Preparing Expository Sermons

1. Expository Preaching: God's Word, Our Voice

Sermons are what we make with what God has made.

The Essence of Expository Preaching. Expository preaching is the art of taking a biblical text and making its central message relevant and applicable to a contemporary audience. It's about bridging the gap between the ancient words of Scripture and the modern lives of the congregation, ensuring that God's voice is heard clearly and powerfully. It's not merely about reciting verses, but about unpacking their meaning and significance for today.

More than just a lecture. Expository preaching is not simply an academic exercise or a theological lecture. It's a dynamic process that involves both the mind and the heart. The goal is to inform the minds of the listeners, instruct their hearts, and influence their behavior, leading them toward godliness and a deeper relationship with Christ.

The impact of expository preaching. Expository preaching impacts both the preacher and the congregation. For the preacher, it fosters personal growth in knowledge and obedience, conserves time and energy in sermon preparation, and balances areas of expertise with the breadth of God's Word. For the congregation, it ensures faithfulness to the text, relevance to their context, and a strategy for long-term spiritual growth.

2. Study the Text: Unearthing the Foundation

All the details of a text are important, because we believe in the full inspiration of Scripture.

Seeing and Seeking. Studying the text involves two key facets: "seeing" the details and "seeking" the meaning. "Seeing" involves observing all the information God has placed in the passage, from key words to grammatical relationships. "Seeking" involves asking questions of those details and answering them through careful interpretation.

Observe words and relationships. Key words, especially long, unusual, or repeated words, determine the content of the text. Relationships between words, including grammatical, logical, chronological, and psychological connections, reveal the author's line of reasoning. Contextual relationships, considering the immediate and wider contexts of the Bible, the book, and the text, are also crucial.

Ask questions and analyze answers. Ask what the words mean today and what they meant at the time they were written. Use dictionaries, Bible dictionaries, and concordances to aid in this process. Analyze your answers using tests of authenticity, unity, consistency, simplicity, and honesty. Finally, apply the answers to your own life and to the lives of your congregation, considering the present-day relevance of the text and how it can be translated into action.

3. Structure the Text: Revealing the Blueprint

An essential step in the Scripture Sculpture process is to understand how the biblical author put the text together.

Grammatical Keys and Content Cues. Structuring the text involves understanding how the biblical author put the passage together. This is achieved through identifying grammatical keys, such as conjunctions and prepositions, and content cues, such as changes in subject or repetition. These elements reveal the author's main points and subpoints.

Four Steps for Structuring Text:

• Identify all possible grammatical or content markers of structure.
• Separate major markers from minor markers.
• Understand the meaning or the force of the more major markers.
• Outline the text according to the relative importance of the markers.

Summarize the main sections. Summarizing each major section of the text helps to identify the dominant force of the passage and prepares for the next step: discerning the central proposition. This involves creating a synopsis of the text that highlights the key themes and arguments.

4. Central Proposition: The Heart of the Matter

The central proposition is the singular theme/thrust around which the details of a biblical text are woven.

Theme and Thrust. The central proposition of the text (CPT) is the single, dominant thought that binds together all the particulars of the passage. It consists of two components: the theme (what the author is talking about) and the thrust (what the author is saying about what he is talking about).

Deriving the CPT. The CPT is derived from the structured text, identifying the major sections and their subjects. It must be both accurate, reflecting the specific content of the text, and adequate, covering all the assertions of the text.

Organizing Textual Work. Gather the details of your textual work into a concise format, including a tentative title, a personal paraphrase of the text, the central proposition (theme and thrust), and an outline of the passage. This will serve as the foundation for the sermon.

5. Purpose Bridge: Connecting Text to Congregation

The purpose is the brain of the sermon, the key link from text to sermon.

The Brain of the Sermon. The purpose bridge is the critical link between the text and the congregation, serving as the "brain" of the sermon. It involves asking and answering the question: "On the basis of the central proposition of this text, what does God want my people to understand and obey?"

Compatibility Questions. When constructing the purpose bridge, consider two compatibility questions: Can you make an exegetical or theological case that your sermon's purpose is compatible with the purpose of the text? Can you make a sociological or psychological case that your sermon's purpose is compatible with the needs of your audience?

