PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS0F A Thelgy f Cmmunicatin... Lessn 1 Gd Is a Cmmunicatr Jesus Is a Cmmunicatr Gd Has Given Humans the Ability t Cmmunicate Principles f Cmmunicatin... Lessn 2 What Are Cmmn Prblems in Cmmunicatin? What Are the Different Frms f Cmmunicatin? What Are Factrs that Influence Cmmunicatin? What Are Hindrances t Cmmunicatin? Intrductin t Preaching... Lessn 3 Descriptin f Preaching Categries f Preaching Types f Sermns The Mechanics f Preaching... Lessn 4 Backgrund Preparatin fr Sermns Writing the Sermn Keeping Recrds f Sermns Preparing Expsitry Sermns... Lessn 5 Definitin f Expsitry Preaching Expsitry Preaching: Wrking with the Text Expsitry Preaching: Preparing a Study Outline Expsitry Preaching: Develping the Sermn Written Cmmunicatin... Lessn 6 Writing in the Bible Lessns frm Jeremiah The Imprtance f Writing Suggestins fr Better Writing 1 With the exceptin f Lessns 5 and 10, much f the material in this curse is drawn frm a frthcming bk by Dr. Danny McCain and is used by kind permissin f the authr. All future publicatin rights fr the brrwed material remain with the authr. 3
Teaching... Lessn 7 Teaching in the Bible Characteristics f a Gd Teacher Jesus, the Master Teacher Things t Avid as a Teacher Human Relatins... Lessn 8 Human Relatins in the Bible Practical Suggestins fr Human Relatins Crss-Cultural Cmmunicatin... Lessn 9 Crss-Cultural Cmmunicatin in the Bible Practical Cnsideratins fr Crss-Cultural Cmmunicatin Becming a Better Listener Spirit-Aninted Preaching...Lessn 10 The Preacher Must Prepare Himself The Hly Spirit Must Prepare the Preacher The Hly Spirit Must Prepare the Listener Cnclusin: The Cst f the Aninting 4
Lessn 5 73 Preparing Expsitry Sermns72F Lessn Objectives In this lessn, the student will: (1) Memrize a definitin fr expsitry preaching. (2) Learn and practice the steps f preparing an expsitry sermn. (3) Appreciate the pwer f expsitry preaching t change lives. Lessn In the previus tw lessns, we have studied the preparatin f varius types f sermns. In this lessn, we will take an in-depth lk at expsitry preaching. As we saw in lessn 3, this will be the primary sermn frm fr mst pastrs. Definitin f Expsitry 74 Preaching73F Expsitry preaching is the cmmunicatin f a biblical cncept derived frm and transmitted thrugh a histrical, grammatical, and literary study f a passage in its cntext, which the Hly Spirit first applies t the persnality and experience f the preacher, then thrugh him t his hearers. Please memrize this definitin. It includes several cncepts that are imprtant fr expsitry preaching. The Scripture Passage Gverns the Sermn Expsitry preaching is the cmmunicatin f a biblical cncept derived frm study f a passage in its cntext. Expsitry sermns are grunded in the Scripture passage. The structure and primary cntent f the sermn cmes frm the passage itself. If the primary message f the sermn des nt cme frm the Scripture passage itself, the sermn is nt expsitry even thugh the message f the sermn may be true. 73 The material in this lessn was cntributed by Richard G. Hutchisn, Dean f Academic Affairs & Spiritual Life at Bible Methdist Shepherd s Cllege in Villasis, Pangasinan, Philippines. 74 Adapted frm Haddn Rbinsn, Biblical Preaching: The Develpment and Delivery f Expsitry Messages (Michigan: Baker Bks, 2001). 71
In expsitry preaching, we ask: What des this passage f Scripture say? What did the writer say? When reading the text, what des the grammar f the passage say? In expsitry preaching, we are nt lking fr hidden messages; we are lking fr the plain sense f the text. What des this passage f Scripture mean? What did the authr want his audience t understand as they read the passage? As we cnsider the histrical cntext and the literary style, what des the passage mean? What is the primary message f this passage f Scripture? Because the Scripture passage gverns the sermn, the primary fcus f an expsitry sermn will be determined by the primary theme f the Scripture passage. The theme f the passage will cnnect all the pints f the sermn. All the pints in the sermn will be cnnected t each ther thrugh the main theme f the Scripture. The Preacher Cmmunicates a Cncept Expsitry preaching is the cmmunicatin f a biblical cncept. Because the message f the Scripture passage guides the expsitry sermn, we will ask several questins: Hw des the writer f this Scripture passage express and explain his message? This is where the preacher develps several pints that express and explain the main theme f the Scripture passage. Remember that all the pints in the sermn will be cnnected t each ther thrugh the main theme f the passage. Cmpare the examples belw. 72
