 Right. Okay. So welcome to Biblical Preaching. Okay. This class is shrunk. In-person class, online students. I think Anand is connecting. Okay. Okay. Right. So online students also, I think it's only Nina and Shiva Kumar. Okay. Right. Okay. Welcome back. So this course, we're going to look at like the course homiletics, which means preaching. So we're going to look at Biblical preaching and all that entails Biblical preaching. So what do you think? Are all of us called to preach or only some of us? The gospel you're all to preach. Yes. That is very true. All of us are called to preach the gospel. So preach, what does preach mean? To tell others. Okay. Share. Share is a very nice Christian term. Share. We're going to share your testimony. What does preach mean? See, the thing is, teaching and preaching are two different things. Yeah. So what does preach mean? To speak out, kind of close. To address, to speak out, to proclaim. Rather. Right. To proclaim, to announce. Right. So that is preaching. Right. To declare, to proclaim, to announce. So, you know, so why are we looking at one full semester about preaching because we see it in the word of God. Right. We see that. If you want to use another word, another term, you know, we all of us are called to communicate the gospel. Right. All of us are called to communicate the gospel. And some are called into the, you know, five-fold ministry which involves a lot of that. Right. Maybe an evangelist which involves a lot of proclamation of the gospel company that signs one does miracles and so on. Right. So we're taking time to look at, you know, what is this proclamation? What is this preaching involved, etc. So it involves a bit of theory and also some practical things. Right. Now, some of the theory in the sense, some of the spiritual truths or spiritual backing of it and also some of the practical elements of communication of it. You know, when we speak to be good communicators to make sure that there is no barrier. Right. To communication and so on. So we're going to look at that. So for this course grading, we have two quizzes. Right. At intervals and that's it. So those will be used. Okay. So even before we look at preaching, you know, we see that what do we preach from? We preach from the word God. We've preached from the Bible. Okay. And we see that the Bible though it is a, you know, simple message right through it is a complex word. It's a complex book. Right. Because it was written across centuries, like thousands of years by many authors. But we know that there was one main author directing the entire message. But it's one big message right through. And we have several people who wrote across different timeframes. Right. And we know that the Bible speaks to us today. It's so relevant today when we open and we read and that's because the Holy Spirit speaks to us, quickens the word to us. But the way we understand it and the way the people of those times understand or understood it, there could be a difference. Right. There could be a difference because of our... And why is that? Why could there be a difference in the way we understand or... Yeah. So the language itself plays a big role. Right. At language the culture, culture meaning, you know, the way things were done some traditions, etc. Right. So even before we get into preaching, the thing is to understand. Right. And that is why I think last semester you had hermonetics. Was it last semester? Right. Hermonetics, interpreting, understanding. So even before we begin to proclaim or communicate the way we understand, the way we rightly divide the word is very, very important. Right. So that's why Paul writes to Timothy and he says, you know, rightly divide the word right. Because like we've been seeing, you know, when we get a revelation or when we understand a certain concept or truth, it changes us. Right. Because we are convicted or we have a conviction about a particular truth. And when we are convicted or when we have this conviction, then we begin to live life according to that conviction. Okay. We believe that it is to be true and we are convicted in our hearts and we live according to it. So the way we live depends on what conviction or what revelation we receive. Okay. So it's going to change the whole thing about our perspective, the way we live our lives, everything changes. Okay. So what we understand, the revelation that we get is very important. Okay. So the whole thing, if you want to look at a flow, it's like revelation, conviction, and action. Right. And then it changes our destiny or destination. So revelation, conviction, action, and you can say destiny. Right. So it's important to understand. Okay. So let's look at of, you know, just brush up our hermeneutics. Okay. So firstly, you know, when we interpret the word of God, we interpreted according to like how we do any language and we interpreted according to the grammar. Okay. So how it's constructed, we'll interpret it grammatically. So which means the way the language is written. Okay. The way the language is what it means when you read, what is, what is it, what are certain words, what meaning do they convey. Right. So interpret it grammatically. Okay. So when we look at grammatical interpretation, we