Cowper on Paul on Preaching (10)
…yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9.16
By him the violated law speaks out
Its thunders; and by him, in strains as sweet
As angels use, the Gospel whispers peace. (William Cowper, The Task)
But what is the Gospel? The Gospel that Paul proclaimed was the same as that of our Lord Jesus—the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (cf. Matt. 4.17; Acts 19.8; 20.25; 28.30, 31). The Gospel of the Kingdom includes the offer of forgiveness and eternal life, but it goes far beyond this in casting a vision and calling for a commitment to the life of faith.
The Good News is that the power of God is active in the Gospel to redeem those who believe in Jesus Christ, so that, through Him, they might know freedom to live in the righteousness of God by faith (Rom. 1.16, 17). We have no righteousness of our own with which to commend ourselves to God; we are completely dependent on Jesus for the righteousness He has fulfilled in His life, satisfied in His death, proved by His resurrection, and offers through His Spirit. Righteousness is the first identifying mark of all who have entered the Kingdom of God (Rom. 14.17, 18).
Preaching which fails to call people to take up the pursuit of righteousness does not follow in the example of the apostle Paul and cannot fulfill the requirements and expectations of true preaching. It does not aid believers in their quest to become more like Jesus (2 Cor. 3.12-18). The call to repentance and the insistence on righteousness extends not just to those who are still in their sins. It must be issued again and again to all people, including those who have already come to know Christ, instructing and urging them to lay aside their old sinful ways, be renewed in Christ, be zealous for good works, not grow weary in well-doing, and strive always to bring holiness to completion in the fear of God (Eph. 4.17-24; Tit. 2.14; Gal. 6.9; 2 Cor. 7.1).
This may not be the homiletical note people want to hear, but, as William Cowper understood, repentance and the pursuit of holiness are the keys to knowing true and lasting peace in the Kingdom of God.
Resources for being and making disciples
Disciples are not only followers of Jesus Christ; they are also His witnesses. Training for discipleship and living as disciples involves an active witness to the Lord, as Mike McQueen explains in this edition of the Pastor to Pastor podcast. Click the link at the top of this column to listen in.
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision column we are looking at the role of reason in faith. How can we make sure our reasoning matches that of the Lord?: Join us. Our Read Moore podcast pursues readings from our book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is studying the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. And in our daily Scriptorium column we are working through Matthew 19. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
The Ailbe Bookstore: How can we equip the people of God to become more confident and consistent in their witness for the Lord? Two free books can help. You can download The Confident Witness and Let God Be True from The Ailbe Bookstore. Download both and share them freely with others.
Resources for Shepherds: How do the life and work of your church compare with what we see in the New Testament and the Early Church? Watch this brief video, then download the ReThinking Church Appraisal Tool. Are we being faithful to the patterns and practices God has revealed in His Word? Our book, Fan into Flame is designed to provide shepherds an opportunity to review, assess, and improve all the facets of their ministry. Download a free copy from The Ailbe Bookstore by clicking here.
From the Celtic Revival
Spiritual Poetry of the Celtic Revival
O Father, hear our earnest plea,
that we may not unsettled be:
Loud thunder’s threats let us not fear,
nor lightning’s fire when it comes near.
We fear You, God, the dreadful One;
besides You, other gods are none.
As angels raise their voice in praise,
we sing with them through all our days.
Let heaven praise You from the heights,
and roaming lightning’s brilliant lights.
O loving Jesus, King of kings,
Your righteousness creation sings.
– Attributed to Colum Cille (521-597, my translation)
The striking feature of this poem, and which makes it such a wonderful song, is the way it begins with an aspect of creation and turns that to the worship of God. “Father, Do Not” is a plea to God to keep us from losing sight of His power amid the fears, worries, and concerns that arise in the normal course of our lives. It enables us to rule our hearts so that we fear what we ought to fear, and overcome all earthly fears by joining our voices with angels and creation to praise the Lord.
You can sing “Father, Do Not” to several familiar hymn tunes, including Duke Street (Jesus Shall Reign) and Truro (Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns). You may have to work at the melisma a bit, but try it out. And try singing “Father, Do Not” at different times during the day. See how it turns your soul from mundane matters to eternal truths, and to the comfort of our rest in God, and the loving care of our exalted Savior and King.
Subscribe to Crosfigell and join us for this entire series on spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. Scroll to the bottom of the home page, www.ailbe.org.
Resources from the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD)
Learn more about Colum Cille and his powerful ministry by downloading a free copy of our 30-day devotional history, Colum Cille. Click here to get your copy.
T. M. Moore
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