A. We must present ur bdies t Gd. B. We must nt be cnfrmed t the wrld. C. We must be transfrmed in ur thinking. Rmans 12:1-2 Main Pint: What des Gd want us t d? This utline is gd, but there are sme weaknesses we need t crrect: The main pint des nt fully cnnect t the pening wrds f Rmans 12:1; Therefre, I urge yu, brthers, by the mercies f Gd, that yu. Althugh each f these pints is true, they are nt cnnected with each ther thrugh the main message f the passage. Rmans 12:1-2 Main Pint: What kind f wrship des Gd desire? A. Gd desires wrship that is mtivated by his mercies. B. Gd desires wrship that invlves the whle persn. C. Gd desires wrship that transfrms ur way f thinking. This utline is better. The utline is cnnected t the main theme f the passage. Hwever, the three pints culd be better cnnected t each ther. Rmans 12:1-2 Main Pint: What kind f wrship des Gd desire? A. Gd desires wrship that is mtivated by his mercies. B. Gd s mercies shuld mtivate yu t present yur whle self t him as an act f wrship. C. The presentatin f yur whle self t Gd shuld begin a daily prcess f inner transfrmatin. This utline is the best f the three chices. Each pint f the utline is cnnected t the previus pint. This utline prvides the main pints fr yur expsitry (study) utline. Later in this lessn, we will take an additinal step t make the pints f the utline shrter and easier fr the audience t remember. We call this the preaching utline. 73
Hw can the preacher cmmunicate clearly the authr s message? Fr effective expsitry preaching, the preacher must translate the authr s wrds int the language f tday s audience. He will express the riginal cncepts f the Scripture passage in ways that tday s hearers will understand. T d this, the preacher will use: Wrd pictures Stries and illustratins Object lessns Explanatins Outlines The Cncept is Applied t the Preacher Expsitry preaching is the cmmunicatin f a biblical cncept which the Hly Spirit first applies t the persnality and experience f the preacher. After we knw what the text says and what the text means, we must ask, What is the text telling me I shuld d? This is called applicatin. In ther wrds, we ask, What des Gd want me t d? Befre any sermn is preached t the cngregatin, it must first speak t the heart and life f the preacher. The preacher is always the first audience fr a sermn. Befre we try t apply Gd s Wrd t the lives f ur audience, we must first apply it t ur wn lives. The Cncept is Applied t the Hearers Expsitry preaching is the cmmunicatin f a biblical cncept which the Hly Spirit first applies t the persnality and experience f the preacher, then thrugh him t his hearers. A sermn that des nt include an applicatin t the hearers may be a very nice explanatin f the Scripture passage; hwever, it fails t mve the listeners. True expsitry preaching must be applied t the hearer. We apply the message f the Scripture t ur hearers by: Asking questins that cause the listeners t cnnect the message t their lives Reviewing the key truths and principles that cme frm the text Cnsidering the life situatin f the hearers 74
