It doesn't take much convincing to suggest that we are busy. In a world filled with the 5-minute devotion, it is encouraging for us to remember that anything that is worthwhile takes time. We have recently bought a home. As we were searching for a home, there were several options for us, from the established house built in the 70's or 80's, to the new construction, as we were looking we covered it all. We ended up purchasing a home built just four years ago. There is a defining feature at the front of my house - the hedges. Because the home is young, the shrubs have not established themselves. I get the opportunity to care for them, to trim them, to wait for them to grow.
We are just beginning a new series at First Baptist Church of Newnan on Wednesday evenings, and I am entering for me what is unfamiliar territory. Unfamiliar at least in the regards of public proclamation and in-depth study. What started off as a glance at 2 Timothy for our new series title Legacy has led to the conviction that I should the entire series as an exposition from 2 Timothy. As one who has never exposited the whole book of 2 Timothy, I am excited.
It's not the first time that my convictions concerning expository preaching have constrained me as I prepare a new series. As my preaching professors taught me, and as I have seen exemplified in so many preachers who have had a tremendous impact on me, the text drives and determines the sermon. You can read my convictions concerning exposition at a previous post.
First Baptist Newnan is a new congregation for me, a unique opportunity for them to learn me, a new chance for me to press before them in my practice my conviction that every word matters. Those are the reasons that we are going on three weeks now in our introduction. The first two sermons have been from 2 Timothy 1:1 and the next sermon will be from, you guessed it, 2 Timothy 2:2. The rest of the division may not all go this slow, but my convictions concerning the text (and perhaps my slow southern tongue) won't allow me to tear off much more than these palatable bites.
As I grow and develop as an expositor, both in written and vocal proclamation, I keep the words of John Stott in mind. Stott, in the Preface of his commentary on 2 Timothy says, "During the last five years I seem to have lived inside this second letter of Paul to Timothy." Five years! Stott took his time, chewed on each morsel, was careful to adjudicate details as he chose which to include and which to leave out. Overall, I think it best when we approach Bible study, no matter the format - personal study, daily readings, study for presentation - to take our time and savor each bite.
The lesson of thorough methodical study was introduced to me by my Dad. The first Bible that Dad bought me when I surrendered to the call to preach was the Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible. Dr. Frank Charles Thompson started working to compile notes for his study Bible in 1890, and his work was not complete until 1908 when the first Study Bible was published. Countless students of the Scripture and many preachers, including Charles Stanley, have benefitted greatly from the systematic study of Dr. Thompson.
While discussing the principles of Bible study, Thompson encourages the readers to "Adopt some systematic method." He goes on to assert, "The haphazard reading of a few verses of the Scriptures every day is better than nothing, but it is not real Bible study. It is simply nibbling at the truth; strong Christians build themselves up by a diligent study." (1657)
Diligent study is what I take into the pulpit each time I preach. Previous churches that I have served can testify, it takes me a while to finish a sermon series, but hopefully, they don't mind the time, and hopefully, they see it takes a while because every word matters.
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