The last 20 years or so has seen a real rise in what is called Christ-Centered Preaching. In addition to an emphasis on expository preaching, the goal in Christ-Centered Preaching is to ensure that Christ as the heart of the gospel is found in every sermon. The goal is of course to preach Christ as the Savior of sinners so that unbelievers will be saved. But there is also a deep conviction that Christians need to get back to Christ and the gospel for motivation and instruction in the Christian life. This is not just a clever strategy that modern preachers have come up with but the shape of preaching utilized in the Bible. For example when Paul wants the Corinthian church to excel in the grace of giving he points them to the example of Christ, 2 Cor. 8:9, ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.’ Or when Paul wants to encourage husbands to love their wives he talks about how Christ loved the church, Eph. 5:25, ‘Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.’ Or when Paul calls the Ephesians to walk in love towards one another, 5:1-2, ‘Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.’ Not only does what God did for us in Christ dying on the cross for our sins save us, it also instructs us. We have in Christ the greatest example of love, of service, of holiness; and for our purposes today as we look at Phil. 2:5-8, of humble...
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