also think about, you can look into your notes. I'm just looking at the first chapter, interpreting grammatically. So what are the normal everyday words or phrases that are used in the text? Okay. What is the meaning of it? Okay. So our interpretation of these words must be same as the way it was written or the way it was conveyed. Okay. So somebody, if somebody says, you know, good morning and, you know, that word morning has a meaning for us. It means daylight. It means, okay, there is sunrise. But what if that word meant something else than they said? No, just think about it. Right. What if it meant evening or what if it meant darkness? Right. So then the meaning that we assign or the interpretation that we get from it is totally different. Very, very different. Right. So we need to understand, okay, is the word that I use, the grammar or the meaning of the words that we use, isn't the same as what it was meant. Okay. Like, for example, the third R of the day, right, we see that on, right, third R. What does third R mean? Right. And how do they see it? In the book of Acts, it says, like Peter says, right, it's only the third R. And these are not drunk, as you suppose. So third R actually meant, it's not three, three o'clock, but it's actually nine o'clock. So first R, they start from 6am. So it's actually 9am. So what you were saying was, it's only 9am. Right. But if in our understanding, third R meant, okay, 3am, then the way we understand the text would be totally different. Okay. So it helps, okay, to understand what does it mean, what do the words mean, what do the phrases mean, what do the sentences mean and so on. So grammatically interpreting it, grammatically. So most of the Bible is easily interpreted by taking the meaning of the language, either in the original or in the translation. For example, John chapter 3, verse 36, he who believes in the sun has everlasting life. And he who does not believe the sun shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Okay. So we read it and it's very clear, there's no hidden meaning. Right. We understand it and it makes sense. Okay. In other words, Acts chapter 1, verse 11. Okay. These are the words of the angels, right. So angelic beings who are talking to the disciples and say, who also said, men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. So again, it makes perfect sense. There's no hidden meaning or agenda. What they're saying that, okay, you saw him come and you saw him go. So in the way, the manner in which you saw him go, he will come again. It's talking about the second coming. So there will be a physical coming back to the earth. So it's very clear. So it makes sense. Right. Now, when we read a literal text, now this is very literal. The way you saw him go, he will come back again. Okay. So we see it, we read it, we understand it. Now let's look at certain passages where the, there are symbols or it is symbolic. Okay. So if you, a classic one is Revelation chapter one, okay, Revelation one. And we can read from verse nine onwards. And particularly, yeah, maybe we can look at verse 13. Okay. And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment, came to the feet, came down to the feet and girded about, and a garment which came down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire, and so on. You know, it describes the Son of Man, describes Jesus. And it goes on to talk about what is actually symbolic in this whole thing, right? Talks about seven lampstands, talks about the stars and so on, right? So it says here in verse 20, the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. Okay. So we see that it is a symbolic thing. You know, we see that, okay, this is what John saw, and this is what the Lord was saying, but it actually was pointing to something else. Okay. It was not a literal thing, but it was symbolic. Okay. So similarly, we will see, we need to understand what is symbolic in Scripture, and what is it pointing to? You know, is there any explanation in Scripture itself? You see here, Scripture itself is assigning the symbols, and there is an interpretation or the explanation of what these symbols actually represent, the stars, the golden lampstands and so on. Okay. So similarly, we need to actually see, you know, is it symbolic or is it literal? Okay, because if it is symbolic, and if you're going to be switching it to something that is literal, then there's going to be a problem, right? Okay. So the second one, first is interpreting grammatically. The second one to, the second rule or guideline that we can use to interpret is to interpret historically, you know, rather than asking the question, okay, what does it mean to me? Of course, that's a very important question because, you know, we read the word and then God is speaking to us, so we need to ask that question. Okay, what is this truth? How does it apply to me, etc.? What is God speaking to me right now? But the important question again is to ask, you know, what did it mean to the original listener or to whom it was, of course, the word of God is for us as well, but when it was spoken to them, when it was given to them, what was that, what was it intended to convey? Okay, what does it mean to them? Okay, so we are talking