Preaching from the New Testament (class notes)

Transcription

1 Preaching from the New Testament (class notes) The Old Testament closes with an uncompleted story--the story that God s people have failed to complete their full purpose. As the New Testament opens, the story about the people of God resumes and the witness to one saving message for all human beings is made--the message proclaiming Jesus Christ. The message of Jesus coming into the world fulfilled the history of Israel and closed the O.T. In the Gospels, the Acts, the Letters, and the Apocalypse, the N.T. History of God s people centers on Jesus Christ and the development and future of His CHURCH! The challenge of N.T. Preaching is different from the challenge of O.T. Preaching. -The O.T. Contains an account of the story of God s people over a historical period embracing 4,000 plus years while the N.T. contains a record of a period of time of less than 100 years! -The O.T. writers enlarged on God s dealing with people throughout the 4 millennia by including many areas of national and individual life. But the N.T. writers concentrated primarily on one subject--that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior who must be proclaimed to the entire world. -The O.T. Highlights God s work with ancient Israel and Israel s failure to live up to God s expectations. The N.T. books contain the recording of Jesus beginning God s reign, establishing the New Israel --or the church--and promising the ultimate completion of God s reign beyond history. What basic facts about the N.T. does the preacher need to recognize before using it as a preaching resource? 1

2 -It must be understood--first and foremost--as the historical record of Jesus who came as the promised Messiah to reveal God in a clearer and sharper way than ever before (Heb. 1:1-2). -It can only be understood in light of the messianic mission (Luke 4:18-19), and the Kingdom of God theme (Mark 1:14-15). -It provides a pure and authoritative view of the practices and teachings of the Christian church and--therefore--of the principles which God expects his people to uphold today. -As a new body of literature, it requires the mastery of new literary forms and acquaintence with new authors and historical situations. What introductory LITERARY facts does the preacher need to be aware of? 1. The books are arranged so as to logically outline God s work of salvation--they are not chronological. 1)-The N.T. Starts in the 4 Gospels with John the Baptist s announcement of Jesus as the Messiah and then focuses on what Jesus said and did from his baptism to his death. (i.e., the Four Gospels present the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.) 2)-The book of Acts follows the Gospels, forming a kind of bridge between the Gospels and the rest of the N.T. and describes what happened after Jesus ascension; it focuses on the historical development of the Early Church and the missionary work of key leaders. 3)-Next a series of 21 letters addressed to individuals and churches give guidance to the gospel movement in terms of doctrine, practical Christian living, and church administration. 4)-Revelation, the final book, prophetically outlines the whole plan of salvation and discloses its consummation in the return of Jesus. 2

3 2.The books fall into three major groups: Historical Narrative- (1st five) 4 gospels and Acts (narrative in form) *(Some scholars distinguish between Gospel and historical narratives. Epistolary- 21 letters; (13 Pauline letters--7 General Epistles and Hebrews) (No other oriental religions use the epistolary form as a medium of revelation--unique to N.T. (Hiebert: An Introd.to the N.T., p. 14.) Prophetic or Apocalyptic - Revelation only book that is prophetic as a whole in N.T. In this class we will focus on N.T. in terms of: Gospel Historical Narratives--including Acts [Luke-Acts are often considered one document] (includes biographies of biblical characters) Epistles (didactic portions) Parables (specially-crafted stories with a point) -We will study how preachers can more effectively use each literary genre and form. 3. A third literary fact is that N.T. Books contain at least four other literary features! While stressing the superiority of CONTENT and THEOLOGICAL CLAIMS over LITERARY FORM, Leland Ryken offers some 4 distinctive literary features of N.T. Books: 1) The first feature of the N.T. Is that it is RELIGIOUS LITERATURE! -The literature has a strong, persuasive, theological purpose. +The Gospels concentrate on the purpose and work of Christ. +The book of Acts and the Epistles focus on the world- 3

