Transformative Power of a Word-Centered Ministry

 

Summary

In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves relying on our own efforts, with the Word of God merely assisting us. However, the true power of the Word is revealed when it takes center stage, transforming lives through the Holy Spirit. The Acts of the Apostles illustrate how the Word of God acts almost as a living entity, increasing and prevailing in the lives of believers. This transformative power is what we should strive for in our churches, where the Word of God, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, changes lives and communities.

A Word-centered ministry is essential, where the written Word of God is central to all aspects of church life. This includes preaching, teaching, singing, praying, and observing the sacraments. The Reformers understood this, relying on the Word and the Spirit to build and grow the church. We must trust in these ordinary means of grace—Word, prayer, and sacraments—rather than seeking new techniques or programs. These means are the foundation of our spiritual growth and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Luther's emphasis on the Word of God and the Lord's Supper reminds us not to rely on fleeting feelings but on the solidity of Scripture. The Lord's Supper, often undervalued, is a vital means of grace, nourishing us in our spiritual battles. The Heidelberg Catechism beautifully summarizes that true faith is worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel and confirmed by the sacraments.

The centrality of the Word is further illustrated by the story of Lloyd-Jones nailing his pulpit to the floor, symbolizing the immovable foundation of Scripture in ministry. A true church is marked by the pure preaching of the Word, proper administration of the sacraments, and consistent church discipline. The Word of God creates a new kind of community, one that embodies the gospel and impacts the world around it. We need preaching that closes the gap between the amount of preaching and transformed living, creating gospel communities that illustrate the power of the gospel.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Word of God, when preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, has the ability to transform lives and communities. It is not merely an aid to our efforts but the primary agent of change. We must strive to see the Word at work in our churches, bringing about visible transformation. [00:27]

2. A Word-centered ministry is crucial for the life of the church. The written Word of God should be central to all aspects of church life, including preaching, teaching, and the sacraments. This focus ensures that we are not swayed by alternative strategies but remain grounded in Scripture. [02:07]

3. Trusting in the ordinary means of grace—Word, prayer, and sacraments—is essential for spiritual growth and fulfilling the Great Commission. These means are the foundation of our faith, and we must rely on them rather than seeking new techniques or programs. [03:49]

4. The Lord's Supper is a vital means of grace, providing spiritual nourishment in our battles. We must take it seriously as a gracious gift from God, recognizing its importance in the Christian life. [06:08]

5. The Word of God creates a new kind of community that embodies the gospel and impacts the world. Preaching should lead to transformed living, closing the gap between the amount of preaching and the reality of changed lives. [11:33]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:27] - The Transformative Power of the Word
- [00:58] - The Word at Work in Us
- [01:41] - Prayer and Ministry of the Word
- [02:07] - Word-Centered Ministry
- [02:47] - The Centrality of the Word
- [03:21] - Trusting God's Sovereignty
- [03:49] - Ordinary Means of Grace
- [04:15] - No Gimmicks, Just the Word
- [04:59] - Luther's Emphasis on the Word
- [05:21] - The Importance of the Lord's Supper
- [06:08] - Spiritual Nourishment in the Lord's Supper
- [07:20] - True Faith and the Holy Spirit
- [08:02] - Lloyd-Jones and the Centrality of the Word
- [09:14] - Marks of a True Church
- [11:33] - Closing the Gap: Preaching and Transformed Living

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Acts 6:4 - "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
2. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - "And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers."
3. Ephesians 4:15-16 - "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, how does the Word of God act in the lives of believers as described in the Acts of the Apostles? [00:58]
2. What are the "ordinary means of grace" mentioned in the sermon, and how are they described as foundational to church life? [03:21]
3. How does the sermon describe the role of the Lord's Supper in the Christian life? [06:08]
4. What symbolic action did Lloyd-Jones take to emphasize the centrality of the Word in his ministry? [08:02]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon suggest that a Word-centered ministry impacts the life of a church and its community? [02:07]
2. In what ways does the sermon propose that the Word of God, when preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, transforms lives and communities? [00:27]
3. How does the sermon interpret the relationship between the Word of God and the sacraments in the context of spiritual growth? [07:20]
4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of visible transformation in the community as a result of preaching? [11:33]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal experience with the Word of God. How has it transformed your life, and in what areas do you still seek transformation? [00:27]
2. Consider the role of the Lord's Supper in your spiritual life. How can you approach it with greater seriousness and appreciation as a means of grace? [06:08]
3. In what ways can you contribute to creating a Word-centered community in your church? What practical steps can you take to ensure the Word remains central in all church activities? [02:07]
4. How can you personally rely more on the ordinary means of grace—Word, prayer, and sacraments—in your spiritual growth, rather than seeking new techniques or programs? [03:49]
5. Think about a recent sermon you heard. How did it challenge you to live out the gospel in your daily life? What changes have you made as a result? [11:33]
6. How can you help close the gap between the amount of preaching and transformed living in your church community? What role can you play in fostering a gospel-centered community? [11:33]
7. Reflect on the symbolic act of Lloyd-Jones nailing his pulpit to the floor. What does this symbolize for you in terms of your commitment to the Word of God in your personal life? [08:02]

Devotional

Day 1: The Word as the Primary Agent of Change
The Word of God, when preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, has the ability to transform lives and communities. It is not merely an aid to our efforts but the primary agent of change. The Acts of the Apostles illustrate how the Word of God acts almost as a living entity, increasing and prevailing in the lives of believers. This transformative power is what we should strive for in our churches, where the Word of God, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, changes lives and communities. We must strive to see the Word at work in our churches, bringing about visible transformation. [00:27]

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you need the transformative power of God's Word to bring about change today?


