Those who study denominations such as the one in which I serve (evangelical, largely Anglo, suburban and middle-class) say that the sermons of our preachers most commonly address the \u201c3M\u201d concerns of our church culture: Morals, Marriage, and Money. These subjects are certainly worthy of Scriptural address, but they obviously do not cover the scope of Scripture\u2019s subjects.<\/p>\n
How do we break the preoccupations of our preaching that not only dull hearers to our messages but also blind them to the implications of the Lordship of Christ over the whole of life?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The expositor\u2019s ethic to \u201csay what the text says\u201d will automatically expand our subject categories, if we preach consecutively (i.e., covering texts and subjects as they arise in the course of preaching through books of the Bible). John A. Broadus, the father of modern expository preaching, wisely noted that preaching through books of the Bible (even if we do not advance verse by verse) will necessarily lead to preaching subjects not otherwise considered by the pastor.[1]<\/p>\n
Consecutive preaching does not rule out the wisdom of occasional, topical sermons or series (nor does it endorse a dogged ploughing through Isaiah for 144 weeks), but it will lead us to subjects beyond tired categories and personal preferences.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The more that our sermon structure allows the thought and structure of the text to show and have the impact intended by the original author, the more variety will be in our sermons and the more they will conform to the purposes of the text.[2]<\/p>\n
Sensitivity to the text\u2019s nature may mean that the sermon will develop more through mention of events with chronological development, or moves of plot with ironic or surprise development, or echoes of words and threads of themes in poetic development, than by traditionally-worded main points that move from generic principles to particular applications.<\/p>\n
This traditional, deductive structure lends itself to stating a problem and then identifying or proving a solution. The problem\/solution approach appeals to the academic mind, but it set up an unfortunate dynamic with listeners, if it is a preacher\u2019s only<\/em> style.<\/p>\n We can vary overall approaches and impressions by recognizing that many texts (and the overall gospel message) are more about declaring a solution than proving a problem. We move toward a more edifying stance, and more structural possibilities, when specifying a problem or need with which our people can identify early in the message (usually in the introduction) and, then, use the bulk of the message to show how the text either identifies a plan for handling the problem, or the advantages of implementing such a plan.[3]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Determining what structure is best for the exposition of a text is not merely a matter of personal or congregational preference for the true expositor. A biblical expositor is a servant of the text, and is solemnly bound to employing the measures that best communicate its purpose.<\/p>\n We discern the purpose of a scriptural passage by identifying the burden of the text before we explain the content of the text, lest we fall into what a preaching friend calls \u201cfactoid preaching.\u201d We must determine why<\/em> a text was written before we recite the facts it contains.<\/p>\n We determine the burden of the text by first determining what was the reason the text was written to the people in its original context (e.g., Were they sad, lonely, rebellious, fearful, doubting, distracted in worship, distant in affection, or grieving over affliction?). Then, we need to identify how our listeners share that fallen condition (in heart or circumstance or both).[4]<\/p>\n It is difficult to overestimate the importance of identifying the fallen condition our listeners have that is being addressed by the hope of the biblical text. The very reason that they are sitting in church is the hope that the preacher can explain how the gospel has significance for the needs and hurts of their lives. When we demonstrate that we understand that hope, and that Scripture addresses it, then boredom turns to anticipation, and calloused commitment to endure another sermon turn turns into eagerness to hear God\u2019s Word for our lives.<\/p>\n That eagerness will wane, however, if the application remains abstract or merely theoretical. Generic applications of \u201cgo thou and do likewise\u201d or \u201cread your Bible more, pray more, and go to church more,\u201d are another cause of sermons that sound too similar to inspire.<\/p>\n The fastest way to move sermons into the crucibles of life is first to discern the significance of the truth a biblical text teaches and, then, to enter congregational lives through the \u201cWho door.\u201d In your study ask, \u201cWho needs to hear this?\u201d Then, in the sermon, do not<\/em> identify those persons, but identify how their situations are addressed by the biblical truths in this passage.<\/p>\n This approach not only keeps sermons from having the lists of legalisms at the ends of sermons that are \u201clabeled\u201d as applications, but actually enables people to see how the truths of Scripture apply to the situations of their lives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The antidote to tired legalisms or spiritual disinterest is not some weekly repetition of \u201cthis is what God requires, but you can\u2019t do it, so trust his grace of forgiveness.\u201d The gospel is more than a message of forgiveness; it is the promise that \u201cgreater is He that is in you than he that is in the world\u201d (1 Jn. 4:4).<\/p>\n We must be clear that the grace pervading all Scripture culminates in the Christ who now indwells his people to ignite love for him and enable their victories over sin (Jn. 14:4-6; Rom. 6:6, 14; 2 Cor. 4:14).[5] If we will take care to disclose the specific burden of each biblical text we preach and the specific aspect of grace that relieves that burden, then we will preach with the variety and power that the gospel of God in Christ Jesus intends.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n [1] John A. Broadus, On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons<\/em>, ed. J. B. Weatherspoon (New York: Harper & Row, 1944; orig. 1870), 142.<\/p>\n [2] Jeffrey D. Arthurs, Preaching with Variety: How to Re-create the Dynamics of Biblical Genres<\/em> (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2007), 16-28 & 86\u201395.<\/p>\n [3] See Bryan Chapell, \u201cAlternative Models: Old Friends in New Clothes,\u201d in A Handbook of Contemporary Preaching<\/em>, ed. Michael Duduit [Nashville: Broadman, 1992], 117\u201331. Tony Merida lists ten organization patterns in Faithful Preaching<\/em>, 92\u201392; Barbara Hunter and Brenda Buckley Hunter list eleven organizational patterns in Introductory Speech Communication: Overcoming Obstacles, Reaching Goals<\/em> (Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt, 1988), 31\u201332. More possibilities abound; cf. Donald Sunukjian, Invitation to Biblical Preaching: Proclaiming Truth with Clarity and Relevance <\/em>(Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2007), 27\u201341, 143\u201355; Anderson, Choosing to Preach<\/em>, 65, 70, 85. Standard structural alternatives include problem\/solution, proof of contention, cause to effect, effect to cause, explanation and application, story with moral, elimination of wrong alternatives (called the \u201cchase outline\u201d because a preacher chases down wrong leads to find a right answer), answers to a provocative question, and unfolding dimensions of a controlling image, story, or biographical sequence.<\/p>\n [4] Bryan Chapell, Christ-centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon<\/em>, 3rd edition (Grand Rapids, Baker: 2018), 28-32.<\/p>\n [5] Tim Keller, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism<\/em> (New York: Viking, 2015), 20-22 & 56-69.<\/p>\n Those who study denominations such as the one in which I serve (evangelical, largely Anglo, suburban and middle-class) say that the sermons of our preachers most commonly address the \u201c3M\u201d concerns of our church culture: Morals, Marriage, and Money. These subjects are certainly worthy of Scriptural address, but they obviously do not cover the scope … Continue reading “How Can I Keep My Preaching from Getting Stale?”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33177"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33177\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Expand Application Variety<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Discern Burden as Well as Facts<\/em><\/h3>\n
Identify Specifics as Well as Principles<\/em><\/h3>\n
Preach the Fullness of the Gospel<\/strong><\/h2>\n