4 changing impact of the indwelling Christ in the life of the church. 2) The second feature of the N.T. Is that it is SIMPLE & REALISTIC LITERATURE. -N.T. Writers included everyday details. -Their readers lived in an ordinary world of farming and nature, buying, selling, and journeying. -A natural symbolism was at work; sowing seed and baking bread and putting on armor became more than normal activities. -The N.T. writers opened the concrete sensory world in a spiritual world. 3) A third feature of the N.T. Is that it is ORAL LITERATURE. -Addresses, sayings, and dialogues dominate the narrative parts of the N.T. (the Gospels and Acts). -Individual -units probably circulated orally before being collected in written documents. 4) The fourth feature of the N.T. Is that it is POPULAR LITERATURE! -The N.T. Is a book of the people. Its language is for the most part the language of everyday speech. Harold Bryson, Preaching from New Testament Books, in Expository Preaching: The Art of Preaching Through a Book of the Bible, pp

5 Let s look at some additional thoughts about preaching from the N.T. suggested by Robert Sloan (Prof. of Religion at Baylor Univ.) in Preaching and the N.T. in Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, pp Before preaching from the N.T., one must be aware of the fact that the N.T. must be viewed as a COLLECTION. -It is a body of literature which is composed of individually composed units (p. 319). -While not written over a long period of time, the N.T. books are nevertheless pieces written at different times and places by different authors who attempt to speak to different situations (p.319). Viewing the N.T. as a collection has some important implications for preaching: 1) First, it must be viewed in relation to another collection which is vitally important to the Christian church--the Old Testament collection. -It is believed that the N.T. message was first conveyed in oral form through preaching before it was organized and written as documents. -The N.T., as early Christian preaching, was carried out in dialogue with the O.T. writings and the traditions of the first centuryjewish world; it was an extension of God s revelation. into the contemporary age. -Since the N.T. is filled with citations, allusions, and echoes of the O.T., we can say--in a sense--that the N.T. is a re-reading of the O.T. (p. 319). -Another way of describing it is to say that the N.T. forms a continuum of revelation extending into the era of the Christian church, or new Israel. 5

6 2) A second implication, is that since the N.T. is a collection of different, individual pieces it needs to be viewed in light of its variety and its unity. As for its VARIETY-- -Individual nuances, theological and literary characteristics, and the historical distinctives of each book must be identified and appreciated. -The context and purpose of each book cannot be ignored by preachers without distortion. As for its UNITY-- -The fact that the 27 documents were brought together as a distinc -There must have been a sense that there was a historical and theological oneness that led early generations of Christians to bring the books together despite their variety. -And isn t it true that the individual N.T. documents project a single story of the Messiah--Jesus Christ--and his true teachings. -The individual books together support a common core of Christian truth. -They are not sharply at odds with one another, but are connecting and reinforcing pieces of the mosaic of truth. -In practical terms, this means that when preaching from the N.T. one must consider the individual text in its unique context, while at the same time viewing the overall message of the whole N.T. canon. -There is a natural and healthy tension between studying the text as it stands alone, and as it stands in partnership with the entire New Testament. The books were never intended to stand in isolation. What is the theological core of the N.T.? What are the common convictions that unite the authors of the N.T. writings? 6

7 -Sloan suggests that Early Christians had 7 core beliefs THE SEVEN CORE BELIEFS OF EARLY CHRISTIANS 1)God had powerfully acted for their salvation through the life, and especially the death & resurrection, of Jesus Christ 2) Jesus was now enthroned at the right hand of God and given the status of supreme heavenly Lord with all of the titles and prerogatives of Yahweh Himself. 3) Jesus had poured forth His Spirit on all His followers. 4) All who would come to Jesus in a humility of trust and obedience, declaring Him Lord, would be his people and experience the salvation promised by the Jewish prophets. 5) The followers of Jesus constituted the authentic and regathered Israel of God. 6) Jesus would come to earth again in heavenly glory to close out this present evil age and usher in the long-awaited age to come. 7) Jesus saving activities fulfilled the Jewish scriptures. (Robert Sloan - Preaching and the the New Testament, p. 321 of Handbook of Contemporary Preaching) If we are to faithfully preach the N.T. we must understand these core beliefs and consider them as interpretive guidelines--or we will never authentically proclaim what the N.T. attempts to communicate. -Our own biases and pre-understandings must be tempered by the theological categories, themes, and emphases of the N.T. writers themselves (pp ). 7

