Ten Quotes: From the Pen of Pastor Paul

Here are ten of my favorite quotes from Daniel Hyde's book, From the Pen of Pastor Paul, which is a series of published sermons on I & II Thessalonians.  

The pastor's heart towards his people leads to the pastor's labors for his people.

God's Word in preaching is not communicated by skits; it is not conveyed through art; it is not taught to us through music; it is not expressed through deeds; but in words.

A preacher must have total confidence, total conviction, and total assurance of his message.

Paul says there is a real presence of God himself in the preaching of the Word.

[Paul] was so motivated by their [the church] need that despite the great risk of persecution and violence, he opened his heart and mouth to give them what they need-the gospel...He was willing to bring this message despite persecution.

When we do not speak as Paul speaks, personally, sincerely, passionately, and even gently, we fail in our duty as pastors.

What does living in light of the Lord's return look like...What does the Christian life look like in this age between Jesus' first and second comings? It looks like a struggle. It looks like a fight. It looks like a battle.

Deep down our theology and life is about having the assurance that we are saved. I don't want you to know what the doctrine of election is, what the doctrine of limited atonement is, what our view of the sacraments are, what our theology of worship is...unless knowing this increases your certainty that you belong to Jesus Christ in body and soul both in life and death. (ellipsis Hyde's)

A false prophet's mission is to shake believers..alarm believers...and deceive believers.

I don't know about you, but my languishing soul needs this [predestination-II Thessalonians 2:13]. I need salvation to be taken out of the whims and wishes of my mind. I need salvation to be taken away from my sin-stained hands. I need salvation to be removed from my stony heart. I need a God who chooses.

And one:

I really enjoyed this short summary of justification and sanctification. Remember this was preached, not written in a scholarly journal with three hundred foot notes. All italics are Hyde's.

Like justification, then sanctification is a part of the complete work of our Lord Jesus Christ as our Mediator and Redeemer. He is a complete Savior and we need to proclaim this whole gospel.  But there are some differences. In justification Christ works for us in his life of obedience and death, while in sanctification in Christ works in us to make us obedient and to die to sin. Justification is outside of us, while sanctification is inside of us. In justification we are passive, while in sanctification we are active. In justification we are recipients of Christ's work, while in sanctification we are participants with Christ's work. In justification Christ works upon dead men, while in sanctification Christ works in and through those who have been made alive.

Quotes From Other Books
Fool's Talk by Os Guinness
The New Pastor's Handbook by Jason Helopoulos
On Being a Pastor by Derek Prime and Alistair Begg
How to Exasperate Your Wife by Douglas Wilson
The Things of Earth by Joe Rigney
A Son for Glory by Toby Sumpter 
Escape from Reason by Francis Schaeffer
Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung
Making Gay Okay by Robert Reilly 
Christ Crucified by Donald Macleod
Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God by John Calvin

Book Review: From the Pen of Pastor Paul

From the Pen of Pastor Paul by Daniel R. Hyde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A wonderful book by Pastor Danny Hyde. This is not a commentary in the strict sense of the word. You will not find chapters on Pauline authorship or the textual issues in these letters. Also this is not a slow, careful verse by verse examination of the text. These are sermons put to paper. Here are several things I enjoyed about the book.

First, it is warm and pastoral. You feel like you are sitting in the pew listening to a pastor bring you the Word of God chapter after chapter. He speaks with passion and directly to the reader. It reminds me of older commentaries, which were basically extended exhortations based on the text. Pastor Hyde is interested in our souls and it shows. This is not as easy to do as it sounds. I have read many sermons put to paper and they does not always work.

Second, several chapters read like mini-pastoral theologies, especially early in the book. I have never read Thessalonians the way it was presented in this book, as Paul pouring out his pastoral soul to the church there. If you are a pastor and find your love for your people growing cold read this book. While I was reading this book I visited one of the families at church. The book changed the way I approached that visit.

Third, Pastor Hyde is straightforward. His goal is to teach and give his congregation meat. Therefore he is clear. The longer I am in the ministry the more I see the need for this. There is a place for in-depth writing or speaking that gets into all the nuances of the text, the Greek, its connections to Roman world, etc. But that place is not in the pulpit. In the pulpit people need a clear Word from God. They need to know what the text says, what it meant for the people who read it, and what it means for them. If they leave impressed, but unchanged then the pastor has wasted his time. Pastor Hyde's chapters are well organized and clear with exhortations to holiness as well as calls to follow Christ. You read them and find yourself examining your walk with Christ.

Finally, I appreciated all the quotes from other men, including Chrysostom, Aquinas, Calvin, Spurgeon, Stott, Bruce, etc. By doing this he introduces his readers to these great men and also adds depth to the writing.

I had a few complaints here and there. But this book is well worth your time whether you are studying Thessalonians or not, especially if you are a pastor.

I was given this book freely in exchange for an unbiased review.

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