MORE THAN 150,000 IN PRINT

Biblical
The Development
and Delivery of
Expository Messages

Haddon W.
Robinson
Robinson's sermonic method is remarkably Christianity
complete. . . . The exercises at chapter ends
should prove helpful to homiletical teachers
Today
as well as those who would like to refresh them-
selves in the basics. Biblical Preaching will be a
welcome addition to many pastors' libraries.

If there is one unique quality of this book that Leadership

surpasses all the rest, it is that Robinson knows
how to think along with God, and he knows
how to teach others to do the same. . . . He
has a way of nailing his ideas right onto your
heart. . . . Anyone with a high enough view of
Scripture to want to preach what it says in its
historical-grammatical context will find this
work far more than a recipe for Bible exposition.
It is a banquet itself.

Biblical Preaching balances the practical how- Moody

to with sound homiletical theory. Ten sermon
preparation stages surface that are content-
Monthly
oriented and follow the process of sermon-
making from start to finish. . . . Robinson's
analogies and picturesque language, sprinkled
with intelligent humor, produce a painless
learning experience.

Haddon W. Robinson is Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of

Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Previously, he was presi-
dent and professor of homiletics and speech at Denver Seminary and taught
homiletics at Dallas Theological Seminary for nineteen years. He holds a Th.M
from Dallas Theological Seminary, an M.A. from Southern Methodist Univer-
sity, and a Ph.D. in speech communication from the University of Illinois.

Of related interest:

Biblical Sermons Illustrations for Biblical Preaching

How Twelve Preachers Apply Over 1500 Sermon Illustrations Arranged
the Principles of Biblical Preaching by Topic and Indexed Exhaustively
Haddon Robinson, editor Michael Green, editor
Also available in software format

i
BAKER
\ D l v I s i o \ o I
' Baker Book House Co
Biblical
Preaching
The Development
and Delivery of
Expository Messages

Preaching

HtaddoniAC Robinson

BAKER BOOK HOUSE

Grand Rapids, Michigan
 Copyright © 1980 by Baker Books
a division of Baker Book House Company
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

ISBN: 0-8010-7700-1

Thirty-fourth printing, February 2000

Library of Congress
Catalog Card Number: 80-66776

Printed in the United States of America

For information about academic books, resources for

Christian leaders, and all new releases available
from Baker Book House, visit our web site:
http://www.bakerbooks.com
 To the men and women
who keep a sacred appointment
on Sunday morning.
Bewildered by seductive voices,
nursing wounds life has inflicted upon them,
anxious about matters that do not matter.
Yet they come to listen for a clear word from God
that speaks to their condition.

And to those who minister to them now

and those who will do so in the future.
 Contents

Preface 9
Abbreviations 14

1 T h e Case for Expository Preaching 15

New Concepts 30 Definitions 30
2 What's the B i g Idea? 31
New Concepts 45 Definitions 45
Exercises 46
3 Tools of the Trade 51
Stage 1 Selecting the Passage 53
Stage 2 Studying the Passage 57
Stage 3 Discovering the Exegetical Idea 66
Bibliography 71 New Concepts 75
Definitions 75
4 T h e R o a d from Text to Sermon 77
Stage 4 Analyzing the Exegetical Idea 79
Stage 5 Formulating the Homiletical Idea 97
Biblical Preaching

New Concepts 100 Definitions 100

Exercises 101
5 T h e P o w e r of Purpose 107
Stage 6 Determining the Sermon's Purpose 108
New Concepts 113 Definitions 113
6 T h e Shapes Sermons Take 115
Stage 7 D e c i d i n g How t o A c c o m p l i s h T h i s P u r p o s e 116
Stage 8 Outlining the Sermon 128
New Concepts 133 Definitions 133
7 Making D r y Bones L i v e 137
Stage 9 Filling in t h e S e r m o n O u t l i n e 137
New Concepts 156 Definitions 156
8 Start with a B a n g and Quit A l l Over 159
S t a g e 10 Preparing the Introduction and
Conclusion 159
New Concepts 173 Definitions 173
9 T h e Dress of Thought 175
New Concepts 190 Definitions 190
10 H o w to Preach So P e o p l e Will Listen 191
New Concepts 209 Definitions 209

Appendixes
1 A n s w e r s to Exercises 211
2 Mechanical L a y o u t o f E p h e s i a n s 4:11-16 215
3 Sermon-Evaluation F o r m 217

Selective Bibliography of Works Cited 221

I n d e x of Persons 225
I n d e x of Scripture 229
 Preface

When reading a b o o k I have sometimes thought of the

preface as material to be skipped. It resembled hymns in a
badly planned service. T h e author inserted it as a buffer be-
fore he got d o w n to the business of his book.
A s an author, however, I regard the preface as an abso-
lute necessity. I write this v o l u m e with no little hesitancy,
and the preface permits m e to file a needed disclaimer. T h e
literature o f homiletics features the names of brilliant preach-
ers and superior teachers. One should think t w i c e — a n d t w i c e
again — before nominating himself to that company.
A reader might understandably assume that anyone writ-
ing about preaching must consider himself a master of the
discipline. N o t so! I have preached m y share of forgettable
sermons. I k n o w the agony of preparing a message and then
having preached it, feeling that I k n e w naked nothing about
the preaching art.
I f I can claim any qualification, it is this: I am a g o o d
Biblical Preaching

listener. During t w o decades in the classroom I have evalu-

ated nearly six thousand student sermons. M y friends marvel
that after listening to hundreds of fledgling preachers stum-
ble through their first sermons, I am not an atheist. Y e t while
listening I have learned what goes into an effective sermon,
and I think I have discovered what to do and what to avoid.
A s a teacher of preachers, I'm a bit like L e o Durocher. While
playing baseball his batting average was not much bigger
than his shirt size, but as a manager he coached a number of
successful teams.
M a n y of m y students have g o n e on to b e effective com-
municators of the Word of G o d , and they assure m e that in
some small w a y I have had an influence on their ministries.
T h e y and I both k n o w that rules of homiletics do not in them-
selves produce effective preachers. T h e student must carry
t o the task s o m e gift and even more, an unquenchable desire
to bring a passage of Scripture into contact with life. Richard
Baxter once c o m m e n t e d that he never k n e w a man worth
anything in his ministry w h o lacked a desire bordering on
unhappiness to see the fruit of his labor. Principles and pas-
sion must b e united before much of significance occurs in
the pulpit. In this book, therefore, I pass on a m e t h o d to those
learning to preach or to e x p e r i e n c e d p e o p l e w h o want to
brush up on the basics. Hopefully I have expressed myself
clearly enough that l a y m e n — m e n and w o m e n — w h o teach
the Scriptures w i l l benefit. Yet to this material a reader brings
himself—his life, insights, maturity, imagination, and dedi-
cation. L i k e hydrogen and o x y g e n producing water, desire
and instruction together m a k e effective communicators o f
G o d ' s truth.
When I started teaching, I did not intend to write. A l l I
wanted to do was find enough usable advice to p r o v i d e m y
students a w a y to proceed as they prepared to preach. In
desperation for something sensible to say, I read widely. Of
m y debt to others I can hardly say enough. For example,
H . G r a d y D a v i s m a d e a special contribution. A s I was at-
tempting to find m y way, his b o o k found me. While he might
 Preface
want to disown any connection with this volume, his Design
for Preaching proved yeast for my thinking. I have drawn
from myriad other sources as well—some now forgotten, but
not deliberately, l b those unacknowledged contributors, I
plead the experience of H o m e r as reported b y R u d y a r d
Kipling:

When 'Omer smote 'is bloomin' lyre,

He'd 'eard men sing by land an' sea;
An' what the thought 'e might require,
'E went an' took—the same as me!

The market-girls an' fishermen,

The shepherds an' the sailors, too,
They 'eard old songs turn up again,
But kep' it quiet —same as you!

They knew 'e stole; 'e knew they knowed.

They didn't tell, nor make a fuss,
But winked at 'Omer down the road,
An' 'e winked back—the same as us! 1

I acknowledge my debt to scores of others. To those stu-

dents w h o raised the questions that I was driven to answer
and w h o told me in gentle ways when I simply did not make
myself clear, I owe much more than thanks. M y former col-
leagues at Dallas Theological Seminary contributed far more
than they realize. Duane Litfin, John Reed, Mike Cocoris,
Elliott Johnson, Harold Hoehner, and Zane Hodges, among
others, are men w h o love G o d with their minds—and w h o
are not hesitant to speak them. Bruce Waltke of Regent Col-
lege contributed enormously to my life over twenty years and
provided a model of scholarship related to life. Since all of
these and others influenced me deeply, it is only fair that for
weaknesses in this volume they should shoulder a large share
of the blame!
Nancy Hardin deserves special mention. Not only did she

1. Rudyard Kipling's Verse: 1885-1926 (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page,

1927), p. 403.
Biblical Preaching

prepare and type the manuscript, but like a vigilant sentry

she guarded m y time so that I could find opportunities to
write.
A n d m y wife, Bonnie! H o w much I o w e her! Only she
k n o w s as she reads these w o r d s h o w much she has done for
me. Only I can k n o w the profound influence she has had on
m y life.
N o w that the preface is written, w e can be on to the task.
A n y o n e sensitive to the Scriptures k n o w s the a w e of the min-
istry. M a t t h e w Simpson in his Lectures on Preaching put the
preacher in his place: " H i s throne is the pulpit; he stands in
Christ's stead; his message is the w o r d of G o d ; around him
are immortal souls; the Savior, unseen, is beside him; the
H o l y Spirit broods over the congregation; angels gaze upon
the scene, and heaven and hell await the issue. What associ-
ations, and what vast responsibility!" 2

2. ( N e w York: Phillips & Hunt, 1879), p. 166.

 Abbreviations

ASV American Standard Version. 1901. 1

KJV King James Version. 1611.

NASB New American Standard Bible. L a Habra, Calif.:
L o c k m a n Foundation, 1971.
NIV New International Version. East Brunswick, N.J.:
N e w Y o r k International Bible Society, 1978.
NKJB New King James Bible: New Testament. Nashville:
T h o m a s Nelson, 1979.
Phillips The New Testament in Modern English. Translated
by J. B. Phillips. N e w York: Macmillan, 195°..
RSV Revised Standard Version. N e w York: Division of
Christian Education, N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of the
Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., 1952, 1971.

1. In quotations from the American Standard Version, Jehovah has been

changed to Yahweh.
 Chapter 1

The Case for Expository Preaching

This is a b o o k about expository preaching, but it may

h a v e b e e n w r i t t e n for a d e p r e s s e d market. N o t e v e r y o n e
agrees that expository preaching—or any sort of preaching,
for that matter—is an urgent need of the church. T h e w o r d
is out in s o m e circles that preaching should b e abandoned.
T h e m o v i n g finger has passed it by and n o w points to other
methods and ministries that are m o r e " e f f e c t i v e " and in tune
with the times.

The Devaluation of Preaching

To explain w h y preaching receives these l o w grades would

take us into every area o f our c o m m o n life. N o longer re-
garded as the intellectual or even the spiritual leader in the
community, the i m a g e of the preacher has changed. A s k the
man in the p e w to describe a minister, and the description
Biblical Preaching

may not be nattering. A c c o r d i n g to K y l e Haselden, the pastor

comes across as a "bland c o m p o s i t e " of the congregation's
"congenial, ever helpful, ever ready to help boy scout; as the
darling of the old ladies and as sufficiently reserved with the
y o u n g ones; as the father i m a g e for the y o u n g people and a
companion to lonely men; as the affable glad-hander at teas
and civic club luncheons." I f that pictures reality at all, while
1

the preacher may b e liked, he w i l l certainly not b e respected.

I n a d d i t i o n , p r e a c h i n g t a k e s p l a c e in an o v e r c o m -
municated society. Mass media b o m b a r d us with a hundred
thousand " m e s s a g e s " a day. T e l e v i s i o n and radio feature
pitchmen delivering a " w o r d from the sponsor" with all the
sincerity of an evangelist. Within that context the preacher
m a y sound l i k e another huckster w h o , in John Ruskin's
w o r d s , " p l a y s stage tricks w i t h the doctrines o f life and
death."
M o r e important, perhaps, the man in the pulpit feels
r o b b e d of an authoritative message. M u c h modern theology
offers him little more than holy hunches, and he suspects
that the sophisticates in the p e w place m o r e faith in science
texts than in preaching texts. F o r some preachers, therefore,
fads in communication b e c o m e m o r e stimulating than the
message. Multimedia presentations, filmstrips, sharing ses-
sions, blinking lights, and up-to-date music may b e symp-
t o m s o f e i t h e r health or d i s e a s e . U n d o u b t e d l y , m o d e r n
techniques can enhance communication, but on the other
hand, they can substitute for the message—the startling and
unusual may mask a vacuum.
Social action appeals m o r e to a segment o f the church
than talking or listening. What g o o d are w o r d s of faith, they
ask, when society demands works of faith? P e o p l e with this
mindset j u d g e that the apostles had things turned around
w h e n they decided, " I t is not right that w e should forsake the

1. The Urgency of Preachirig, pp. 88-89. Note that full bibliographical in-
formation is not supplied in the footnotes for books included in the "Selec-
tive Bibliography of Works Cited." N o r is bibliographical information that
is given in the text repeated in the footnotes.
 The Case for Expository Preaching

Word of G o d to serve tables" (Acts 6:2). In a day of activism,

it is m o r e relevant to declare instead, " I t is not right that w e
should forsake the service of tables to preach the Word of
God."

