Sermon Tone Analysis

“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

[1]

Seminarians are required to study systematic theology.

The required courses consist of in-depth studies of the several doctrines that define the Faith of Christ the Lord.

On my computer, I have over fifty systematic theologies available to me for my studies, and perhaps as many as three hundred texts presenting various studies of particular theologies.

Obviously, I believe that theology is important to understanding the Christian Faith, if not to all who preach the Word, then assuredly to me.

I would argue that an understanding of biblical truth is essential for anyone who wishes to teach the Word of God.

However, no one should think that the Bible is a textbook of systematic theology.

Similarly, though Paul was a doctrinal preacher, he did not leave us a systematic theology as such.

Writing Timothy, the Apostle to the Gentiles wrote in expansive terms; and many of his letters that we have received likewise reveal that he painted with a broad brush.

This does not mean that we are left to wonder what is true and what is errant; it does mean that we are responsible to consider the entirety of his writing to understand the truths he revealed.

Neither Paul nor any of the men who gave us the Scriptures wrote out of the bounty of their imagination.

As Peter states in the second letter drafted to the believers in the Diaspora, “We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” [2 PETER 1:16-21].

The affirmation concerning the origin of Scripture seems to me somewhat dry, even pedestrian.

Many contemporary translations have sought to capture the fire spilling out as Peter wrote.

I refer to one example of the pertinent verses from a recent translation.

“When we apostles told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we didn’t base our message on clever myths that we made up.

Rather, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes… First, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.

No prophecy ever originated from humans.

Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God’s direction” [2 PETER 1:16, 20, 21 GOD’S WORD].

[2] Scripture was not invented out of the fertile imaginations of mere men.

The testimony of those who wrote was that the Spirit of God directed them to put His words into written form.

The Spirit of God superintended those who wrote Scripture so that we have precisely what He meant us to have.

It is not travelling too far afield to raise the question of whether Paul knew he was writing Scripture as he wrote this letter; exploring the question will be beneficial, a source of encouragement for us as believers, confirming that what has been written is the Word of the True and Living God.

In a sense the question is moot—the writings are inspired of God; and I don’t want us to get lost in the weeds pursuing what some may consider mere academic trivia.

Nevertheless, the matter is of sufficient interest to merit a brief consideration.

Peter makes the case that ignorant and unstable individuals twist Paul’s writings “to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures” [2 PETER 3:16].

Peter equates Paul’s writings with the remainder of Scripture, and he says that twisting these Scriptures leads to destruction, presumably personal destruction, though it perhaps encompasses congregational destruction.

The point is that Peter recognised that what Paul had written was of a divine nature and to be received as Scripture.

More specifically, Paul claimed that what he wrote in the First Corinthian Letter were “commandments of the Lord” [see 1 CORINTHIANS 14:36, 37].

Since these particular commandments are not written elsewhere, it follows that Paul was claiming to have received these commandments directly from the Lord.

It is reasonable to conclude that he would have known that God was guiding him and directing him as he wrote them down.

In what is arguably the first of the letters bearing his name to have been included in the canon of Scripture, Paul stated that what he delivered to the Thessalonians, and presumably to other congregations, was the “Word of God” [see 1 THESSALONIANS 2:13].

The Apostle pens a strong statement concerning those who do not obey what he wrote in his second letter to these same Thessalonians [see 2 THESSALONIANS 3:14].

Professor R. Laird Harris makes the strong point that in 2 CORINTHIANS 2 the Apostle, “in defense of his ministry, Paul declared that he spoke ‘in demonstration of the Spirit’ (v.

4), speaking ‘the wisdom of God’ (v.

7), as revealed to him ‘by his Spirit’ (v.

10).

He knew the things of God so revealed (v.

12), and he spoke them not in man’s words, but in words ‘which the Holy Ghost teacheth’ him (v.

13).”

[3] In addition, I note that in 2 CORINTHIANS 13:10, Paul makes it plain that he realised the authority with which he spoke.

The Bible makes no claim that those who wrote Scripture were inspired; however, the Bible does claim that their writings were inspired.

This indicates, then, that whether or not Paul was conscious of the Spirit’s guidance at the particular moment he was writing, the Spirit of God was superintending what was written to ensure that it was an accurate account of God’s will and purpose.

Nevertheless, it is obvious to me that Paul was conscious that God was working through him as he wrote; God ensured that Paul (and all who wrote the Scriptures) communicated the mind of God so that we have quite literally the mind of God revealed herein.

The remainder of the Word shows similar evidence that the writers recognised God was at work delivering His word through them as they wrote.

