Preaching through Proverbs?

[Casey]

Anyone here ever preach through the Proverbs in a somewhat systematic nature? I just read a review of Waltke's 2004 NICOT Proverbs commentary in New Horizons, which highly commends it, so . . it got me thinkin'.

 

[Archlute]

I just preached from chapter 19 this last week, and the preparation was thoroughly enjoyable! I spoke with Dr. Hywell Jones afterwards on how to preach a series, or if it had ever been done by a protestant minister of the past. He said that he had preached up through chapter 9, but after that it becomes much more scattered and therefore a much more complex venture. He agreed that it would be best to intersperse them among a regular sermon series in the evening. So, every several weeks you might throw one in, or at the end of the month, but it would definitely be a long term commitment.

I believe that Joseph Caryl did that with his 430 some sermons through the book of Job, but it did take him a fair number of years to complete the series.

 

[crhoades]

http://www.cmfnow.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=577

Here are 112 sermons by Greg Bahnsen. When a person with a phd in epistemology decides to teach on wisdom watch out!

I've listened to the first 6 of these and they were excellent =-and convicting...

 

[Archlute]

I would be interested to know his approach. Sermon titles are not necessarily indicative of the contents of the sermon, but I did not find any titles that would seem to indicate that his aim was to preach Christ from the Proverbs. The sales blurb above the sermons listed the Proverbs as being "personal instruction and practical insights for daily affairs". Tell me, Chris, how did he preach Christ from the messages to which you listened?

 

[crhoades]

Originally posted by Archlute
I would be interested to know his approach. Sermon titles are not necessarily indicative of the contents of the sermon, but I did not find any titles that would seem to indicate that his aim was to preach Christ from the Proverbs. The sales blurb above the sermons listed the Proverbs as being "personal instruction and practical insights for daily affairs". Tell me, Chris, how did he preach Christ from the messages to which you listened?

most definitely. but not to the exclusion of sound application. Indicative>Imperative. In Christ is hidden all the riches of wisdom and knowledge. He loves that verse. Spend a couple of bucks and download the first couple and give him a spin...

 

[Archlute]

Chris,

You don't have to worry, I like application too. I'll have to take up your final suggestion - after I get a couple of bucks (which may be some time...)!

 

[Casey]

Originally posted by Archlute
I would be interested to know his approach. Sermon titles are not necessarily indicative of the contents of the sermon, but I did not find any titles that would seem to indicate that his aim was to preach Christ from the Proverbs. The sales blurb above the sermons listed the Proverbs as being "personal instruction and practical insights for daily affairs". Tell me, Chris, how did he preach Christ from the messages to which you listened?

This is an important point. To preaching Christ from the Proverbs is essential, but I wouldn't guess it to be easy.

Concerning the Bahnsen MP3's . . why don't they sell it as a package, instead of every sermon separate!? (It'd cost a ton to get them all!)

Somehow I have the idea that Bahnsen wouldn't be all too happy about other items being sold side-by-side with his . . (i.e., the Monroe Four's publications) . . .

 

[Archlute]

Indeed, Casey, that sermon took a great deal of preparation time. I had to think long and hard about the structure and connections before I felt that I was giving the people something that they could genuinely profit from, rather than raise their eyebrows at its hermeneutical wizardry. I was indeed relieved when several members (not the least of whom was my pastor... whew!) said that even though they had never seen the passage in that light before, once they heard the exegesis of it, the connections became clear and convincing. It was a very edifying experience. The Word of Christ has real power, and it is amazing to see how the Spirit uses seemingly insignificant parts of the sermon in people's lives in ways that the one preaching had not anticipated.

 

[Casey]

Originally posted by Archlute
Indeed, Casey, that sermon took a great deal of preparation time. I had to think long and hard about the structure and connections before I felt that I was giving the people something that they could genuinely profit from, rather than raise their eyebrows at its hermeneutical wizardry. I was indeed relieved when several members (not the least of whom was my pastor... whew!) said that even though they had never seen the passage in that light before, once they heard the exegesis of it, the connections became clear and convincing. It was a very edifying experience. The Word of Christ has real power, and it is amazing to see how the Spirit uses seemingly insignificant parts of the sermon in people's lives in ways that the one preaching had not anticipated.

Which portion of Proverbs (or which Proverb) did you exhort/preach on? Perhaps we could do a "case study" . . .

BTW, nice to meet you, Adam.