The first mark of a healthy church is expositional preaching. It is not only the first mark; it is far and away the most important of them all, because if you get this one right, all of the others should follow… If you get the priority of the Word established, then you have in place the single most important aspect of the church’s life, and growing health is virtually assured, because God has decided to act by His Spirit through His Word… The congregation’s commitment to the centrality of the Word coming from the front, from the preacher, the one specially gifted by God and called to that ministry, is the most important thing you can look for in a church.
Mark Dever

CCVII. The True Motive.

EPH. vi. 1. “For this is right.”

I. ALL human action is founded on motive.
1. Good.
2. Bad.
3. Mixed.
II. Only one motive can sustain a man through all the
discipline of right: “This is right.”
III. Other motives are unworthy of adoption.
1. This is pleasant.
2. This is profitable.
3. This is popular.
Let all fall before the Divine word—”This is right.”
Apply the text to young men in temptation, business
men in speculation, public men in crises, etc.
J. P.