My journey this month is to devote myself to prayer and study. I am using the life and sermons of Jonathan Edwards to spur prayer and thought. This really is the first week of sabbatical that I've felt I can get on with what the process of renewing and refreshing that comes with sabbatical.
First, let me say this about Edwards. You cannot read "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and conclude that Edwards preached singularly about hell, fire and damnation. Nor can the modern man quickly conclude that all the myths associated with an older picture of religion are dispelled making Edwards irrelevant to modern life. Actually, if you read what was going on in people's lives there are many similarities today! It strikes me that Edwards was a well thought through theologian, philosopher, and practitioner of identifying the Spirit's work in people's lives. In fact, consistent with the Puritanical tradition, he was interested in understanding the role of beauty and its drawing power upon a person. Many of his sermons reflect on the beauty of Christ. That does not strike me as a pastor who was quick to damn people to hell. If you read about his life, in the context of what was going on religiously at the time, he is much more of a shepherd leading people in deep reverence to the throne of a beautiful God.
Second, you cannot get away from the fact that when Edwards preached he used two primary forms of communication. First, he was incredibly logical in his preaching. He simply moves from one point to another then ending with application. He was not a motivational speaker, focusing on positive things. One thing that characterized his teaching was he "led" people to inevitable conclusions. When he got to the application part, the work that was done before to communicate truth left true seekers of God no option but to respond in repentance. But also his sermons utilize both logic imagery to not only paint the horrors of life without God but the beauty of life with God. His sermons utilize word pictures that spark the imagination of a person, both in the horror of life where one is left to one's own resources or the incredible attractiveness of following Christ.
Our preaching of the Scriptures to collegians should reflect both - a well thought through presentation that moves from point to point leaving very little untouched. It should stir the minds of people to think and reflect upon the reasonableness of our faith. Yet, it should use words to communicate beyond the mind. it should use words that drive truth to people's hearts. The Spirit should be able to use our words to stir affections in our hearts for God and His Kingdom. More on this later when I reflect on Ed Clowney's thoughts on Christ-centered preaching later in January.
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