Christian Worship: Christ centered preaching

By Steven Newell

The sermon is a key part of any Christian worship service. This is point where the pastor, as a servant of the word, proclaims the Gospel. When you replace the word "sermon" with the word “message” it more clearly implies that the pastor is bringing a message from another. This is much like the role of an ambassador when they bring a message of their sovereign to another group of people. Therefore, what the pastor is to proclaim, is not his message, but the message of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:20).  St. Paul stated that he preached Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1 :23) and not what people wanted to hear. The entire purpose of preaching is to proclaim the Gospel. However, in order for the Gospel to be effective, the pastor must also bring the Law and all it’s condemnation to the hears. Just because a pastor preaches a sermon based on the bible doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a Christian sermon. A Jewish Rabi can preach a entire sermon from the Old Testament and it will not be a Christian sermon. A Christian sermon must have Christ to be Christian.

Many argue the proclamation of the Gospel is what UNBELIEVERS need to hear and that believers no longer need to hear the Gospel. St. Paul told the church in Rome that he was eager to preach the Gospel to those in Rome, who were Christians (Romans 1:15). When a believer comes to think that they don’t need to hear the Gospel anymore, but need to move on to “more important teachings”, is when the believer needs to hear the Gospel again. We can never hear enough of the Gospel of Christ since we continue to be sinners in need of a savior.

Many sermons that preached today are not Christ centered messages. Many pastors have replaced the message of the cross with a focus on the Christian life, society or other issues that are not the Gospel. Rev. Todd Wilkins, host of Issues, Etc. radio program has developed a good test to determine if the sermon that the pastor preaches is a Christ centered sermon. Here we are focusing on what the pastor says, not the delivery style or their ability to effectively communicate or entertain an audience, but the content of what is being said. This set of questions is a tool that you can use when listen to a sermon. Content is everything in a sermon!

1. How often is Jesus mention?
2. If Jesus is mentioned, is He the subject of the verbs?
3. What are those verbs?

First, if Jesus is not mentioned, then you know that this is not a Christ centered sermon and not a Christian sermon. Jesus can be mentioned in his various names and titles. Just because Christ is mentioned, doesn’t make the sermon a Christian sermon, especially if the Gospel is not present nor proclaimed.

Second, when Jesus is mentioned, is he the subject of the verbs? In every sentence, there is a subject and a verb. If Jesus isn’t the subject, then who is? If Jesus isn’t the subject of the verbs, then this cannot be a Christ centered sermon. When someone other than Christ is the subject of the sentence, then Christ cannot be the focus of the sermon.

Next, look at the verbs associated with Jesus in the sermon. Are the verbs associated with Jesus passive or active? Is Jesus doing the action or is he being acted upon? If Jesus isn’t the active player in the verbs, then who is? If the pastor is placing the individual as the active player, then this sermon is not a Gospel sermon. For example, “Jesus is waiting for you to give your life to him” places Jesus as the passive player and the individual as the active player. If the pastor says “Jesus has saved you and gives you life” he is placing Jesus as the active player and you as the passive player. This is very important since the Gospel is not about what we do for Christ, but what Christ has already done for us.

 At the end of the sermon, ask yourself these to questions: “What is our problem that the pastor has identified in their sermon?” and “What is the solution for our problem?” Is the problem that we are sinful by nature or that we make mistakes? How the pastor defines our problem is critical to how Christ is part of the solution. His definition of the problem also impacts the roll of Christ in the solution. If the problem is anything less than man’s sinful nature and being dead to God, then the problem the pastor defines isn’t the same problem that the bible defines are our problem. 

What is the solution that the pastor provides? If the solution is to “Give your heart to Jesus” or “Change your attitude” places the focus on the individual as the source of the solution. This is not a Christ centered sermon but a human centered sermon. The Biblical solution is always what Christ has done for you on the cross.

Comments

[gunfighter]

Excellent post!

[lcase31]

Mr. Newell, what a clear and easy "checklist" for pastors and congregations to consider. A pastor's calling has to be one of the toughest jobs there is.There must be constant self questioning and prayer of "...is this God's message or my opinion?" And your post reflects a good method of exercising discernment whether one is delivering or listening to a sermon. Thanks for sharing a helpful "one to grow on" !