Expsitry Preaching: Wrking with the Text Chsing the Text When chsing a text, the preacher shuld lk fr a passage that cntains a cmplete thught that can be expressed in the sermn. Many preachers fllw fur steps fr chsing a text: Chse the main verse r passage fr the sermn. Since the Scripture passage will guide the entire sermn, it is imprtant t select the right passage fr the sermn. Lk at the cntext f the chsen passage. Cnsider the surrunding verses. Shuld yu use mre verses in rder t have a cmplete thught? Shuld yu limit the text t fewer verses in rder t fcus n a single thught? Lk at study Bibles and ther reference bks t cnfirm the chice. By lking at hw the passage is used in a study Bible r cmmentary, yu can cnfirm yur selectin. If ther reference bks divided the passage at a different pint, ask, Am I sure that my chice is the best selectin fr expressing the theme f this passage? Make a final decisin fr the text. After yu have studied the surrunding cntext and cnsidered ther references bks, yu are ready t begin detailed study. Absrbing the Text Frm ur definitin f expsitry preaching, remember that the passage must speak t the preacher befre it can speak t the hearer. After chsing the text frm which yu will preach, the next step is t begin identifying yurself with the message f the text. In rder t d this, yu must read it ver and ver again until yu absrb nt nly the wrds themselves, but als the emtins which the writer must have been feeling when he wrte them. If yu have a spnge, d this bject lessn. Put the spnge in water until the spnge is saturated. Nw squeeze the spnge. Ntice hw easy it is t get the water frm the spnge. Yu d nt have t wrk hard; the spnge is saturated with water. When yu are saturated with the text, the wrds will pur frm yur heart like water frm the spnge. 75
As yu absrb the text, yu gain an emtinal cnnectin with the wrds f the authr. If the writer was angry, allw yurself t becme angry at the sin that angered the authr! If the writer was rejicing, let yur wn heart feel jyful! If the writer was sad, jin with him in his srrw! If the writer was wrried, try t feel his anxiety! If the writer was laughing, laugh! If the writer was weeping, begin t feel tears in yur wn eyes as yu think abut what he was experiencing! A ht cal frm a fire hlds fire, even thugh n flames are visible. When the cal is placed next t dry leaves, paper, r wd, the fire will begin t flame. In the same way, as yu fill yur mind and heart with the wrds f the text, they will begin t burn inside yu! It is nt enugh t knw the infrmatin in the text; yu need t feel what the writer was feeling. The passin f the writer shuld becme yur passin. Why? Since we are handling Gd s Wrd, the passin f the text is the passin f Gd! Yu have been called t be Gd s messenger. Hw can yu absrb the text until yu feel the passin f the writer? Try these steps: Read the text silently at least five times. Read the text alud at least five times. Cntinue re-reading the text. Practice reading it with expressin. Try t feel what the writer was feeling. Pause between readings t meditate upn what yu are reading. Yu will develp yur wn way f cnnecting with the text. Whatever yur methd fr ding this, make sure that bth yur mind and yur heart are engaged with the writer s message. If yu rush this imprtant step, yur message will be missing a crucial ingredient PASSION. Effective passin in biblical preaching cmes nt nly frm prayer, but als frm the preacher s persnal identificatin with Gd s message as expressed in the text. Read the fllwing Scripture texts: Gal. 1:6-9; Matt. 17:1-9; Psalm 10:1-12; Rev. 4. Read each text several times. Feel the passin f the writer. Imagine yurself in the writer s situatin. D yu feel the emtin f the text? Nw, chse ne f these texts and read it alud t class. Read expressively t the class. Ask the class t evaluate yur expressin. Did yu cmmunicate the emtin f the text in yur reading? 76
Analyzing the Text Many teenagers have watched a very gd basketball player and have thught, I want t play ball like that. They g t the basketball curt and begin t play. They lve the game. They have passin, but they sn becme discuraged. Passin is nt enugh. A great basketball player shts thusands f free thrws when n ne is watching. He runs miles t build endurance fr the game. He des stretching, jumping, weight lifting, and ther exercises t prepare himself fr the game. These exercises are necessary fr a gd player. Exercises are nt abut passin; exercises are abut sweat. Exercises are nt exciting, but they are necessary if he will fulfill his passin t be a great basketball player. Analyzing the text is the hard wrk f preaching. Analysis is nt abut passin; analysis is abut sweat! It requires spending hurs in yur study when ther things wuld be mre fun. It invlves discipline, but it is necessary if yu will cmmunicate the passin f the text in a way that cnnects the truth f Gd s Wrd t the needs f yur listeners. 