8 3) The Third implication for preaching is that preachers need to understand the issue of INTERPRETIVE DIRECTIONALITY in relating the N.T. collection with the O.T. collection. -i.e. -- Which collection interprets the other? +in one sense the Old interprets the New. +-in another sense, the New interprets the Old. +in a third sense, it is circular the Old interprets the New and the New interprets the Old at the same time (i.e., there is mutual dependence on each other) Another important consideration in preaching from the N.T. is the issue of understanding the importance of the N.T. as composed of WORDS! -Word studies are a must in properly deciphering the N.T. text; words from a N.T. Perspective. (Example: kingdom, Parousia = presence ) -Words also need to be understood in relationship to other words, i.e., in contextual relationship to other words in given texts. (Example: in Christ, & Day of the Lord. ) N.T. Preachers must also consider the GENRE or type of literature that is represented by the text. -Whether a text is a parable or a letter is an important consideration in how one interprets and applies the text. Finally, N.T. Preachers also need to consider the relationship between the preacher and the audience. -Preachers must be able to connect with their audiences or no real translation of the text will take place. - There must be a sense of community between the preacher and the audience (either by personal experience, pastoral concern, a 8

9 common situation, or the honest use of rhetorical skills which for the occasion express and/or establish an overlap concern). (p. 325) -Another way of saying it is to say: An empathy of experience between the preacher and audience must exist if the New Testament is to be successfully preached. (p. 235) (These observations are by Robert Sloan in Preaching and the New Testament in Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, pp ) Preaching in the Gospels Some observations about the use of the gospels for preaching from Sidney Greidanus, professor of Homiletics, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI. The GOSPELS are ideal sources for contemporary preaching because they are rooted in the preaching of Jesus and His disciples and-- as a written record of this preaching--are themselves an extension of their preaching. This gospel preaching--esp. in the first 3 gospels--emphasizes the central theme that the kingdom of God has come in Jesus Christ. The relationship between preaching and the message of the gospels is evident in Gospel passages such as the following: Matt. 10:7-8 ( Where Jesus commissioned the 12 disciples by sending them throughout Israel with the following instructions) As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise 9

10 the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (NIV) Matt. 28:19-20 (After the resurrection, Jesus charged the disciples) commanded you. Therefore g Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the good news of God. The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news! (NIV) Luke 4:18-19 (At Nazareth he outlined his ministry through the reading of Isaiah 61) The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. The gospels record the work of Jesus and the disciples in PREACHING the good news of the kingdom and salvation through Jesus Christ. -The gospel record perpetuates this preaching as it is read and taught today. -Again, the Gospels are well suited to serve as rich preaching resources. SUGGESTIONS regarding the use of the Gospels in preaching: 1. Select a valid literary unit as a preaching text. -Pay attention to content change -Look for repetition of key words ( Blessed - Matt. 5:3-12) -Notice opening and closing phrases ( placed his hands on Matt. 19:13-15) -Identify Chiasms 10

