Date post: | 17-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | paula-skinner |
View: | 288 times |
Download: | 19 times |
Goals and Credits… To help each one of us do a better job
in our presentations of the Scripture Two parts today – some definitions,
and principles, and some “how to” pointers
Acknowledgement – Some of the material is condensed from a graduate level class presented by Dr. Frank Longino – Liberty Theology Seminary
What is Preaching?
“The art of moving men from a lower life to a higher life.” – Beecher
“The communication of truth through personality.” – Anonymous
“Preaching is divine truth voiced by a chosen personality to meet human need.” A. W. Blackwood
The clothing of ideas in words - Longino
What is Preaching? Declaring God’s Word as recorded
in the Bible It is not about man’s ideas of God,
but what God has done for man. The uniqueness of a Biblical
sermon (as opposed to a speech) is due to the subject matter, the material used, and the results promised!
The Bible The whole counsel of God is revealed
through history The Old Testament focus is on God’s
dealing with His people and a forward look to the coming Messiah
The New Testament centers in the New Covenant established by God’s redemptive act in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
What Should We Preach? Christian preaching
should center in God’s redeeming action set forth in both Testaments, climaxing in Jesus death and resurrection!
It is all about Him, not us, our style, our self-worth, value, acceptance, at-a-boys, education, but about Jesus Christ!
3 Primary Words Used For Preaching
Euanggellizo – evangelize, Gospel Kerusso or kerygma – herald Katanggello – to proclaim publicly What we proclaim is life-changing,
sin correcting, faith building and eternal!
The foolishness of preaching Rom. 1:15-16, 1 Corinthians. 1:21 2 Tim. 4:1-2
What Obstacles Do We Face? Over communication – email, instant
messages, text messaging, chat rooms, junk mail, newscasts, fast paced everything, ADD
Our enemy is preaching constantly against the truth – movies, educational system (anti-Christ profs), false gospels, etc
Football forum example – the perception of Christians is not good – Right wing extremist nuts no different from any other nuts…
A Short History… OT prophets were the first preachers –
boldly proclaiming the Word of the Lord Then men like Ezra, Nehemiah, etc. Early Church followed the synagogue
style Early Church Fathers – extensive
writers/preachers Reformation – prolific writers/proclaimers 17th – 18th centuries ushered in higher
criticism, scholarism, etc.
Criticism Defined… Higher Criticism – attempts to investigate
the origins of a text, especially the text of the Bible. Higher criticism, in particular, focuses on the sources of a document and tries to determine the authorship, date and place of composition of the text.
Lower Criticism, known as textual criticism, which is the endeavor to establish the original version of a text.
History Continued 19th and 20th Centuries ushered in
modernism, and new technology 21st Centuries expanded technology and
attention deficit - boredom A move towards “Seeker Friendly” as
opposed to “Believer” centered A tendency to be relevant to our society
through being a sub-culture against being a counter-culture
What will history say about this season in church pulpits?
Martin Luther - “Table Talk”
– “A preacher should have these virtues; First, to teach systematically; secondly, he should have a ready wit; thirdly, he should be eloquent; fourthly, he should have a good voice; fifthly a good memory; sixthly, he should know when to make an end; seventhly, he should be sure of his doctrine; eighthly, he should venture and engage body and blood, wealth and honor, in the Word; ninthly, he should suffer himself to me mocked and jeered by every one.”
Principles of Rhetoric
Rhetoric – “Discourse that aims to influence men.” “The art of speaking or writing effectively.”
Inventio – subject matter A. Ethos – Character of the speaker –
the importance of perception B. Pathos – Ability of the audience to
identify with the speaker
Rhetoric…
Dispositio – Arrangement of material Progression of thought, order of ideas,
establishing cause and effect, logical climax
Elocutio – Style Depends on the setting – formal,
informal, classroom, home, open air, pulpit, audience type
Rhetoric
Pronuntiatio – Delivery Includes, cadence, meter, poetic,
gestures, posture, etc. Memoria – memory, the ability to call
upon other resources from the brain Spiritu Sanctu – The anointing of the
Spirit – His promise to bless His Word
On To Practical Matters…
The first main point is…any guesses? RELAX Fear, shortness of breath, confusion,
reading all hinder the presentation Put away all distracting props –
clicking pen, glasses on and off, on and off, etc.