75 Hw d yu analyze the text? Sme steps t use include:74f Ask simple questins abut the text. Wh? What? When? Where? Hw? Why? Lk fr key wrds r phrases in the text. Lk fr cmparisns and cntrasts in the text. Identify imprtant parts f speech (r grammar). Nun (N) Nuns ften answer questins such as Wh? and What? Prnun (P) Prnuns refer t specific nuns that are already knwn in the text. Verb (V) Verbs describe an actin r a cnditin (state). Adjective (ADJ) Adjectives describe nuns and prnuns. Adverb (ADV) Adverbs ften answer questins such as Hw? r When? 75 Fr mre n analyzing the text, see the Shepherd s Glbal Classrm curse, Principles f Biblical Interpretatin. 77
Crdinating Cnjunctin (CC) Crdinating cnjunctins cnnect wrds r phrases that are f equal imprtance. Smetimes they will cnnect wrds which are equal and related. At ther times they will cnnect wrds which are equal but ppsite r different. We call this cntrast. Fr, and, nr, but, r, yet, and s are crdinating cnjunctins. Subrdinating Cnjunctin (SC) Subrdinating cnjunctins cnnect phraseswhich are related but nt equal t each ther. Often they will cnnect tw ideas in which ne idea depends upn (r builds upn) anther. Cmmnly used subrdinating cnjunctins in the Bible are wrds such as: because, as, than, even thugh, and since. Prepsitin (PREP) Prepsitins intrduce phrases that shw a relatinship and that end with a nun r prnun. Arrange the text int a natural utline. This is ften called phrasing the text. This natural utline helps yu t see hw the Scripture passage is structured. It allws the structure f the text t guide yur sermn develpment. Here is an example f an analysis f Psalm 1.75 F76 At the end f this lessn, yu will analyze a passage in the same way fr the lessn assignment. ADJ V N V PREP N CC V N N Blessed is the man that walketh nt in the cunsel f the ungdly, nr standeth in the way f sinners, CC V N CC N PREP N N nr sitteth in the seat f the scrnful; But his delight is in the law f the LORD, PREP N V P N V PREP N N and in his law dth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers f water V P N N N V CC P V that bringeth frth his fruit in his seasn, his leaf als shall nt wither; and whatsever he deth shall prsper. N V CC V N N V ADV The ungdly are nt s: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. SC N V N CC N PREP N PREP N Therefre the ungdly shall nt stand in the judgment, nr sinners in the cngregatin f the righteus. N V N N CC N N V Fr the LORD knweth the way f the righteus, but the way f the ungdly shall perish (KJV). 1. Ask simple questins abut the text. Wh? Wh are the blessed nes? Whse cunsel d they avid? 76 King James Versin. 78
What? Whse way is knwn by Gd? Wh are the nes wh will / will nt stand in the judgment? Wh are the nes wh will perish? What d the righteus delight in? What are the righteus like? What are the wicked like? When? When d they meditate in Gd s Wrd? When d they bear fruit? Where? Where d the ungdly g fr cunsel? Where are the righteus nes planted? Hw? Why? Hw des this psalm describe the way f the righteus? Hw des this psalm describe the way f the ungdly? Why are the righteus nes blessed? Why d the ungdly perish? 79
2. Lk fr key wrds r phrases. Key phrase Blessed is the man Key wrds walking standing sitting 3. Lk fr cmparisns and cntrasts. blessed vs. nt s cunsel f the ungdly vs. the law f the Lrd a planted tree vs. blwing chaff 4. Identify imprtant parts f speech (grammar). See the example abve. 5. Arrange the text int a natural utline. Blessed is the man that walketh nt in the cunsel f the ungdly, nr standeth in the way f sinners, nr sitteth in the seat f the scrnful; But his delight is in the law f the LORD, and in his law dth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers f water, that bringeth frth his fruit in his seasn, his leaf als shall nt wither; and whatsever he deth shall prsper. [But] The ungdly are nt s, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefre the ungdly shall nt stand in the judgment, nr sinners in the cngregatin f the righteus. Fr the LORD knweth the way f the righteus, but the way f the ungdly shall perish. 80