The Case for Preaching

In spite of the " b a d m o u t h i n g " o f preaching and preach-

ers, no one w h o takes the B i b l e seriously dare count preach-
ing out. Paul was a writer. F r o m his pen w e have most o f the
inspired letters o f the N e w Testament, and heading the list o f
his letters is the one to the Romans. Measured by its impact
on history, f e w documents compare with it. Y e t w h e n Paul
wrote this letter to the congregation in R o m e , he confessed,
" I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual
gift to strengthen you, that is, that w e may b e mutually en-
couraged by each other's faith, both yours and m i n e " (1:11—
12 RSV). Paul realized that some ministries simply cannot take
place apart from face-to-face contact. E v e n the reading o f an
inspired letter will not substitute. " I am eager to preach the
gospel to you . . . w h o are in R o m e " (1:15 RSV). A p o w e r comes
through the w o r d preached that even the inerrant written
w o r d cannot replace.
To the N e w Testament writers preaching stands as the
e v e n t t h r o u g h w h i c h G o d w o r k s . P e t e r , for e x a m p l e , re-
m i n d e d his readers that they had " b e e n born anew, not of
perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and
abiding w o r d of G o d " (I P e t e r 1:23 RSV). H o w had this w o r d
c o m e to affect their lives? " T h a t w o r d , " P e t e r explained, "is
the g o o d news which was preached to y o u " (1:25). T h r o u g h
preaching G o d had r e d e e m e d them.
M o r e o v e r , P a u l r e c o u n t e d the spiritual history of t h e
Thessalonians w h o had "turned to G o d from idols, to serve
a living and true G o d , and to wait for his Son from h e a v e n "
(I Thess. 1:9-10 RSV). That about-face occurred, explained the
apostle, because " w h e n you received the w o r d of G o d w h i c h
Biblical Preaching

you heard from us, you accepted it not as the w o r d of men

but as what it actually is, the w o r d of G o d , which is at w o r k
in you believers" (2:13 RSV). Preaching in Paul's mind did not
consist of a man discussing religion. Instead G o d Himself
spoke through the personality and message of a preacher to
confront men and w o m e n and bring them to Himself.
A l l of this explains w h y Paul encouraged his young as-
sociate T i m o t h y to "preach the w o r d " ( I I Tim. 4:2). Preach
means "to cry out, herald, or exhort." Preaching should so
stir a man that he pours out the message with passion and
fervor. N o t all passionate pleading from a pulpit, however,
possesses divine authority. When a preacher speaks as a her-
ald, he must cry out "the w o r d . " A n y t h i n g less cannot legit-
imately pass for Christian preaching.

The Need for Expository Preaching

T h e man in the pulpit faces the pressing temptation to

deliver some message other than that o f the Scriptures—a
political system (either right-wing or left-wing), a theory of
economics, a n e w religious philosophy, old religious slogans,
a trend in psychology. A preacher can proclaim anything in
a stained-glass v o i c e , at 11:30 on Sunday morning, following
the singing of hymns. Yet w h e n a preacher fails to preach the
Scriptures, he abandons his authority. H e confronts his hear-
ers no longer with a w o r d from G o d but only with another
w o r d from men. Therefore most m o d e r n preaching e v o k e s
little more than a w i d e yawn. G o d is not in it.
G o d speaks through the Bible. It is the major tool of com-
munication by which H e addresses individuals today. Bibli-
cal preaching, therefore, must not b e equated w i t h "the old,
old story of Jesus and His l o v e " as though it w e r e retelling
history about better times w h e n G o d was alive and well. N o r
is preaching merely a rehash of ideas about G o d — o r t h o d o x ,
but r e m o v e d from life. T h r o u g h the preaching o f the Scrip-
tures, G o d encounters men and w o m e n to bring them to sal-
 The Case for Expository Preaching

vation ( I I Tim. 3:15) and to richness and ripeness of Christian

character ( I I T i m . 3.16-17). S o m e t h i n g a w e s o m e happens
w h e n G o d confronts an individual through preaching and
seizes him by the soul.
T h e t y p e of preaching that best carries the force of divine
authority is expository preaching. It w o u l d be fatuous, how-
ever, to assume that e v e r y o n e agrees with that statement. A
poll o f churchgoers w h o h a v e s q u i r m e d for hours under
preaching labeled as expository—but dry as corn flakes with-
out m i l k — c o u l d n o t b e e x p e c t e d t o a g r e e . W h i l e m o s t
preachers tip their hats to expository preaching, their prac-
tice gives them away. Since they seldom do it, they too v o t e
no.
A d m i t t e d l y , expository preaching has suffered severely
in the pulpits of m e n claiming to be its friends. Y e t not all
expository preaching necessarily qualifies as either "exposi-
t o r y " or "preaching." Regrettably the Bureau of Weights and
Measures does not have a standard expository sermon en-
cased in glass against which to compare other messages. A n y
manufacturer may paste the label " e x p o s i t o r y " on whatever
sermon he pleases, and no Ralph N a d e r will correct him. In
spite of damage done by imposters, genuine expository
preaching has behind it the p o w e r of the living G o d .
What then is the real thing? What constitutes expository
preaching? H o w does it compare or contrast with other kinds
of preaching?

The Definition of Expository Preaching

Defining becomes sticky business because what w e de-

fine w e sometimes destroy. T h e small b o y dissected a frog to
find out what m a d e it j u m p , but in learning something about
the parts he destroyed its life. Preaching is a living process
i n v o l v i n g G o d , the preacher, and the congregation, and no
definition can pretend to capture that dynamic. But w e must
attempt a w o r k i n g definition anyway.
Biblical Preaching

Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical

concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical,
grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context,
which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and ex-
perience of the preacher, then through him to his hearers.

The Passage Governs the Sermon

What particulars of this elaborate and rather dry defini-

tion should w e highlight? First, and above all, the thought o f
the biblical writer determines the substance of an expository
sermon. I n many sermons the biblical passage read to the
congregation resembles the national anthem played at a foot-
ball g a m e — i t gets things started but is not heard again dur-
i n g t h e a f t e r n o o n . I n e x p o s i t o r y p r e a c h i n g , as R . H .
M o n t g o m e r y describes it, "the preacher undertakes the pre-
sentation of particular books [of the Bible] as some men would
undertake the latest best seller. T h e preacher seeks to bring
the message of definite units of G o d ' s Word to his p e o p l e . "
Expository preaching at its core is more a philosophy
than a method. Whether or not a man can be called an ex-
positor starts with his purpose and with his honest answer to
the question: " D o you, as a preacher, endeavor to bend your
thought to the Scriptures, or do you use the Scriptures to
support your thought?" This is not the same question as, " I s
what you are preaching orthodox or evangelical?" N o r is it
the same as, " D o you hold a high v i e w of the B i b l e or b e l i e v e
it to b e the infallible Word o f G o d ? " A s important as these
questions may appear in other circumstances, a passing grade
in systematic theology does not qualify an individual as an
expositor of the Bible. T h e o l o g y may protect us from evils
lurking in atomistic, nearsighted interpretations, but at the
same t i m e it may blindfold us from seeing the text. I n his
approach to a passage, an interpreter must be willing to reex-
amine his doctrinal convictions and to reject the judgments
of his most respected teachers. H e must make a U-turn in his
 The Case for Expository Preaching

o w n previous understandings of the B i b l e should these con-

flict with the concepts of the biblical writer.
A d o p t i n g this attitude toward Scripture demands both
simplicity and sophistication. On the one hand an expositor
approaches his B i b l e with a childlike attitude to hear again
the story. H e does not c o m e to argue, to p r o v e a point, or
even to find a sermon. H e reads to understand and to expe-
rience what he understands. A t the same time he k n o w s he
lives not as a child but as an adult locked into presupposi-
tions and a world v i e w that makes understanding difficult.
T h e B i b l e is not a child's storybook, but great literature that
requires thoughtful response. A l l its diamonds do not lie ex-
posed on the surface to b e picked like flowers. Its richness
is m i n e d o n l y t h r o u g h h a r d i n t e l l e c t u a l a n d s p i r i t u a l
spadework.

The Expositor Communicates a Concept

T h e definition emphasizes that the expositor communi-

cates a concept. S o m e conservative preachers have been led
astray b y their doctrine o f inspiration and a poor understand-
ing of h o w language works. Orthodox theologians insist that
the H o l y Spirit protects the individual w o r d s of the original
text. Words are the stuff from which ideas are made, they
argue, and unless the w o r d s are inspired, the ideas cannot b e
guarded from error. While a necessary plank in the evangel-
ical platform on biblical authority, this sometimes frustrates
expository preaching. Although a preacher examines w o r d s
in the t e x t and sometimes deals w i t h particular w o r d s in
preaching, words and phrases should never b e c o m e ends in
themselves. Words are stupid things until linked with other
w o r d s to c o n v e y m e a n i n g . In our approach to the B i b l e ,
therefore, w e are primarily concerned not with what indi-
vidual words mean, but with what the biblical writer means
through his use of words. Putting this another way, w e do
not understand the concepts o f a passage merely because w e
analyze its separate w o r d s . A w o r d - b y - w o r d g r a m m a t i c a l
Biblical Preaching

analysis can be as pointless and boring as reading a diction-

ary. I f an e x p o s i t o r aims to understand the B i b l e and to
c o m m u n i c a t e its message, he must d o so on the level of ideas.
Francis A . Schaeffer in his b o o k True Spirituality argues
that t h e g r e a t b a t t l e for m e n takes p l a c e in t h e r e a l m o f
thought:

Ideas are the stock of the thought-world, and from the ideas
burst forth all the external things; painting, music, buildings,
the love and the hating of men in practice, and equally the
results of loving G o d or rebellion against God, in the external
world. Where a man will spend eternity depends on his reading
or hearing the ideas, the propositional truth, the facts of the
gospel . . . either his believing G o d on the basis of the content
of the gospel or his calling G o d a liar. . . . The preaching of the
gospel is ideas, flaming ideas brought to men, as G o d has re-
vealed them to us in Scripture. It is not a contentless experi-
ence internally received, but it is contentful ideas internally
acted upon that make the difference. So when w e state our
doctrines, they must be ideas, and not just phrases. We cannot
use doctrines as though they were mechanical pieces to a puz-
zle. True doctrine is an idea revealed by God in the Bible and
an idea that fits properly into the external world as it is, and
as G o d made it, and to man as he is, as G o d made him, and
can be fed back through man's body into his thought-world
and there acted upon. The battle for man is centrally in the
world of thought. 2

The Concept Comes from the Text

T h e emphasis on ideas as t h e substance of e x p o s i t o r y

preaching does not in any w a y d e n y the importance of v o -
cabulary or grammar. T h e definition goes on to explain that
in the e x p o s i t o r y sermon the idea is derived from and trans-
mitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study
of a passage in its context. T h i s deals first w i t h h o w the
preacher c o m e s to his message and, second, with h o w he
communicates it. B o t h i n v o l v e the examination of grammar,

2. (Wheaton, 111.: Tyndale, 1971), pp. 121-22.

 The Case for Expository Preaching

history, and literary forms. In his study the expositor searches

for the objective meaning of a passage through his under-
standing of language, backgrounds, and the setting o f the
text. T h e n in the pulpit he presents enough of his study to
the congregation so that a listener may check the interpre-
tation for himself.

Ultimately the authority behind preaching resides not in

the preacher but in the biblical text. F o r that reason the ex-
positor deals largely with an explanation o f Scripture, so that
he focuses the listener's attention on the Bible. A n expositor
may be respected for his exegetical abilities and his diligent
preparation, but these qualities d o not transform him into a
Protestant p o p e w h o speaks ex cathedra. A s H e n r y D a v i d
Thoreau wrote, "It takes t w o to speak the truth—one to speak,
and another to hear." N o truth worth k n o w i n g w i l l b e ac-
quired without a tussle, so if a congregation grows, it must
share the struggle. "To have great poets, there must be great
audiences," Walt W h i t m a n confessed. Effective e x p o s i t o r y
preaching requires listeners w i t h ears to hear. Since their
souls depend upon it, a preacher must offer his hearers suf-
ficient information to decide if what they are hearing is what
the B i b l e actually says.