Begin slowly and breath
Vary Your Voice Pitch – tone, inflection Pace – speed, too fast or two
slow aim for about 100 words a minute – Unity Service…
Volume – emphasis lowering can be as effective as screaming
God’s Word is still the focus not the instrument – “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” was read in a monotone voice
The Attitude of the Preacher Reverence of the Scripture, read
carefully and with honor Humility – we do not have all the
answers, nor have we arrived We are simply God’s ambassador Mannerisms – beware – ask others to
honestly critique you – zipper, fill words
Preaching and life should be one
Three Main Sermon Types Topical – love, joy, sin, almost
anything – guided by subject matter Easiest to keep unity of message Easily grasped by the average
audience today Allows great latitude Allows for a Biblically
comprehensive treatment of a topic
Some Disadvantages Easy to get into rut – baptism, family, $ Easy to only preach on what interests the
speaker and not necessarily what is needed by his hearers
If a hammer is your only tool, all is a nail Easier to get into error since context can
be ignored “Text without context becomes pretext” Lev. 25:44 God wants us to have slaves
Textual Sermon A short unit of verses (4 or less) and
the topic and subjects flow from the text
Romans 1:16 – 1. The Gospel is the power of God 2. It is the power of God unto
salvation 3. It is the power of God unto
salvation to those who believe
Advantages/Disadvantages
Basically same as topical Easy to grasp by most audiences NIV grammar is excellent for this Still easy to pick only texts you like Still easy to avoid context Isogesis (to put the meaning in) vs.
exegesis (to draw the meaning out)
Prince of Sermons Expository – An entire
book, a chapter, etc Forces the teacher to
deal with topics not normally addressed
Helps keep verses in their context
What does it say and what does it mean?
Helps limit “proof texting”
Disadvantages…
Lose focus of what you are trying to communicate
Not applicable to your audience Can limit ability to deal with
current issues Get lost in detail and rabbit trails Attention span of modern listeners
Many Types of Sermons
Points – a progressive line of thought Twin – two conflicting or contrasting
– positive vs. negative Interrogative – Journalist questions –
who, what, where, why, when, and how
Ladder – point to point like a lawyer or as in a debate
Sermons Jewel – turning a verse round and round
like a gem (as opposed to cinnamon roll) Hegelian – Thesis, antithesis, and
synthesis Thematic – “High Cost of Low Living” or
“It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming” Rebuttal – to correct false teaching Life-situation – problem solving
Which One Is Right? How long should a piece of rope be? Depends on the need doesn’t it? It’s not a matter of right and wrong,
but right and left I prefer topical or expository of large
sections of Scripture Easier to stay closer to the context
and get the full picture
Sermon Preparation Begins With A Prepared Preacher!
We must be in right relationship with God
We must have a valid idea to preach! - Battles are fought on the field of ideas
Where do I get one? Bible must be the ultimate
source Needs of the hearers –
instruction, correction, edification, vision, etc
Flash of inspiration – God is the God who still speaks, we often fail to listen!
Valid Idea…
Personal experiences – victory or defeat
A planned program – a book, whole Bible, Homiletics, parenting etc
Next, is the task of correlation A scripture must be secured
immediately for any idea no matter where it comes from!
Four Basic Uses of Scripture Text – what does it say, what does it
mean Context – helps define what the text is
saying Illustration – other texts using the same
word, principle or idea Support – doctrine is made by multiple
text (not one!) Can you think of any doctrines based on 1 verse?
Planned Rabbit Trail…
How do we know if a doctrine is central, critical, one to be used as a basis of fellowship?
It should surface in multiple places …Gospels, Paul, Peter, James, John,
Beware of limited texts as the basis of doctrines…
Proper Interpretation is a Must Crash course on Hermeneutics Factors involved in proper interpretation The historical setting – not written to us
– what did it mean to the original hearers/recipients?