[Steve]

Thanks for the compliment. I wish I could take credit, but I must give full credit to Todd Wilken on Issues, Etc. I'm just conveying a good tool for evaulating a sermon to see if it is a Christian. Todd uses this to perform sermon reviews on his weekday radio program.

[Rick Weiss]

Very good, I enjoyed Truth for a change

[Larry - KY]

I love this outline. Very few sermons in our neck of the woods meet this.

Question: Has Rev. Todd Wilkins thought about putting together a simple 3 question analysis that would "detect" if the Law is being preached right? The reason I ask is that at most churches I've attended they would not even come close to this analysis posted here, but I suspect they wouldn't even pass for correct Law preaching as a front end for the Gospel. It would be helpful to analyze the kind of law mostly being preached!

Blessings,

Larry

[Steve]

Larry,

In the most recent issue of the Issues Etc. Journal, Todd writes about the proper preaching of the law. His article is the Law side of the sermon review tool that he uses for the Gospel.

Mike Horton of the Whitehorse Inn radio program has a great expression of the mixing of law and gospel: GOSLAWPEL. In this, the preacher confuses the Law, as being what makes us right in God's view, with the Gospel, as something we decide to accept.

[Kelly]

Great post. This stands out: "When a believer comes to think that they don’t need to hear the Gospel anymore, but need to move on to 'more important teachings,' is when the believer needs to hear the Gospel again."

This is exactly where I was in my early teens. I was still in a Baptist church and we had an interim pastor at the time. This guy really did preach Christ crucified every single Sunday. I would get so impatient, thinking, "I know this stuff. Can we please move along now??"

Ironically, it was later on, when we got our permanent pastor and the sermons became more and more centered around biblical tips for good Christian living, that I realized my mistake. In my later teens I rediscovered the Gospel out of necessity because I wasn't really getting it anymore from the pulpit.

[Larry G.]

Thanks for the checklist. Hearing about Jesus is rare in our churchs. I generally heard His name in closing of prayers in the general Evangelical churchs. In the Presbyterian church, they talked about "God". Rarely did I hear the name of Jesus. I moved to the Lutheran church now I hear about Jesus all the time. I am not moving again! Finally home

God Bless,
Larry

[Larry Ky]

"This stands out: "When a believer comes to think that they don’t need to hear the Gospel anymore, but need to move on to 'more important teachings,' is when the believer needs to hear the Gospel again.""

That's a great point. My journey is not that far from yours except I was 33 at conversion. Then talked into getting busy, which I desired to "roll up my sleeves" and do for God. I use to think, "Now that I'm saved I'll exhaust myself to death serving God and Jesus". Sounds a lot like Peter's bragging doesn't it!

Well, I got sifted for 7 long years. The more I tried the more I failed. Like a stubborn mule I kept going until it killed me. It didn't feel like grace working back then, but looking back on it it was.

Larry ky

[Drew]

Great post! One question - did you get this from Todd Wilken on Issues, Etc. or did he get this from you?

[Steve Newell]

It's 100% Todd and 0% me.

[Pastor Adetunmibi Raphael]

Please,I want you to help me with some of your books that will enable me to keep on believing God.I love to read christian books particularly the books that related to the ministry.I will be gland if my request can be accepted by you.I am a theology student . I am schooling in The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary Ogbomoso.Please do all you can do in order to help me in the ministry's work.My poster address is (P.M.B.4008,Ogbomoso,Oyo State,Nigeria). Please send along with me books on preaching.Thank you for your support.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Rapael Adetunmibi.

[Renee Ann]

Excellent post! I know I’m late reading it, but I hope to see more posts like this around the internet. I have blogged about Christless Christianity a couple of times this year (as a layperson looking for a church after moving). Here is my second post: http://mousenaround.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/more-christless-christianity/

[Todd Capen]

Thank you for posting this. These are strange days for the evangelical church which really has its roots in Finney. Christ-centered sermons, I've discovered, are not what people want even in Reformed and Confessional Churches. Like this excellent article, people have to be trained to understand this. People really do want sheer exhortation and a list of things to do. Increasingly people in conservative churches have no idea what the Bible is saying in its most basic message. I find more hope with eight or nine year olds than many of the adults I've know. Thanks for helping us remember the Emmaus Road. --Todd Capen