HOLSTON CONFERENCESERMON ACADEMY
ASH WEDNESDAY TO EASTER SUNDAY
2015
The Ten Sermon Sins
1. We can’t hear.
2. The atmosphere. No joy. No enthusiasm. No energy. Everybody is just going through the motions. No interest.
3. Monotony.
The Ten Sermon Sins (cont.)
4. Line dropping.
5. Putting on airs.
6. Poor grammar.
7. The sermon has little or nothing to do with the text.
The Ten Sermon Sins (cont.)
8. Name-dropping.
9. Self-congratulating.
10. “Touch and go” sermons.
The Ten Sermon Savers
1. The preacher looks like he/she wants to be there.
2. Lots of smiles. A little laughter now and then.
3. Or tears.
4. The preacher can be heard.
The Ten Sermon Savers (cont.)
5. The sermon can be understood by the worshipers.
6. The preacher’s tone of voice matches the levity or gravity of the words being spoken.
7. The sermon makes sense: it has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and makes a point worth making.
8. The sermon reveals that the preacher has engaged the text.
9. The sermon relates to the people.
10. The sermon presents Jesus and points me (and invites me) to a better life and a better way of living.
The Ten Sermon Savers (cont.)
THE BASIC OUTLINE
I. Preparation
the process of choosing a topic or a text, gathering the ingredients, doing the
research, collecting illustrating material.
THE BASIC OUTLINE (CONT.)
Composition
the process of taking the ingredients, research and illustrations and putting
together a coherent message that has a beginning, middle, and end.
THE BASIC OUTLINE (CONT.)
Presentation
the process of designing the setting in which the sermon will be delivered: prayers, litanies and hymns that will serve as the “containers”
of the “food” about to be served.
PREPARATION STAGE1. Choose the text(s). Even “topical” sermons have to have a text.
2. Engage the text. Read it. Pray it. Sleep on it. Walk it around the neighborhood. Live in it.
3. Consult other versions
4. Consult a commentary or two. Or three.
PREPARATION STAGE (CONT.)5. The main idea you want to present or the main point you want to make. Mark 1:9-‐15: 9About that time, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. 11And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.” 12At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. 13He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him. 14After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, 15saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
PREPARATION STAGE (CONT.)a. Being claimed for Christ in baptism tears apart the fabric that separates earth from heaven, and us from God.
b. All of us are tempted; Jesus shows us how to overcome temptations.
c. Repentance is step one on the road to heaven.
d. God may test us, but will never abandon us.
COMPOSITION STAGE6. What is the main point you want to make sure you make and they get? 7. Decide how to begin
a. Recall an event in the life of the congregation. b. Tell a personal story that taught you a lesson that relates to the main point. c. Open the sermon with some reference, some question, or some illustration that will get their attention, and better still, will invite them to imagine themselves in it. d. Ask a question that the main point of the sermon will answer a little later.
COMPOSITION STAGE (Cont.)8. Fill in the middle. Research
Stories Personal Experiences
Jokes Poems
News Events Illustrations
Other Scripture References
9. Revisit the end.
COMPOSITION: SUMMARY• Choose the text • Engage the text • Consult other translations • Consult commentaries • Settle on the main idea • Decide how to end (and where to put the main idea)
• Decide how to begin • Fill in the middle • Revisit the end.
WRAP IT UP
•And then …
SLEEP ON IT
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
MY GUARANTEE:
COMPOSITION (CONT.)�What you will have is a valley of dry
bones. �The introduction – that’s a bone. �The main point – that’s a bone. �The ending – that’s a bone. �The anecdotes, quotes, poems, jokes
and stories in between the intro and the ending – they are just dry bones.
CAN THESE BONES LIVE???� Ligaments – the tough sinews that hold the
bones together and keep the skeleton in one piece.
� Flesh - the muscles, internal organs, glands, nerves, veins.
� Skin – to hold it together. � Breath - to make it live.
PRESENTATIONTitle
Hymns
Songs
Litanies
Skits, Object lessons, “Tangible” sermon aides.
Videos, art, etc.
www.umc.org (“Lent” in search window) 40 Ideas for Keeping Lent Holy
7 awesome ideas for Holy Week and Easter
Pastors debate value of Lenten sacrifices Lent: A Time to Fast and Pray
New Ways of Praying at Lent Lent 101 Simplicity: A Lenten Path
Lent: Don't Just Do Something, Sit There!
