The message of the New Testament draws heavily on the concepts of newness and renewal. Nearly three dozen New Testament passages discuss "new" things -- new wine, new commandment, new creation, new song and new Jerusalem, to name a few.

The New Testament's references to the new involve four adjectives, two of which are predominant, kainos and neos is. While the precise nuances of these two terms are the subject of scholarly debate, most authors agree that they are fairly synonymous.1 The imagery of newness occurs in narrative, didactic and apocalyptic literature and is used by every New Testament author except James and Jude. Net only does the biblical concept of newness provide a useful paradigm for interpreting New Testament theology,2 but it also outlines the contours of the task of preaching.

Preaching is the proclamation of a new message for the purpose of renewal with the hope of seeing all things made new.

The Propositions of Preaching: Newness

The most obvious reason why preaching is a ministry of newness is the fact that the Christian message itself is new. Those who heard Jesus and His earliest followers teach and preach could not help but understand that the gospel was distinct from anything they had ever heard before. When Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum one Sabbath day, His hearers marveled at the newness of His message. Mark 1:27 records that "they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying , 'What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.'"3

A similar scenario unfolded decades later during the ministry of the Apostle Paul. While waiting for his fellow ministers to join him in Athens, Paul shared the gospel in the marketplace. The Athenians, who prided themselves in their awareness of the worldviews of their day, found Paul's message strangely new (Acts 17:19-21). As a result, they invited him to explain his views before the influential Areopagus council. His address, a sermon discussing creation, providence, redemption and judgment, is recorded in Acts 17:22-31.

The distinctiveness of the Christian message is also implied in the New Testament's many references to the new covenant. The new covenant, which is consistently identified with the blood of Christ (e.g., Matt 26:28; 1 Cor 11:25; Heb 9:13-15), is new in comparison to the first covenant, the law of Moses. While both provided a way for mankind to enjoy the blessings of a relationship with God, there are sharp contrasts between the two (2 Cor 3:6-11; Heb 8:6-13; 9:11-15; 12:18-24). The old covenant was served by the offering of sacrifices according to the law; the new covenant ministry is exercised by means of Spirit-led activity (2 Cor 3:2ff). The new covenant is founded on better promises than the old (Heb 8:6). Its atonement is not ceremonial but spiritual, purifying the conscience rather than the body (Heb 9:11-14). Its focus is not on earthly things but on heavenly things (Heb 12:18-24).