I f the people in the p e w must w o r k to understand the

preacher, he himself must labor to understand the writers of
the Bible. Communication means "a meeting of meanings,"
and for communication to occur across an auditorium or
across the centuries, those i n v o l v e d must share things in
c o m m o n — l a n g u a g e , culture, a w o r l d v i e w , communication
forms. A n expositor pulls up his chair to w h e r e the biblical
authors sat. H e attempts to work his w a y back into the w o r l d
of the Scriptures to understand the message. T h o u g h he need
not master all the languages, history, and literary forms of
the biblical writers, an expositor should appreciate the con-
tribution of each of these disciplines. H e can b e c o m e aware
of the w i d e assortment of interpretive aids available to him
Biblical Preaching

for use in his study. A s much as possible the expositor series

3

a firsthand acquaintance with the biblical writers and their

ideas in context.

The Concept Is Applied to the Expositor

Our definition of expository preaching goes on to say that

the truth must be applied to the personality and experience
of the preacher. This places God's dealing with the preacher
at the center of the process. A s much as w e might wish it
otherwise, the preacher cannot b e separated from the mes-
sage. W h o has not heard some devout brother pray in antic-
ipation of a sermon, " H i d e our pastor behind the cross so that
w e may see not him but Jesus only." We c o m m e n d the spirit
of such a prayer. Men and w o m e n must get past the preacher
to t h e S a v i o r . (Or perhaps the S a v i o r must g e t past t h e
preacher to the people!) Yet no place exists w h e r e a preacher
may hide. Even a large pulpit cannot conceal him from v i e w .
Phillips B r o o k s was on to something w h e n he described
preaching as "truth poured through personality." T h e man
affects his message. H e m a y b e mouthing a scriptural idea
y e t remain as impersonal as a telephone recording, as super-
ficial as a radio commercial, or as manipulative as a " c o n "
man. T h e audience does not hear a sermon, they hear a man.

Bishop William A . Quayle had this in m i n d w h e n he re-

jected standard definitions o f homiletics. " P r e a c h i n g is the
art of making a sermon and delivering it?" he asked. " W h y
no, that is not preaching. Preaching is the art of making a
preacher and delivering that!" Expository preaching should
d e v e l o p the preacher into a mature Christian. A s the expos-
itor studies his Bible, the H o l y Spirit studies him. When a
man prepares expository sermons, G o d prepares the man. A s
P. T. Forsyth said, " T h e B i b l e is the supreme preacher to the
preacher."

3. Some of these aids will be discussed in chapter 3.

 The Case for Expository Preaching

Distinctions made between "studying the Bible to get a

sermon and studying the B i b l e to feed your o w n soul," are
misleading and false. A scholar may examine the B i b l e as
H e b r e w poetry or as a record of the births and reigns of long-
dead kings and y e t not b e confronted b y its truth. Yet n o
such detachment can exist for one w h o opens the B o o k as
the Word o f G o d . B e f o r e a man proclaims the message of the
B i b l e to others, he should live with that message himself.

Regrettably, many preachers fail as Christians before they

fail as preachers because they d o not think biblically. A sig-
nificant number of ministers—many o f w h o m profess high
regard for the Scriptures —prepare their sermons without
consulting the B i b l e at all. While the sacred text serves as an
appetizer t o get a sermon underway or as a garnish to deco-
rate the message, the main course consists o f the preacher's
o w n thought or someone else's thought w a r m e d up for the
occasion.

Even in what is billed as "expository preaching" the verses

can b e c o m e launching pads for the preacher's o w n opinions.
One c o m m o n recipe found in homiletical c o o k b o o k s reads
something like this: "Take several theological or moral plat-
itudes, m i x with equal parts of 'dedication,' 'evangelism,' or
'stewardship,' add several ' k i n g d o m s ' or 'the B i b l e says,' stir
in a selection o f stories, add 'salvation' t o taste. S e r v e hot on
a b e d of Scripture verses." Such sermons not only leave a
congregation undernourished; worse, they starve the
preacher. H e does not g r o w because the H o l y Spirit has noth-
ing t o feed him. William Barclay diagnosed the cause o f spir-
itual malnutrition in a minister's life w h e n he w r o t e : " T h e
more a man allows his mind to grow slack and lazy and flabby,
the less the H o l y Spirit can say to him. True preaching comes
when the l o v i n g heart and the disciplined mind are laid at
the disposal o f the H o l y Spirit." Ultimately G o d is m o r e in-
4

terested in developing messengers than messages, and since

the H o l y Spirit confronts m e n primarily through the Bible,

4. A Spiritual Autobiography (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975).

Biblical Preaching

a preacher must learn to listen to G o d before he speaks for

Him.

The Concept Is Applied to the Hearers

But not only does the H o l y Spirit apply His truth to the
personality and experience of the preacher, according to our
definition H e then applies that truth through him to his hear-
ers. A n expositor thinks in three areas. First, as an exegete he
struggles with the meanings of the biblical writer. T h e n as a
man of God he wrestles with h o w G o d wants to change him
personally. Finally, as a preacher he ponders what G o d wants
to say to his congregation.
A p p l i c a t i o n gives expository preaching purpose. A s a
shepherd the expositor relates to the hurts, cries, and fears
of his flock. Therefore he studies the Scriptures, w o n d e r i n g
what they say to his p e o p l e in grief and guilt, doubt and
death. Paul reminded T i m o t h y that the Scriptures w e r e g i v e n
to be applied. " A l l scripture is inspired b y G o d , " he wrote,
"and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for
resetting the direction of a man's life and training him in
g o o d living. T h e scriptures are the c o m p r e h e n s i v e equip-
ment of the man of G o d , and fit him fully for all branches of
his w o r k " ( I I Tim. 3:16-17 Phillips).
Dull expository preaching usually lacks creative appli-
cations. B o r i n g sermons e v o k e t w o major complaints. First,
listeners g r u m b l e , " I t ' s always the same old t h i n g . " T h e
preacher gives all passages the same application, or worse,
no application at all. " M a y the H o l y Spirit apply this truth to
our lives," incants a speaker w h o does not have a ghost of a
guess himself as to h o w his content changes people. A second
negative reaction reflects that the sermon does not relate to
the world directly enough to b e of practical use: "It's true
enough, I guess, but so what? What difference does it m a k e ? "
After all, if a man or w o m a n decides to live under the man-
date of Scripture, such action will normally take place out-
side the church building. On the outside, people lose jobs,
 The Case for Expository Preaching

w o r r y about their children, and find crabgrass invading their

lawns. S e l d o m do normal people lose sleep over the Jebu-
sites, the Canaanites, or the Perizzites, or even about what
Abraham, Moses, or Paul has said or done. T h e y lie awake
w o n d e r i n g about grocery prices, crop failures, quarrels with
a girlfriend, diagnosis o f a malignancy, a frustrating sex life,
the rat race where only rats seem to win. I f the sermon does
not m a k e much difference in that w o r l d , they w o n d e r if it
makes any difference at all.
A preacher, therefore, should forget about speaking to
the ages and speak to his day. A n expository preacher con-
fronts people about themselves from the B i b l e instead of lec-
turing to them from the B i b l e about history or archaeology.
A congregation convenes as a jury n o t t o convict Judas, P e -
ter, or Solomon, but to j u d g e themselves. T h e expositor must
k n o w his people as w e l l as his message, and to acquire that
k n o w l e d g e he exegetes both the Scripture and the congre-
gation. After all, w h e n G o d speaks H e addresses m e n and
w o m e n as they are, w h e r e they are. I m a g i n e that Paul's let-
ters to the Corinthians had gotten lost in the mails and in-
stead had been delivered to the Christians at Philippi. T h e
Philippians w o u l d have puzzled over the specific problems
Paul w r o t e about since they l i v e d in a different situation than
their brethren in Corinth. T h e letters of the N e w Testament,
like the prophecies of the Old, w e r e addressed to specific
assemblies struggling with particular problems. Expository
sermons today w i l l b e ineffective unless the preacher realizes
that his listeners too exist at a particular address and have
mindsets unique to them.
Effective application thrusts an expositor into both the-
jology and ethics. G o i n g from exegesis to application, a man
makes a hard trip through life-related and sometimes-per-
plexing questions. In addition to grammatical relationships,
he also explores personal and psychological relationships.
H o w do the characters in the text relate to one another? H o w
are they related to G o d ? What values lie behind the choices
they make? What went on in the minds of those w h o w e r e
Biblical Preaching

involved? These questions are not directed to the "there and

then," as though G o d dealt with m e n and w o m e n only back
in the " o n c e upon a t i m e . " T h e same questions can be asked
in the "here and n o w . " H o w do w e relate to one another to-
day? H o w does G o d confront us with these same issues? In
what w a y does the modern world compare or contrast with
the biblical world? A r e the questions dealt with in Scripture
the questions men ask today? A r e they put forth in the same
way or in different forms? These probings b e c o m e the raw
material of ethics and theology. Application tacked on to an
expository sermon in an attempt to make it relevant skirts
these questions and ignores the m a x i m o f our Protestant
forebears: "Doctrines must be preached practically, and du-
ties doctrinally."
Inappropriate application can be as destructive as inept
exegesis. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he
tried to achieve victory through misapplication of Scripture.
T h e tempter whispered Psalm 91 with admirable precision:
" H e will g i v e his angels charge over you to keep you in all
your w a y s . . . . lest you dash your foot against a stone" ( w . 1 1 -
12). T h e n Satan reasoned, " S i n c e y o u possess this strong
promise, w h y not apply it to a leap from the temple-top and
demonstrate once and for all that you are the Son of G o d ? "
In refuting the devil, Jesus did not debate the grammar of
the H e b r e w text. Instead H e attacked the application o f
Psalm 91 to temple-jumping. A n o t h e r passage of Scripture
better fit that situation, " Y o u shall not tempt the L o r d your
God."
We must preach to a w o r l d addressed by the novelist, the
columnist, and the playwright. I f w e d o not, w e will have
hearers w h o are orthodox in their heads but heretics in their
conduct. Of course in preaching to a secular world w e must
not preach a secular word. While biblical ideas must b e shaped
to human experience, men and w o m e n must be called to con-
form to biblical truth. " R e l e v a n t sermons" may b e c o m e pul-
pit trifles unless they relate the current situation to the eternal
Word of G o d .
 The Case for Expository Preaching

F. B. M e y e r understood the a w e w i t h w h i c h a biblical

preacher speaks to the issues of his age: " H e is in a line of great
succession. T h e reformers, the Puritans, the pastors of the
P i l g r i m fathers w e r e essentially expositors. T h e y did not an-
nounce their o w n particular opinions, w h i c h might be a mat-
ter of p r i v a t e interpretation or doubtful disposition, but,
taking their stand on Scripture, d r o v e h o m e their message
with irresistible effect with 'Thus saith the L o r d . ' "
Biblical Preaching

New Concepts

Expository preaching

Definitions

Expository preaching —the communication of a biblical con-

cept, derived from and transmitted through
a historical,
grammatical,
literary study of a passage in its context,
w h i c h the H o l y Spirit first applies
to the personality and e x p e r i e n c e o f the preacher,
then through him to his hearers.
 Chapter 2

What's the Big Idea?

I do not appreciate opera; what is worse, I have several

friends w h o do. L i v i n g with them makes m e feel like I exist
in a cultural desert, and I have taken several steps to change
m y condition. On occasion I have actually attended an opera.
L i k e a sinner shamed into attending church, I have made m y
way to the music hall to let culture have its w a y in me. On
most o f these visits, however, I have returned h o m e unre-
sponsive to what the artists have tried to do.
I understand enough about opera, o f course, to k n o w that
a story has been acted out with the actors singing rather than
speaking their parts. Usually, though, the story line stays as
vague to m e as the Italian lyrics, but opera buffs tell m e that
the plot is incidental to the performance. Should someone
bother to ask m y evaluation of the opera, I would c o m m e n t
on the well-constructed sets, the brilliant costumes, or the
heftiness o f the soprano. I could render no reliable j u d g m e n t
on the interpretation of the music or e v e n the dramatic im-
Biblical Preaching

pact of the performance. When I return from the music hall

with a c r u m p l e d p r o g r a m and an assortment o f r a n d o m
impressions, I actually d o not k n o w h o w to evaluate what
has taken place.
When p e o p l e attend church, they may respond to the
preacher like a novice at the opera. T h e y have never been
told what a sermon is supposed to do. C o m m o n l y the listener
reacts to the emotional highs. H e enjoys the human interest
stories, jots d o w n a catchy sentence or two, and judges the
sermon a success if the preacher quits on time. Important
matters, such as the subject of the sermon, may escape h i m
completely. Years ago Calvin C o o l i d g e returned h o m e from
services one Sunday and was asked b y his w i f e what the
minister had talked about. Coolidge replied, " S i n . " When his
w i f e pressed him as to what the preacher said about sin, Cool-
idge responded, " I think he was against it." T h e truth is that
many people in the p e w would not score much higher than
C o o l i d g e if quizzed about the content of last Sunday's ser-
mon. To them, preachers preach about sin, salvation, prayer,
or suffering—all together or one at a time in thirty-five min-
utes. Judging from the uncomprehending w a y in w h i c h lis-
teners talk about a sermon, it is hard to believe that they have
listened to a message. Instead the responses indicate that
they leave with a basketful of fragments but n o adequate
sense of the whole.
Unfortunately some o f us learn to preach as w e have lis-
tened. Preachers, like their audiences, may conceive of ser-
mons as a collection of points that have little relationship to
each other. H e r e textbooks designed to help the speaker may
actually hinder him. Discussions of outlining usually empha-
size the place of R o m a n and A r a b i c numerals along w i t h
proper indentation, but these factors, important as they are,
may ignore the obvious—an outline is the shape of the ser-
mon idea, and the parts must all be related to the whole.
Three or four points not related to a more inclusive point d o
not make a message; they make three or four sermonettes all
preached at one time. Reuel L. H o w e listened to hundreds o f
 What's the Big Idea?

