I used to wonder why a pastor, when faced with an event or a holiday, had nothing useful to say. To preach a Bible story or Bible person on a modern holiday seemed like a bad fit to me. Expository preaching seems to have very little connection to the modern world. When it comes to a traditional event or modern holiday, some expository preachers have nothing to preach but the Gospel. I have heard evangelistic sermons on big American holidays. It makes me wonder, what was he thinking!
If I were ministering in a memorial service in honor of a saint who had died, I could think of several appropriate topics to cover that would be Bible based and true and comforting to the friends and family in the service. Thoughts like; they were a good spouse who stayed married, a good parent whose legacy is in their children, and a faithful Christian who stayed saved through it all. There is Biblical backing for all three of those points.
There are many things in the modern world that the Bible says nothing about specifically. We apply doctrine and traditions to guide how we live today. The Bible is a narrative of people living life and God getting involved in their circumstances. We need that same narrative and power at work today.
We need pastors who are good stewards of the manifold grace of God. That's many faceted, for you Bible scholars. We still need a word fitly spoken for today. Amen.
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