Knowing Your Audience. Understanding the needs and conditions of your audience is essential. This requires spending time with them, listening to their concerns, and understanding their worldview. The purpose bridge should address their specific needs in light of the central proposition of the text.

6. Crafting the Sermon: From Skeleton to Substance

The design structure of the sermon relates to meeting the purpose you established in step 4.

Unity, Order, and Progress. Structuring the sermon involves creating a cohesive message with unity, order, and progress. Unity is achieved by orienting the sermon around the central proposition of the text, the purpose bridge, and the central proposition of the sermon. Order and progress are demonstrated through the design structure and body structure of the sermon.

Design Structure and Body Structure. The design structure relates to the overall movements of the sermon (introduction, body, conclusion), while the body structure relates to the arrangement of the points within the body of the sermon. Sermons can be developed deductively, with the central proposition stated upfront, or inductively, with the central proposition revealed at the end.

The Parts of a Sermon. A sermon typically includes a title, a reading of the Bible text, an introduction (pre-introduction, main introduction, sub-introduction), a body (with main points and subpoints), and a conclusion. Each part plays a crucial role in engaging the audience and communicating the message effectively.

7. Preaching with Power: Delivery and Dynamics

Style has to do with using language to effectively communicate what you know you must say.

Writing and Internalizing. Writing out the sermon helps to clarify thoughts, improve the message, and internalize the content. This allows for a more natural and engaging delivery, free from reliance on notes.

Language and Style. Effective communication involves using clear, concrete language that evokes the senses and connects with the audience. This includes updating vocabulary, personalizing the message, and using alliteration when appropriate.

Nonverbal Communication. Delivery involves more than just words. Facial expressions, gestures, and vocal tone all contribute to the impact of the message. Maintaining eye contact, using natural gestures, and varying vocal pitch and volume can enhance the sermon's effectiveness.

8. The Holy Spirit: The Indispensable Partner

The purpose of this book, however, is to deal with the mechanics of sermon preparation—the art and science of sculpting a sermon from Scripture.

Personal Matters. The preacher's spiritual life is the foundation of effective ministry. This involves a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. A spiritual preacher lives by the Holy Spirit, yielding to His control and seeking His guidance in all aspects of life.

Textual Matters. The Holy Spirit is also essential in understanding and interpreting Scripture. He inspired the text, and He illuminates its meaning for the preacher. This involves conscientious study combined with conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.

Sermon Matters. The Holy Spirit surrounds the entire sermon event, from preparation to delivery to follow-up. He authorizes the preacher, guides the selection of texts, and empowers the message to transform lives.

9. Original Languages: Enhancing Precision

The difference between studying in your own language and knowing the original languages is something like the difference between the picture on a black and white TV and on a color TV.

The Value of Original Languages. Studying the original biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew) can enhance the precision and depth of understanding of the text. It allows for a more vivid and realistic interpretation, revealing nuances that may be missed in translation.

Not a Requirement, but a Luxury. While knowledge of the original languages is valuable, it is not essential for effective preaching. Many great preachers have ministered powerfully without this training. However, for those who have the opportunity, it can be a worthwhile investment.

Resources for Study. For those who do not know the original languages, there are many resources available, including study Bibles, concordances, and commentaries. These tools can provide valuable insights and protect against error.

10. Topical Exposition: Balancing Text and Topic

In textual exposition, any biblically supportable truth is not necessarily a homiletically expoundable truth because it may not be a hermeneutically faithful truth.

Choosing and Limiting the Topic. Topical exposition involves choosing a theme and developing a sermon around it, rather than starting with a specific text. The topic can be Bible-driven, addressing a theological concept, or audience-driven, addressing a specific need or concern. Limiting the topic is crucial for maintaining focus and avoiding arbitrariness.

Building the Topic with Scripture. The key to effective topical preaching is to build the subtopics from pertinent Scriptures, rather than imposing a structure and then finding verses to support it. This involves identifying prescriptions, assertions, and patterns in the text that relate to the chosen topic.

Preaching the Topic with Authority. A topical sermon should evidence the same features as a textual sermon, including a stylized central proposition, a clear structure, and engaging delivery. The goal is to communicate God's truth in a way that is both relevant and authoritative.

Last updated: March 3, 2025