about a different culture. We are talking about a different traditions, etc. So it's good to ask that question, you know, was there anything different in the way it, you know, it is addressed to those people, right? Is there anything in particular that, so then when we understand that, we get a clear understanding of, okay, even if I, yeah, it does apply to me, but even when it means I need to apply it and take it, this is the original meaning. This is how it was meant. So I don't have to miss apply it in my life. It becomes clearer. It doesn't mean that I don't have to apply it, but I don't have to, I should not apply it, but when I apply it, it becomes clearer. Okay, for example, Genesis 15, 7 to 21, we know, right, the Lord actually cut a covenant. Okay, so cutting a covenant, what did it mean then? You know, we know that literally it meant cutting of the animals and the birds and the Lord going in the middle. So hence the term cutting a covenant. Okay, so we understand that, that it was literally two people going through what, you know, the animals or the birds which are split and kept and then going through. So that is the whole term cutting the covenant, right? So you know that it is more than a contract. It is, you know, it is something which is very solemn, something that was done, meaning that both parties would keep up and so on. So that is what covenant means. Another one. One contains 11, right? One contains 11, 4. Okay, so let's look at that. Okay, 11 and verse 4. Every, this is about the head covering, right? Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonours his head, and every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head and that is one and same as if her head were shaped. Okay, so what did it mean then to have a woman who was walking around with her head shaved? So that in that time, right, the priestess of Aphrodite, the temple prostitutes, they had shaven heads, right? So that is how they recognized or identified themselves. Okay, so it is not that, you know, somebody who's shaped their head that, you know, they are, Paul is actually looking down or dishonoring and, you know, at that time this is how it was. So they identified themselves. So he's saying that, you know, it is as if one is actually identifying with them, right? So once we understand that then we know that, okay, it's okay to cut hair, you know, for a lady to have a short hair, right? Or to have a very short hair cut, it's fine, right? But in those times, it meant that they identified with this group of people or these temple priestess prostitutes who were there. So we understand that. Okay, so when we look at historically, then this whole thing changes. Okay, now if I take this text and say, you know, and preach on a Sunday message, you know, if you're cutting your hair, you know, you are bringing dishonor upon yourself, you know, you're bringing dishonor upon yourself, you're bringing dishonor to this church and there are people who do that, right? So that's the thing. So it becomes very legalistic, very, you know, and not really God-honoring, right? So it changes. So once we know the historical perspective, it changes. It changes the way the revelation we receive, yeah, there's a perspective and the way we apply it in our lives and the way we would minister the word, right? That changes. So this helps. Okay, so interpreting it historically. And of course we can use other tools like the Bible dictionaries and etc. to discover customs, the places and so on. And third one is to interpret critically. Critically means that you look at, no, does it hold reason? Okay, does it hold reason? Or is it, you know, am I putting in some bias there when I'm reading into it? Am I looking at it in a biased manner? Am I bringing my own prejudice into it? Or does it stand to reason? Okay, that is when you look at critical thinking, that's what it is. So when we interpret it critically, you know, is there any, you know, are we contradicting it? Are we bringing some prejudice into it? Does it make sense rationally? Okay, so that is another way of another guideline to use in order to interpret scripture. Okay, so let's look at six practical rules or six guidelines to help us with sound interpretation. Okay, now in all this, you know, we're not saying that we will rule out or take out, you know, the work of the Holy Spirit. You know, in all this, we partner with the Holy Spirit. You know, we depend heavily on the Holy Spirit's guidance to, you know, to lead us to interpret scripture. Right, so it's not devoid of that. Okay, so interpreting in the light of the context of the passage. Okay, now what does it mean when you say context? The situation. Okay, somebody's saying something, what is the situation? What is the background? The reason, okay, so what is the bigger picture? What is the surrounding? What is the circumstance? What is the bigger picture? Because we can take a text when we say we can take a text and then we can take a verse and we can completely trace out the context. Like the background with which it is set. Like for example, I think it's in 1st Timothy Titus Anyway, I think it's there's an Old Testament reference which people use. You know, is there a verse where the pure, all