Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

A sermon doesn’t replace church

Body Building 2020!

Building the Body through Prayer - Review

Building the Body through Theology

Building the Body through Holiness

Building the Body through Evangelism

Why is the world would I think that Theology is something that the body is built up by?

Why should the topic of Theology be on the list of four, for building up the body?

Good Theology is the scaffolding surrounding the Bible that enables us to climb up and build a more clear understanding of the mind of God!

I’m hoping in our time together to help you understand more clearly the need for good theology in our church.

And this is for very good reason...

Main Idea - Good Theology is Vital for the Strengthening of the Body of Christ

There are three questions I will ask and answer this morning that will hopefully help you to understand why good theology is crucial to a healthy and strong Church.

The questions we need to ask are...

What is Good Theology?

Why should you be Concerned about Theology?

How can I grow in Good Theology?

1.

What is Good Theology?

When people hear the word, “Theology” they might get really nervous!

Maybe they feel intimidated or, worse yet, they really don’t see any relevance for them personally.

Are they right?

Is it something that should make us nervous?

Should we even care?

Aren’t there more important things for us to sink our intelectual energy into?

Shouldn’t the average “rank and file” believer just leave theology to the professionals?

Well, allow me to answer each one of these questions and while doing so answer the question, what is good theology!

No, theology shouldn’t make you nervous - Theology is done all the time - When someone is thinking about God, they, in sense are doing “theology.”

Of course, this means the Theology that is done can be good theology or bad theology!

So we need to be careful.

Muslims do theology, Buddhists do theology, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormans all do theology, Catholics do theology, even Atheists do theology!

Just because theology is being done, doesn’t mean it is good theology!

So, theology shouldn’t make you nervous, but you should be concerned about the kind of theology you are engaging in.

And this leads to the next question, should we care?

Yes, you should care and care a lot - Why?

Because Jesus cared a lot about theology!

Good theology!

As true followers of Christ, our theology must come from and be rooted in God’s Holy Word, the Bible!

Our theology ought not originate and stay in our head, rather it should come from the very words of Christ and thus change our thinking!

“TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.”

God has given us his text to change our thinking, change our heart, and change the way we live our lives.

Good theology helps us understand God’s thinking so we can align ours with His.

Is this effort worth our time?

Is there anything more important that we should do?

No, there is nothing more important to sink your mental energy into - Theology is known as “The Queen of the Sciences.”

And so, by all means sink your mental, spiritual, emotional and physical energy into the pursuit of theology!

Jesus is God very God and therefore His Word is authoritative and profitable.

Therefore we, as followers of Christ must understand all that He has revealed to us in His glorious divine Book.

We must spend much energy there so we can know the mind of God.

Wayne Grudem, in his wonderful book, Bible Doctrine says, “The emphasis of (systematic) theology is on what God wants us to believe and to know...” (pg.

18)

What better pursuit is there than to believe and know God?

But shouldn’t I just leave it to the religious scholars?

No, do not leave it to the professionals - Theology is attainable.

The Bible, especially the New Testament was written for the average person, not the religious scholar...

Theology is done all the time - When someone is thinking about God, they, in sense are doing “theology.”

This means that the Theology that is done can be good theology or bad theology.

Muslims do theology, Buddhists do theology, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormans do theology, Catholics do theology.

Even Atheists do theology!

Jesus is God very God and therefore His Word is authoritative and profitable.

Therefore we, as followers of Christ must understand all that He has revealed to us in His glorious divine Book.

We must spend much energy there so we can know the mind of God.

Wayne Grudem, in his wonderful book, Bible Doctrine says, “The emphasis of (systematic) theology is on what God wants us to believe and to know...” (pg.

18)

Theology is attainable.

The Bible, especially the New Testament was written for the average person, not the religious scholar...

Good theology is based in the belief that God exists, is personal, can be known, and has revealed himself.

These presuppositions motivate theologians to devote themselves to a passionate pursuit of knowledge from God’s Word.

Unfortunately, the word “theologian” is used almost exculsivley for vocational theologians rather than for anyone earnestly devoted to knowing God.

On one level everyone who thinks about God is a theologian.

But a believer whose life is consumed with knowing his Lord is most certainly a theologian, and theologians are committed to truth.

(ESV Study Bible, pg.

2505)

Now listen, we thank God for those who have given their lives to study theology at a deeper level than perhaps the rest of us.

They are a gift to the church.

Some of the people who have helped me understand the Bible the most are those that have dedicated their lives to the disciplined study of the Word of God.

Especially in particular areas.

Also, I praise God for my scholarly friends who live on my shelves.

They are always there for me when I need help understanding some fine point of difficult theology.

Show a sampling of resourses...

Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem

The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns

Know What you Believe by Paul Little

The ESV Study Bible

And this leads to the next question...

How does one obtain good theology?

Follow the Theological Process!

The Theological Process (ESVSB - Pg. 2506)

Exegesis - The process of seeking to determine the correct meaning out of a particular passage of Scripture.

Biblical Theology - The study of scriptural revelation based on the historical framework presented in the Bible.

Systematic Theology - A study that answers the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today about a given topic?”

Historical Theology - The study of how believers in different eras of the history of the church have understood various theological topics.

Philosophical Theology - The study of theological topics primarily through the use of the tools and methods of philosophical reasoning and information gained from nature and reason (“general revelation”) apart from the Bible.

Practical Theology - The study of how to best apply theological truths to the life of the church and the world (including preaching, Christian education, counseling, evangelism, missions, church administration, worship, etc.).

Apologetics - The study of theology for the purpose of defending Christian teaching against criticism and distortion, and giving evidences of its credibility.

What does good theology look like?

Theology is attainable.

The Bible, especially the New Testament was written for the average person, not the religious scholar...

Major Categories of Study in Systematic Theology

Method and foundation - Prolegomena

The Bible - Bibliology

God - Theology proper

Humanity - Anthropology