Expsitry Preaching: Preparing a Study Outline What is the Study Outline? The study utline is nt yur preaching utline. Yu will develp a preaching utline frm yur study utline in a later step. The study utline will help yu rganize yur ntes, insights, applicatins, and illustratins arund the natural flw f thught that the biblical writer has given us. The study utline is yur wrking utline. Yu can make changes t yur utline as yu learn mre abut the text, but this utline will give yu a basic structure t guide yur preparatin. The utline is like a skeletn. Withut a skeletn, ur bdies wuld have n shape like a bwl f jelly. N matter hw beautiful yur skin, eyes and hair, withut a skeletn yur beauty wuld be lst. N matter hw big and strng yur muscles may be, withut the bne structure yur bdy wuld becme weak. Even the mst pwerful muscles must be attached t bnes t functin. The utline prvides a structure fr yur sermn. Hw t Prepare a Study Outline Use yur phrasing f the text as a guide. In the sectin n analyzing the text, yu learned t find the natural utline f a Scripture passage. Use this phrasing as a guide fr yur study utline. Lk fr the majr pints in the natural utline. Summarize the main thught f each pint. Rmans 1:16-1776 F I. Paul is nt ashamed f the Gspel f Christ. II. He is nt ashamed because the gspel is Gd s pwer t save. III. The gspel is Gd s pwer t save because it reveals the righteusness f Gd which can be received by faith. 77 77 KJV. 81
Summarize the sub-pints frm the natural utline. I. Paul is nt ashamed f the Gspel f Christ. Rmans 1:16-17 A. What des it mean t be ashamed f smething? B. Hw des Paul define the Gspel f Christ? II. He is nt ashamed because the Gspel is Gd s pwer t save. A. The Gspel is Gd s pwer. B. Gd s pwer brings salvatin. C. Gd wrks his salvatin in everyne wh believes. 1. Gd saves every believing Jew. 2. Gd saves every believing Greek. (What des Paul mean by the Greek?) III. The Gspel is Gd s pwer t save because it reveals the righteusness f Gd which can be received by faith. A. The righteusness f Gd is revealed in the Gspel. (What des Paul mean by the righteusness f Gd? ) B. The righteusness f Gd is revealed frm faith t faith. (What des Paul mean by frm faith t faith? ) Fr the study utline, it is imprtant t fllw the natural pints and sub-pints f the passage. Remember that an expsitry sermn is guided by the text itself. The preacher des nt impse a structure n the text; he lks fr the natural structure f the text. The jb f a biblical expsitr is t listen t the text. Here are sme hints fr identifying the natural pints and sub-pints f a passage. 82
Hint #1 Crdinating cnjunctins (CC) ftensignal that the writer is mving frm ne majr pint t the next majr pint. CC Fr I am nt ashamed f the gspel f Christ, CC fr it is the pwer f Gd unt salvatin t everyne that believeth, t the Jew first and als t the Greek. CC Fr therein is the righteusness f Gd revealed frm faith t faith; SC as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Hint #2 Prepsitins (PREP) may signal that the sub-pint is cnnected t ne f the main pints. Hint #3 Crdinating cnjunctins(cc)smetimes indicate sub-pints that are cnnected t ne f the main pints. EXAMPLE: salvatin t everyne PREP A. wh believeth PREP CC 1. t the Jew first B. and als 2. t the Greek. PREP 83
Expsitry Preaching: Develping the Sermn Adding Cntent t Yur Outline After yu have prepared yur study utline, yu are ready t begin adding cntent t this basic utline. In this step, yu will transfrm yur study utline and ntes int a preaching utline. While analyzing the text, there may have been questins abut the text which yu have nt yet answered. In this step, yu will answer these questins. Yu have studied what the text says; yu will cntinue t study what it means. The next step in yur preparatin is t seek greater clarity abut what the writer f these verses intended t say t us. This is imprtant because when the Bible speaks, Gd speaks. 