things are pure? Is it in Titus? Okay, yeah. Yeah, to the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defile and unbelieving, nothing is pure even their mind and conscience are defiled. So here, Paul is actually talking about those who are in subordinate, those who are, you know, idle talkers and so on. So he's actually exhorting Titus and he's saying, Titus, this is what you need to do, etc. Now, there was a group of people who actually took this verse and said, okay, we are the righteousness of God in Christ. Okay, we have been cleansed, we've been washed by the blood of Jesus and we have been made pure. So because we are pure to the pure, all things are pure. Okay, they just took that verse and this actually was a cult. Okay, so for them it was like this. So no matter what I do, because I am pure, everything that I do, everything that proceeds from me is pure. Okay, so speech, action, everything is pure. So God sees me as pure. So whenever I do it is pure. It went terribly wrong because they indulged in certain things, certain acts of the flesh. In fact, their whole method of evangelism was to tempt people, you know, the women would go to the bars and they're saying, and tempt people and then bring them into the cult, literally seduce them. But their reasoning was this, to the pure, all things were pure, all things are pure. That was the only line of reasoning. Just look at the big picture. The person, to them it was joining the cult. The person is actually coming to the saving knowledge. Okay, so even if I tell them a lie, here and there, what is the bigger picture they are coming to join this group, run this church, whatever. So it's fine, to the pure, all things. But you look at the other part of it, right? To those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Even their mind and conscience are defiled. The mind, the conscience, everything is, then it talks about how they profess to know God and works they deny him. So it actually was referring back to them in works they deny him. Are the works pointing to it? No. So when we take a verse out of context, then it becomes a huge problem. And that's how cults and certain heresies are drawn. And the thing is we need to understand that thoughts have consequences. Ideas have consequences. And behind every lie, it's a thought or idea, which is energized by the deceiver. We know that, Satan is called the father of lies. The source or the one who actually propagates lies. So those who are deceived sometimes, or most times do not understand, do not even realize that they are being deceived and deceiving others. That's the sad part of it. So when we take things out of context it has consequences and sometimes very disastrous consequences. So we get to put it in our practice, what is the context? It sounds nice. It looks nice. Fantastic. I think maybe I should just preach it like this, but then look at the context. Another verse I think is we can look at it. So Isaiah 55 was 8. So Isaiah 55 was 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. So just tell me, what do you understand from this verse? Anyone? Doesn't. So what I think doesn't match with what God thinks. It's never ever going to make sense. In the sense it's never ever going to match. I might think something, okay, maybe this person has a need and I need to do something to I need to bring Christ, I need to, whatever that need is. So does that mean that it's totally opposite of God's thoughts or God's ways? No, right? So no. Sometimes yes, sometimes yes, possible. But the fact is this when we look at the verses preceding that, so this is what it says verse 6, seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near, let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. So what is the person being referred to here, the wicked or the unrighteous saying let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. So he's talking about ways, he's talking about thoughts. He's talking about lifestyle or action, talking about thoughts, imaginations. So let the wicked forsake, let the unrighteous and what the Lord is the Lord saying, for my thoughts are not your thoughts. Who is he talking to? He's talking to the wicked, he's talking to the unrighteous. If you're unrighteous, you need to change your ways. If you're wicked, you need to change your ways. If you're unrighteous, you need to forsake your thoughts. And the Lord is saying, hey, to the wicked, to the unrighteous, he's saying, for my ways are very different. My thoughts are very different from your thoughts because your ways are unrighteous. Your ways are wicked and your thoughts are unrighteous. Yeah, okay. Ravali has a... So the same scripture where you're unrighteous. Yeah, for my thoughts are not your thoughts and neither my ways are not your ways. But the proceeding is as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways are higher than your ways and your thoughts. In the context of if we as humans are very limiting ourselves to a certain thing, okay, I can only do this much. I will only get this much for a certain thing. Does this apply in that context where God says, you are only limiting yourself, your ways and your thoughts about this certain area in this way. But I have, I think more