Today we remember and celebrate the life and ministry of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The dream he had and articulated so well on August 26, 1963 continues to warrant our active attention and engagement.  (You can watch the speech here.) Dr. Ralph West, the founder and senior pastor of The Church Without Walls (Brookhollow Baptist Church, Houston, Texas), talks about how King influenced his preaching.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American secular hero as well as a world religious public figure. When he stepped into the public scene as a civil rights activist, he was responding to a social injustice challenge, an injustice he had lived with all of his life. Now the wilderness was crying for a voice and King responded to that intense cry.

When you listen to the “Preacher King’s” speeches or sermons, the elements of rhetoric are distinguishable: ethos, pathos, and logos. His ethos was hard-won by his own risk of life itself. The pathos of his memorable cadences reflected the cry of 400 years of injustice articulated in the voice of one chosen man. The logos was always there, the cry of all the biblical prophets concentrated into one voice.

How has he influenced my preaching ministry? First, Dr. King employed his obvious use of repetition in his sermons. The art of repetition was inferred by a rich tradition in African-American preaching. Repeating the same phrase with crescendo (the inflection and intonation of his voice) and cadence (the deliberate pitch, pause, and pace of his words).

Dr. King possessed a great sense of optimism in his preaching…he was like an Isaiah with a great vision of the future.

Secondly, the freight upon which he used to carry that cargo was the quality of concrete specific imagery, the ability to use the power of description in his sermons. The devices he used to persuade his hearers included both alliteration and euphony.

Another way King impacted my pastoral preaching is by the way he moved from the individual to the social. Dr. Gardner C. Taylor commented, “Preaching that doesn’t begin with the individual never begins, but preaching that stops with only the individual never finishes.” Dr. King did not privatize Christianity. He certainly called people to personal faith in Christ, but he also saw the work of Christ as more than personal salvation. He proclaimed that the work of Christ in the life of the individual is to change society, institutionally, politically, and socially. He believed Christianity was not limited to the domain of the local church. The influence of Christianity was to be seen and felt in the public square. His cry for social justice opened the evangelical world to reflect on all public issues of impact. Before Dr. King we just focused on saving souls; after King we also focusing on saving the world we live in.

He has also taught me to preach with hope in God’s power. Dr. King possessed a great sense of optimism in his preaching. He was not an Amos crying out that it was too late. Neither was he a Jeremiah only lamenting; he was more like an Isaiah with a great vision of the future. He had a positive vision. He sounded more like the peaceable kingdom of Isaiah, than the imprecations of the psalmist. He did not say it was too late; he expected sunrise, whether he lived to see it or not. He expected the best of his adversaries: one day they would see that he was right and they would do right. He really believed in the best of humanity.

Finally, he has also helped me as a preacher because of his willingness to live in the middle of pressure from both sides. On the one hand, the bigots hated his very existence and turned loose the dogs of Birmingham. On the other hand, the Nation of Islam and the Black Panthers thought he was too passive. Added to that, Dr. J.H. Jackson of the African-American National Baptist Convention stridently opposed his own brother Martin. Jackson was a Booker T. Washington gradualist and opposed even passive resistance. Dr. King had to live and minister amidst those who opposed him on every side, even others of his race.

Yet amidst all of this, he stood his ground. In his final opposition to the Vietnam War and his call for economic justice, he lost support from some of his own followers. Yet with integrity and consistency he lived and died as his own man, responding to God’s call on his life. As a pastor with the daily pressures of those inside and outside the church, I too identify with his need and commitment to live in the middle between many constituents on every side who see things in their own ways.

The greatest impact of King is simply that he was. Now a national holiday and a statue on the national Mall remind us that such a man existed. No African-American leader can wake up any morning of his or her life and not live with the reality that this man did live, did act, did change, did call for the best, and did die doing it. His influence is always with us. His shadow falls across every day and his dream reappears in the night hours. For those of us who follow after him we live with the weight of the future that he predicted in the past. We cannot escape it and must live it out into the horizon and to the top of the mountain where he peered into the future that last night in Memphis. That last night calls us into an eternal day.