77F78 What the authr intended t say is what Gd wants t say t us. As a preacher, yu must identify yurself with Gd s message and cmmunicate it with clarity and passin. In rder t d this, yu will be wise t use whatever study tls are available t yu. If pssible, use the fllwing study tls: Bible dictinaries Cncrdance Bible maps Bible encyclpedias Wrd studies Cmmentaries As yu gather infrmatin abut the text and its meaning, summarize the mst imprtant infrmatin in brief ntes under the apprpriate heading in yur study utline. Be careful nt t include t many ntes, r yur sermn will becme t lng and difficult fr yur audience t fllw. Instead, lk fr imprtant pieces f infrmatin that culd help yu t explain mre clearly the meaning f the text. Recrd yur study ntes in a way that yu can cmmunicate t an rdinary audience. Lk fr infrmatin such as: Histrical backgrund - What was happening when this was written? Wrd meanings D imprtant wrds need t be explained mre clearly? Gegraphy Are any cities r lcatins mentined in yur text? What was the lcatin f the peple t whm it was first written? See what yu can learn frm a Bible atlas, Bible dictinary, r Bible encyclpedia. If yu still have questins abut the text, read Bible cmmentaries t gain insights frm ther Bible schlars. 78 Albert Mhler in Five Views n Biblical Inerrancy (MI: Zndervan Press, 2013). 84
Transfrming Yur Study Outline int a Preaching Outline Nw that yu have carefully studied the text, yu will adapt yur study utline int a preaching utline. The purpse f a study utline is: T shw the flw f the authr s thughts. T shape yur message in the directin f the authr s thughts. T prvide a structure fr yur study ntes and message. T help yu fcus n the message f the passage. T avid adding pints that d nt cme frm the text (even thugh they may be gd pints fr anther sermn). The purpse f a preaching utline is: T make it easier fr yur audience t understand and remember the message. T apply the message t the hearts and lives f yur audience in practical ways. T exhrt yur audience t act n the message f the Scripture text. T speak the truth f the passage with a prphetic vice int the lives f yur hearers. Study Outline Prvides a biblical structure fr the message Cnnects the sermn t the text Fcuses n crrect infrmatin Makes sure the message is biblical Finds the purpse f the passage Prvides explanatin f the text Preaching Outline Prvides a clear and memrable presentatin fr the message Cnnects the text t the life f the listener Fcuses n crrect applicatin Makes sure the message is relevant Cmmunicates the purpse with a prphetic vice Prvides exhrtatin f the text 85
Creating a Preaching Outline The preaching utline shuld fllw the pints yu prepared in yur study utline. Yu may use yur study utline as part f the cntent f yur message. Hwever, yur preaching utline shuld take the pints f yur study utline and express them in simpler, mre creative ways. The study utline helped yu interpret and explain the text. Fr that stage, detail was very imprtant. In the study, yu were dealing with the science f interpretatin. The preaching utline is less precise. It pays mre attentin t the art f cmmunicatin. Be creative and imaginative with yur preaching utline. Avid using the same type f utline in every sermn; yu want t be creative s that the audience listens carefully each time yu preach. Hwever, d nt allw creativity t lead yu away frm the message f the text. While preparing the preaching utline, yu shuld return frequently t the study utline t ensure that yu are remaining faithful t the text. Suggestins fr a Preaching Outline Let yur preaching utline speak directly t the audience. Since a sermn calls fr a respnse, yur utline shuld speak directly t the audience whenever pssible. An utline that speaks directly t the audience will carry mre impact. They will knw that they must d smething. This is nt just infrmatin t knw; this is smething t apply in their lives. Example Study utline: Christians must put n the whle armr f Gd. Preaching utline: Put n yur armr! Use cmplete sentences. In rder t cmmunicate clearly, use cmplete sentences whenever pssible. Incmplete sentence: The Pririty f Prayer Cmplete sentence: Make Prayer a Pririty. Example 86