taped sermons, held discussions with laymen, and concluded

that the people in the p e w "complain almost unanimously
that sermons often contain too many i d e a s . " That may not 1

be an accurate observation. Sermons seldom fail because they

have too many ideas; m o r e often they fail because they deal
with unrelated ideas.
Fragmentation poses a particular danger for the exposi-
tory preacher. S o m e expository sermons offer little more than
scattered comments based on w o r d s and phrases from a pas-
sage, making no attempt to show h o w the various thoughts
fit together. A t the outset the preacher may catch the con-
gregation's mind with some observation about life, or worse
he may j u m p into the text with no thought about the present
at all. A s the sermon goes on, the preacher comments on the
words and phrases in the passage with sub themes and major
themes and individual w o r d s all g i v e n equal emphasis. I n the
conclusion, if there is one, he usually substitutes a vague ex-
hortation for relevant application, since no single truth has
e m e r g e d for him to apply. When the congregation goes back
into the world, it has received no message b y w h i c h to l i v e
since it has not occurred to the preacher to preach one.
A m a j o r a f f i r m a t i o n o f our d e f i n i t i o n o f e x p o s i t o r y
preaching, therefore, maintains that " e x p o s i t o r y preaching is
the communication o f a biblical concept." That affirms the
obvious. A sermon should b e a bullet and not buckshot. Ide-
ally each sermon is the explanation, interpretation, or appli-
cation of a single dominant idea supported b y other ideas, all
drawn from one passage or several passages o f Scripture.

The Importance of a Single Idea

Students of public speaking and preaching have argued

for centuries that effective communication demands a single
theme. Rhetoricians hold to this so strongly that virtually

1. Partners in Preaching: Clergy and Laity in Dialogue, p. 26.

Biblical Preaching

e v e r y t e x t b o o k devotes s o m e space to a treatment of the prin-

ciple. T e r m i n o l o g y may vary —central idea, proposition,
theme, thesis statement, main t h o u g h t — b u t the c o n c e p t is
the same: an effective speech "centers on o n e specific thing,
a central i d e a . " This thought is so axiomatic to speech c o m -
2

munication that some authors, such as L e s t e r Thonssen and

A . Craig Baird, almost take it for granted:

Little need be said here about the emergence of the central

theme. It is assumed that the speech possesses a clearly de-
fined and easily determined thesis or purpose; that this thesis
is unencumbered by collateral theses which interfere with the
clear perception of the principal one; and that the development
is of such a character as to provide for the easy and unmistak-
able emergence of the thesis through the unfolding of the con-
tents of the speech. 3

Homileticians j o i n their v o i c e s to insist that a sermon,

l i k e any g o o d speech, e m b o d i e s a single, all-encompassing
concept. D o n a l d G. Miller, in a chapter d e v o t e d to the heart
of biblical preaching, speaks clearly:

. . . any single sermon should have just one major idea. The
points or subdivisions should be parts of this one grand thought.
Just as bites of any particular food are all parts of the whole,
cut into sizes that are both palatable and digestible, so the
points of a sermon should be smaller sections of the one theme,
broken into tinier fragments so that the mind may grasp them
and the life assimilate them. . . . We are now ready to state in
simplest terms the burden of this chapter. It is this: Every
sermon should have a theme, and that theme should be the theme
of the portion of Scripture on which it is based.*

2. William Norwood Brigance, Speech: Its Techniques and Disciplines in a

Free Society, p. 35. See also the discussions of the central idea in: Donald C.
Bryant and Karl R. Wallace, Fundamentals of Public Speaking, 3d ed.,
pp. 146-48; Milton Dickens, Speech: Dynamic Communication, pp. 58, 2 5 4 -
56, 267-71; A l m a Johnson Sarett, L e w Sarett, and William Trufant Foster,
Basic Principles of Speech, p. 215.
3. Speech Criticism: The Development of Standards for Rhetorical Ap-
praisal, p. 393.
4. The Way to Biblical Preaching, pp. 53, 55. Italics his.
 What's the Big Idea?

F r o m a different tradition A l a n M . Stibbs adds a seconding

voice: the "preacher must develop his expository treatment
of the t e x t in relation to a single d o m i n a n t t h e m e . . . . " 5

H. Grady Davis develops his b o o k Design for Preaching in

support of the thesis that " a well-prepared sermon is the em-
bodiment, the development, the full statement of a signifi-
cant thought." 6
A classic statement of this concept comes
from J. H. Jowett in his Yale lectures on preaching:

I h a v e a c o n v i c t i o n that n o s e r m o n is r e a d y f o r p r e a c h i n g , n o t
r e a d y f o r w r i t i n g out, until w e c a n e x p r e s s its t h e m e i n a short,
p r e g n a n t s e n t e n c e as clear as a crystal. I find t h e getting of that
s e n t e n c e is t h e h a r d e s t , t h e m o s t e x a c t i n g , a n d t h e m o s t fruit-
ful l a b o u r i n m y s t u d y . T o c o m p e l o n e s e l f to f a s h i o n that s e n -
t e n c e , t o d i s m i s s e v e r y w o r d that is v a g u e , r a g g e d , a m b i g u o u s ,
to t h i n k o n e s e l f t h r o u g h to a f o r m o f w o r d s w h i c h d e f i n e s t h e
t h e m e w i t h s c r u p u l o u s e x a c t n e s s — t h i s is s u r e l y o n e o f t h e
m o s t vital a n d e s s e n t i a l factors i n t h e m a k i n g o f a s e r m o n : a n d
I d o n o t think any s e r m o n o u g h t to b e p r e a c h e d or e v e n writ-
ten, u n t i l that s e n t e n c e h a s e m e r g e d , c l e a r a n d l u c i d a s a c l o u d -
less m o o n . 7

To ignore the principle that a central, unifying idea must be

at the heart o f an effective sermon is to push aside what stu-
dents of preaching have to tell us. 8

A n o v i c e may dismiss the importance o f a central idea as

the ploy of homiletics professors determined to press young
preachers into their mold. It should b e noted, therefore, that
this basic fact o f communication also claims sturdy biblical
support. I n the O l d Testament, the sermons of the prophets

5. Expounding God's Word: Some Principles and Methods, p. 40.

6. P. 20.

7. The Preacher: His Life and Work, p. 133.

8. For example, see: A n d r e w W. Blackwood, Expository Preaching for lb-
day: Case Studies of Bible Passages, p. 95; John A . Broadus, On the Prepa-
ration and Delivery of Sermons, pp. 5 2 - 56; James W. Cox, A Guide to Biblical
Preaching, p. 61; Faris D. Whitesell and L l o y d M . Perry, Variety in Your
Preaching, p. 75; John Wood, The Preacher's Workshop: Preparation for Ex-
pository Preaching, p. 32.
Biblical Preaching

are called " t h e burden of the L o r d . " T h e s e proclamations

w e r e not a f e w "appropriate r e m a r k s " delivered because the
man of G o d w a s e x p e c t e d to say s o m e t h i n g . Instead the
prophet addressed his countrymen because he had some-
thing to say. H e preached a message, c o m p l e t e and entire, to
persuade his hearers to return to G o d . A s a result the sermons
o f the prophets possessed both form and purpose. Each em-
bodied a single t h e m e directed toward a particular audience
in order to elicit a specific response.
In the N e w Testament, the historian L u k e presents sam-
ples of the preaching that enabled the church to penetrate
the ancient w o r l d . T h e sermons o f the apostles w e r e without
exception the proclamation of a single idea directed toward
a particular a u d i e n c e . T h e c o n c l u s i o n o f D o n a l d R. Su-
nukjian about the preaching of Paul could a p p l y equally
to the sermons o f every preacher in A c t s : " E a c h o f Paul's
messages is centered around one simple idea or thought. Each
address crystalizes into a single sentence w h i c h expresses
the sum and substance of the w h o l e discourse. Everything in
the sermons either leads up to, develops, or f o l l o w s from a
single unifying t h e m e . " 9

It should b e noted that each idea receives different treat-

ment by the apostolic preacher. In A c t s 2, for instance, on the
day of Pentecost P e t e r stood before an antagonistic audience
and, to gain a hearing, preached an inductive sermon. H e
does not state his idea until the conclusion: " L e t all the house
of Israel k n o w for certain that G o d has m a d e H i m both L o r d
and Christ—this Jesus w h o m you crucified" (Acts 2:36 NASB).
In A c t s 13, on the other hand, Paul uses a deductive arrange-
ment. His major idea stands at the beginning of the sermon,
and the points that follow amplify and support it. T h e state-
m e n t found in v e r s e 23 declares, " G o d , a c c o r d i n g to the
promise, has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus." In A c t s 20,
w h e n the apostle spoke to the Ephesian elders, his structure

9. "Patterns for Preaching: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Sermons of Paul in

Acts 13, 17, and 20," p. 176.
 What's the Big Idea?

was both inductive and deductive. First Paul draws from his
own life an e x a m p l e o f care for the church, then he warns in
verse 28, " B e on guard for yourselves and for all the flock"
(NASB). H a v i n g stated that central thought, Paul goes on to
explain and apply that idea to the leaders seated before him.
While not all the sermons in Acts d e v e l o p in the same way,
each focuses on a central unifying concept.
I f w e preach effectively, w e must k n o w what w e are about.
Effective sermons major in biblical ideas brought together
into an overarching unity. H a v i n g thought G o d ' s thoughts
after H i m , the expositor communicates and applies those
thoughts to his hearers. In d e p e n d e n c e upon the H o l y Spirit,
he aims to confront, convict, convert, and comfort m e n and
w o m e n through the preaching o f biblical concepts. H e k n o w s
p e o p l e shape their lives and settle their eternal destinies in
response to ideas.

The Definition of an Idea

What do w e mean by an idea? A glance at the dictionary

demonstrates that defining an idea is like packaging fog. A
complete answer w o u l d send us into the broad fields of phi-
losophy, linguistics, and grammar. Webster ranges all the w a y
from " a transcendent entity that is a real pattern of w h i c h
existing things are imperfect representations" to "an entity
(as a thought, concept, sensation or i m a g e ) actually or poten-
tially present to consciousness."
T h e w o r d idea itself m o v e d into English from the Greek
w o r d eido, which means " t o s e e " and therefore " t o k n o w . "
A n idea sometimes enables us to see what was previously
unclear. In c o m m o n life when an explanation provides n e w
insight, w e exclaim, "Oh, I see what y o u m e a n ! " Still another
synonym for idea is concept, which comes from the v e r b " t o
c o n c e i v e . " Just as a sperm and e g g join in the w o m b to pro-
Biblical Preaching

duce n e w life, an idea begins in the mind w h e n things ordi-

narily separated come together to form a unity that either did
not exist or was not recognized previously.
T h e ability to abstract and synthesize, that is, to think in
ideas, develops with maturity. Small children think in par-
ticulars. A child praying at breakfast thanks G o d for the milk,
cereal, orange juice, eggs, bread, butter, and jelly, but an adult
combines all these separate items into the single w o r d food.
A n idea, therefore, may b e considered a distillation of life. It
abstracts out of the particulars of life what they have in com-
m o n and relates them to each other. Through ideas w e m a k e
sense out of the parts of our experience.
A l l ideas, o f course, are not equally valid; w e have g o o d
ideas and bad ideas. Bad ideas offer explanations of experi-
ence that do not reflect reality. T h e y read into life what is not
there. Often w e embrace invalid ideas because they have not
been clearly stated and therefore cannot b e evaluated. In our
culture, influenced as it is by mass media, w e are b o m b a r d e d
by ridiculous concepts that are deliberately left v a g u e so w e
will act without thinking. Years ago Marlboro cigarettes w e r e
marketed as cigarettes for sophisticated w o m e n , but Marl-
boro captured less than one percent of total sales. Consumer
research revealed, however, that m e n s m o k e because they
believe it makes them m o r e masculine, w h i l e w o m e n smoke
because they think it makes t h e m attractive to men. A s a
result of these findings, the advertisers switched their cam-
paign away from w o m e n to m e n and g a v e Marlboros a mas-
culine image. R u g g e d , weather-beaten c o w p u n c h e r s w e r e
portrayed smoking cigarettes as they rounded up cattle, and
the theme line invited the consumer to " c o m e to Marlboro
country." Because the association o f cigarettes with c o w b o y s
c o n v e y e d the idea that smoking Marlboros makes m e n mas-
culine, sales j u m p e d four h u n d r e d percent. T h e idea, of
course, is nonsense. Medical evidence warns us that Marl-
boro country is a cemetery and the Marlboro man probably
suffers from cancer or lung disease. Yet because the idea that
" s m o k i n g makes you masculine" slipped into the m i n d with-
 What's the Big Idea?

out b e i n g c l e a r l y stated, it g a i n e d w i d e a c c e p t a n c e and

boosted sales dramatically.
T h i s is not an isolated incident. W i l l i a m B r y a n K e y ,
speaking about advertising, makes this unsettling statement
of a Madison A v e n u e doctrine: " N o significant belief or atti-
tude held by any individual is apparently m a d e on the basis
of consciously perceived data." I f that stands as a fundamen-
tal affirmation behind the " w o r d from the sponsor," w e should
not b e surprised that truth in advertising is hard to c o m e by.
Ideas sometimes lurk in the basement of our minds like
ghosts difficult to contain. A t times w e struggle to g i v e ideas
expression. " I k n o w what I mean," w e say, " b u t I just can't
put it into w o r d s . " Despite the difficulty o f clothing thought
w i t h w o r d s , a preacher has to d o it. Unless ideas are ex-
pressed in words, w e cannot understand, evaluate, or com-
municate t h e m . I f a preacher w i l l n o t — o r c a n n o t — t h i n k
himself clear so that he says what he means, he has no busi-
ness in the pulpit. H e is like a singer w h o can't sing, an actor
w h o can't act, an accountant w h o can't add.

