The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards by John Carrick

Tony Reinke spurgeon

I would argue Jonathan Edwards is the greatest theologian in American history. Whether you agree or not, at some level we can all admit he was a unique theologian with few rivals. But Edwards the preacher? Was he dynamic? Did he read from his sermon notes in drab monotone? Were his sermons as complex as his books? For a man so widely respected for his theology, there remain many questions about the nature of his preaching.

With the completion of the Yale edition of the Works of Jonathan Edwards, scholars are set to take Edwards research to a new level. John Carrick, a professor at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, was one of the first to jump at the opportunity. Carrick’s new book The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards (Banner of Truth, 2008), helps answer a number of these questions about Edwards the preacher. But the book reaches far beyond the style of Edwards as Carrick explores the theology, application, content, style, structure, motive, delivery, literary features, logic, and legacy of Edwards preaching. Whew. And Carrick includes a load of direct quotes from Edwards’s manuscripts to illustrate his conclusions.

I was encouraged to see Carrick work closely with Yale scholars. Kenneth Minkema, the Executive director of the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University, and George Marsden, author of the definitive Edwards biography, answered questions and reviewed chapters of this book. And it shows. Carrick’s book captures some of the best research completed by the Yale folks on Edwards’s preaching, while giving Carrick a solid foundation to take a further step of evaluating Edwards from a reformed—and often a more spiritually substantive—perspective. For example, Carrick concludes chapter nine with these words: “’The power of most of Edwards’s sermons,’ insists Marsden ‘was their logic’—logic (we might add) sovereignty set ablaze by the Spirit of power” (p. 150). I applaud Carrick’s use of Yale research and his willingness to add deeper spiritual explanations when appropriate.

I found a number of excerpts helpful and instructive–Edwards use of logic in preaching; his belief that application was both mental (to think) and practical (to do); his ability to apply sermons to many hearers in diverse circumstances and heart conditions; a glimpse into the goals and motives behind his preaching; his use of imagery; his eternal perspective; and his use of the doctrine of hell to cause sinners to flee into the hands of the beautiful Savior.

Carrick’s chapter on Christ-Centeredness (pp. 97-112) is a superb synopsis of the beauty of Christ set forth in Edwards’s sermons. “It is important to note not only that Edwards constantly points to Christ in his preaching, but also that he provides what must rank as some of the loveliest detailed descriptions of Christ in the whole range of homiletical literature” (p. 103). The chapter concludes with an affirmation of what I have thought for some time: Edwards’s preaching ministry, when accumulated, reveals a man who was thoroughly cross-centered (pp. 111-112).

Banner of Truth has graciously granted us permission to post the table of contents, preface, and the entire first chapter—“The Edwards Legacy”—as a PDF download by clicking here (2.7MB). Take a moment to download and print this lengthily excerpt for a firsthand glimpse into this book.

The Banner of Truth has published another gem in 2008! John Carrick’s The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards will finish the year as one of our top 10 books of the year.

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Title: The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards
Author: John Carrick
Boards: hardcover; black cloth and gold gilding
Pages: xi + 465
Volumes: 1
Dust jacket: yes
Binding: sewn
Topical index: no (a big bummer)
Scriptural index: yes (though not very important for a work like this)
Text: perfect type
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Year: 2008
Price USD: $28.00 / $16.80 at WTSBooks
ISBN-13: 9780851519838

Lady Wisdom

Tony Reinke Proverbs, spurgeon, Wisdom literature

The dusty Palestinian city was abuzz, despite the blazing morning sun. The city streets were lined with leaders, buyers, sellers, and laborers. Another workday was in full swing as men gathered at the gate to discuss matters of trade and government.

Robed women walked through the dry and dusty streets, scrutinizing lines of chickens and vegetables for the meals of the day. Unsteady wooden carts clicked along the rough streets to bring fresh produce from nearby villages. The city was fully awake with the chorus of conversation and commerce.

With the amount of people lining the streets, it was difficult to see and hear the woman standing where the city gate connected to main street. But she was better dressed than anyone, more sharply fitted than those out for another day of trading and business. In contrast to the men and women walking the streets with their heads bowed down to the street-level bustle, her eyes were raised upward to the burning desert sky.

This woman stood in the middle of the street, visibly removed from the produce, clothing, and other wares. She stood alone in the city square when she started to speak.

Her voice rose in intensity, and at times she would break into a yell–yet her voice barely broke through the accumulated commotion of the market. Turning to the left and to the right, she raised her voice to the people, now buried in their daily routines, who passed around her on all sides.

But apart from the sneering glances, the men, women, and children walked along uninterrupted. The woman now raised her arms, cupped her mouth with her hands, and yelled louder to the disinterested crowd. Many of the people, intently focused on the day, continued with little interest in the pleading woman. Yet it was those ignoring her—even those opposing her—to whom she showed deep concern.

Facing the growing resistance of the crowd, her heart filled with compassion and her voice grew even more strained. She approached two men standing in conversation and cried out, “Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right.” The men, annoyed at the interruption, walked away. She continued walking along the streets for one soul to listen and heed—just one! Yet those gathered as spectators of this now ardent woman began to ridicule and mock her as the town crazy. Still others walked on, avoiding eye contact. Others grew angry and lobbed derogatory responses as they passed, telling the woman to shut up. Yet the woman continued, her voice now pleading ever more urgent, with tears filling her eyes. She walked up to groups and spoke with specificity. “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”

In the bustle of our day, God in his compassion and mercy is walking among us, offering the same sweet fruit of wisdom [Prov. 1].

