Author Archives: admin

Gen 17:1-8, etc. – The unity of the Bible – sermon notes

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Readings: Genesis 17:1-8; 2 Samuel 7:8-16; Hebrews 1:1-9

Your’re sitting in an evangelistic meeting, and a bloke at the front keeps banging on about the Bible, saying, “The Bible teaches this, the Bible teaches that…”  And you’re thinking, “I’m not sure there is such a thing a ‘the Bible’ that teaches anything consistently at all.  Moses says this, Isaiah says that, Paul says something else, and Peter something different again, but I can’t see that it adds up to any coherent message.”…

The components of sermon application

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Bryan Chapell suggests that preachers should ask four questions if they are to offer faithful application:-

1. What does God require of us? (Instructional specificity)

Preachers answer the question, What does God now require of me? by providing instructions that reflect the biblical principles found in the biblical text. This instructional specificity translates the text from ancient history to present guide. For the guidance to reflect accurately the Bible’s intent, a preacher must discern the biblical principles reflected in the text that were directed to the people of that time and then apply them to the people of this time.…

Catholic abuse scandal – is celibacy to blame?

Walking With Giants Posted on by

The Catholic clerical abuse scandal is, of course, very bad news: first and foremost, for the victims, second for the Catholic church, and third for all those – inside and outside the Catholic church – who find themselves tarnished by real or imagined association.

The recent remarks of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, to the effect that it is homosexuality, rather than celibacy, which lay behind the abuse of children, has led to indignation in many quarters.

My belief (and I’m speaking from long experience in health care generally, and knowledge of long-stay ‘institutions’) is that enforced abstention from heterosexual relationships leads to an increase in the incidence of deviant sexual behaviours.…

On not seeing the blindingly obvious

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Ned Block is professor of philosophy, psychology and neural science at New York University.  His work on consciousness has highlighted how prone people are to miss what is right in front of their eyes.  He discusses this on a Philosophy Bites podcast.

Professor Block mentions that examples can be found on YouTube.  Here’s one.

The particular reason for missing the obvious mentioned by Block, and demonstrated in the video, is that the observer’s attention is distracted.…

Every sermon needs a ‘ministry statement’

Walking With Giants Posted on by

So says Peter Adam, in his book Speaking God’s Words (p131).

A ministry sentence is a summary of the sermon, its main point.  It summarises my ministry to the congregation, is expressed in terms of the expected response, and includes an element of appeal or challenge.  It is characteristically expressed in terms of doing, rather than just knowing.  If my sermon is on 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, for instance, I do not just want people to know that sexual immorality is wrong. …

Why are Protestants keeping quiet about Clerical Abuse?

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy is hitting the news on a daily basis just at the moment.  The apparent scale the abuse itself, together with alleged cover-ups implicating even the present Pope himself, is doing the reputation of the Catholic church immense harm.

The secular media is full of it.  Anti-religionists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens are having a field day.  But why are Protestant spokespersons saying so little about it?

Martin Marty, veteran US religious commentator, offers the following reasons:-

1. …

Models of the relationship between science and theology

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Colin Russell sets out four possible approaches:-

1.  Independence.  The idea that science and theology are totally independent of one another eliminates the various problems that otherwise might be thought to occur.  It also eliminates the possibility of positive interaction.  In fact, ‘such a zero-interaction model is irreconcilable with historical evidence, which points to a continuous series of strong interactions over many centuries.’

2.  Conflict.  While it cannot be denied that science and theology (better, some scientists and some theologians) have found themselves in conflict from time to time. …

My Favourite Christian Writers

Walking With Giants Posted on by

My list of favourite Christian authors would look something like this (in roughly chronological order, not order of merit):-

  1. John Calvin – commentaries, Institutes
  2. Thomas Watson – Body of Divinity, Beatitudes, Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commmandments
  3. William Gurnall – Christian in Complete Armour
  4. Matthew Henry – Commentary
  5. C.H. Spurgeon – The Treasury of David, Lectures to my Students, An All-Round Ministry, Commenting and Commentaries (plus, of course, his many printed sermons)
  6. J.C. Ryle – Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Holiness, Knots Untied, Old Paths, Practical Religion, Christian Leaders of the 18th Century
  7. J.
…

Seven Synoptic ‘Problems’

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Writing on the Historical Reliability of the Gospels in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (IVP), Craig Blomberg discusses seven areas of apparent disagreement between the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).  For each, Blomberg indicates how the apparent difficulty might be resolved:-

(1) The theologies of the Evangelists may seem to conflict. Mark portrays the disciples as without understanding following Jesus’ walking on the water (Mk 6:52); Matthew has them worship him as the Son of God (Mt 14:33).…

Paul’s view of the Cross

Walking With Giants Posted on by

By God’s marvelous grace Paul had come to view [the] cross as:

a. The Mirror, and this not only of his own unworthiness but also of God’s resplendent attributes, that is, of such “excellencies” as God’s righteousness which must receive its due (Rom 8:3-4); God’s power and wisdom (1 Cor 1:24); and his love, mercy, and grace (2 Cor 5:19-21; Gal 2:20); all of these in sublime harmony with each other (Psa 85:10).

b. The Means of Redemption in its most comprehensive sense (Justification, Sanctification, Glorification).…