These writers did not speak as do modern authors, “I think I am right” or “You probably won’t agree with me, but…” Rather, we read in the Word definite affirmations such as, “Thus says the Lord” and “God put His words in my mouth.”

The writers knew that what was being written was inspired by the Lord God.

This continued down to the final pages of Holy Writ, where John warns, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” [REVELATION 22:18, 19].

[4]

The foregoing considerations bring us to the text.

In light of the pleas just made, Paul now admonishes Timothy to remember the pattern of sound words that were witnessed through the Apostle’s service before the Lord and to the churches.

This admonition applies to the churches of this day, and especially does it apply to those of us who stand in the sacred desk.

Join me in exploring the Apostle’s command to discover how we should live in this day.

*THE IMPERATIVE* — “/Follow/ the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

The man of God is not responsible to break new ground; he is to follow “ancient paths” [see JEREMIAH 6:16].

The congregation of the Lord is not to seek new paths; they are to follow those well-beaten paths that saints have trod since the days of the apostles.

One grave danger to modern churches is the drive to find the newest idea.

Contemporary churchmen often appear to have descended directly from the ancient Athenians.

Doctor Luke included a telling description of Athenians.

“All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” [ACTS 17:21].

An aphorism that has guided my studies and my preaching throughout these years states, “If it’s true, it isn’t new; if it’s new, it isn’t true.”

The man of God must be cautious about each announcement of that which is new or novel in the world of the Faith.

It is the height of presumption to imagine that we will discover some hidden truth lying buried in the Word that brighter minds than ours have failed to see despite the multiplied years of study.

Each cult and new spiritual aberration claims to have found something new in the ancient Word.

Inevitably, the new and the novel turn out to be distortion of truth and exaltation of man.

Writing the Corinthian Christians, Paul issued a simple command that is easily overlooked.

It is akin to what is written in our text today.

In 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1, Paul commanded, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

Older translations, and some newer translations, render the Greek, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

[5] Timothy receives essentially the identical command that was issued to the Corinthians.

Pattern ministry after a godly individual—one who is pursuing Christ Jesus, and model your own service after that individual.

Follow does mean following the Word—following Christ; but it also encourages finding a model for ministry.

Timothy was to follow Paul’s ministry model.

Joe McKeever recently published a blog that addressed this very issue.

[6] McKeever described the church service, hesitating to speak of it as a worship service, stating that little thought was given to the hymns, prayers or comments—the service was described as “off the cuff.”

After the guest preacher was introduced, he “walked to the pulpit, gave a few opening remarks, then had us turn to his text.

Then he stepped out from behind the pulpit and began a full-scale exhortation.

He had not even read the Scripture, but he was already into full preaching mode.”

McKeever notes that the message was loud and fast, lacking an introduction.

The comment was, “This man simply stepped off the high diving board into deep water.

Except there was no deep water!”

The message and its delivery made McKeever think of a shepherd going out to feed the flock and telling the sheep “There’s the food!

Get it.

It’s yours.

Get it.”

Then, the man harangued the sheep for not getting into the feed, telling them they were disobedient if they didn’t!

McKeever concludes his assessment with this scathing statement, “The essence of his content can be summed up in four words: Fuss at the people.”

We are blessed with good men who pursue God and His Word; there is no excuse for a preacher not to have a godly model for his preaching.

I realise that charlatans abound on radio and television and in the pulpit; however, we are blessed today with great men who honour God with sound exposition and with powerful sermons.

I grew in the Faith under the preaching and teaching of great preachers, for which I thank God.

Dr. James L. Higgs, Dr. W. A. Criswell, Dr. Paige Patterson all handled the Word of God faithfully.

On radio and television, as well as from the pulpit, I grew under men such as Charles Swindoll, John MacArthur, Vance Havner, Adrian Rogers, Charles Stanley, Vernon McGee and numerous other great preachers, many of whom continue offering solid exposition through broadcasts and from their own pulpits.

I made it a regular habit to purchase books of sermons to study not only the messages delivered by great preachers, but to discover how they handled the text.

If a preacher turned aside from following Christ the Lord—and such did happen occasionally, I ceased following that man.

I examined not only the style of ministry preachers employed, but I scrutinised whether the man followed God faithfully or whether he pursued the latest fad in preaching.

Merely repeating the sound words is insufficient; the man of God must “follow” them, “hold” them fast until they become embedded in his character.

We have in view wholesome words that will form our character, moulding us into the image of Christ the Lord.

When held fast by minister and members, these words will bring good health to the Body of Christ.

This command to follow those who have gone before, faithful to the Word, is repeated throughout the Pastoral Letters.

Those who are to be received by the churches as elders are to demonstrate this capacity.