Where Does the Term "Good Friday" Come From?
UMC RESOURCES
My e-mail is [email protected]
My Bible commentary, the “Chapter-a-Day” Bible Study guide, is in blog form on Word Press at www.revpaulharmon.com
To join the Holston Sermon Forum: provide me with your e-mail address, and I will invite you to join.
SOME INFORMATION
Old Testament Readings:
Ash Wednesday: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Lent 1: Genesis 9:8-17 Lent 2: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Lent 3: Exodus 20:1-17 Lent 4: Numbers 21:4-9 Lent 5: Jeremiah 31:31-34: Passion Sunday: Isaiah 50:4-9a Holy Thursday: Exodus 12:1-4(5-10) 11-14: Good Friday: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Easter Sunday: Acts 10:34-43
PSALMS
Ash Wednesday: Psalm 51:1-17 (UMH 785) Lent 1: Psalm 25:1-10 (UMH 756) Lent 2: Psalm 22:23-31 (UMH 752) Lent 3: Psalm 19 (UMH 750) Lent 4: Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 (UMH 830) Lent 5: Psalm 51:1-12 (UMH 785) Palm Sunday: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (UMH 839) Passion Sunday: Psalm 31:9-16 (UMH 764) Holy Thursday: Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 (UMH 837) Good Friday: Psalm 22 (UMH 752) Easter: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 (UMH 839)
New Testament Readings
Ash Wednesday: 2 Cor. 5:20b-6:10 Lent 1: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Lent 2: Romans 4:13-25 Lent 3: 1 Cor. 1:18-25 Lent 4: Ephesians 2:1-10 Lent 5: Hebrews 5:5-10 Passion Sunday: Philippians 2:5-11 Maundy Thursday: 1 Cor. 11:23-26 Good Friday: Hebrews 10:16-25 Easter Sunday: 1 Cor. 15:1-11
GOSPEL READINGS
Ash Wednesday: Mat. 6:1-6 Lent 1: Mark 1:9-1 Lent 2: Mark 8:31-38 Lent 3: John 2:13-22 Lent 4: John 3:14-21 Lent 5: John 12:20-33 Palm Sunday: Mark 11:1-11 Passion Sunday: Mark 15:1-39 Maundy Thursday: John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Good Friday: John 18:1-19:42 Easter: John 20:1-18, or Mark 16:1-8
SERMON SERIES I
The seven deadly sins 1. Lust 2. Gluttony 3. Greed 4. Laziness 5. Wrath 6. Envy 7. Pride (Vanity)
SERMON SERIES II
The Seven Last Words of Jesus
1. “My God, why have you forsaken me?” Mt. 27:46 2. “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Lk. 23:34 3. “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Lk. 23:43 4. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Lk. 23:46 5. “Woman, here is your son. Here is your mother.” Jn. 19:26, 27 6. “I thirst.” Jn. 19:28 7. “It is finished.” Jn. 19:30
SERMON SERIES III
Means of Grace
1 Scripture 2 Prayer 3 Fasting 4 Worship 5 Visiting the sick, imprisoned, infirm 6 Feeding the hungry (generous giving)
SERMON SERIES IV
Lessons and Parables of the Passion ● 1 Cleaning out a Holy Place (Lk.
19:45-46) ● 2 The Parable of the Vineyard (Lk.
20:9-16) ● 3 Giving to Caesar and God (Lk. 20:20-26) ● 4 The Widow’s Offering (Lk. 21:1-4) ● 5 The Lesson of the Fig Tree (Lk.
21:29-33)
SERMON SERIES V
Lessons and Parables of the Passion ● 1 Paying Tribute (Mt. 22:15-22) ● 2 The Greatest Commandment (Mt.
22:34-40) ● 3 Lesson of the Fig Tree (Mt. 24:32-35) ● 4 Parable of the 10 Maidens (Mt. 25:1-13) ● 5 Parable of the Three Servants (Mt.
25:14-30) ● 6 Parable of the Tenants (Lk. 20:9ff) ● 7 Parable of the Talents (Lk. 19:12ff)