The Formation of an Idea

To define an idea with "scrupulous exactness" means that

w e must k n o w h o w ideas are formed. When reduced to its
basic structure, an idea consists o f only t w o essential ele-
ments: a subject and a complement. Both are necessary for
an idea to b e complete. When w e talk about the subject of an
idea, w e mean the complete, definite answer to the question,
"What am I talking about?" T h e term subject is being used
here in a technical sense. F o r example, the subject as it is
used in homiletics is not the same thing as a subject in gram-
mar. A grammatical subject is often a single w o r d . T h e sub-
ject of a sermon idea can never b e only one w o r d since it calls
for the precise, full answer to the question, "What am I talk-
ing a b o u t ? " W h i l e single w o r d s such as discipleship, wit-
Biblical Preaching

nessing, worship, grief, or love may masquerade as subjects,

they are too vague to be viable.
A subject cannot stand alone. B y itself it is incomplete,
and therefore it needs a complement. T h e c o m p l e m e n t " c o m -
pletes" the subject by answering the question, " W h a t am I
saying about what I am talking a b o u t ? " A subject without a
c o m p l e m e n t dangles as an open-ended phrase. Complements
without subjects resemble automobile parts not attached to
a car. A n idea emerges only w h e n the complement is j o i n e d
to a definite subject.
A n e x a m p l e o f a subject is the test of a person's character.
(To be absolutely precise the subject is, What is the test of a
person's character?) B u t that phrase must b e c o m p l e t e d t o
have meaning. Standing by itself w e do not k n o w what the
test of character is. A variety o f complements could b e added
to this subject to form an idea. H e r e are a few:

T h e test of a person's character is what it takes to stop

him.
T h e test of a person's character is what she w o u l d do if
she w e r e certain no one w o u l d ever find out.
T h e test o f a person's character is like the test o f an oak—
h o w strong is he at the roots?
Each n e w c o m p l e m e n t tells us what is being said about
the subject, and each n e w c o m p l e m e n t forms a different idea.
Each idea can b e explained, proved, or applied.
A student of preaching must search for ideas w h e n he
reads sermons or prepares sermons of his own. Davis stresses
that a beginner especially must g i v e attention to the w a y
ideas are formed:

H e must stop getting lost in the details and study the essential
structure of sermons. For the time being he has to forget about
the sentences, the arguments used, the quotations, the human
interest stories. H e has to stand off from the sermon far enough
to see its shape as a whole. Stubbornly he has to ask, "What is
the man really talking about, and what are the basic things he
is saying about it?" This means that he must learn to distin-
 What's the Big Idea?
g u i s h b e t w e e n t h e o r g a n i c s t r u c t u r e o f the idea, o n t h e o n e
h a n d , a n d its d e v e l o p m e n t o n t h e other. It is l i k e beginning
w i t h t h e s k e l e t o n i n the s t u d y o f a n a t o m y . 1 0

Finding the subject and c o m p l e m e n t does not start w h e n

the expository preacher begins construction of his sermon.
H e pursues the subject and c o m p l e m e n t w h e n he studies his
Bible. Since each paragraph, section, or subsection o f Scrip-
ture contains an idea, an e x e g e t e does not understand a pas-
sage until he can state its subject and c o m p l e m e n t exactly.
While other questions e m e r g e in the struggle to understand
the meaning o f a biblical writer, the t w o — W h a t is the author
talking about? and What is he saying about what he is talking
about?—are fundamental.

Examples of Forming an Idea

In some passages the subject and c o m p l e m e n t m a y b e

discovered with relative ease, w h i l e in others determining the
idea stands as the major problem in B i b l e study. P s a l m 117
p r o v i d e s an e x a m p l e o f an u n c o m p l i c a t e d t h o u g h t . T h e
psalmist urges:

Praise the Lord, all nations;

Extol him, all you people!
For his love is strong,
his faithfulness eternal.

We d o not understand the psalm until w e can state its

subject. What is the psalmist talking about? T h e subject is
not praise, which is large and imprecise. T h e psalmist does
not tell us everything about praise. N o r is the subject praise
of God, w h i c h is still too broad. T h e subject needs m o r e lim-
its. A precise subject is why everyone should praise the Lord.
What then does the psalmist say about that? H e has t w o com-

10. Design for Preaching, p. 27.

Biblical Preaching

plements to his subject. T h e L o r d should be praised first be-

cause His l o v e is strong and also because His faithfulness is
eternal. In this short psalm the psalmist states his naked idea,
stripped o f any development, but in its bare bones it has a
definite subject and t w o complements.
L o n g e r passages in which the idea receives extensive de-
v e l o p m e n t can be harder to analyze for subject and comple-
ment, but the w o r k must be done. In H e b r e w s 10:19-25 the
author applies a previous discussion of the high-priestly w o r k
of Jesus:

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place

by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us,
a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
and having a great [high] priest over the house of God; let us
draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed
with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope
that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: and let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and good works;
not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of
some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as
ye see the day drawing nigh, (ASV)

While many details in this passage demand explanation,

a careful student w i l l separate the branches from the trees.
Until a subject emerges, it is not possible to determine the
value or significance of anything else that is said. A casual
reader m i g h t b e t e m p t e d to state the subject as the high
priesthood of Jesus, but that subject covers too much. T h e
author o f H e b r e w s does not tell his readers everything about
Christ's high-priestly w o r k in this single paragraph. N o r is he
talking about boldness to enter the holy place, w h i c h is ac-
tually a subidea in the passage. Instead the discussion nar-
r o w s to what should happen since we can enter into God's
presence with confidence and have a great high priest. We
e x p e c t then that the complements of this subject will b e a
series of results, and there are three. First, let us draw near
 What's the Big Idea?

to G o d with the assurance that comes from a cleansed heart

and life; second, let us hold unswervingly to the h o p e w e
profess; and third, let us spur on one another to l o v e and
g o o d works. Everything else in this paragraph enlarges on
this subject with its complements.
In each of these passages, w e determined the subject and
its complement(s) to discover the structure of the idea. I n
order to think clearly w e must constantly distinguish the
structure of the idea from the w a y the idea develops. T h e
effort to state the idea of a passage or of a sermon in exact
w o r d s can b e frustrating and irritating, but in the long run it
is the most economical use o f time. What is m o r e important,
you cannot get anywhere without doing it. Y o u do not under-
stand what you are reading unless you can clearly express
the subject and c o m p l e m e n t o f the section you are studying.
T h o s e w h o hear you do not understand what you are saying
unless t h e y can a n s w e r the basic q u e s t i o n s : What is t h e
preacher talking about today? What is he saying about what
he is talking about? Yet Sunday after Sunday men and w o m e n
leave church unable to state the preacher's basic idea be-
cause the preacher has not bothered to state it himself. W h e n
people depart in a fog, they do so at their spiritual peril.
T h i n k i n g is difficult, but it stands as the essential w o r k
of the preacher. L e t there b e no mistake about the nature of
the task. It is often slow, discouraging, overwhelming, but
w h e n G o d calls men to preach, H e calls them to l o v e H i m
with their minds. G o d deserves that kind of l o v e and so do
the people to w h o m w e minister. On a cold, g l o o m y morning
a preacher w o r k e d on his sermon from breakfast until noon
with Tittle to show for his labor. Impatiently he laid d o w n his
pen and l o o k e d disconsolately out the w i n d o w , feeling sorry
for himself because his sermons came so slowly. T h e n there
flashed into his mind a thought that had profound effect on
his later ministry: your fellow Christians will spend far more
t i m e on this sermon than you will. T h e y will c o m e from a
hundred homes. T h e y will travel a thousand miles in the ag-
Biblical Preaching

gregate to b e in the service. T h e y will spend three hundred

hours participating in the worship and listening to what you
have to say. Don't complain about the hours you are spend-
ing in preparation and the agony you experience. T h e people
deserve all you can g i v e them.
 What's the Big Idea?

New Concepts

Idea
Two essential elements in the statement of an idea:
subject
complement

Definitions

Complement —the answer to the question, What exactly am

I saying about what I ' m talking about?
I d e a — a distillation o f life that abstracts out o f the particulars
of experience what they have in c o m m o n and relates them
to each other.
Subject —the complete, definite answer to the question, What
am I talking about?
Biblical Preaching

Exercises

Determine the subject and c o m p l e m e n t in the following

paragraphs:
1. A g o o d sermon leaves you wondering h o w the preacher
k n e w all about you.

Subject:— . . .

Complement:__

2. Today's pulpit has lost its authority because it has largely

ignored the Bible as the source of its message.

Subject:

Complement:.

3. G. K. Chesterton once said that it is often supposed that

w h e n p e o p l e stop believing in G o d , they believe in noth-
ing. Alas, it is worse than that. When they stop believing
in G o d , they believe in anything. Malcolm Muggeridge

Subject:

Complement:

4. A g o o d name is more desirable than great wealth; the

respect of others is better than silver or gold.
Prov.22:1

Subject:

Complement:

5. Praise the L o r d , all nations;

E x t o l him, all you people!
For his l o v e is strong,
his faithfulness eternal. Ps.117
 What's the Big Idea?

Subject:

Complement: .

6. E v e r y b o d y needs his memories. T h e y keep the w o l f o f

insignificance from the door.
Subject:

Complement:

7. D o not speak harshly to a man older than yourself, but

advise him as you w o u l d your o w n father; treat the younger
m e n as brothers and older w o m e n as y o u w o u l d your mother.
A l w a y s treat younger w o m e n with propriety, as if they w e r e
your sisters. I Tim. 5:1-2

Subject:

Complement:

8. Walking is the exercise that needs no g y m . It is the pre-

scription without medicine, the w e i g h t control without
diet, the cosmetic found in no drugstore. It is the tran-
quilizer without a pill, the therapy without a psychoan-
alyst, the fountain of youth that is no legend. A w a l k is
the vacation that does not cost a cent.
Subject:

Complement: .

9. T h e nation's latest interest in astrology, brought to public

attention in the 60s, is still very much alive. T h e A m e r i -
can Federation of Astrologers has doubled its national
m e m b e r s h i p in the last five years to upwards o f four
thousand, and its mysteries, as ancient as Babylonia, have
even infiltrated such a " n o - n o n s e n s e " place as
Washington, D.C. New York Times
Biblical Preaching

Subject:

Complement:

10. A n e w book, Eating in America: A History, has but one

remark to m a k e about the White House K i t c h e n : " . . . at
the m o m e n t of writing, there is a French chef there w h o
turns out excellent milkshakes and double hamburgers."
Well, there is nothing w r o n g w i t h first-class shakes and
hamburgers, and the chef is Swiss, not French, but the
v e r y fact that a 512-page t o m e on the history o f A m e r i c a n
cuisine has only that to say about White House cooking
reflects an unfortunate point: the culinary reputation of
the White H o u s e is dreary indeed.

What's more, the reputation is largely undeserved. In fact,

the White House has had a splendid chef for the past
dozen years and puts on a display of unusually fine food
for visiting dignitaries. Y e t the m y t h persists that presi-
dents ( K e n n e d y excepted) willfully serve their guests such
h o m e l y items as chili, hot dogs, or cottage cheese and
ketchup. ( T h e s e foods are p r o d u c e d in the president's
private second-floor kitchen, which should not be con-
fused w i t h the basement kitchen used for official
entertaining.) Julia Childs

Subject:

Complement:

(Answers in appendix 1.)

