“I sometimes feel as if what we need most is a sense of proportion in our presentation of the truth; a new sense of where the center of gravity in the gospel lies; a return to the ideal of Paul who determined not to know anything among the Corinthians save Jesus Christ and him crucified.”…”because in your own conviction that alone is the remedy which you can honestly offer to a sinful world.” Geerhardus Vos, in “A Sermon on 1 Corinthians 5:7” (October 1, 1902; Princeton Theological Seminary).
How often do we forget, in our teaching and preaching, that this is the only message of merit? Too often, I would venture.
We teaching and preach with good intention, about seemingly relevant and timely subjects, often well received and applicable. Yet in the real world that we belong to in the Beloved, those are just backdrops for the message of Christ and the cross.
Not to say that we should not teach and preach on every day, useful topics and applications, but the real message should always be there in the forefront, for all else rests upon it.
When we speak of life, what life is there outside of Christ? The answer, of course, is none. So all practical or topical exchanges have to lead back to the centrality of Christ and the cross.
In preparing and delivery any message to God’s people, this should be central in our thoughts and should punctuate the message. Again, though we know this and even when we see it as central to our lives, there is can creep in a tendency to get lost in another peripheral subject of interest and practical use. But there is nothing more practical that Christ and the cross.
As Christ and the cross are the central point of the both the Scriptures and of Redemptive history (past, present and future), the fulcrum of it all so to speak, let us not only live but teach with this as our center.