Grammatical structure Meaning of all major words Scriptural cross-references
Proper Interpretation
Context is important – paragraph, chapter, book, Testament
What type of literature am I reading? Meaning cannot conflict other
passages OT must be viewed through NT We will speak confidently about what
we know well
Steps to Proper Interpretation Read text in several translations Look up every word in original language Restate in your own words Consult commentaries – several and
know who wrote them and what they believe!
Read other places the words are used What did it mean to the folks to whom it
was first written?
Assuming We Have Something To Share, Then What? Get your thoughts organized and outlined All points should connect and make sense Sub points should divide main points Explain, define, present arguments for or
against, illustrate, and a key pet peeve is… MAKE APPLICATION Allow for invitation to respond
Illustrations Illustrations – the
good, the bad, and the ugly
Can and should be used to clarify, persuade, impress a point, and to aid in repetition and argument
Many types including – verbal, physical, personal (I don’t recommend using wife or children)
Illustrations… Parables, analogy, biographical,
historical, simile or metaphor…all great
The Bad – Shouldn’t be told for the sake of telling – lady in the balcony
Overused, undignified or of course, unrelated
If you have to explain, avoid Circumcision story…
Some More Practical Ideas “There is not a lack of
revelation, but a lack of preservation of revelation.”
How do we capture the ideas, concepts, thoughts, verses etc. that God gives us?
Filing systems, computer, I use “sermon garden”
Write it down!
How To Begin… Remember - this is the task of the
preacher – the clothing of ideas in words. Step 1 – Choose your passage Prayer, thinking, being requested to speak
Length of text and length of time and
your audience Type of message – topical, textual, or
expository
Step 2 Study your passage (s) Read as many translations as possible –why? Consult resource materials – Lexicons,
Dictionaries, Concordances, Word Studies Commentaries – use a variety and know
what is behind their comments – Calvinist, Armenian, anti-pope, liberal, non-miracles, etc. Each one will have an underlying view
Step 3
Begin to develop the theme Ask “what is he talking about here?” “What is he saying about what he is
talking about?” Ask the journalist questions What type of text is it – parable,
poetry, proverb, historical narrative, command?
An Effective Preacher Must…
Have passion BG – “That’s why I’m
so giddy.” Be involved in three
different worlds The world of the Bible The present world
scene The world of that of his
immediate listeners
Step 4 Restatement – Use your own words
to see if you understand what is being stated
Explanation – What does it mean Proof – Is it true (Jotham -2 Chron
27) Application – What difference does it
make? Make it personal to those listening
Ask, “What is the purpose of this sermon?” It should seek to change lives in
some specific way What do you expect to happen as a
result of your efforts? For example: A Proposition to be proved – Jesus is
the Christ A Principle to be applied – let
hearers also be doers of the Word
What We Expect…
A Subject to be contemplated – Do not forsake your gathering together…Why?
A Story to be told – people remember stories…A certain man went down to Jerusalem…mountain top vacation
Our goal is to be used of God in the presentation of truth to affect change
General Outline…
Introduction – something to grab attention or set the focus
Body of the messages, points, sub-points, illustrations,
Application – Why did I preach this? Conclusion – the purpose of a
conclusion is to conclude not just end
How To Improve…
Read good sermons – classics Listen to others and critique Listen to your own and critique Listen to those who love you Take some classes – Olford Institute Read books on how to preach Practice, practice, practice…
Some Summary Comments
We have the honor of sharing God’s very words with others
We must take it seriously and apply ourselves to the pursuit of excellence
It is better to leave your listeners longing for more than to have them wishing you were finished…
Summary… 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best
to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Studying is not quenching the Spirit
God can and does anoint your preparation
Summary…
“I don’t use notes,” the preacher boldly declares, and we all say, “we can tell!”
Spontaneous most times means unprepared!
Go over your teaching several times Practice it out loud Boil it down to one sentence
Finally… God is the one responsible for the results We pray, prepare and do our best; God is
the one who promises that His Word will not return void…it will accomplish what He desires – Isaiah 55…
Don’t quit if it doesn’t go as well as you think it should have…you are not objective at this point…
Be strong, be men of the Word! Stick close to the Scripture, it is excellent material!