 Stages in the Development
of Expository Messages

1. S e l e c t i n g t h e Passage, page 53.

2. S t u d y i n g t h e Passage, page 57.
3. Discovering t h e Exegetical Idea, page 66.
 Chapter 3

Tools of the Trade

It is difficult to think. It is m o r e difficult to think about

thinking. It is most difficult to talk about thinking about
thinking. Y e t that stands as the basic task o f homiletics. A
homiletician observes h o w preachers w o r k and attempts to
get inside their heads to discover what goes on there as they
prepare to preach. T h e n he must describe the process clearly
enough to m a k e sense to a student. T h e assignment borders
on the impossible.
W h o m should a homiletician study? Certainly not every
preacher. There are duffers in the pulpit as w e l l as on the g o l f
course, and to discover h o w to do something well, w e usually
study those w h o are effective in what they do. Yet well-known
pulpiteers w h o write " h o w I do i t " b o o k s reveal as many vari-
ations in procedure as there are authors. M o r e baffling per-
haps are the nonmethods supposedly used by some effective
preachers. These ministers w h o "speak from a full heart" or
" s h a r e " sometimes insist that w h i l e they have abandoned the
Biblical Preaching

rules, their sermons still hit the target. Such preaching has
to be reckoned with. A s professional skills g o , sermon con-
struction ranks among the most inexact when compared, say,
with cooking spaghetti, r e m o v i n g an appendix, or flying an
airplane.
H o w do w e evaluate the assortment of approaches or ex-
plain the apparent effectiveness of sermons that appear to
have behind them no method at all? M o r e to the point, h o w
do w e derive from all of this, procedures that others may
follow?
F o r one thing, w e are concerned with expository preach-
ing, and ministers w h o s e preaching is shaped by the B i b l e
possess m o r e in c o m m o n than preachers in general. I n ad-
dition, expositors w h o claim they follow no rules usually have
not analyzed h o w they study. Whatever w e do regularly be-
comes our m e t h o d even if w e have c o m e to it intuitively, and
f e w effective expositors are as methodless as they sometimes
claim. Furthermore, to analyze h o w to do something well, w e
are drawn to those w h o do it w e l l consistently, not those w h o
do it w e l l n o w and then by chance. Clear, relevant biblical
exposition does not take place Sunday after Sunday by either
intuition or accident. G o o d expositors have systems for their
study.
T w o conclusions do e m e r g e from the fact that expositors
go about their w o r k in different ways: (1) thinking is a dy-
namic process, and (2) detailed instruction about h o w to think
may sometimes g e t in the w a y of the process. T h e damage
instruction can do is reflected in the story of a lawyer and
physician w h o regularly p l a y e d g o l f together. T h e y w e r e
evenly matched and enjoyed a keen sense o f rivalry. T h e n
one spring the lawyer's game i m p r o v e d so much that the doc-
tor was losing regularly. T h e doctor's attempts to better his
o w n g a m e w e r e unsuccessful, but then he came up with an
idea. A t a bookstore he bought three how-to-play-golf man-
uals and sent them to the lawyer for a birthday present. It
wasn't long before they w e r e evenly matched again.
Effective biblical preaching requires insight, imagina-
 Tools of the Trade

tion, and spiritual sensitivity, n o n e o f w h i c h c o m e s from

merely following directions. When a discussion on h o w to
prepare an expository sermon resembles instructions on h o w
to build a doghouse, something has gone wrong. Building the
expository sermon comes nearer to erecting cathedrals than
hammering together animal shelters.
But e v e n cathedral builders h a v e their w a y o f d o i n g
things. While it requires a lifetime w i t h the Scriptures and
with people to do mature exposition, the apprentice needs
specific help on h o w to begin. K n o w i n g h o w others w o r k in
the B i b l e can be w e l c o m e assistance. To this counsel each
individual must bring his o w n mind, spirit, and experience,
and out o f repeated practice in the strenuous w o r k of think-
ing, he must d e v e l o p his o w n w a y of working. But an aware-
ness o f h o w others approach the task produces confidence
and contributes to a m o r e efficient use of time and energy.
Throughout the discussion on h o w to develop an expos-
itory sermon, therefore, it should b e kept in mind that w h i l e
the stages for preparation are treated in sequence, they some- Stage
times m i x . F o r example, the logical time to prepare an intro- One
duction comes w h e n the d e v e l o p m e n t of the entire sermon ====
has b e c o m e clear. A n experienced preacher, though, some- 53
times stumbles across a w o r k a b l e lead for an introduction
early in his preparation. H e takes it w h e n e v e r he can get it,
though he may wait until near the end o f his w o r k to fit it to
his sermon.
What then are the stages in the preparation of the expos-
itory sermon?

Stage 1 Choose the passage to be preached.

A n old recipe for a rabbit dish starts out, "First catch

the rabbit." That puts first things first. Without the rabbit
 Biblical Preaching

there is no dish. T h e obvious first questions confronting the

expositor are: What shall I talk about? F r o m what passage o f
Scripture should I draw m y sermon?
These questions need not be faced on a Tuesday morning
six days before the sermon delivery. A conscientious minis-
try in the Scriptures depends on thoughtful planning for the
entire year. A wise expositor will save time by investing time
in a preaching calendar. S o m e t i m e before his year begins he
will force himself to decide Sunday by Sunday, service by
service, what he w i l l preach. While all Scripture is profitable,
not every Scripture possesses equal profit for a congregation
at a particular time. A preacher's insight and concern will b e
reflected in what biblical truths he offers to his people. In his
ministry the expositor serves as a builder of bridges as he
endeavors to span the gulf b e t w e e n the Word o f G o d and the
concerns o f m e n and w o m e n . To do this he must be as fa-
miliar w i t h the needs of his church as he is w i t h the content
of his Bible. While he relates the Scriptures to his people's
Stage lives in many ways, none will have more importance than
One choosing what he will teach them throughout the year.

54
Thought Units

Often he will work his w a y chapter by chapter, verse by

verse, through different books of the Bible. In making his
calendar, therefore, he will read through the books several
times and then divide them into portions he will e x p o u n d in
particular sermons. In doing this he should select the pas-
sages on natural, not forced, divisions of the material. H e will
not count out ten or t w e l v e verses to a sermon as though each
verse could be handled as a separate thought. Instead he will
search for the biblical writer's ideas. In the N e w Testament
letters this means that texts will usually be selected by par-
agraph divisions, since paragraphs delineate the building
blocks o f thought. T h e expositor will usually choose one or
 Tools of the Trade

more of these paragraphs to e x p o u n d , d e p e n d i n g on h o w

they relate to one another and thus to the author's idea.
O f course no divine hand fashioned our paragraph divi-
sions. T h e indentions in our translations reflect the decisions
of editors w h o have attempted to mark out shifts of thought
in the original. C o n s e q u e n t l y paragraph divisions in one
translation may differ from those in another. A s a general
rule, o l d e r translations such as the E n g l i s h R e v i s e d and
A m e r i c a n Standard versions tend toward longer, heavier par-
agraphs than do our more modern translations, which em-
phasize readability and e y e appeal. E v e n the H e b r e w and
Greek texts reflect editorial variations in the paragraph di-
visions. Y e t all efforts at paragraphing recognize the central
principles o f d e v e l o p m e n t and transition o f thought. A dili-
gent expositor w i l l e x a m i n e the paragraph breakdowns in
both the original texts and the English translations, select
the divisions o f the material that seem to b e the most helpful,
and use these as the basis o f his exposition.
I f he is w o r k i n g within narrative sections, however, the Stage
expositor will m o r e likely deal with a literary unit larger than One
a paragraph or t w o . F o r example, w h e n exploring an episode "'
such as David's adultery with Bathsheba, the expositor w o u l d 55
violate the story w e r e he to preach it a paragraph at a time.
Instead he w o u l d probably take his sermon from the entire
eleventh chapter of I I Samuel and at least part of the twelfth,
since all o f this r e c o r d s the sin and its devastating con-
sequences.
In poetic literature such as the psalm, a paragraph roughly
equals the stanza or strophe of a poem. While a preacher may
e x p o u n d only a single stanza, normally he will treat the entire
p s a l m . I n s e l e c t i n g passages for t h e e x p o s i t o r y s e r m o n ,
therefore, a principle to follow is this: Base the sermon on
some unit o f biblical thought.

Sermon Length
A second factor in choosing what to preach relates to
time. A minister must preach his sermon in a limited number
 Biblical Preaching

of minutes. While few congregations being offered biblical

food, well-prepared and attractively served, will sit before
their pastor with stopwatches in their heads, an honest man
will not steal time not granted to him. A n expositor must
tailor his sermon to his time, and the cutting should be done
in the study rather than the pulpit.
Even if a minister is allowed fifty to sixty minutes for his
sermon, he must make choices. A diligent pastor can seldom
tell his p e o p l e all he has d i s c o v e r e d about a passage, nor
should he try. Whether he has thirty minutes or an hour,
therefore, he must choose what to include or exclude in a
particular sermon. Through experience a preacher learns h o w
long a passage he may treat in detail. H e also k n o w s w h e n
he must settle for a bird's-eye v i e w of a passage rather than
a worm's-eye analysis. Both the units o f thought and the time
allowed to cover them must be considered w h e n he selects
a passage to be preached.

Stage
One Topical Exposition

56 While many expositors w o r k their way through biblical

books, all preachers at some time or other must preach on
topics. Seasons such as Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
require special treatment. In addition a pastor should preach
on theological subjects such as the Trinity, reconciliation, the
inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. H e w i l l speak to
personal concerns such as guilt, grief, loneliness, jealousy,
marriage and divorce. In topical exposition the preacher be-
gins with a subject or problem and then looks for the passage,
or passages, that relate to it. In dealing with a B i b l e doctrine
he may gain help in finding material from an analytical con-
cordance or a topical Bible. A survey of books on theology
will also p r o v i d e direction. Preaching on personal problems,
sometimes called life-situation preaching, may p r o v e more
difficult. A n expositor with a broad k n o w l e d g e of his B i b l e
will be aware of passages that feature people with problems.
 Tools of the Trade

H e will k n o w the temptation o f A d a m , the jealousy o f Cain,

the guilty conscience of Jacob, and the depression of Elijah.
A concordance often supplies w o r k a b l e leads. I n addition,
books wrestling with moral and ethical issues from a Chris-
tian perspective will not only analyze the problem but also
suggest biblical material to be considered.
Having selected the passage, however, an expositor must
allow it to speak for itself. Too often a passage w i l l not say
what w e expected it to say. Topical exposition faces the spe-
cial danger that the preacher w i l l read something into the
scriptural account in order to read something significant out
of it. H e may resort to " p r o o f t e x t s " for favorite doctrines by
ignoring completely the context in w h i c h a passage lies. H e
may b e tempted to transform a biblical author into a m o d e r n
psychologist by insisting that he say in a sermon what he
never said in the Bible. Topical exposition differs from the
so-called topical sermon, therefore, in that the thought o f the
Scripture must shape all that is said in defining and devel-
oping the topic. Stage
Two

57
Stage 2 Study your passage and gather your
notes.

The Context

First of all, a minister should relate any particular pas-

sage o f Scripture to the b o o k o f w h i c h it is a part. Usually
this demands reading the b o o k several times, often in various
translations. Even those w h o have skills in H e b r e w or G r e e k
will find it easier to m a p out the broad developments o f an
author's thought by reading it in English. Scores o f different
 Biblical Preaching

versions are available, ranging from literal, w o r d - f o r - w o r d

translations like those in interlinears (where English w o r d s
are placed under the H e b r e w or G r e e k t e x t ) to colloquial ver-
sions that resort to slang or a chatty style. Different transla-
tions serve the needs of different readers. A minister can gain
an impression of the sharpness and vitality of the original
H e b r e w or G r e e k by reading different kinds o f translations.
F o r example, as a study B i b l e he m a y use the N e w A m e r i c a n
Standard Bible, which stays close to the original but sounds
stiff and w o o d e n w h e n read in public. F o r a translation that
catches the dynamic equivalent o f the original and concen-
trates on ideas rather than bare words, he may turn to the
version o f J. B. Phillips. A text that searches for the middle
ground between allegiance to the H e b r e w or Greek and a
sensitive feeling for style is the N e w International Version.
Using these translations and others, the expositor can under-
stand the broad context of the passage.
Setting the passage within its w i d e r framework simply
Stage gives the B i b l e the same chance w e g i v e the author of a pa-
Two perback. What a writer means in any specific paragraph or
===== chapter can be determined basically by fitting it into the larger
58 argument o f the book. A student does not have to investigate
by himself. Introductory sections of commentaries and Old
Testament and N e w Testament introductions usually discuss
w h y a book was written and outline its contents. While com-
mentators sometimes disagree on these matters, the exposi-
tor can w o r k with their conclusions as he reads through the
Scripture for himself.
N o t only should the passage b e placed within the broad
unity of the book, but it must also be related to the immediate
context. M o r e clues to meaning c o m e from a study of sur-
rounding context than from an examination o f details within
a passage. To understand a paragraph or subsection w e must
explain h o w it develops out o f what precedes it and h o w it
relates to what follows. Would it m a k e any difference if this
particular passage w e r e not there? What purpose does this
p a r t i c u l a r p a s s a g e p l a y in t h e b o o k ? To understand
 Tools of the Trade

I Corinthians 13, for instance, w e must understand that it is

part o f a larger unit dealing with spiritual gifts—chapters 1 2 -
14. These chapters must b e studied together properly to in-
terpret the contrast o f l o v e with spiritual gifts in chapter 13.
A s you read the passage in different translations, do so
with a pen in hand. Write out as precisely as possible the
problems you encounter in understanding the passage. Write
them all d o w n — m a k e yourself state them. I f different trans-
lations disagree significantly, note that. It usually means that
the translators look at the passage from different points of
view. Try to state the differences. Perhaps what confuses y o u
is unfamiliar background or figures of speech that are not
part of your semantic grid. A s k i n g the right questions be-
comes the essential step in finding answers.