greater for you. My ways for you are greater. There are a lot of good things, greater things are ahead of. So Efficiency 320 talks about that. Now to him who's able to do exceedingly, abundantly, about all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church. So above all that we ask, I'm asking for one thing, the Lord is saying, hey, I'm going to do 10 above all that we ask, above all that we think the Lord is able to do. So this can be applied in that context? Can be. So the thing is, the way it is what is the context of this original text? It is this. Okay, so every time, you know, we there's nothing wrong. There's nothing wrong in saying, okay, God's thoughts are higher. But if I'm going to, you know, if I'm going to put myself down, or if I'm going to put others down, and or if I'm going to say, you know, the way we apply it, you say, I don't know what God wants. That's the ultimate conclusion, right? It brings us to a place of fuzziness, non-clarity towards certain things and saying, you know, there's no conviction. This is what, you know, I prayed, I've asked, this is I see the principles here, I see the leading of the Holy Spirit. But my thoughts are, you know, his thoughts are always higher. So I don't know what. If it brings us to that place, if the application of the truth, then that is not the way it is intended, right? But we can definitely look at it in the way of Ephesians 3.20 where it says, hey, I'm seeking him, I'm asking, but he's able to do more than that. He's able to do exceedingly abundantly above all. You'll see the difference. The first one is a place of, you know, non-clarity and negativity. The second one is a place of faith. You're saying, hey, this is what I'm believing God for. This is what I'm asking God, but he's able to do much more. Right. So that's the thing. Okay. Yeah, God's thoughts are superior. Thank you. Okay. Right. So, so looking at the context, yeah, it happens. His thoughts are greater. Right. So maybe you're praying for someone and this is what is quickened. His thoughts are greater or higher. Yeah. See, but I'm just saying that, you know, the normally when it is the way it is applied is, you know, I want to do something or, you know, it's in a place of confusion. Normally the application is, I don't know what God wants. I don't know what his ways are. It's in a place of confusion and lack of clarity and things. And I'm not saying that, you know, we'll have 100% clarity in everything. That is also not what I'm saying, but the thing is the way it is applied is this, you know, what I'm thinking, but I don't know what God's ways are. It's what I'm doing, but I don't know his ways are higher, his ways are thoughts are higher later. You know, we kind of say that no matter what, as a believer, no matter what I'm doing his ways are going to be different. His thoughts are going to be different. So that is what we say, you know, this is what I'm doing, but God is doing something else and his ways are different. Well, you know, they are that are led by the Spirit of God. They are the sons and daughters of God, sons of God. We are called to be led. We are called to hear the voice of the shepherd. And this verse is actually, you know, rather than bring people to a place of saying, hey, I can hear, I've been designed to hear God, I've been designed, God speaks to me and I'm called into that intimate fellowship. Rather than bringing people to that, it's kind of, you know, always alienates. Right. So that was the intention. Right. Okay. Right. So interpreting in the context. So what would help us, some questions like, what Testament is this? Is it New Testament, Old Testament? Who's the author? What's the time period? Is it before the cross, after the cross, etc. That's the second thing. Interpret in the light of progressive revelation. Okay. Interpret in the light of progressive revelation. Let's look at Hebrews. I think this Hebrews 1 throws light on that. Okay. God who had, who had various times, God, sorry, Hebrews 1 versus 1 and 2. Right. God who had various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets. Has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. So we know that God has been, God is the speaking God. He has been speaking right from the beginning. He has been, you know, through the prophets and through His, whom He has appointed. He has been speaking. He has been directing. And we have revelation of the truth unfolding right through the time periods, right through scripture. Okay. It's very clear. But we also need to know the, you know, that revelation has been progressive. Okay. We see certain places that we see those shadows of the cross. We see that things were done in pointing to the cross. Right. And so we see that outworking of that or the unfolding of that. Okay. So we need to understand that. Right. So people were looking towards the cross and we are in the dispensation looking at something that has already been done. So especially when it comes to study of characters, a character study. Okay. We need to mention, we need to be careful. Okay. This was in, it doesn't mean we don't have, we will not be able to glean some important truth. Okay. How did this person live? How did this person relate to God? What