This is the cover story on this week’s Time magazine cover. Interesting title. The article begins,
“More than money, more than politics, ideas are the secret power that this planet runs on. Here are a few you need to know about . . .”
Having studied under Haddon Robinson, it is like music to my ears to find someone affirming the importance of ideas. After all, communication is all about ideas. People live and die for ideas. All day, every day, we are in a world of ideas. Some big, some small, some you wouldn’t give a penny for, others you can stake your eternity on. Ideas matter, and indeed, this planet does run on them.
So I was interested to read the ten ideas that were included in the feature. You won’t be surprised to read that it was not a stunning list. The end of customer service (this is not new news in England!), how we can address global warming, something to do with technology and cooking, something else about aging gracefully, and even the coming constant TV coverage of global sports events. All somehow novel, yet strangely familiar as they reflect the concerns of contemporary society.
I’ve heard Haddon Robinson say several times that there are basically only eight to ten grand ideas in the Bible. Each preaching text has its own variation, but essentially these are built on the core ideas found repeatedly throughout the Bible. In Q&A sessions he is often asked to list these ten great ideas. In his own style he soon changes the subject, even if he’s started to list off two or three “great ideas.”
The truth is we don’t need Haddon’s list, if we spend enough time in God’s Word we are able to list off our take on the big ten. We may not need Haddon’s list, but this world does need what the Bible gives to us. Time magazine’s list of ten ideas will be obsolete in weeks. But the Scriptures remain vital and highly relevant.
There are ten ideas that are changing the world. Several of them converge powerfully in the Easter story. Preach the big idea of the text, and know that you are preaching part of the great story, the master narrative of truly important ideas. This planet runs on ideas. As we preach them, by God’s grace, we participate in changing the world!
Biblical Preaching 
Peter,
I am preparing a series of sermons from Matthew 10. The main, or big idea, of that chapter seems to be the cost of discipleship. I will be going through the text of the chapter and not just preaching a topic. As I read and reread the passage, I see about 5-6 sermons. Any ideas, suggestions or cautions for me to be aware of?
Mark
Hi Mark – just a couple of minutes, so I can’t really look at the text. But I would point out that although Matthew alternates between discourse and dialogue sections, this chapter (and section), sits at a key juncture of a bigger section. Jesus’ ministry is introduced at the end of chapter 4, and proceeds through until chapter 12. In chapters 8 and 9 the disciples are getting an education both through observing Jesus in action, and three interactions specifically related to discipleship. Now in chapter 10 they are called and sent so that the ministry of Jesus is now going on through his disciples. My suggestion is to be aware of the broader flow of the book between chapters 4 and 12, as well as the flow within chapter 10.
If you can communicate an awareness of the broader and immediate context, you will be more able to be effective in preaching the sub-ideas within chapter 10. If you define the preaching texts well, then they will each have their own clear idea, but all can be shown to fit within the flow too. Hope the series goes well, I am convinced Matthew is a source of powerful ideas for the church and world today!
Peter
Thanks! I agree that this is an important transition in Christ’s ministry. I preached on 9:35-38 in January and have been drawn to the next couple of chapters. I am not on staff (yet), so my preaching chances are inconsistent, but I lead mission teams to Croatia and Brazil and get to preach many times during those trips. Encouragement concerning discipleship is a really needed for the small churches.
Thanks again for the reminder to keep the whole flow of the story in mind while teaching the smaller ideas.
Mark
Peter,
You write that Time’s list of ideas are ‘all somehow novel, yet strangely familiar, as they reflect the concerns of contemporary society.’
Is this paradox between novel and familiar because, although we are constantly being bombarded with these ideas, they are rarely stated explicitly?
If this is so (I’m getting to my question!!), does this not go against our usual style of explicitly stating our big idea, and repeating it?
Also, hand in hand with this, is not much of the Bible communication of implicit ideas – especially narrative portions?
So, in other words, if our culture is shaped by communication of implicit ideas, and much of our Scriptures use narrative communication of implicit ideas, are we communicating effectively when we state explicit ideas in our preaching?
I’m not making a point – just posing the question.
Tim