Today all around the world Churches will gather in whatever form to hear a person teach from the Bible. It maybe 10 minutes or an hour, it may contain a slideshow of 3 points, 5 points or no points! But in every language the Bible will be expounded upon. When heaven opens its windows today I wonder how many sermons it hears?!
“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 13 v 34-35)
Perhaps today you are going to hear from a Bible passage that you think you know well but the Spirit of God has decided that you will hear and see new implications, some nugget of truth which always lay there, it wasn’t invisible, it was you just hadn’t seen it before. It doesn’t happen every time but when it does there isn’t an experience quite like it!
Matthew refers to Psalm 78. Asaph begins his longest Psalm by far with a deep longing for people to hear him, he calls them to listen and to follow his teaching. Covering the story from Egypt and the Exodus to the present day where David is leading them as a shepherd-leader, there is no doubting Asaph’s passion. But what Asaph does is uncover in detail what has lied there all along that God’s people have treated their God with contempt. Behind the story lies arrogance and pride and Asaph brings that out. He is a great teacher.
Matthew looks at the parables of the teaching of Jesus and sees the connection to Asaph. Psalm 78 reveals a teaching ministry that reveals truths behind the story. Asaph did it. Jesus did it. And by the Spirit of God it will continue even today.
Encourage the preacher/teacher today. Encourage them to keep digging into the Bible text.
Missions Paul 