Ten Significant Themes

1. Nehemiah was a man with Mary’s heart and Martha’s hands (see Luke 10:38-42).
2. Nehemiah was deeply concerned about the spiritual health and welfare of the people.
3. **Spiritual repair was his main focus and rebuilding the walls of the city was how he accomplished that spiritual repair.
4. This repair, both physical and spiritual, would guarantee the security and provide a focal point for the lost and broken people scattered throughout the South Bay.
5. Passionate and proactive prayer with repentance is major theme. Eleven different prayers are mentioned in the book of Nehemiah.
6. A holy and passionate reverence for Scripture with careful attention to the reading of God’s Word in order to perform God’s will is an important theme.
7. Opposition is a constant theme from beginning to end.
8. The “strong hand of God” is a theme that carries through the book of Nehemiah (1:10; 2:8, 18, etc.).
9. Spiritual renewal came in response to Ezra’s reading of “the Book of the Law of Moses” (Neh 8)
10. Good, godly, and functional leadership is a central theme. If the most basic definition of leadership is influence then we all aspire to leadership because we ALL want to influence our social spheres.

5 Leadership Principles From Nehemiah[1]

1. In Andy Stanley’s book, Visioneering God’s Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Vision, he writes that leaders need to “communicate your vision as a solution to a problem that must be addressed immediately” (p. 86).
2. In Tom Harper’s book, Leading from the Lions’ Den: Leadership Principles from Every Book of the Bible, he writes that it is important to “protect your organization’s core and culture with a thick wall” (p. 52).
3. In Donald Campbell’s book, Nehemiah: Man in Charge. How God chooses and develops leaders for His work, he writes, “The nation that prays together stays together” (p. 79).
4. In Cyril Barber’s book, Nehemiah: and the dynamics of effective leadership, he shares that “the task leader must be able to coordinate the efforts of the group, insure cooperation, commend honest effort, see that each task is completed satisfactorily, and provide for open lines of communication between employee and employer” (p. 83).
5. In Donald Jacobs’s book, From Rubble to Rejoicing: A Study in Effective Christian Leadership Based on Nehemiah, he says, “a leader must assure that the planning gets done” (p. 50).

[1] Adapted from a blog post by Christopher L. Scott.

Psalm 69:29 (NLT)

I. INTRO

1. There’s an old adage among performers in variety shows: “Never follow an act that has kids or animals in it…”
2. I would like to do two things:
   • I would like to explain, or review, the importance of your active participation in this Advent season.
   • I would like for us to look at one verse, and primarily, one word from Luke 1:74.

II. BODY

1. So, why is it important that we actively participate in this Advent Season?
   • Advent is a time when we intentionally slow down and reflect on God’s great gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
   • Why do we need to slow down? Because It’s SO easy to get duped into spending most of our time fulfilling all the demands of the holiday season, not preparing our hearts to reconnect with the implications of the birth of Jesus.
   • Did you know that we Americans spent $7.5 billion on Black Friday and Cyber Monday? (It can get crazy out there!)
   • I want to invite everyone in the room to do two things:
     • Take some time during the week to slow down and spend some time reflecting on and anticipating the birth of Jesus. Read the blog post on Advent on our website, read Luke 1 and 2 several times – as well as the other Advent material and passages in the Bible.
     • Carve out the time to get to church – up through Christmas Eve.
       • Let’s worship God and reflect together.
       • Invite your unchurched friends, family, and co-workers.
       • We intend to share the beauty and simplicity of the gospel in thoughtful and intelligent ways.
2. With that in mind, let’s turn out attention to Luke 1:74. I’ll read it, pray, and then make a few comments: “To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear”   Luke 1:74 (NAS)
3. I’ll begin at 30,000 feet and then move into the passage…
   • Luke is the only non-Jewish (or Gentile) author in the Bible – yet his writings (Gospel & Acts) make up about a ¼ of the NT.
   • Luke is a physician, a scientist – and an exacting historian. (He reminds me of Sgt Joe Friday from the TV series, and movie, Dragnet: “Just the facts Ma’am, just the facts…”)
   • So, what we see in Luke’s writing style is that he is not prone to embellishment. His style is orderly and detailed. He’s probably a charismatic with a seat belt.
4. In chap 1:67-79 there is a section with the subtitle “Zacharias’ Prophecy”
   • Zacharias is a priest in the temple and John the Baptist’s father; who has an encounter with God and erupts into a Holy Spirit inspired prophetic proclamation that foretells the imminent arrival of the long-promised Messiah.
   • Zacharias’ proclamation is a comprehensive gospel presentation containing several promises…
     • V. 68 = God will visit and abide with His people
     • V. 71 = God will save His people from their enemies
     • Vs. 72-73 = God will fulfill His ancient promises
     • V. And that brings us to our verse for for today: V. 74 = God will rescue (or deliver) His people so we can serve Him without fear.
     • V. 77 — God will forgive the sins of His people.
     • V. 79 – God will guide His people into a life of peace.
   • What we see here is that the gospel is full mercy (i.e., mercy = God not giving us what our sin deserves), but even more, the gospel is full of grace (i.e., grace = God giving us what we don’t deserve)