11 2. Emphasize pericopes (a section or cutting off from a larger portion of text). -Pericopes are literary units which roughly correspond to paragraphs -One may need to use a larger or smaller unit, but this is generally a good and safe way to do most preaching from the gospels 3. Recognize that Gospels lend themselves well to preaching series of sermons. -Narratives and discourses are easily used for consecutive sermons (The sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5-7, for example, or the parables of Matt. 21, or Jesus ministry in Galilee, or Passion Week, etc.) 4. Be careful about mixing verses from different gospels -Don t just throw words and phrases together because each gospel has distinct literary and historical contexts (Example: Good Friday Sermons on The 7 Words from the Cross ) -Gospel accounts of the same events and teachings can be and should be compared, but be careful not to distort the overall message and the author s intentions; each gospel writer may have a different focus and purpose for his specific wording. 5. Don t allow secondary characters to overshadow Jesus who should always be the primary figure. -In an attempt to be relevant to contemporary audiences, the focus is sometimes on individual characters such as Peter, Paul, or Mary. -Make sure that Jesus remains the focal point in Gospel accounts; sermons, ultimately, should not be anthropocentric but Christocentric! 6. Use a variety of horizons or viewpoints in preaching the Gospels. -Consider the text from the perspective of Jesus, the 12 disciples-- and the primitive church as a whole--and the gospel writers who 11

12 wrote as literary evangelists years later. Each offers a rich viewpoint. 7. Carefully compare parallel passages in other gospels! -note similarities and differences -The differences will reveal the homiletical interests and purposes of each writer and help clarify the point each is making to his particular audience. -As an EXAMPLE, compare Luke 18:15-17 to Mark 10:13-16 and Matt. 19: [About parents bringing their children to Jesus] In contrast to Matthew and Mark, Luke precedes this story with the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Thus, Luke sets the story in the setting of contrasting between self-righteousness and humility. In fact, he ends the pericope in vs. 14 with Jesus words: He who humbles himself will be exalted. This is a clue in understanding what follows--the blessing of the children and the children showing a humble faith and trust. Also, in contrast to Mark and Matthew, Luke changed the Greek word for children in verse 15 to a word denoting infants and babies. By this change, Matthew sharpens Jesus point for his particular audience: Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child [i.e., the way a helpless baby receives nourishment] shall not enter it (V. 17) A sermon on Luke 18:15-17, therefore, would emphasize our utter inability to contribute anything towards receiving the kingdom of God and would encourage us to place our full trust in our heavenly Father who, through Jesus, provides this great gift. 12

13 Adapted from Preaching in the Gospels in Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, pp , by Sidney Greidanus. Other ISSUES in Preaching from the Gospels Each gospel is aimed at a particular target audience: Matthew was aimed at the Jewish mind and attempts to prove that Jesus is the Messiah of Davidic descent promised in the O.T. Mark presents Jesus to the Roman mind as the mighty servant of the Lord Luke presents Jesus to the Greek as the perfect Son of Man and the perfect answer to the needs of the human family. Written by a Greek doctor it was aimed at Greeks who sought to perfect humanity John presents Jesus to both Jewish and Gentile believers as the incarnate Son of God. It appeals to all people to accept eternal life in Jesus Christ. PREACHING FROM AN EPISTLE, Pt. 1 Background issues to be aware of when preaching from the Epistles: 1. The epistle or letter is the clearly the dominant literary form within the N.T. Canon! -20 of the 27 N.T. Books present themselves sas letters. (Also Acts and Rev. Contain epistolary material; Acts 15:23-29; 23:26-30; Rev. 2-3) 13

14 -Church s LORD is most clearly disclosed in Gospels! -Church s LIFE and CHARACTER shaped by the Epistles! 2. The letter has been the most common form of written communication for centuries! -Virtually every literate person writes letters, even if they don t write poems, essays, or books. 3. Letters can be formal or informal. - Dear Sir, I would like to be considered for your job opening. - Tom and Susan, How are you? We haven t heard from you for ages, so thought we d drop you a quick note. 4. Letters have a variety of purposes. -Provide information: We are getting ready to visit you in June! -Register a complaint: Dear Timex Watch Company, I am unhappy with the performance of my new V-10 Watch! -Extend an invitation: You are cordially invited to the wedding of our children, John and Marie. 5. Letters are generally from a specific person or group to another specific person or group in a specific context. -Identity of the SENDER and AUDIENCE--and CONTEXTUAL time and place issues are very, very important in comprehending the meaning of a letter. - OPEN letters are different: To whom it may concern 6. Letters are the closest thing to oral conversation. 14