are some of the, you know, good things that they did? What are some of the, you know, limitations they had? You know, all those, all those things we learn. Right. And we study. But we, another important factor is in which time frame or period in the dispensation that did they live? Okay. It makes a big difference. Right. Yes or no? In what way? In what way does it make a difference? One basic thing. So tell me again, sorry. Can we look at the time frame and lived in the period? Correct. Yeah. But in the light of crew, okay, maybe they're living it. So when you're saying what, what changed? So what does it that change? Covenant. Yeah. Okay. Different covenant, the way it related, God related to them. Yeah. In that dispensation. No, the, the, the I'm some, I'm sure there are many things, but one basic thing is the way God moved or ministered among them with the work of the Holy Spirit. Right. So God would come upon a person or a group for an assignment for a purpose and they would finish and then God would move on, you know, raise up another person, a spokesperson. We see that and we see that and we see the, you know, in the cross or after the cross on this side of the cross, we see the work of the Holy Spirit in dwelling each and every person. So the way these people related to God or the common people related to God and the way we now can relate to God is very different. Yeah. Because the kings would go and say, okay, I want to hear from God, call the prophet, let's go to the seer. Right. Let's go, let's go meet them. And there was nothing wrong. Right. But if I'm going to be heavily dependent on the prophet or the seer today as a child of God, then there is something, you know, it's going to be my spiritual life. It's not going to be wholesome. It's going to be prone for errors. I'm going to be opening my life up. So that's the thing. Right. So we need to be, we need to understand that, hey, these people related, especially when you're going to talk about the prophetic ministry and so on, the work of the gifts and so on. We understand, okay, this is the timeframe they lived in. This is the dispensation they lived in. So it's very, very important for us to understand that. Okay, apart from that, hey, we see that, you know, polygamy, polygamy was in the Old Testament. Okay, we see that what is polygamy more than one spouse or more than one wife actually. Right. I think it works both ways. But anyway, so in the Old Testament, we see that they had multiple wives. Right. So it was there. So can I carry forward the same thing? Right. So we see that it was it was never condoned or, you know, saying that this is what you must do in the Old Testament. But very clearly we see the progressive revelation in the Old, in the New Testament about, you know, about marriage, about, you know, taking on multiple wives and all that. So it's very clear. Okay, so there have been groups of people who again did the same thing. You know, it was there in the Old Testament, so I can do the same thing now in the New Testament. For example, Mormons, you know, the Mormon, it is allowed. It is okay. Right. So the Church of the Latter-day Saints, right. So polygamy is taught in practice. You have a question. Yeah. So when coming to this progressive revelation, when we are taking example of this polygamy, what is the answer we are backing up with? So we are saying God is ministering to us in different type, you know, different age there in a different way. But now when coming to the, progressing to the New Testament and New Age right now, it's different. Different. Okay. In what way is it different? In what way sometimes, for example, this polygamy, that time it was allowed. Yeah. It was never, it was permitted but it was never condoned. Never condoned. Yes, it was permitted but it was not considered as a sin as well. Right. It was not considered as a sin as well because even the great heroes of faith, they have multiple wives which we look up to right now. So now it is a sin. It is a sin that you can't marry more than one spouse, you know, under the legal terms of it. But how do we back it up? Like, you know, when somebody asks us this question, if we say God is ministering in different ways in different ages and times it will not hold water because it won't be correct. Correct. Because God's moral laws never change. Right. The God's moral law, this nature never changes. It doesn't mean that God was unholy now is progressively becoming holy. Yeah, that's the reason. That's the thing. So how do we justify this and the other things? Okay. Shall we look at it next class? Okay. So online students also you can actually just think about this particular question which Lavali asked. Right. So yeah, God's intention for man has always been monogamy. Yes, Nina. So we understand that. So what we'll do is back it up with scripture, you know, look into God's Word and then we'll share from God's Word how God's view of marriage has never changed because the way he created and the way, you know, he brought Eve to Adam and so on. So his view of, we know that we understand that. So let's look at scripture. Let's come back with some scripture. Yeah, next class and we'll share that. Okay. So we'll wind up now. Thank you. God bless.