Pocket Puritans

Tony Reinke BR > Banner of Truth, Puritan Library, Puritans

I’m a big guy who drinks big cups of coffee and collects and reads heavy, shelf-warping books of theology. But I still prefer tiny books—ultra-thin, ultra-short, compact thinline ESV Bibles (like the one pictured), and those old Bible and Tract Society books from a century past that fit nicely in the palm. So I couldn’t help but express a bit of excitement over the new Puritan Paperback series from the Banner of Truth, a line of tiny books with a big wallop that will make the Puritans less intimidating and more readable for a new generation of readers.

As you can see, these are not your grandpa’s Banner books. Punchy, contemporary, relevant titles and sharp cover designs connect the timeless wisdom of Edwards, Baxter, and others to contemporary questions and in a format that looks more like a fresh CCEF counseling booklet than thou divines of olde. Current titles include, Heaven: A World of Love (Jonathan Edwards), Impure Lust (John Flavel), Anger Management (Richard Baxter), and Living Faith (Samuel Ward). Provocative topics and perfectly formatted for personal devotions.

And it was the author I was most unfamiliar (Ward on faith and unbelief) that I have most benefited!

The content of each Pocket Puritan has been carefully selected and distilled into a concentrated form of the original. These little volumes are packed with enough humbling punch to expose sin and bring a big guy down to his knees, and packed with enough grace for a tall guy to get even higher in the heavens. Small books, sharp look, concise content, and pointed message. Three big cheers for Banner’s new Pocket Puritans!

Dave Harvey: Don’t Waste Your Ambition

Tony Reinke spurgeon

Dave Harvey, pastor, Sovereign Grace Ministries leader, and author of one of our favorite books of 2007—When Sinners Say ‘I Do’ (Shepherd Press)—was in town Sunday to preach on ambition. The topic informs the main theme of a book he is currently writing (proposed title, Wired for Glory: Ambitious for What Matters Most). It looks to be another excellent book.

For a little glimpse into the focus of the book you can listen to the message here:

Or download it here.

Here are my sermon notes from Sunday [not edited for exactness, but a snapshot of sermon flow and overview of content.]

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Don’t Waste Your Ambition
Dave Harvey
John 12:27-29, 36-44, Romans 15:19-20
August 10, 2008
Covenant Life Church; Gaithersburg, MD

Ambition is a frequently neglected topic in the church. Yet without ambition we all become lazy. But we don’t arrive at biblical understanding of ambition by going directly at it, but by building from a foundational understanding of glory.

We chase after what we value. In the text some followers of Christ, true believers, would not confess Christ publicly out of fear of the Pharisees (vv. 42-43). They believed in Christ but lived inconsistently because they loved their own glory, reputation, esteem, etc.

We are glory hunters. We are wired for glory. We are born with an instinct to chase glory. – We pursue what we value. The question is not about whether we seek glory, but where we seek glory. There is a greater glory than self-glorification. So how do we love God’s glory?

[1] The glory that comes from God is first in a Person. Jesus is the embodiment of God’s glory. Christ is the radiance of God (Hebrews 1:3). Back in John 12, for these believers the very embodiment of God’s glory is right there before their eyes, yet they are seeking their own glory (an irony, an absurdity). We are called to love the person of Christ and value Him above all else. This is more than finding Christ contemporarily “cool,” but about looking to the value of the Cross. Notice the future tense reference to God glorifying His name in Christ on the cross: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again” (v. 28). God is more glorified in the cross than anything else (creation, parting of the Red Sea, etc.). [Reminds me of Thomas Goodwin’s book, “The Glory of the Gospel,” where he argues the Cross is now where we now find the unmasked glory Moses so adamantly requested to see on Sinai.] At the cross, mercy and justice kissed. God says to us, “Don’t waste your ambition on anything but Christ.”

[2] The glory that comes from God demands pursuit. We are all familiar with ambition derivative of a zeal for personal glory. We need to learn to transfer glory to God, something modeled so well in C.J. Mahaney’s life. So do I seek my glory or do I seek transfer glory to God?

Ambition is not bad, in fact ambition is essential to godliness and humility. C.K. Chesterton writs, “The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a nail in his boot that prevented him from going on. For the old humility made a man doubtful about his efforts, which might make him work harder. But the new humility makes a man doubtful about his aims, which will make him stop working altogether.”

Scripture makes clear that ambition is not the problem, selfish ambition is. The problem is our aim. I am too “Davebitious.”

Godly Ambition

A. Perceive. We must see the value of God’s glory or we will fail to pursue it. Where we fail to see the value we fail to act.

B. Prize. Affections follow our perceptions. “Ambitions rise to what we prize.” In the Olympics we see athletes who sacrifice throughout their entire lives for one Olympic race that will last but seconds in length.

C. Pursue.

Application

So what does all this mean for tomorrow morning (Monday)?

1. The search for approval is over so ambition for God’s glory can begin. So much of our lives are spent to gain approval. Yet in the cross we have been freed from a life of attempts to meet the approval of God. Christians have all the approval we need. All the energy we invest in personal-image-management can now be redirected towards the glory of God. We now obey God from His approval not for His approval. Ambition for God’s glory can begin when our approval before God has been settled.

2. Godly ambition should lead us to explore new paths and new opportunities to glorify God. Read Romans 15:19-20. Here we see the Apostle Paul moving outwards to find new opportunities for the spread of the gospel. There is too much of God’s glory to spread globally to stifle Paul’s ambition. Here is a model of godly ambition—innovation and initiation—that challenges us to ask how we can serve in the spread of the gospel. It is provoking to think of how we can take new ground for God’s glory today.

We are tempted limit ambition to our occupations and not to think of ambition within the realm of church. Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). We seek to align our ambitions with the ambitions of Christ. Ambition is not only played out in global missions. Take your ambition and apply it to the local church. Seek to serve this local church and perceive the paths available to glorify God in your life. Don’t waste your ambition.