“Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.” (A.W. Tozer)
How heretical it might sound to some to read that the Bible is not an end in itself. Instead, the purpose of the Bible is “to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God.” Or, in the words of Scripture, it is to know God. Bible study, teaching and preaching must all have that same goal. Too often in conservative circles the goal of Bible study is to know more about the Bible. Well, to know more about the Bible is good, but it cannot be the ultimate goal of Bible study. If we leave it at knowing more of the Bible, then we miss the point of the giving of the Bible which is to know God. More knowledge of the Bible can lead men to great pride, but to know God is to be humbled into the dust. The Bible is to bring men to know God in an intimate and satisfying way. Anything less is simply to settle for far too little.
Now if the Bible is not an end in itself, then preaching the Bible in an expositional manner must not settle for a simple exposition either. Expositional preaching that is little more than a running commentary is to treat the Bible as an end in itself. However, preaching must use the Bible for its intended purpose and that is to magnify and glorify God to the people so that their souls would be fed with the glory of God and then go out and live to the glory of God. Men and women will never grow spiritually, though they may grow in their knowledge of the Bible, if they do not come to know God. Eternal life is to know God, though that is far different than to know about God.
Tozer tells us that men must “enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.” Here is a description that is more than just words. Scripture tells us that we must abide in Him and His love. So we are told here that we must enter into Him in order to delight in His Presence. Men are not able to enter into God and delight in His Presence through running commentary type of sermons. So preaching must in some way move man to delight in God which is to taste and know the inner sweetness of God Himself. This is what feeds the souls of weary and hungry people that are moving in this world as pilgrims and aliens. This alone is what sustains the soul that is weary of dealing with selfish and self-centered people in the world. If I may be blunt it is also this alone that distinguishes the people of God from the world. What is it that distinguished believers from unbelievers? Is it morality? Is it being good or going to church? No, it is the very presence of God that distinguishes believers from unbelievers. The church is His dwelling place and His temple. The church is the dwelling place of His glory.
It is only when the glory of God is set forth in Christ that men “taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.” Notice that men are not tasting the Word at this point, but they are tasting God Himself. What does this mean? It means that God is in them and that they are in God and they have the very love of God in themselves working a love for Himself. This means that the joy of God is in them giving to men the joy of sharing in His joy. It is, as II Peter 1:4 sets out, a very partaking of the divine nature. Preaching to be preaching must strive for this goal. It is a noble goal and it must always be recognized that God is sovereign over these things. There is no pat formula that guarantees that God will meet with His people week after week at their beck and call. But this is to be sought with prayer and the way we preach.
The preaching of the Church must change. We cannot go back and copy the methods of the Puritans if we want to see revival in the Church. We must note that it was not their methods in and of themselves that brought revival; it was a hunger for God Himself that was evidenced by this. We must begin to hunger after God and plead with Him to come in our day. Expositional preaching without God at the center of it is no more than offering a sacrifice without love in the OT or prayer and fasting without love for God in the NT. The preacher must have a heart for God and he must desire the people to taste the glory of God in the depths of their being. What else is there?
God Loves... Himself 
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