15 -They represent us and our presence in a tangible way; are almost like being there. *Yet, they are a different way of being there! *Birthday card is intimate, yet distant; a makeshift substitute for face-to-face communication. *Blends personal presence with absence. -They are Dialogical : Jim, you were right! We are having one of the worst winters we ve ever had here in Michigan. How did you predict it? -Even the writer s and recipient s PERSONALITY can be projected and interpreted in a letter. -Letters are different from oral conversation in that they are not tied to the moment and fleeting, --but tend to transcend time and space -They have a more ENDURING QUALITY, because their messages are set down in writing. 7. Letters have a stylized format and function according to specific rules! The Standard Form of the N.T. Letter! Opening Thanksgiving Body Exhortation Closing 8. The Traditional Greek Letter had Three Primary Rhetorical Functions! Philophronesis -evocation of a friendly relationship 15

16 Parousia -establishment of presence Dialogos -creation of a dialogue Drawn from Preaching and the Literary Forms of the Bible, pp PREACHING FROM AN EPISTLE, Pt. 2 Scott Hafemann, Professor of N.T. has suggested that the goal of preachers in preaching from the EPISTLES is the same as when preaching from any other part of the Bible--to impact the congregation with the character and truth of God and move it closer to living out the Gospel. He suggests that, in order to do this, preachers must do TWO THINGS: 1) Faithfully recover the author s message about God to his original audience. 2) Relate that message relevantly to a contemporary audience. This reminds us that preaching is a theological act of interpretation and translation--focusing on God! Sidney Greidanus clarifies that because preaching from the epistles, like preaching from all of the Bible, is a theological act--revealing God--it must ask and answer several crucial questions about each text. Why was this test preserved in the canon? What does God reveal in this text about Himself and His will? And what does the message of this text mean in light of the whole Bible? 16

17 After acknowleding the COMMONALITY between preaching from the epistles and preaching from other parts of scripture, we must also notice several things which are DISTINCT OR UNIQUE about preaching from the N.T. Letters! Hafemann highlights 4 DISTINCTIVES! 1) THE EPISTLES ARE DISTINCT IN THAT THEY ARE HISTORIC -ALLY SPECIFIC IN NATURE! -More even than the Gospels and Acts, the epistles are aimed at particular churches or individuals as they face concrete situations. -They must be understood in light of particular points being made in sharply-defined circumstances and in view of the author s use of intentionally-composed literary and rhetorical devices. -While all N.T. Documents were written in specific historical situations, the epistles are the most direct and particularized of all -- usually written as second person address (i.e., you ) rather than a third person narrative ( i.e., they ) such as Acts. -The occasion and theological assertions must be even more carefully attended to because of this directness. -Hafemann suggests that the preacher should ask of each epistolary passage: First, WHAT has been said? Second, WHY was it said? Third, WHY was it said in that particular way? (i.e., given the historical setting) Another distinctive, about preaching from an epistle is that: 2) EPISTLES ARE DISCURSIVE IN STRUCTURE! (i.e., proceeding on the basis of reasoning or argument!) -They are based on proposition, argumentation, and logical assertions. 17

18 -They are dominated by the paragraph, as noted by Haddon Robinson and others. -Hafemann puts it this way: The discursive nature of the epistles therefore demand that we take as the smallest unit of meaning to be interpreted, not the word or the proposition, nor even a compound sentence, but the paragraph (emphasis mine). From Preaching in the Epistles by Scott Hafeman in Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, p ) EPISTLES ARE LARGELY MADE UP OF LARGER CENTRAL POINTS! -These central points are undergirded by important--but lesser-- supportive propositions, but the central points are usually the primary assertions or spiritual structural beams of individual paragraphs--the big truths that they bear. -They are often stated in various ways to reinforce and clarify the spiritual truths that they represent 4) EPISTLES EMPHASIZE IMPERATIVE EXHORTATIONS. -They speak to the Christian s way of life in the here and now and sharpen how the truths of God are to impact individual and corporate life in the future. -They command outcomes and explain implications of the Gospel. -See Ephesians 3:10-11, for example: His (God s) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and 18

