I’m heartened by the resurgence of expository preaching in our day, an approach that starts with the biblical text and explains its meaning. But exposition falls short if it never appeals to the imagination. We are called to do more than just rehearse the basic facts of the gospel; we are to exult in these truths, to immerse our imaginations in this story, and to adore the God who has saved us.
Jared Wilson is right:
We need prose that sings. We need writers who aren’t merely authorities in their areas and can relay information to us in competent ways. Or we need readers who will not settle for that kind of writer. We need writers who receive on literary frequencies, writers who feel what they write, who convey poetry or beauty or some ecstatic sense in their writing. We need writers whose work emanates off the page the hum and buzz of adoration.
Lord, deliver us from an attitude that says, “Of course Jesus has saved us!” Lord, help us when we no longer stand amazed at the precious truths we are called to proclaim!
We need the way of wonder, so that we see, truly see, both the world and our King.
So, let’s pray for the Spirit to enable to pastors to make what is unfamiliar understandable and what is familiar strangely fresh.
Let’s pray for pastors who want their people to understand the truth of the gospel, and also to feel its power and beauty.
Let’s pray for a generation of writers and artists and poets who can awaken us to the glory of this world and the goodness of the gospel, so that we will be astounded once again by God’s grace and glory and motivated to share this Story wherever we go.
This article originally appeared here.
