Monthly Archives: May 2014
Shorter Stories: Preaching the Short Parables of Christ
by Steven Smith on May 30, 2014 in Preaching
Jesus had incredible structure to his sermons … but only sometimes. Think of the Sermon on the Mount. Its introduction (eight beatitudes) is followed with six antitheses: Jesus fights the thesis that keeping a warped standard of righteousness was enough. It ends in chapter 7 wi... Read More »
The End of Food
by Steven Smith on May 23, 2014 in Christian Life, Virtues
Here is the beginning and the (almost) end of a story: “My little daughter is at the point of death… “Little girl I say to you, arise.” (Mark 4:23,41) I love this story, because it is my story. I was dead. There was nothing I could do to reverse this. Jesus said, ... Read More »
Shorter Stories II: Double Parables
by Steven Smith on May 20, 2014 in Preaching
How do you preach a double Parable? Jesus told as many short parables as he did long parables. For every Prodigal Son of Luke 15:11-32 (21 verses), there is a parable like the Unworthy Servant of Luke 17:7-10(4 verses), Trained Scribe of Matt. 13:51-52 (2 verses), or Pharisee and... Read More »
Good News about the Bad News
by Steven Smith on May 15, 2014 in Christian Life, Culture, Evangelism
The Gospel is the message that the wrath of God toward sinners has been re-directed to Christ on the cross, who will graciously forgive all sin for those who will come to him in faith and repentance. This is good news. Yet often when we talk about the good news, it is coupl... Read More »
Shorter Stories
by Steven Smith on May 13, 2014 in Preaching
Shorter Stories Preaching the Short Parables of Christ Jesus had incredible structure to his sermons; but only sometimes. Think of the Sermon on the Mount. Its introduction (eight beatitudes) is followed with six antithesis: Jesus fights the thesis that the keeping a warped stand... Read More »
“Noah” Movie as Typical Sermon: How Darren Aronofsky Directs Movies Like We Preach Sermons
by Steven Smith on May 2, 2014 in Culture, Current Events, Preaching
The movie “Noah” represents some profound acting and directing in one really strange movie. In so much as Darren Aronofsky is a director, he is typical of Hollywood: very gifted and a little bizarre. Oddly perhaps, as an exegete of Scripture, Aronofsky is typical of much evan... Read More »
Immigration Reform: Desperately needed in the church
by Steven Smith on May 1, 2014 in Culture, Current Events
Heaven is many ethnicities worshipping as one race. So protect the race. There is a great joy in strolling the campus of Southwestern Seminary and seeing the many races interact with one another, and in our chapel services worship with one another. Asian, Anglo, Indian, Hi... Read More »
-
Steven W. Smith is the Vice President for Student Services and Communications and Professor of Preaching at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Learn More About Dr. Smith »