19 through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (NIV) -In preaching from the epistles these imperatives should be duly noted and their claims pressed on the listeners. (Adapted from Scott Hafemann s chapter entitled Preaching in the pp ) Epistles in EPISTLES performed a real PASTORAL MINISTRY to the Early Church! (Adapted from Beverly Gaventa, Epistles in Concise Encyclopedia of Preaching, pp ) They addressed real-life struggles of particular congregations over questions ranging from matters of leadership (1 Tim.1:5-9), worship (1 Cor.14), theology (Phil. 2:5-11),ethical standards (Rom ), and community life (2 Thess. 3:6-13). In the letters of the N.T., we see many of the problems encountered by modern churches leap from their pages--and advice offered about how to deal with them. But epistlesalso present a certain DIFFICULTY to the modern preacher: They present only ONE SIDE of a dialogue between one or more parties. -There is danger in treating them as mere essays, rather than part of a twoway conversation. -Preachers must try to understand the other conversation partners and their positions, if the letters are to be brought to life and speak adequately to contemporary congregations. -While this is difficult, preachers must try to re-construct these conversations. 19

20 +Even in 1 Cor. 7:1 where the fact that dialogue is going on, it is not easy to know details 1 Cor 7:1 -- Now concerning the matters about which you wrote.... +In Colossians and Philippians, things are less clear. In summary, Gaventa suggests: While it is never possible to peek over the shoulder of the firstcentury Christian in the act of writing an epistle, the preacher who attempts to do so comes closer to proclaiming the gospel in continuity with the way in which it was first proclaimed... to an ancient community. (p. 117) Developments in the study of N.T. Epistles can help the preacher hear the epistles as authentic exchanges between people. 1) New understandings about ancient letter writing! -Mention of prayers, supplications, and gods was common. 2) New information about the Social World of the first century! -Peter s language about aliens and exiles takes on new meaning when understood in the context of the social, economic, and legal dislocation of Christians in Asia Minor at the end of the first century. -Questions in 1 Corinthians about eating meat offered to idols become comprehensible when it is understood that most meat was sacrificed in a temple before being made available in the public marketplace. Beverly R.Gaventa. Epistles in Concise Encyclopedia of Preaching, pp ) STORY PREACHING FROM THE GOSPEL HISTORICAL NARRATIVES 20

21 A working definition of Story : A message communicated by means of words or symbols which portrays- -in true-to-life ways--the interaction of people, places, things, and times; it includes the elements of plot (a suspense-filled plan), tension, and resolution. Recent critical theory draws a distinction between narrative and story. Narrative = The form or structure of discourse, not the Story = The content transmitted by the narrative form message Eugene Lowry suggests: Narrative is that which has a story-like structure while Story is a literal, specific story. In popular usage, however, story and narrative are often used interchangeably. The Use of Story as a Homiletical Vehicle ADVANTAGES 1. Restores the narrative tradition of the Bible. Very early in the church s history the story or narrative tradition of the bible was subsumed under the Greek rhetorical tradition and that Greek influence on early Christian preaching has carried over to today. The loss of story in Christian preaching was due to several factors influencing the church over a period of many years including: 1) Doctrinal controversy which shifted focus from story to the interpretation of story 2) The fusion of Christian preaching with Classical rhetorical theory 3) The introduction of the printing press with its influence toward the printed page 21