Day 2: Centrality of the Word in Church Life
A Word-centered ministry is crucial for the life of the church. The written Word of God should be central to all aspects of church life, including preaching, teaching, and the sacraments. This focus ensures that we are not swayed by alternative strategies but remain grounded in Scripture. The Reformers understood this, relying on the Word and the Spirit to build and grow the church. By keeping the Word central, we ensure that our faith and practices are aligned with God's will, providing a solid foundation for spiritual growth and community impact. [02:07]

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you make the Word of God more central in your daily routine and in your participation in church activities?


Day 3: Trusting in Ordinary Means of Grace
Trusting in the ordinary means of grace—Word, prayer, and sacraments—is essential for spiritual growth and fulfilling the Great Commission. These means are the foundation of our faith, and we must rely on them rather than seeking new techniques or programs. The ordinary means of grace are not flashy or trendy, but they are powerful and effective because they are ordained by God. By committing to these practices, we align ourselves with God's design for spiritual nourishment and growth. [03:49]

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42, ESV)

Reflection: What ordinary means of grace can you commit to prioritizing this week, and how will you incorporate them into your daily life?


Day 4: The Lord's Supper as Spiritual Nourishment
The Lord's Supper is a vital means of grace, providing spiritual nourishment in our battles. We must take it seriously as a gracious gift from God, recognizing its importance in the Christian life. Luther's emphasis on the Word of God and the Lord's Supper reminds us not to rely on fleeting feelings but on the solidity of Scripture. The Lord's Supper, often undervalued, is a vital means of grace, nourishing us in our spiritual battles. [06:08]

"So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.'" (John 6:53-54, ESV)

Reflection: How can you approach the Lord's Supper with a deeper sense of reverence and gratitude during your next participation?


Day 5: Creating Gospel Communities
The Word of God creates a new kind of community that embodies the gospel and impacts the world. Preaching should lead to transformed living, closing the gap between the amount of preaching and the reality of changed lives. A true church is marked by the pure preaching of the Word, proper administration of the sacraments, and consistent church discipline. The Word of God creates a new kind of community, one that embodies the gospel and impacts the world around it. [11:33]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take to contribute to creating a gospel-centered community in your church or small group?

Quotes


I’ve become more and more convinced, that the default among us evangelicals is, that we do the work and the Word helps us. And perhaps that’s an indication that in our churches we see far too frequent — far too infrequently what it’s like when the Word of God preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, itself does the work, and changes people’s lives. [00:00:19]

If you read through the Acts of the apostles, it’s interesting how on occasion the Word of God is — almost becomes like a person who does things. The Word of God increases, the Word of God prevails. Paul speaks to the Thessalonians about the Word of God which is at work in you. [00:00:54]

And my own feeling is that even if we speak about means of grace ministry, we may not have caught sight of that vision of what’s it like when God’s Word does its work, floors us, prostrates us, transforms us, gives dignity to our lives, and means that what happens in — under the ministry of the Word is — becomes visible in the community in the days that follow. [00:01:09]

And when we say Word-centered we’re talking about the written Word of God in the canon of Scripture. We preach the Word, we teach the Word, we sing the Word, we pray the Word, we see the Word in the signs of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We live the Word. [00:02:01]

And these outward and ordinary means are really the warp and woof of the life of the church and of our lives. And as Dr. Lawson said, that means that in trusting God and believing that God is sovereign, we’re believing not only that God ordains the ends of all things, but also that He ordains the means of all ends. [00:03:15]

And so, in ordaining the ordinary means of grace, these are the means by which we grow. These are the means we worship Him and these are the means by which He carries out His Great Commission to the ends of the earth in His mission. And so, it’s trusting them. It means we’re not technique-based, we’re not method-based. [00:03:54]

Luther has this great hymn of God’s Word, he says that we don’t trust in feelings. He says, “For feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving. My warrant is the Word of God, not else is worth believing.” And there’s a solidity there. There’s a soundness there to Luther and his emphasis on the Word of God. [00:05:04]

Luther, of course, advocated the Lord’s Supper every week, and in his larger catechism he says this, “We are locked in a battle for our souls. The Devil is out to get us every week, and so on Sunday we come for the nourishment of the body of Christ.” And there’s something to that. [00:06:02]

And the catechism says, “True faith is worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the holy gospel and confirmed unto us by the holy sacraments. And what a beautiful summary that is of Christian ministry by the work of the Holy Spirit. [00:07:13]

But it was a demonstration of the centrality of the Word. Wasn’t it Lloyd Jones who also said, that the way to fill Westminster Chapel was to announce that he’d be preaching in his swimming trunks the next week? [00:08:29]

And that if a church isn’t carrying these things out consistently and wisely and graciously, that they’re not a true church. [00:09:28]

And you know, we are — we’re not just a teaching institution. We’re — the Word of God creates a new kind of community, and so the preaching of the Word without the creation of that new kind of community ordinarily does not make the same evangelistic impact on the world around. [00:10:08]

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Transcript
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