Effective preaching is a complicated process involving at least six major disciplines. In order of priority, these six disciplines are: a high view of Scripture, sound hermeneutical principles, valid theological conclusions, rhetorical rules, sermon delivery, ... Read More »

Old Testament Evangelistic Sermons. By D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Introduction by Iain H. Murray. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1995. xxxiii + 268 pp.   Old Testament Evangelistic Sermons may surprise those who know Martyn Lloyd-Jones primarily for his detailed ex... Read More »

One of the distinctive features of the Gospel of Luke is the amount of parabolic material that appears in it.[1]Estimates of how much of the Jesus material is parabolic run as high as thirty-five percent. Such calculations depend on what counts as parabolic, b... Read More »

The parables of Jesus are among the favorite Bible passages of many church goers and preachers alike. To borrow Thomas Long’s phrase, the parables seem more “preacher friendly” than other kinds of texts.[1]Thomas G. Long, Preaching and the Li... Read More »

During the first nineteen centuries of the Christian church the dominant way of interpreting the parables was by means of the allegorical method. In order to arrive at the “deeper” meanings of the parable the numerous details of the parables were i... Read More »

Address and Greeting (1:1-2) Paul’s Apostleship (v. 1a) Description of the Readers (v. 1b)       Saints At Ephesus Faithful Grace and Peace (v. 2) PART ONE: GOD’S PEOPLE IN THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL ( 1:3-3:21) I. Overture of Praise to God for S... Read More »

Introduction The Book of Ephesians is one of the most powerful writings to come from the early church. The book’s lyrical cadences have captivated readers with the wonder and glory of the cosmic Christ, and the grandeur and majesty of the church in the p... Read More »

Introduction Anyone accustomed to reading Paul knows that his letters can often be divided into two parts, one more theological, the other more practical. Ephesians is a classic example. The letter obviously is of two parts, of almost equal length.[1]The secon... Read More »

Introduction “Majesty.” No other word in the English language quite captures the tone and the imagination of Ephesians like this word. Although we are not privy to the occasion of this epistle, we nevertheless recognize that Paul desired to fire th... Read More »

Introduction Reading the book of Ephesians takes one through a series of clearly defined sections. On one hand, the book divides in half: the presentation of God’s blessings and privileges believers enjoy (Ephesians 1-3) followed by a resulting catalog o... Read More »

Introduction[1]Some material adapted from the article entitled, “Ephesians, Letter to the,” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, edited by G. F. Hawthorne, R. P. Martin, and D. G. Reid (Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993). Used by per... Read More »

“It was [Christ] who gave some to be … pastors and teachers, to prepare  God’s people  for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all…become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Chri... Read More »