22 4) The Protestant Reformation s emphasis on theological dogma Much of the teaching and preaching of Jesus himself perhaps as much as 1/3 of it was in parabolic form. But let s be clear that not only is STORY a New Testament phenomenon, but is fundamental to the Old Testament; think of the great stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. 2. Enables preaching to take advantage of the current narrative trend in society. We live in a time in which people have been oriented by radio, TV, as well as the book and movie industries, to a story world. There has been a general revival of interest in story across the spectrum of modern society. Linguistic studies (oral, narrative forms), Communication theory (shared story), Theology ( narrative theology ), and Biblical studies have all stressed the concept of narrative and story as important. Preachers can take advantage of the current climate in which story holds such an honored place as a popular communication medium. People are hungry for storytelling because we live in an age that is preoccupied with technology and science (according to modern storyteller, Jay O Callahan). 3. Bridges the Biblical world and the modern world. Story bridges the past and present, in part, by means of the sheer power of the vividly recreated and retold narrative drama found in the Bible. By nature, recreated biblical narrative is interesting, universal, and timeless. In the Bible narratives we see flesh and blood living characters. No longer are they remote and irrelevant. 4. Offers powerful communication advantages for both the preacher and the listener. 22

23 -variety in form Biography, analogy, metaphor, allegory, and biblical or modern-day parable. -flexibility in shaping the story The preacher artfully shades, orders, highlights, and reconstructs its details. -versatility in the kinds of content transmitted Story has often proven effective in embodying and communicating theology, ethics, and doctrine. -a distinct memory advantage Stores, with their natural flow of events, contribute to a logical sequencing of points or moves, allowing the preacher to more quickly lock the message into his or her mind during the preparation phase, and to recall them during the delivery phase. -an engaging structure Story introduces forward movement through dramatic plot, tension, and ambiguity. Plot has a powerful affect on our minds to sustain attention and lead to action. 5. Recreates life-changing personal experiences. Story enables people to have new experiences by reaching them both at the rational and emotional levels, and by powerfully appealing to their senses through image and imagination. Story can put you at the battlefront with David and Goliath or put you in the pig pen with the Prodigal Son. 6. Reaches and persuades people wholistically. Stories address both the intellect and the feelings and emotions. They recognize and take advantage of humankind s wholeness. Henry Mitchell calls this the transconcious approach. Stories help people experience truth through the portrayal of real-life situations with which they are already familiar. 7. Permeates barriers and gets around prejudices. 23

24 Stories have a way of drawing us in and then zapping us with insights that we would not have gained through propositional communication alone. A story communicates indirectly or obliguely. It argues quietly in the deepest recesses of our minds and breaks through our hard outer shells appropriating spiritual insight and conviction. It drives its point home before our prejudices are activated. CAUTIONS ABOUT THE USE OF STORY 1. Can lead to a neglect of the non-narrative portions of the N.T. and non-narrative preaching methods Preachers must remind themselves that while the Bible does contain a large percentage of story or narrative passages, a significant portion is made up of literary genres other than story (i.e., ethical exhortations, poetry, epistles, apocalyptic, etc.). There is the danger that preachers become so enamored with the story/narrative approach that they try to force every passage into the narrative structure. 2. Can distort the role of the preacher. The preacher can begin to see him/herself as primarily an entertainer or generator of religious experience. The preacher must balance the storyteller image of a preacher with other biblical images of the preacher such as: herald, pastor, and witness. 3. Can result in subjectivity and misinterpretation. People will often, subjectively, get things out of the story that the preacher never intended but that are, for them, valid and life enriching. On the other hand, people can also take things from the story that neither the preacher or God intended, and that are erroneous and harmful. The preacher must determine how much needs to be explained and how much can be left unsaid in each story/narrative. 4. Can lead to distortion and manipulation on the part of the preacher. 24

25 The fact that the preacher controls the shape and emphasis of a story by the way he or she creatively reconstructs and tells it, presents a danger. Facts can be left out, imaginative details can be added, events can be accented. This can be a positive element in preaching stories, but it also offers the potential for abuse by distorting the Bible stories. 5. Must be tempered by the reality that preachers are not equally gifted in the art of storytelling. Storytelling principles can be mastered over time. However, some preachers are more naturally gifted at narrative preaching than are others. Not everyone will feel capable of using story as their primary preaching method. 25