III. CONCLUSION

1. “To grant us that we, being rescued [or delivered] from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear” –Luke 1:74 (NAS)
2. What does it mean to be “rescued”?
   • One kind of rescue is for us to be delivered FROM our circumstances; another deeper form of rescue is being rescued IN our circumstances. This is what Zacharias’ prophesy is about – being rescued IN our circumstances. What does this mean?
   • There are (at least) two Greek words for the word rescue (or deliverance):
     • One is apallasso and it means to remove one from the suffering situation (see Luke 12:58; Acts 19:12; Hebrews 2:15).
     • The Greek word in Luke 1:74 is “rhuomai” = means to supply one with the strength to endure while remaining within suffering situation. (16 occurrences: Mat 6:13, 27:43; Lk 1:74, 11:4; Rom 7:24, 11:26, 15:31; 2 Cor 1:10; Col 1:13; 1 Thess 1:10; 2 Thess 3:2; 2 Tim 3:11, 4:17, 4:18, 2 Pet 2:7, 2:9.)
   • This concept of “rescue” based on the Greek word can be described as a flowing current of God’s life in us.
     • Think of the flow of electricity, or water, or blood – the rescue that Luke is speaking about is like a steady current of God’s energizing life surging through the lives of Christ-followers to supply us with the wisdom and also the ability to endure and/or overcome in the midst of a trial or a season of suffering.
     • This is vividly seen in the last chapter of Job where he writes of having come to really know God while enduring a horrific set of circumstances:

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You.”  —Job 42:5 (NAS)

Final thought: Believing and receiving the gospel is beginning to see that the glorious God of the universe is now pleased with you and speaks peace into your personal life. The result is release from fear and entry into freedom, joy, delight, and a (sometimes) overwhelming desire to please God – even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

(For students of eschatology: The strategic use of the word “rhuomai” as well as the general theme throughout both the Old and New Testaments of God rescuing His people IN THE MIDST of trouble instead of FROM trouble is a good reason to question and rethink the “pre-tribulation” rapture theory.)

Although Advent is not a mandated observance in Scripture, there are profitable reasons to consider making Advent part of your holiday rhythm. Here are seven potential benefits of observing Advent.[1]

1. Advent reminds us we are not the center of God’s plan.

Advent is an opportunity to refresh your perspective that God has a grand plan for history that is so much larger than just you and your kin. For all the emphasis on gift-giving and sentimentality that characterizes our cultural holiday, we can tend to focus on our small circles of friends. So in the midst of a season that might shrink our gaze, Advent reminds us to pan the camera back out to the larger scope of God’s purposes for history.

Before the foundation of the world, God wrote “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8), a story culminating in the marriage of the Lamb and his Bride (Revelation 19:7). What a marvel that we are spectacularly included in this grand plan, but we are not individually the main characters in this story.

The expectation of Advent points our gaze to a far grander story than our sentimental yuletide inclinations.

2. Advent reminds us of generations of saints longing for the Messiah.

Not long ago, it was a luxury to have two-day shipping for online purchases. Now you can have your purchase show up in just a matter of hours. Do modern people even have a category for longing, pining, and waiting?

