If a sermon only leaves us looking at Bible figures, or people from history, or those around us as our example for growth in faith, we are left adrift of the one who is the author and perfecter of the Christian’s faith.
From a post on Christ-Centered Preaching by Peyton Hill at B21:
Christ-centered preaching means commending Christ above all others.
I admit that I have my favorite so-called Bible characters. What pastor does not want to have the theological depth and evangelistic fervor of the Apostle Paul? However, Paul (himself) clearly rebukes the mentality of preaching the examples of fallible men. Sure the apostle told others to imitate him, but he said to do so as he imitates Christ (1 Cor 11:1). To sum up his message, Paul wrote to the Colossians that it is Jesus we are to proclaim (Col 1:28). To preach a message exhorting others to follow Moses or David or Peter eventually leads to problems when our hearers learn that Moses and David and Peter all failed to live perfectly according to God’s standard, as we all do. Ultimately, we preach Christ because he is the only one who deserves imitation as the perfect sacrifice who lived, died, and rose again so that we could proclaim forgiveness of sins in his name.Read the whole post here.
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