26 CRAFTING PRINCIPLES FOR NARRATIVE/STORY SERMONS 1. Major in the great themes of the Bible as a base for your narratives 2. Allow significant preparation time so that biblical stories can be mastered and brought back to life in a sermon format (i.e. personally relive and internalize the story) 3. Paint graphic word pictures and moving experiences through the reconstruction of realistic detail and use of sanctified imagination 4. Recognize that feelings and emotions are often more influential than reason in moving people to a decision ( be responsible, however, in how you draw on feelings) 5. Always respect the audience s language, culture, and dialect in story construction and directly appeal to these whenever possible 6. Aim at creating a powerful, vivid personal experience in the life of the listener 7. View storytelling as an art to be studied and refined, not only as a skill one is born with 8. Never violate bible orthodoxy by allowing error to creep into your stories 9. Recognize that human ability to re-construct a bible story is limited; ultimately one must rely on the Holy Spirit to make a story authentic and authoritative 10. Remember that a sermon story, like any good story, must have a plot with characters, conflict, and suspense throughout 11. Resolve your story very late in the sermon to hold attention and more effectively drive home the point 26

27 TELLING PRINCIPLES FOR NARRATIVE/STORY SERMONS 1. Know and tell the story with such vivid, living details that you appear to be an authentic eyewitness of the flow of events 2. Use language and imagery that appeal to the emotions as well as the rational mind 3. Employ techniques such as role playing, dramatic gesturing and voice variation to increase impact 4. Move through the story at an effective emotional pace giving people adequate time to relate to each important idea 5. Make sure that there is life and vitality throughout 6. Understand that humor is permissible and helpful 7. Strive for beauty of language, including the well turned phrase, but also be open to the use of colloquialisms when they contribute to clarity and effectiveness 8. Favor short, easily-remembered sentences 9. Repeat key phrases to effectively reinforce main ideas 10. Present events of the story in an ascending order of emotional impact which builds toward climax and concludes with a powerful crescendo fusing content and feeling 11. Try to stay in the background as the storyteller and let the storyline make the point for you 12. Bring the story sermon to a crisp close when you sense the release of tension within the audience 27

28 SERMON PREPARATION: SUGGESTED STEPS Phase 1 - Exegesis 1. Select text 2. Place text in broader scriptural context 3. Read and re-read text noting initial impressions (use various translations and original language) 4. Analyze: Historical context (author, date, circumstances) 28

29 Theological context (author s intent and theological purpose for original hearers) Literary context (author s language--literary genre, devices, forms, and dynamics--and author s personality, status, and experience). 5. Check your point of view (i.e. with what character/situation are you identifying in the text?) 6. Ask what the text is doing (rebuking, encouraging, etc.) 7. Discover the contemporary meaning of the text through probing conversation, personal encounter, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit (state in single sentence). Phase 2 - Designing the Sermon 8. Clarify the meaning and experience of the text for its sermonic potential 9. Profile the listeners (determine needs, interests, cultural influences) 10. Decide what literary forms and rhetorical strategies will be most effective in sermonically communicating the meaning of this text to this particular audience in this particular time and place. 11. Construct the sermon (body, illustrations, introduction and conclusion) 12. Master the sermon s content & prepare it for delivery 29

30 PREACHING FROM GOSPEL NARRATIVES (Methods) (See section on techniques from Black Preaching ) PREACHING FROM PARABLES (see parable paper) books on parables INDUCTIVE PREACHING vs. DEDUCTIVE PREACHING INDUCTION: Specific example(s)/situation(s) general DEDUCTION: General conclusion(s) specific example(s) Common Ground (where people are)----- Life-related experiences

31 Biographical examples----- Analogies----- Representative cases----- Questions----- Other inductive ingredients----- Bible----- Conclusion (Adapted from Inductive Preaching by Ralph and Gregg Lewis) 31