.) And this ought to add no small reverence to the gospel, since we ought not so much to consider men as speaking to us, as Christ by his own mouth; for at the time when he promised to publish God´s name to men, he had ceased to be in the world; it was not however to no purpose that he claimed this office as his own; for he really performs it by his disciples



My pastor includes the gospel in his sermons every week. He just guided us through the book of Joshua and now Job. No matter what the scripture is and topic, the gospel is central and included quite brilliantly in my opinion. I appreciate that and now, after reading Calvin's perspective, esteem my pastor's words with much more veneration and appreciation.

New Revelation has ceased, but Jesus is still proclaiming God's name to the nations!

[Edited on 3-21-2006 by ChristopherPaul]


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## Ivan (Mar 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by ChristopherPaul_
> No matter what the scripture is and topic, the gospel is central and included quite brilliantly in my opinion. I appreciate that and now, after reading Calvin's perspective, esteem my pastor's words with much more veneration and appreciation.



I believe Spurgeon once said that whatever text he took for his sermon he would make a beeline for the Cross.

[Edited on 9-13-2006 by Ivan]


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## Contra_Mundum (Mar 21, 2006)

I well remember the excitement I felt when first grasping this fact. See Luke 10:16: "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me."

John Murray on Rom. 10:14:


> In the next clause, "how shall they believe him[16 there is no need to insert the preposition "in" before "him"] whom they have not heard?", it is not likely that any weaker sense is given to the word "believe" than in the preceding clause though the construction differs.[17] A striking feature of this clause is that Christ is represented as being heard in the gospel when proclaimed by the sent messengers. The implication is that Christ speaks in the gospel proclamation. it is in this light that what precedes and what follows must be understood. The personal commitment which faith implies is coordinate with the encounter with Jesus' own words in the gospel message. And the dignity of the messengers, reflected on later, is derived from the fact that they are the Lord's spokesmen. In the last clause of verse 14 the apostle is thinking of the institution which is the ordinary and most effectual means of propagating the gospel, namely, the official preaching of the Word by those appointed to the task.[18]


 "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they they believe him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear _him_ without a preacher?"

[Edited on 3-21-2006 by Contra_Mundum]


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## ChristopherPaul (Mar 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Contra_Mundum_
> I well remember the excitement I felt when first grasping this fact. See Luke 10:16: "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me."
> 
> John Murray on Rom. 10:14:
> ...



Wow, good stuff!

This is very helpful. Those verses are much clearer to me now with this perspective in mind.


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## Rich Barcellos (Mar 21, 2006)

Ephesians 2:17 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 
Ephesians 4:20-21 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Mar 21, 2006)

John 10:

1 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 
2 - But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 
3 - To him the porter openeth; and *the sheep hear his voice*: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 
4 - And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: *for they know his voice*. 
5 - And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 

Christ speaking through Preaching:



> Chrysostom on I Thessalonians 2:13: "For in hearing us, you gave such heed, as if not hearing men, but as if God Himself were exhorting you."
> 
> Augustine: "Yes it is I who admonish, I who order, I who command, it is the bishop who teaches. But it is Christ who commands through me." "The preacher explains the text; if he says what is true, it is Christ speaking."
> 
> ...


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Sep 12, 2006)

> While the Second Helvetic Confession is a model of theological succinctness and profundity, its best-known line is Bullinger´s _Praedicatio verbum Dei verbum Dei est_ "“ the preaching of the Word of God is itself the Word of God. In other words, when the gospel is preached by fumbling, stumbling humans, the risen, sovereign Jesus Christ adopts the event, owns it and vivifies it by the power of the Spirit so as to loom before hearers and acquaint them with himself as surely as he "œleaned" on hearers during the days of his earthly ministry.
> 
> Source


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