Prophetic Preaching

Prophetic preaching condemns particularities and affirms generalities. It points to those values and hopes that are consistent with the reign of God and calls people to live by those values. The Aim of Prophetic Preaching Prophetic preaching is a contextual interpretation of God's Word based on the belief that God loves us enough to disturb us. The gospel is not only "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine," but also "Blessed disturbance, we are Christ's!" Indeed, the biblical narratives as a whole have to do with God moving in on the human scene and contradicting the way things are. The late Rabbi Abraham Heschel described the function of the prophets as one of interference. The Scripture is in fact a story of loving interference and inquiry, bringing inconvenience in order to heal and hallow life. Burning bushes, whirlwinds, pillars of fire, Holy of Holies, the still small voice, prophetic woes, and "you have heard it said but I tell you. " Only because God loves us enough to inquire,…