I Preached this weekend on James 5.1-6.  If you would like to listen you can get it here.

Here is the sermon that I preached regarding "meaning" and "significance."  I steered clear of these terms, but I used the concepts.  I went about the sermon by using the temptations of Eve and Jesus.  My point was to show that there is meaning in the text, and that Satan twists the meaning of a text or better he misapplies the meaning.

I found it a bit difficult to preach on something which I had only taught.  I am more and more aware of the overlap and distinctions between preaching and teaching.  I think my home is teaching, but I still like preaching, and each time I preach I become better at it.  It truly is a joyous and serious enterprise.

I would be interested in any comments on the sermon.  Also, things have been very hectic, so I cannot always reply to comments.  But I do always read them!  So thanks for your thoughts!

I have been given the responsibility of preaching on the distinction between "meaning" and "significance" in relation to biblical interpretation.  Meaning of course refers to what the text meant.  Significance refers to how the text is applied.  I have taught this distinction a great deal, but preaching it is a different matter.  I am doing some new reading on the issue.  I am reading Vanhoozer, Is There a Meaning in This Text and I just finished Beale's article where he responds to Steve Moyise.  These are two helpful resources, especially regarding the articulation of how the NT authors' use of the OT would fit into categories such as meaning and significance.

How I am planning on preaching meaning and significance is by way of the two temptations, the first in Genesis 3 and the second as recorded in Luke 4.  Where I am going is to see how meaning and significance as categories of good interpretation are at play while the serpent is tempting. 

If anyone has any other ideas, I would be glad to hear them!  As I spell out more of where I am going, I will post.  Also, I have almost finished reading the Curse of the Law article.  It was promising at its beginning, but took, in my estimation, a poor turn.  I hope to spell that out soon too.

Grace to you all!

Here is a copy of a recent sermon I preached at Faith Community Church in Hudson, WI.

My main contention in the sermon is that as Christians we must ask the question, "how do we get from here to Jesus the Messiah?" first and foremost in our exegesis of the Old Testament.  From there we can ask, "how does this text apply to me?"  Unfortunately all too often we ask the latter question first, and never ask the first question.

http://alreadynotyet.blogware.com/Mystery Revealed Sermon Article.doc