Before I begin to prepare for preaching, even before I approach the text, I must hold certain convictions. These include: a) the text, in some way, points to Jesus, b) the text is part of the context of the book of which it is a part, and so on. Until I hold these convictions, it is impossible for me to preach Biblically and, therefore, to minister faithfully to God’s people. I submit the following essays for your consideration.