To say that the Scripture is inspired is to say that it is God’s special revelation-a product of God’ s direct, through the Holy Spirit, intellectual superintending of the men who wrote it.  Therefore the inspired Scriptures are the very words of God and thus are the absolute and immutable authoritative rule for faith and practice.  This usually means three things:

a) Inspiration: God is its Speaker— He is its Author.  “Inspiration is defined as a supernatural providential influence of God’s Spirit upon the human authors which caused them to write what He wished to be written for the communication of revealed truths to others”-J.I. Packer.

b) Verbal inspiration: The influence of the Spirit extends, not merely to the ideas of the human writers but to the very words of Scripture in such a way that God can be spoken of as the speaker of the Word.  Scripture therefore is the very words God intends His people to hear

c) Plenary inspiration: All of Scripture is inspired; all of it is authoritative and not merely some parts of it. The fullness of the Scriptures are without error in the original manuscripts.

Where do we get this from the Bible?

• 2 Tim. 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out (inspired) by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”
• Hebrews 1:1-2, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
• 2 Peter 1:21, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

For over 30 years, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ministered at Westminster Chapel in London. Today, he is widely considered one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century. Based on a series of lectures originally given by Lloyd-Jones to the students of Westminster Theological Seminary in 1969, this collection of essays on the essence of powerful preaching has become a modern classic.

Lloyd-Jones defends the primacy of preaching, showing that there is no substitute, and he challenges preachers to take their calling seriously: ‘The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching.’ He also provides practical direction on the task of preparing a sermon, sharing insights on the shape and form of a message, as well as covering such topics as the use of humor, giving invitations in a message, and the preacher’s relationship to the congregation. If you can own only one book on preaching, make this the one.

This 40th anniversary edition includes the original text of Preaching and Preachersalong with essays by:

• Bryan Chapell
• Mark Dever
• Kevin DeYoung
• Ligon Duncan
• Timothy Keller
• John Piper

Each essay reflects on the impact that this book and/or the ministry of Lloyd-Jones had on their preaching. This is a book that will continue to speak to a new generation of preachers and teachers for years to come.

About the Author: Born in South Wales, Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a practicing physician until leaving medicine to become the minister of a Welsh Presbyterian Church. He is author of numerous books and printed lectures.

Endorsements:

“It is one of the most important books on preaching in print. I personally owe it a debt I can never repay.”
- Tim Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City

“Preachers need to hear this kind of preaching as a partial antidote to the relentless trivializing of preaching in our day.”
- John Piper, Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis

“This book — and indeed Lloyd-Jones’ preaching (which this book so well introduces) — is one of the main shapers of my own understanding of preaching.”
- Mark Dever, Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.

“I know of no other book on preaching that will motivate you to preach like this one will. Read Lloyd-Jones again, or for the first time, and you may just discover there’s Spirit-given life left in your dry bones.”
- Kevin, DeYoung, Pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan

This verse teaches us two things: a) what it means to Moses and his context, and b) what it means to our context.

a) First of all, this verse finds itself within a song, that Moses sung directly after God has rescued Israel out of slavery in Egypt.  Therefore, 15:11 is loaded with redemptive overtones because that was what just took place!  After being enslaved by the Egyptians for 400 years, God showed up and saved His people!  What happens when God saves His people?  His people sing about the great works God did to save them, and that is what 15:11 is for the Israelites.

b) Second of all, this verse is what I call, the “cry of the redeemed” throughout redemptive history.  I call it this because from the rescue out of Egypt all the way up to the present day, we, the blood bought people of God, sing this same song in all sorts of different ways upon reflecting over the redemption God has wrought in us through the death of His Son.  AMEN!  God is glorious, no one is like Him, He is majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders for His glory in behalf of His people.  Amen indeed!