Advent gives us an opportunity to imagine the long-awaited coming of the Messiah, who was promised thousands of years before his arrival in Bethlehem (John 8:56; Hebrews 11:13). Generations of saints had promises from God in Scripture, and types that heightened their yearning for the coming One.

As we imagine ourselves in this kind of expectation, we begin to see glimpses of how Jesus expected his disciples to see predictions for his ministry in the entire collection of Scriptures (Luke 24:27, 44), not simply a few isolated prophecies. With this kind of yearning, the pages of the Hebrew Bible rustle with Jesus from Genesis to Chronicles.

3. Advent connects us to centuries of church tradition.

Church tradition is not our final authority like Scripture, but we are not the first generation to seek to live faithfully to God’s word. We are naïve to blindly disregard a practice that has been fruitful for so many citizens of God’s Kingdom.

We should remember our leaders, and consider the outcome of their faith (Hebrews 13:7), and celebrating Advent is an opportunity to imitate the faith of many faithful leaders who have gone before us. We can avoid what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery” by letting the voices of seasoned saints offer wisdom into our context.

4. Advent brings slowness in the midst of a frantic season.

The Christmas holiday, especially in the West, seems to be on a vector towards insanity. Black Friday appears to have no desire to remain confined by a 24-hour window, even while shoppers have literally been reported to stampede retail stores. Students are busy studying for finals, parents are busy shopping for gifts, families are busy traveling to visit relatives — even social calendars can crowd uncomfortably during December.

Advent provides opportunity to slow the pace, or even comparatively grind it to a halt.Remember the deliberateness of God. He completed his promise “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4). Whether through daily readings, candle-lightings, or other Advent-themed traditions, we resolve to pause and reflect in a season that could otherwise drown out reflection — and be still.

5. Advent teaches us patience.

Patience is a fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22). But though it is his work, we may seek out means whereby the Spirit of God can cultivate patience in our hearts.

As we observe Advent, God can grow patience in our hearts by demonstrating that God is patient, and not because he is slow (2 Peter 3:9). By remembering the longing for Christ’s first coming, we see God’s mercy. He did not rush into swift destruction of his enemies and triumph of his kingdom — glorious as that will be.

Every moment of God’s patience is an opportunity for repentance for those who would otherwise be destroyed in his final coming (Romans 2:4). During Advent we behold the patience of Jesus, and by beholding him we are transformed more into his likeness by God’s Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

6. Advent demonstrates the rarer jewel of Christian discontentment.

Puritan author Jeremiah Burroughs wrote of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. And indeed this rare jewel is worth cultivating, especially in view of a mass conspiracy of advertisements designed solely to rob it from you. But not all discontentment ought to be shunned.

Where Christian contentment is rare in the vast sea of discontented people, distinctlyChristian discontentment may be rarer. How else can the result of the firstfruits of the Spirit be groaning inwardly (Romans 8:23)? What are we to make of the souls of martyrs under the altar of God crying out, “How long, O Lord?” (Revelation 6:10)? We do not have to look far to find reasons to grow in righteous discontentment with the sin-broken world around us, and lift up holy cries of lament.

Advent uniquely models this in the Christian calendar, as we remember similar cries for the first coming of Christ, and join their refrain for the second coming.

7. Advent fortifies confidence in the promises of God.

Finally, the best application of all of a season of heightened, purposeful remembrance and expectation directs us toward the glorious Second Advent of King Jesus.

As we reflect on God’s faithfulness to his promises past, we are reassured in the promises we yet await. Jesus said he is coming soon (Revelation 22:12), and though our concept of soon may seem to have a different calibration than our Lord’s, the Holy Spirit strengthens our faith by tracing the exactitude of God’s faithfulness to the saints long ago. Confidence in the second coming of Christ inspires missions (Matthew 24:14), enables Christian fellowship and mutual encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), and equips us for joyful suffering (Hebrews 10:34).

So if you are like me, and did not grow up with the tradition of Advent in your family or church, consider the benefits to your Christian walk this season by joining many in the Christian faith who have found great benefit in purposefully preparing during Advent for the great celebration of Christmas. Let us join the voices of generations of saints past and present in the refrain, O come, O come, Emmanuel.

[1] This article was written by Ryan Shelton and can be viewed in its entirety here.