Recently a friend attended the Shepherd’s Conference at Grace Community Church. That friend brought me a gift from the conference, Sinclair Ferguson’s impressive book, Some Pastors and Teachers: Reflecting a Biblical Vision of What Every Minister Is Called To Be. The book it historical theology applied to pastoral ministry. Ferguson takes his stand with the Reformers and the Puritans, then brings the past to bear on modern day ministry.

One particular chapter struck me as I read it in the middle of my attempt to prepare a sermon on the temple vision of Ezekiel 40-48. That chapter was number 18, “Preaching the Law of God: Reformers and Puritans.” On page 333, Ferguson gives a four point list that summarizes the aim of Puritan preaching. That list is as follows:

Anyone who has done much preaching or teaching to a congregation of any sizes knows the immense challenge of balancing these four aims. How easy it is to frame a sermon around the goal of unmasking hypocrites and false converts! How easy it is to write a sermon solely focused on the conversion of a sinner! How easy it is to craft a message that offers gospel comfort to the suffering people of God! How easy it is to prepare a lesson that will strengthen, edify, and educate God’s people!

But, how challenging it is to balance these aims in a single sermon or lesson!

The pursuit of this kind of preaching and teaching requires the pastor / teacher to keep the varied nature of his congregation in mind. In other words, those who proclaim the Word of God must remember to whom they are speaking.

Every sermon or lesson will likely not contain an equal measure of focus for each category of listener. However, each message should aim to expose hypocrisy, offer grace, comfort the hurting, and feed the flock.