Asking the right questions

Mark Lauterbach and friends have been looking at his preaching lately with this question in mind: "do people walk away from the sermon with faith in a glorious Savior?"

I think, if you read the NT carefully, you will find that hope in Christ is the backdrop and mood of very letter. Even the most corrective letters end with hope in the Savior.

I also think, if you read your own heart carefully, you will find that hope in self-improvement is the backdrop of everything we do. I do not “get” the Gospel just because I can pass Grace Alone Test. My heart wars for self-salvation, self-beautification, self-commendation and against salvation is from the LORD.

Too true. Mark's whole article, by the way, is worth reading.