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Articles by John Henry Beukema
The Uncomfortable Truth of Easter
From the editor: At the 2008 National Pastors Conference in San Diego, Preaching Today got to interview N. T. Wright about his book Surprised by Hope and how it relates to preaching. To read that interview, click here. We asked Bishop Wright what he would be preaching on Easter Sunday. At the time, he was still working out the details.
What Biblical Preaching Is and Isn’t
[Editor’s Note: Haddon Robinson passed away in 2017.] Some questions people ponder all their lives. Einstein wrestled with the question of gravity till his dying day. On the subject of preaching, one of the elemental questions is "What is biblical preaching?" Everyone who takes Scripture seriously says we need to preach the Bible, but even the most ardent disagree widely about what that means exactly.
Preaching on Ephesians
Home > Exegesis > Ephesians Preaching on Ephesians An overview of the historical background and theology of Ephesians to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers.
Preaching on Romans
Preaching on Romans An overview of the historical background and theology of Romans to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background Paul’s Epistle to the Romans has been widely regarded as the most prominent peak throughout the range of Scripture. It is dense and broad-gauge enough to stand as a theological treatise in its own right. Yet it is important to remember it is a letter.
Preaching on Ezra
Preaching on Ezra An overview of the historical background and theology of Ezra to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background When Harold Macmillan became Britain’s prime minister, he was asked what would determine his government’s course. He replied, “Events, dear boy, events.” Events are powerful, shaping, and revealing. They are, however, not sovereign.
Preaching on Zephaniah
Preaching on Zephaniah An overview of the historical background and theology of Zephaniah to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background Zephaniah was a prophet of God who lived during the final years of the Southern Kingdom of Judah (640-609 BC).
Preaching on Jonah
Preaching on Jonah An overview of the historical background and theology of Jonah to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background There is no reason to doubt that Jonah is the author of the book, although this is routinely challenged in circles of higher criticism. The candor of the book harmonizes with what we know about the person of Jonah. Little is known of Jonah outside this book.
Preaching on Acts
Preaching on Acts An overview of the historical background and theology of Acts to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background The Book of Acts is Luke’s second part to his continual narrative of what God had been doing in Israel and throughout the rest of the known world.
Preaching on the Song of Solomon
Preaching on the Song of Solomon An overview of the historical background and theology of Song of Solomon to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background The opening line of the Song reads as follows: “The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s” (1:1). Traditionally, it has been argued that this opening line serves as authorial superscription.
Preaching on Numbers
Preaching on Numbers An overview of the historical background and theology of Numbers to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock The Book of Numbers has been tragically neglected in evangelical pulpits. Sermons from the Book of Numbers are usually limited to an occasional one on Balaam, the spy account, an occasional reference to the Nazirite vow, the bronze serpent, or Aaron's blessing.
My Finger on the Hot Button
My Finger on the Hot Button Lessons from the abolitionist era on addressing controversial social issues See theme Last year I took my wife to St. Louis on a holiday weekend, and mixing business with pleasure, we spent two half days in the Missouri Historical Research Library. My purpose was to research sermons from the mid-19 century, specifically those addressing the topics of slavery and gambling.
Preaching on Matthew
Preaching on Matthew An overview of the historical background and theology of Matthew to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background The author of the first Gospel in the New Testament is a brilliant author. He has both a clear theology of Jesus’ nature and function and a clear method for telling the gospel story. He is a brilliant theologian and articulate communicator.
Preaching on Luke
Preaching on Luke An overview of the historical background and theology of Luke to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Of all the books in the New Testament, Luke’s Gospel is the longest. The life of Jesus is chronicled similarly to Matthew’s and Mark’s portrayal. He devotes more ink to Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, about ten chapters. In addition, one finds parables and other material not included in the other Gospels.
Preaching on Ezekiel
Preaching on Ezekiel An overview of the historical background and theology of Ezekiel to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background Of all the prophets who had tough ministries to Israel, no one had a tougher ministry than Ezekiel. His name means “God strengthens,” and he is definitely made of gristle, given the breath-taking nature of what God called him to do, both overall and in detail.
Tips for Preaching on the Book of Ezekiel
Tips for Preaching on the Book of Ezekiel Help for creating your sermon series on Ezekiel, tackling the theological issues in the book, and applying the book to your hearers. Image: Redman Creative / Lightstock Historical Background Ezekiel is one of those books of the Bible that you think you’d like to read until you actually get into it.
Preaching on 2 Samuel
Preaching on 2 Samuel An overview of the historical background and theology of 2 Samuel to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background Second Samuel continues the story of the establishment of the kingdom of Israel after the death of Saul. Second Samuel follows David’s reign as king of Israel (about 1010–970 BC). David was “a man after the heart of God” (1 Sam.
Preaching on Joshua
Preaching on Joshua An overview of the historical background and theology of Joshua to help you develop your sermon series and apply it to your hearers. Image: Pearl / Lightstock Historical Background By the power of God and with the leadership of Moses, two million descendants of Abraham escaped slavery in Egypt. God not only liberated the Hebrew people but directed them toward the Land of Promise.
I’ll Be There with Bells on
I’ll Be There with Bells on 7 marks of priestly pastoral ministry from the Book of Ezra. Image: bauhaus1000 / Getty / Marta Matyszczyk / Unsplash And they made bells of pure gold and attached them all around the hem between the pomegranates (Exodus 39:25). I did not memorize Exodus 39:25 in Sunday School. My grandmother did not cross stitch it and hang it on the wall. I cannot imagine it appearing on a coffee mug, t-shirt, bumper sticker, or Testamint candy.
Preaching with Human Questions
Preaching with Human Questions Our sermons ought to answer the questions our congregation brings with them on Sunday. Gerald Hiestand Image: Dawid Garwol / EyeEm Editor’s Note: This article is being released with a partnership with the Center for Pastor Theologians Conference, which will take place October 14–16 in Chicago. The theme for their 2019 conference is Techne: A Christian Vision of Technology.
Why and How to Preach about St. Patrick this St. Patrick’s Day
The life of St. Patrick connects to issues we struggle with today. The pub nearest me has festooned itself with green, orange, and white bunting. My doctor’s waiting room is plastered with cardboard shamrocks that say LUCKY. McDonald’s has brought back (for a limited time) its Shamrock Shake. Yes, my friends, it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, and since this year [2019] it falls on a Sunday, we might consider, “Should we preach about the saint, and if so, how?” Why preach on St. Patrick?
Top 10 Sermons for Lent
These 10 sermons will ignite your creativity as you work on your sermons for Lent. Our Top 10 Lent sermons will ignite your own creativity as you prepare to preach about Christ’s journey into the wilderness. These sermons cover a range of Lenten themes, including the temptation, prayer and fasting, spiritual trials, and how God redeems his people. Let these sermons inspire your own Lenten preaching.
When You Don't Look Forward to Special Days
Should preachers address holidays, both secular and religious? It was Mother's Day. I knew the two well-dressed elderly ladies glaring at me were visitors because they sat in the front row. In the middle of my sermon, one said aloud to the other, " This isn't about mothers. " The other responded, " What kind of church is this? " and together they looked down the row disapprovingly at the family members who brought them.
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