Try too to state in rough fashion what you think the writer
is talking about—that is, his subject—and what major asser-
t i o n ^ ) he is making about his subject—that is, his comple-
ment. I f you cannot state a subject at this point, w h y not? Stage
What do you need to k n o w in order to do so? Two
H a v i n g placed the passage within its context, the e x e g e t e ^ ^ ^ =

must n o w examine its details: the structure, vocabulary, and 59

grammar. H e r e some k n o w l e d g e o f the original languages
becomes invaluable. While the message of the Scripture may
be understood in English, an understanding -of H e b r e w or
Greek resembles receiving a program on color television. Both
a black-and-white and a color set get the same picture, but
color adds vividness and precision not possible in black and
w h i t e . A n expositor need not be expert in the languages to
1

use them with benefit, and almost anyone can use some of
the available linguistic tools. Accuracy, not to speak of integ-
rity, demands that w e d e v e l o p every possible skill to keep us
from declaring in the name o f G o d what the H o l y Spirit never
intended to convey.

1. I am indebted for this analogy to Harold W. Hoehner, professor of N e w

Testament literature and exegesis at Dallas Theological Seminary.
 Biblical Preaching

Lexicons

A t least four different aids are available to help the min-

ister as he examines the details of his passage. First, through
using a lexicon he can find definitions of a w o r d . Major con-
tributions of lexicons include, along with the definition o f a
w o r d , root meanings, identification o f s o m e g r a m m a t i c a l
forms, a list o f passages w h e r e the w o r d occurs, classification
of its uses in its various contexts, and some illustrations that
help g i v e color to the w o r d . F o r the Old Testament A Hebrew
and English Lexicon of the Old Testament by William Ge-
senius, Francis B r o w n , S. R. Driver, and Charles A . Briggs
remains unsurpassed in its etymological studies and the dis-
cussion of nuances of words in different contexts. While it
shares the limitations of scholarly w o r k done at the turn of
the twentieth century, it contains a treasure of material to
open up the Old Testament. One technical limitation of the
lexicon for those not well-equipped in H e b r e w is that words
Stage are listed according to their H e b r e w roots. This makes some
Two H e b r e w w o r d s quite difficult to find. A n Index to Brown,
^ ^ = =
Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon compiled b y B r u c e Ein-
60 spahr n o w enables a student to w o r k in the l e x i c o n more
easily. It lists by book, chapter, and verse every H e b r e w w o r d
treated in the lexicon and the page and section o f the page
where the w o r d is discussed. A n o t h e r more recent, though
less reliable, lexicon is a Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros
by L u d w i g K o e h l e r and Walter Baumgartner.
For the N e w Testament A Greek-English Lexicon of the
New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature by Wal-
ter Bauer, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Freder-
ick W. Danker cannot be surpassed. A n Index to the Bauer-
Arndt-Gingrich Greek Lexicon, designed for those with little
or no background in Greek, has been compiled by John R.
A l s o p . A l o n g with this lexicon the e x e g e t e will see coloring
of Greek words through James H o p e Moulton's and G e o r g e
Milligan's examination of The Vocabulary of the Greek Tes-
tament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary
 Tools of the Trade

Sources. F o r a grasp of h o w a w o r d was used throughout the

broad sweep of Greek literature from the classical era to A . D .
600, the student must turn to A Greek-English Lexicon by
H e n r y G e o r g e L i d d e l l and R o b e r t Scott. F o r an e x t e n d e d
treatment o f the w o r d s and concepts found in the N e w Tes-
tament, the ten volumes in the Theological Dictionary of the
New Testament edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Fried-
rich p r o v i d e discussion from a variety o f theological per-
spectives. Speaking personally, h o w e v e r , I find that these
volumes promise m o r e than they deliver to an expositor. The
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology ed-
ited by Colin B r o w n provides much o f the same information
offered by Kittel and Friedrich but in a m o r e usable form. Its
articles are clear and brief, and nonspecialists can under-
stand it.

Concordances
Stage
W h i l e l e x i c o n s , l i k e dictionaries, define w o r d s , s o m e - Two
times it is essential actually to study a w o r d in the passage = =
^ =

where it was spoken or written. To determine the meaning o f 61

w o r d s through usage, a concordance is essential. F o r the Old
Testament Salomon Mandelkern's Concordance on the Bible
is the best w o r k available, but because it is written in He-
brew, those without ability in the language find it hard to use.
Students w h o cannot read H e b r e w can benefit from The Eng-
lishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Tes-
tament edited by G e o r g e V. Wigram. A l t h o u g h the w o r k is
somewhat incomplete and several w o r d studies are n o w in-
accurate or misleading, it is the best concordance available
to an English reader.
For the N e w Testament A Concordance to the Greek Tes-
tament by W. F. Moulton and A . S. G e d e n has no peer and is
particularly helpful with tenses. It is written in Greek, how-
ever, so English readers will find The Englishman's Greek
Concordance of the New Testament by G e o r g e V. Wigram eas-
 Biblical Preaching

ier to use. While the G r e e k w o r d s are listed as in Moulton

and Geden, the quotations are given from the K i n g James
(or Authorized) Version.
Obviously the N e w Testament authors w e r e m e n of the
Bible, and they reflected Old Testament thought m o r e than
pagan thought in their use of significant words. Because they
studied the Septuagint, the G r e e k translation o f the H e b r e w
Scriptures, an understanding of h o w a w o r d was used in the
Septuagint can be extremely helpful. To study the theological
significance of Old Testament words used in the N e w Testa-
ment, a standard aid is E d w i n Hatch's and Henry A . R e d -
path's Concordance to the Septuagint. U n f o r t u n a t e l y the
v o l u m e costs a prince's ransom to buy.
Probably the best English concordance is Robert Young's
Analytical Concordance to the Bible. Relatively little value
comes from merely being able to locate occurrences of Eng-
lish words that happen to be used in an English translation.
Young's concordance does enable the reader to locate a par-
Stage ticular verse. It also allows the English reader to recognize
Two different H e b r e w or G r e e k words translated by the same
===== English word, or the variety of English words that translate
62 a single G r e e k or H e b r e w w o r d . A n o t h e r much-used con-
cordance is James Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the
Bible. While this w o r k is more c o m p l e t e — e v e r y w o r d in the
K i n g James Version is listed—it provides less assistance in
studying the usage of H e b r e w or G r e e k words.

Grammars

But meaning does not c o m e from w o r d s alone. Words

must be understood as they are used in phrases, clauses, sen-
tences, and paragraphs. A study o f syntax examines h o w
words combine to render meaning, and grammars assist us
in that study. N o t only does a grammar offer general help in
describing h o w w o r d s are formed and put together in sen-
tences, but those with an index to Scripture often g i v e insight
 Tools of the Trade

into particular passages being studied. T h e standard Old Tes-

tament grammar is A . E. Cowley's translation of E. Kautzsch's
edition o f William Gesenius's Hebrew Grammar. T h e discus-
sions in this w o r k are sometimes detailed and c o m p l e x and
therefore difficult to follow. T h o m a s O. L a m b d i n in his In-
troduction to Biblical Hebrew offers the n o v i c e a more help-
ful treatment of the H e b r e w language.
M u c h m o r e help exists for the N e w Testament. P r o b a b l y
the standard g r a m m a r has b e e n w r i t t e n by F. W. B l a s s ,
A . Debrunner, and R. W. Funk, A Greek Grammar of the New
Testament. F o r a m o r e popular grammar students turn to A
Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament by H. E. Dana
and Julius R. Mantey. M o r e extended treatments o f N e w Tes-
tament syntax may b e found in the three volumes b y James
H o p e Moulton, W. F. H o w a r d , and N i g e l Turner, A Grammar
of New Testament Greek, or in A . T. Robertson's Grammar of
the Greek New Testament in Light of Historical Research.
Robertson has also written a small, practical book, The Min-
ister and His Greek New Testament, w h i c h includes a chapter Stage
on "Pictures in P r e p o s i t i o n s " that any expositor w i l l read Two
with profit.
63

Word-Study Books

Word-study books p r o v i d e the e x e g e t e with insights into

w o r d s and grammar. F o r example, A . T. Robertson serves us
w e l l with his volumes on Word Pictures in the New Testa-
ment, and Richard C h e n e v i x Trench provides helpful mate-
rial in Synonyms of the New Testament. W. E. V i n e also traces
many N e w Testament w o r d s in their contexts in his Exposi-
tory Dictionary of New Testament Words.

Bible Dictionaries

Many questions about background and biography, as w e l l

as specific subjects, can be answered through the use o f B i b l e
 Biblical Preaching

dictionaries and e n c y c l o p e d i a s . S i n c e different reference

works display different strengths, an examination of the same
subject in several different encyclopedias and dictionaries
enables the minister to achieve both balance and complete-
ness. Through the use of bibliographies found at the end of
each article, a reader can pursue a topic at even greater depth.
J. D. Douglas used the services of 139 evangelical scholars in
editing The New Bible Dictionary. W. F. A l b r i g h t describes
this as "the best one-volume dictionary in English." It pro-
vides helpful bibliographies and displays special strength in
ancient N e a r Eastern history and archaeology. T h e five-vol-
ume set edited by G e o r g e Arthur Buttrick and K e i t h Crim,
The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, supplies extensive
information on many of the same subjects from a theologi-
cally liberal point o f v i e w . The International Standard Bible
Encyclopaedia, published originally in 1915 and edited by
James Orr, is being republished under the editorship o f Geof-
frey W. Bromiley. These volumes c o m b i n e the function o f a
Stage dictionary with the broader presentations of an encyclopedia.
Two Merrill F. U n g e r edited a conservative Bible Dictionary that
many pastors have found valuable. A v o l u m e that deals w i t h
64 the people, the cities, the culture and literature o f classical
G r e e c e is The Oxford Classical Dictionary edited by N. G. L.
H a m m o n d and H. H. Scullard.

Commentaries

A teacher of the Scriptures needs teachers. Commentar-

ies supply a fund of information about the meaning of w o r d s ,
backgrounds o f passages, and the argument o f a writer. A s
a general rule it is a less profitable investment to purchase a
commentary series in entirety. A shrewder outlay o f m o n e y
is to select volumes on individual B i b l e books from several
different sets. Certainly it is w i s e to consult an assortment of
commentaries on a passage and w e i g h what they say against
each other in determining the meaning o f the biblical author.
 Tools of the Trade

Several bibliographies exist to guide the expositor in his se-

lection of a library. Brevard S. Childs offers advice on build-
i n g a w o r k i n g l i b r a r y o n t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t i n his Old
Testament Books for Pastor and Teacher. Frederick W. Danker
devotes a chapter o f Multipurpose Tools for Bible Study to an
evaluation of sets and individual commentaries on the entire
Bible. D a v i d M. Scholer also lists commentaries on the N e w
Testament in chapter 15 of his Basic Bibliographic Guide for
New Testament Exegesis. A w i d e r treatment dealing w i t h the
building and organizing of a library is The Minister's Library
b y Cyril J. Barber. B o o k s in this v o l u m e are evaluated pri-
marily on the basis of h o w conservative they are theologi-
cally. Still another resource is unpublished bibliographies
that help the e x e g e t e m a k e the best investment o f his b o o k
budget. F o r instance, t w o available from Dallas Theological
Seminary are a Bibliography for Old Testament Exegesis and
Exposition c o m p i l e d b y K e n n e t h L. B a r k e r and B r u c e K.
Waltke and edited b y R o y B. Zuck, and a Bibliography for
New Testament Exegesis and Exposition compiled by S. L e w i s Stage
Johnson. Another e x a m p l e is Essential Books for a Pastor's Two
Library, annotated b y the faculty of U n i o n Theological Sem- ==^=
inary in Virginia and available from that school. 65

Other Tools

For students whose background in the languages is sparse

or w h o s e effectiveness in exegesis has rusted from disuse,
some help exists in getting started. Frederick W. Danker's
Multipurpose Tools for Bible Study provides a readable and
useful discussion o f the interpretive tools available to the
pastor, as well as practical advice on h o w to use them. John D.
Grassmick has prepared a classroom manual for use in the
basic exegesis and homiletics course taught at Dallas T h e o -
logical Seminary. His Principles and Practice of Greek Exe-
gesis guides the student through a step-by-step procedure in
studying the b o o k of Colossians. A n y expositor will profit
 Biblical Preaching

from exploring Robert A . Traina's treatment o f Methodical

Bible Study since the book lives up to its title in providing a
way of working.
M a n y ministers use a legal-sized pad to record the results
of their study. For passages covering only a f e w verses, a
separate page is devoted to each verse. For larger sections a
page m a y be used to keep track of material related to an
entire paragraph. Separate sheets may also b e used for notes
on the idea and its development, illustrations, and possible
introductions and applications.

