All right, so if you've been with us, we now find ourselves at the house of the interpreter. We're calling this lesson lessons on the way to the Cross. because basically what we have here is Christian coming in to the house of the interpreter, which is basically a symbol for the scriptures, and it's the Holy Spirit that's gonna illumine certain principles from the scriptures. They're gonna carry Christian on his way, to the cross and then forward in his journey, and so I wanna kinda set this up with a few questions.
What are some of the essential elements of discipleship? Where do we start in helping a new believer? What does the Holy Spirit wanna teach a new believer? Well, Bunyan definitely has his suggestions that he's gonna lay out before us and let's see if Bunyan's approach can be of assistance to our way, our own walk and also how we might wanna disciple, one another or a new believer.
One particular, writer, JB Cheever says that these 12 consecutive pages are, are some of the best in the English language for their meaning and beauty and depth, and, and I would agree, I just, I love this section. Of, of, Pilgrim's Progress for its spiritual value but also, I taught English before as a pastor so I, I love literature. I love English and British literature and I love what Bunyan has done in this section and so we're basically gonna cover seven different stops in the house of the interpreter. Again, the house of the interpreter, the house itself would represent the word of God.
The interpreter is the Holy Spirit, and then the candle is the illumination of the Holy Spirit and so the Holy Spirit is, is really guiding Christian in his young journey, giving him the things that, that, that are, that the Spirit thinks are important for him to have out the gate on his journey, and we'll see if we agree with Bunyan on his seven choices here. so the 7 places that we're gonna stop are 1, we're gonna look at the, the portrait of a minister, then we're gonna look at, a dusty parlor with the law and the gospel, we'll look at passion and patience, and then we'll look at this wall, what we're gonna call the firewall, and then we're gonna take a look at this, stately palace. And then the iron cage, a frightening scene if you've ever read it, and then finally a dream of the day of the Lord before Christian sets out on his journey on the path of salvation toward the cross. Let's talk first of all about the portrait of a minister....