Use actin wrds. Since a sermn calls the audience t a respnse, yu shuld use active language when pssible. Example Passive language: There are blessings that cme frm bedience Active language: Obedience brings blessings! Use simple language. The gal f the preacher is t cmmunicate t peple, nt t impress peple with the preacher s vcabulary. When yu use big wrds that peple cannt understand, yu fail t cmmunicate a life-changing message. Impress peple with the pwer f Gd s Wrd, nt with the lng wrds yu have learned. The apstle Paul was a brilliant schlar. He knew multiple languages; he culd argue Greek philsphy, Hebrew thelgy, and Rman plitics. If Paul had chsen, he culd have used cmplicated wrds that n ne understd; but when Paul preached, he cmmunicated the simplicity f the gspel. He knew that the gspel is the pwer f Gd fr salvatin t 79 everyne wh believes, t the Jew first and als t the Greek. 78 F In the Middle Ages, a bishp named Jhannes was a famus ratr. He culd speak with passin and brilliance. Many peple came t hear Jhannes speak. The peple were very impressed with their bishp. Hwever, each time Jhannes left the pulpit, an elderly lady wuld lk at him and mumble, Big Jhannes; Little Jesus. The bishp was bthered by her wrds. Finally, he requested a leave f absence frm the pulpit. Fr nearly a year, he read the New Testament and meditated n the life f Jesus and the pwer f the gspel. On Easter Sunday, Bishp Jhannes returned t the pulpit. The cathedral was crwded with peple. After ne year, they expected a brilliant sermn. Jhannes stepped int the pulpit t speak. He began, Jesus Christ and stpped. He began t weep as he remembered what he had learned abut Jesus during this year f prayer and study. After several attempts t preach his sermn, Jhannes stepped dwn and walked t the back f the cathedral in embarrassment. As he walked past the elderly lady, he heard her say, Little Jhannes; Big Jesus. As preachers, ur gal must be, Little Me; Big Jesus. Simple language that cmmunicates the gspel with pwer lifts up Jesus instead f the speaker. 79 Rm. 1:16. 87
Preparing an Expsitry Sermn Biblical Text Natural Outline Study Outline Preaching Outline Start with a key verse r passage. Identify the paragraph. Cnnect with the text. Analyze the text. Arrange the biblical text int its natural rder f thught (phrasing). Summarize the key pints f the natural utline. Organize the natural utline accrding t sectins and subsectins. Use the study utline as a guide fr further study. Add cntent t the utline. Re-state key pints f the study utline with simple statements. Make it easy t fllw and remember. Make it prphetic (speaking truth int the lives f the audience). Be creative. Cnclusin Review the definitin f expsitry preaching. Expsitry preaching is the cmmunicatin f a biblical cncept derived frm and transmitted thrugh a histrical, grammatical, and literary study f a passage in its cntext, which the Hly Spirit first applies t the persnality and experience f the preacher, then thrugh him t his hearers. Expsitry preaching is hard wrk. It requires a cmmitment t dig int the text, t understand what Gd s Wrd says, and then t cmmunicate the text t tday s listeners. It is hard wrk, but it is rewarding. We preach because it pleased Gd thrugh the flly f what we preach t save thse wh believe. When we preach Christ crucified, we see the 80 pwer f the gspel because the flishness f Gd is wiser than men. 79F 80 1 Cr. 1:21,25. 88
Lessn Assignments There will be n test n this lessn. Instead, yu will practice preparing and preaching an expsitry sermn. Assignment 1: Sermn Preparatin Chse a text n which yu wuld like t preach. D a detailed study f the Scripture passage using the steps in this lessn. 1) Absrb the text. Read it at least ten times and feel the emtin f the authr. 2) Analyze the text using the five steps given in this lessn. 3) Prepare a study utline f the passage. 4) Prepare a preaching utline f the passage. Assignment 2: Sermn Presentatin Preach the sermn yu prepare t the class. This sermn shuld be 12-15 minutes. Each member f the class will cmplete an assessment frm fund at the back f this curse guide. 89