So – I left off on this series a few months back and never posted what I do to actually construct an expository sermon – only what I do to study a passage. I suppose I became too busy putting sermons together to actually keep writing about how I do it. So, here’s my attempt at getting back on the saddle and finishing out how I put together expository sermons.
Here’s the previous posts: PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
PART 6
PART 7
PART 8
Bridging from Exegesis to Exposition
The next portion of my study consists of bridging from exegesis to exposition. I try to begin this process on Thursday, but it will probably happen on Saturday (I take Friday off). Here I will refine the original “main idea” statement as a result of my further study. Then I begin to write down words and terms that summarize in a contemporary way the main point of the passage. I begin constructing a one sentence summary of the point of the passage, thinking about how this theme or subject or idea could best be communicated to my particular congregation. I then construct a one sentence, present tense, contemporary statement that communicates the main idea of the passage.
The most frequent way I organize and arrange my sermons is around a plural noun propositional statement. Rarely have I preached inductive sermons (i.e., a sermon where the main point is not revealed until the end of the message). I am intrigued with the idea of preaching more inductive messages, but I find that this method fits better with narrative texts, I currently I’m preaching epistolary texts. I certainly don’t advocate the kind of inductive approach espoused by Fred Craddock (As One Without Authority) that appears to be less concerned with the actual message of the Bible and more with post-modern pulpit theatrics. I am very grateful that I was originally taught to preach deductive propositional sermons. I believe this is the best way to learn the science of finding and communicating the main idea of a biblical text.
Once I have constructed my homiletical sentence, I begin constructing the outline points. Early in my ministry, my points were often past tense or one word statements about the various movements in the text (i.e., the context, the character and the conduct). More recently and especially as a result of my time in the Doctor of Ministry program at Southern Seminary, I have been constructing more present tense, application sentences that sum up the main idea of the section they are attached and directly relate back to how the point unfolds or develops the main proposition. I can distinctly remember the first time I began preaching this way, I was taken aback by how many people began to tell me that I was getting better as a preacher and that I was making difficult texts appear easier and clearer to understand. I can attribute this primarily to working harder at the homiletical side of the sermon development process than I had previously done.
The final portions of this bridging phase of my study revolve around thinking through and constructing the introduction, illustrations and conclusions. Admittedly, these portions do not receive as much of my time as the others. I normally begin my message with some sort of question or illustration that will highlight the main idea of the message and text. This allows me to narrow down from introduction to proposition statement naturally. This opening can take me anywhere from five minutes to fifteen minutes to preach, depending on the main content of the message and where I may be in the series of sermons. For example, since I began preaching Romans 6 this past Sunday evening, I took more time in my introduction and first point so that I could give attention to the primary emphasis of the entire section (6:1-11). I plan to open with a much simpler and shorter introduction this Sunday evening followed by a quick review and then jump back into the text where I left off last week.
My conclusions are normally a review of the major points and main proposition of the message. It is at this point of the sermon that I will give more attention to urging the application of the message. This is not to say that I do not urge or discuss any application in the rest of the message – I do. But I want to draw the passage down to what we need to do with it and why it is an important passage for those in the congregation. When studying and preparing my preaching notes, I am always asking myself the question, “Why is this passage important to my congregation? Why MUST they hear and understand THIS text? What is ESSENTIAL that they think about this week in regard to this passage?” The answers to these questions dominate my applicational ending.
One of the true weaknesses of my preaching is my use of illustrations. I don’t like the canned kind that come from illustration books (or web-sites). I find myself using personal illustrations from life and ministry, but when I think back on these, I find them a bit too self-serving and self-focused too often. I don’t want the message to be me talking most about me and how the text is best illustrated through me. I realize that people connect with personal illustrations and like to hear about the personal life of the pastor. I do use them. I simply know that I need to do a little less of the “me”-thing in the pulpit. Many of my illustrations come from reading the news papers through the week, blogs articles I have recently read or some contemporary event or attitude that appears to highlight the main idea I am wanting to illustrate. Admittedly, I need to give more time to this area. Pray for me here.
