After reading some of my books, numerous preachers in their 30s and 40s who are in ministry have asked me the following question:
“Frank, in your written work, you talk a lot about preaching Jesus Christ as opposed to preaching ‘things.’ This really resonates. Can you give examples from your own preaching of what ‘preaching Christ’ looks and sounds like?”
I dedicated an entire chapter to the subject of unveiling Christ in my book 48 Laws of Spiritual Power, but I’m posting this specific answer here as I believe it will be of interest to some of you as well.
Some examples of messages that uniquely unveil the Lord Jesus Christ are:
Epic Jesus
The Tabernacle of David
The Eternal Purpose
Living by the Indwelling Life of Christ
A Clash Between Kingdoms
Remember Peter: Rethinking the Love of Christ
The Gospel of the Kingdom
The First Relationship
Unveiling the Bride of Christ
Listen to these messages and many more here.
On a related note, I’ve had many conversations with preachers (and teachers) in which they’ve complained that they often “run out” of things to preach. And thus they’re always on the look-out for new “sermon material.”
A quick word about this. Paul talked about receiving a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But when it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him . . . (Gal. 1:15-16)
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph. 1:17)
In my experience, when a person receives a groundbreaking revelation of Christ, they discover a well that never runs dry.
From that point on, they never run out of things to preach. And when they do preach or teach, it is always HIM who is declared.
What is imparted is not simply words, concepts, and ideas; what is imparted is LIFE. And Christ, who is LIFE, is inexhaustible.
That I might preach the inexhaustible riches of Christ . . . (Eph. 3:8)
May the Holy Spirit use these messages to open the door of your heart to a deeper revelation of Jesus Christ.
Rethinking the Gospel
I definitely think “Epic Jesus” is a good answer to the question.
Preaching Christ has to be more than just the words we say. His Spirit must come across like a river of living water from that well of revelation. Your message is an excellent example of that too. 🙂
Saw your tweet today: “Giving Christ vs. preaching “things” about Him”. Made me think about how God is teaching me this lesson while living a year in a country where I don’t speak their language. Literally “giving them Christ” in life lessons/actions is all I have right now.
Really Great stuff Frank.
I was wondering if there is an audio link to the next part of the subject. Living by the consciousness of this Life that you mentioned at the end.
Thanks & Blessings
Larry
Larry: Yes, the whole series is now available at http://frankviola.info/2013/07/15/course1info/
I have loved all the material that has come from your pen, or keystrokes. BUT, the most compelling and profound, to me anyway, has been EPIC JESUS. I have passed this on to everone that I know. I am so overjoyed that a message has been given, not of our problems, not on how to control this or that, not a 12 step program, but a true glimpse at JESUS.
THAT truley changes everything! It’s amazing to me how you could ever run out of that kind of material.
Being a minister myself, I was taught how to preach, how to break things down. But, with this, it’s not about breaking things down. Instead it’s building HIM up in our eyes. seeing who He really is. And that is something you can never run dry on.
Thanks and God Bless brother, Grace and Peace to you all.
I listened to the “Living by the indwelling life of Christ” Pod cast and was wondering if there is any way to get the follow up teachings, or if there is a book that relates to the topic of accessing the divine life. Thank you for this refreshing insight, it is deeply appreciated!
Amy: Yes, the rest of the talks have been transcribed and will be published into book-form this year sometime. Hopefully in the Spring or Summer.
My husband and I have heard all of these messages. They are Amazing!
Maybe they should stop sermonizing and concentrate on empowering the congregation to express Christ as His body? Especially if they are running out of things to preach.
Just a thought.
When I was a pastor, I preferred the impromptu Bible studies over the “5 ways to a happy life” 3 point sermons. Because when we did Bible studies (informal and usually Calvary Chapel style) I was learning as well! But people WANTED the nicely packaged sermon, and I found them revolting.
I love your “no notes” preaching style. I usally did the same thing, as I felt if I’m ust reading off of a sheet of paper, I should just print it out in book form and send everyone home! 🙂
“What is imparted is not simply words, concepts, and ideas; what is imparted is LIFE. And Christ, who is LIFE, is inexhaustible.”
I couldn’t agree more!
Acts 26:16- “But rise up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a minister and a witness both of the things in which you have seen Me and of the things in which I will appear to you.”
We should not just see “things.” We should see Christ in things. In other words, we should not just see the truth of justification, the truth of sanctification, or the truth of the church. All these “things” these points of truths must be vehicles to convey a living, revelation of Christ into us. I have developed a healthy habit of praying for a spirit of wisdom and revelation when I come to God’s word (Eph 1:17).
The organ for revelation is the human spirit. If Christians never get past their intelligence or mental acuity it will be hard to receive a living revelation of Christ, especially the paradigm shift that Christ is life.
Matthew ch 2 is most instructive. The Pharisees had many things, such as the prophecy of Christ’s incarnation in Micah 5:2, yet they did not have Christ Himself nor were they willing to go see the incarnation itself.
It really is a fantastic message, and I hope lots of people hear the audio and watch the video.
That is great stuff Frank.
Thanks,
Neal
I remember first hearing The Diary of a Desperate Samaritan Woman. Truly this is telling the story differently. I still listen to it often. In all my years sitting in church services and listening to professors at bible college, I’ve never heard a message like this. True unveiling of Christ. I first thought “how do you come up with this stuff?” Then I visited one of the churches planted by Frank and saw that those in the body life had a revelation and unveiling of the Lord unlike any collective group of people I’d met, and they shared who He is with me. Not concepts or spiritual phrases, but they knew Christ, who is our life.
The problem I have come to see in ministry of the Word is that those who ‘run out’ of material have been relying on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good……and evil and not on the Tree of Life. So much preaching and teaching has been just ‘knowledge’ that was learned in Bible college, from seminars, and from books. There is also the tendency to draw from their emotional state they are in at the time they are preaching. What is happening in their life will affect the outcome of their sermons. I know this from personal experience and by observing others in ministry responsibility. the ministry becomes the propagation of christian values from man’s perspective.
What I hear from you, Frank, is that the one ministering must seek the Lord for His revealing of the Word (the Bible) in order to have God’s message for the appropriate time. We need His revelation on His existing revelation. Jesus is the Tree of Life. We are to minister His Life to give life.
There is the fact too that a message about revelation is difficult to receive if you do not believe in revelation, that is if you believe that God does not give revelation today. I sense you would agree that God is not giving new ‘revelation’, rather He is illuminating on the revelation He has already given.
This is also a place that I see the ministry of many over that of just one person. If only one person is the ‘preacher’, there is that place where he/she will burn out and be dependant on themselves to muster up a sermon and lose sight of the wonderful Christ. Being able to sit and have others minister is such a benefit for him/her and for the whole assembly.