15. Preaching Bible Characters

b) Thematic Study Bible Article p376: • His ministry focused on the need to eliminate Canaanite beliefs and practices from Israel • The most serious of these pagan practices was Baal worship. • This brought him into conflict with Ahab, Jezebal and Ahaziah, as he exposed their sin, social injustices and idolatry. • Frequently he felt dejected on account of the seemingly impossible nature of his task • God encouraged him to continue, assuring him that a faithful remnant would continue, and answering all his prayers. • After his translation into heaven, an expectation arose that he would return to prepare the way for God’s judgment and purification of his people Section 5092: • His prophecies and prayers were fulfilled and attested by miracles: o Drought – provision of flour and oil – rain – fire from heaven – death of Ahab and Jezebel • Confronts the King and Challenges the people, Baal’s prophets • Executes the prophets of Baal • Appoints successors to continue the fight against Baal worshippers • Lives a simple life • Man of action and physical endurance PROCEDURE 1. Select from the information gathered above: • Background information that might help place Elijah and make him come alive as a person • Facts that indicate the sort of person he was • One (or two) passage(s) as the basic text for exposition. Possible choices might be: o One extended incident in the life of Elijah, or o Two short passages (OT and NT) that reveal two sides of Elijah’s character 2. Expound this text in the usual way (exegesis leading to the “heart-beat” and application), but with special attention paid to:

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The character of Elijah The immediate context and the canonical context (i.e. what is said about Elijah elsewhere in Scripture)

Preaching Bible Characters How to preach an effective expository sermon on a Bible character. Some Preliminary Considerations Why should we want to study Bible characters when, quite frankly, many characters in the Bible led very imperfect lives and none, other than Jesus Himself, were ever totally praiseworthy? No-one should wish to follow Saul’s example and throw javelins at someone who was trying to help him! Nor is it desirable to act impetuously like Peter. So how do we determine what is a good example set by a Bible character and what is an example we should avoid emulating? Then there are some things that Bible characters did in the performance of the God-given ministries that are just not our calling or appropriate in our day and age. It is highly unlikely that we are called to demand the execution of false prophets of Baal, or write stern letters to heads of state like Elijah! So how do we determine which actions of a Bible character are appropriate for us to follow? Where are the points of comparison between us and people depicted in the Bible that are meant for our learning and edification? Preaching on a Bible character requires more thought and preparation than simply expounding a given passage, since its preliminary study involves more stages. The effect, however, can sometimes be more profound, as the listener may more easily identify with a Bible character than with a Bible situation. The Principles Involved As with all interpretation of Scripture, the context, both immediate and canonical (having reference to what the rest of the Bible teaches), is the key to our understanding of how we should view the behaviour of any particular character.

An expository sermon expounds the text of a single Bible passage, while a character study compiles and analyses the teaching derived from a number of texts relating to a particular Bible character. An expository sermon on a Bible character has the task of selecting key texts that relate to that person with a view to exposing that person’s character and applying lessons drawn from these passages to the listeners of the sermon. So an effective expository sermon on a Bible character involves:

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Preparatory survey of all relevant texts

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Provisional noting of aspects of character revealed in these texts

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Selection of one or two passages that are fruitful for portraying the key aspects of the subject’s character

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Exegetical study of the passage(s) selected from the point of view of the subject and his / her character involved, leading to:

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Exposition of the Bible character with other aspects already noted from Bible passages elsewhere included to support or qualify the exposition

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Identification and application of the “heart-beat” of the character to the listeners and their situation

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Appeal to the listeners to act on the resulting message, with the consequences of not so acting spelled out

REMEMBER: The purpose of a sermon is not to explain a subject but to achieve an object! Practical Aids Sources for looking up references to a Bible character include:

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Bible Concordance (Cruden’s Conordance [in English] is still the best for finding all the references to a particular person or word.)

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Thematic Study Bible (most helpful for leading to the most fruitful passages about a particular theme, topic or person)

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Bible Dictionary (more likely to tell you the historical background and theological content of the person’s message than any character aspects of the person.)

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Books containing character studies of specific Bible characters. (These provide a quick and easy guide to such characters, but without showing how to preach about them – good to consult after doing the preliminary exegesis of key passages) EXAMPLE: Elijah Information from PRIMARY SOURCES (i.e. SCRIPTURE texts) using: Cruden’s Concordance •

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Half the references in Scripture are found in the NT (1 from Paul, one from James and the rest from the Gospels) 1 Kings 17 – 21 and 2 Kings 1 – 2 provide the story of Elijah Possible key texts: o James 5:17-18 – “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” o 1 Kings 19:3-18 – “I have had enough, Lord,…Take my life, I am no better than m ancestors.”

Information from SECONDARY SOURCES (i.e. Books / articles about Elijah derived from SCRIPTURE): a) Bible Dictionary (Easton’s BD): • Name means: whose God is Jehovah • Deliverer of stern messages to corrupt kings, so earned the title: • “The Troubler of Israel” (Ahab’s name for him) • Challenged the prophets of Baal, with the result that the people fell on their faces, crying, “The Lord, he is the God.” • Ordered the prophets of Baal to be put to death; not one escaped. • His prayers were answered, eg. for rain • He fled Jezebel’s wrath in despondency • Exhibited self-pity • He wrote a warning letter to the King of Judah (as well as sending off stern messages to various kings of Israel)

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Translated up into heaven in a chariot of fire by a whirlwind Frequently referred to in the NT Paul refers to an incident in his history to illustrate his argument that God has not cast away his people James finds in him an illustration of the power of prayer He was a type of John the Baptist in his sternness and powerful reproofs There was a popular belief he would return to restore the country He appeared with Moses at the Transfiguration of Jesus