In studying the details of the passage and placing it in its

context, the expositor is already m o v i n g into the next stage.

Stage 3 As you study the passage, relate the

parts to each other to determine the
g t g g e exegetical idea and its development.
Three

Linguistic and grammatical analysis must never b e c o m e

an end in itself, but rather should lead to a clearer under-
standing o f the passage as a w h o l e . T h e process resembles an
hourglass that m o v e s from synthesis to analysis and back to
synthesis. Initially the exegete reads the passage and its con-
text in English to understand the author's meaning. T h e n
through analysis he tests his initial impression through an
examination o f the details. A f t e r that he makes a final state-
ment of the subject and complement in the light of that study.

Throughout the analysis and synthesis, therefore, you will

ask, "Exactly what is the biblical writer talking about?" When
you have a possible subject, g o back through the passage and
relate the subject t o the details. D o e s the subject fit the parts?
Is it too broad? Is it too narrow? Is your subject an exact
description of what the passage is talking about?
 Tools of the Trade

The Subject

T h e initial statement of a subject will often b e too broad.

To narrow it, try testing your subject with a series o f defini-
tive questions. A bit of verse tells us what those questions
are:

/ had six faithful friends,

They taught me all I knew,
Their names are How and What and Why,
When and Where and Who.

A p p l y i n g these six questions to your proposed subject

will help y o u b e m o r e exact. Take as a case in point James
1:5-8. " I f any of you lacks w i s d o m , let him ask of G o d , w h o
gives to all m e n generously and without reproach, and it will
be given to him. But let h i m ask in faith without any doubt-
ing, for the one w h o doubts is like the surf of the sea driven
and tossed by the wind. F o r let not that man expect that he Stage
will receive anything from the L o r d , being a double-minded Three
man, unstable in all his w a y s . " (NASB)
A n initial response to this paragraph might b e that James 67
is talking about wisdom. While wisdom emerges as a major
element in the passage, it is much too broad a subject since
James does not discuss everything about w i s d o m . L o o k i n g
at the passage m o r e closely, w e find he is talking about how
to obtain wisdom, a m o r e precise statement o f the subject.
A n awareness of the immediate context, however, enables us
to limit the subject e v e n further. T h e preceding paragraph,
verses 2 - 4 , demonstrates that j o y is the proper response to
trials, and our paragraph extends that discussion. Therefore,
a m o r e complete subject for James 1:5-8 w o u l d b e how to
obtain wisdom in the midst of trials. A l l the details in the
paragraph, directly or indirectly, relate to that subject. When
a proposed subject accurately describes what the author is
talking about, it illuminates the details o f the passage; and
the subject, in turn, will be illuminated by the details.
 Biblical Preaching

The Complement

H a v i n g isolated the subject, you must n o w determine the

c o m p l e m e n t , or c o m p l e m e n t s , that c o m p l e t e the subject
and m a k e it into an idea. In doing this you must b e c o m e
aware of the structure of the passage and distinguish be-
tween its major and supporting assertions. Often the com-
plement becomes immediately obvious once you have stated
the subject. In James 1:5-8 the c o m p l e m e n t to the subject
how to obtain wisdom in the midst of trials is ask God for it
in faith. A complete statement of the idea merely joins the
subject with the complement: Wisdom in trials is obtained
by asking God for it in faith. Everything else in the paragraph
supports or elaborates that idea.
In some passages, particularly in the epistles, the writer
weaves a tightly reasoned argument that may b e analyzed
through a mechanical layout. Such a layout uncovers the re-
l a t i o n s h i p o f the d e p e n d e n t clauses to t h e i n d e p e n d e n t
Three c
^ a u s e s
- Diagramming, a more demanding m e t h o d for unrav-
- eling structure, d e t e r m i n e s the relationship o f i n d i v i d u a l
^ words within sentences. A mechanical layout or diagram may
be based on either the original text or an English translation.
Both bring analysis and synthesis together so that the major
assertions of a passage are separate from their support. A n
e x a m p l e of a mechanical layout may b e found in appendix 2.

Other Literary Forms

While the letters in the N e w Testament m a k e a funda-

mental contribution to Christian theology, they constitute
only one of many literary forms found in the Bible. In fact a
great majority o f people are not even aware that the Scrip-
tures contain various types of literature such as parables, po-
etry, proverbs, prayers, speeches, allegories, history, laws,
contracts, biography, drama, apocalyptic, and stories. To
 Tools of the Trade

understand any o f them w e must b e aware of the kind o f

literature w e are reading and the conventions that are unique
to it. We do not interpret poems as w e do legal contracts. A
parable differs significantly from a historical narrative or a
love song. When w o r k i n g in narrative literature, an expositor
will seldom have to w o r k through a maze of c o m p l e x gram-
matical relationships, but instead w i l l have to derive the au-
thor's meaning from the broad study o f many paragraphs. A
series of different questions must b e raised w h e n trying to
understand a story. A sampling of those questions might be:
W h o are the characters in the story and w h y did the author
include them? D o the characters contrast w i t h one another?
H o w do these characters d e v e l o p as the story develops? What
does the setting contribute to the story? What structure holds
the story together and provides its unity? H o w do the indi-
vidual episodes fit into the total framework? What conflicts
develop and how are they resolved? W h y did the writer bother
telling the story? What ideas lie behind the story, implied but
not stated? Finally, can those ideas b e stated through a sub- Stage
ject and complement? Three
M u c h of the Old Testament is poetic in form. In those =====
translations that print poetry as poetry and not as prose, w e 69
discover that poetry emerges as the most-used form in Old
Testament literature. E v e n sections w e ordinarily think of as
prose (history, prophecy, w i s d o m literature) contain large
amounts o f poetry. P o e t s do not usually tell stories but in-
stead express feelings and reflections about life and its per-
plexities. In H e b r e w literature they c o m m u n i c a t e through
parallelism that repeats, contrasts, or adds to the previous
thoughts, and they use figurative language that may not b e
true to fact but is true to feelings. Images and figures of speech
g i v e more life and force to speech because they join the realm
o f experience to fact. When a farmer observes that " t h e land
needs rain," he is true to fact, but w h e n he says that " t h e
earth thirsts for rain," he is true to both fact and feeling. A
poet majors in structures and language to add force and depth
to what he is saying. Therefore interpreting poetry raises its
 Biblical Preaching

o w n set of questions. What meanings lie behind the images

and figures of speech? What feelings does the poet express
by his use of language? What elements of form and structure
does the poet use to discipline his thought? What w o u l d be
lost if the same truth w e r e presented in p r o s e ? 2

A s y o u determine the writer's idea, y o u will also want to

discern h o w he develops that thought in the passage. S o m e -
times it is helpful to paraphrase the passage in your o w n
words. B e exact in thought, and carefully state the relation-
ships y o u see within the text whether the B i b l e explicitly
states them or not. A s y o u write, y o u w i l l change the state-
ment of your exegetical idea to fit the parts of the passage.
N e v e r bend the passage to fit your statement o f the idea.
A t this point, as a result o f your study, y o u should be able
to d o t w o things: first, t o state the idea of the passage in a
single sentence that combines your subject and complement;
second, t o outline the d e v e l o p m e n t of that idea from the
passage.
Stage
Three

70

2. For a more detailed discussion of literary forms in the Bible, see Leland
Ryken, The Literature of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974); and
idem, " G o o d Reading in the Good Book," Christianity Today, 17 January
1975, pp. 4 - 7 .
 Tools of the Trade

Bibliography

A l s o p , John R. Index to the Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich Greek

Lexicon. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1968.
Barber, Cyril J. The Minister's Library. Grand Rapids: Baker,
1974. Periodic Supplements, 1976-.
Barker, Kenneth L., and Waltke, Bruce K. Bibliography for
Old Testament Exegesis and Exposition. Edited by R o y B.
Zuck. 3d ed. Dallas: Dallas Theological Seminary, 1975.
Bauer, Walter; A r n d t , William F.; Gingrich, F. Wilbur; and
Danker, Frederick W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 2d ed.
Chicago: University o f Chicago, 1979.
Blass, F. W ; Debrunner, A.; and Funk, R. W. A Greek Gram-
mar of the New Testament. Chicago: University of Chi-
cago, 1961.
Bromiley, Geoffrey W , ed. The International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. R e v . ed. 4 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1979.
B r o w n , Colin, ed. The New International Dictionary of New
Testament Theology. 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1975-1978.
Buttrick, G e o r g e Arthur, and Crim, K e i t h , eds. The Inter-
preter's Dictionary of the Bible: An Illustrated Encyclo-
pedia. 5 vols. Nashville: A b i n g d o n , 1962-1976.
C h i l d s , B r e v a r d S. Old Testament Books for Pastor and
Teacher. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1977.
Dana, H. E., and Mantey, Julius R. A Manual Grammar of
the Greek New Testament. N e w York: Macmillan, 1927.
Danker, Frederick W. Multipurpose Tools for Bible Study. 3d
ed. St. Louis: Concordia, 1970.
Douglas, J. D., ed. The New Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1962.
Einspahr, Bruce, ed. Index to Brown, Driver & Briggs He-
brew Lexicon. Chicago: M o o d y , 1976.
Essential Books for a Pastor's Library. Richmond: Union
Theological Seminary in Virginia, 1976.
Biblical Preaching

Gesenius, William; B r o w n , Francis; Driver, S. R.; and Briggs,

Charles A . A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Tes-
tament. Corrected ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1952.
Gesenius, William; Kautzsch, E.; and C o w l e y , A . E. Hebrew
Grammar. 2d ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1910.
Grassmick, John D. Principles and Practice of Greek Exe-
gesis. Dallas: Dallas Theological Seminary, 1974.
H a m m o n d , N . G. L., and Scullard, H. H., eds. The Oxford
Classical Dictionary. 2d ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1970.
Hatch, Edwin, and Redpath, H e n r y A . A Concordance to the
Septuagint and the Other Versions of the Old Testament
(Including the Apocryphal Books). 2 vols. N e w York: In-
ternational, 1954.
Johnson, S. L e w i s . Bibliography for New Testament Exegesis
and Exposition. Dallas: Dallas Theological Seminary, n.d.
Kittel, Gerhard, and Friedrich, Gerhard, eds. Theological Dic-
tionary of the New Testament. Translated and edited by
Geoffrey W. Bromiley. 10 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1964-1976.
Koehler, L u d w i g , and Baumgartner, Walter, eds. Lexicon in
Veteris Testamenti Libros. L e i d e n : Brill, 1958.
L a m b d i n , T h o m a s O. Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. New
York: Scribner, 1971.
L i d d e l l , Henry G e o r g e , and Scott, Robert, eds. A Greek-Eng-
lish Lexicon. Edited by Henry Stuart Jones. 9th ed. Ox-
ford: Clarendon, 1940.
Mandelkern, Salomon. Concordance on the Bible. Edited by
Chaim Mordecai Brecher. 2 vols. N e w York: Shulsinger
Brothers, 1955.
Moulton, James H o p e ; H o w a r d , W. F.; and Turner, N i g e l . A
Grammar of New Testament Greek. 4 v o l s . Edinburgh:
T. & T. Clark, 1906-1976.
Moulton, James H o p e , and Milligan, G e o r g e . The Vocabulary
of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and
Other Non-Literary Sources. L o n d o n : H o d d e r and
Stoughton, 1930. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976.
 Tools of the Trade

Moulton, W. F., and Geden, A . S. A Concordance to the Greek

Testament According to the Texts of Westcott and Hort,
Tischendorf and the English Revisers. R e v i s e d by H. K.
Moulton. 5th ed. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1978.
Orr, James, ed. The International Standard Bible Encyclo-
paedia. 5 vols. C h i c a g o : H o w a r d - S e v e r a n c e , 1930. R e -
print. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1952.
Robertson, A . T. A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in
Light of Historical Research. 2d ed. Nashville: Broadman,
1934.

The Minister and His Greek New Testament. New

Y o r k : G e o r g e H. Doran, 1923. Reprint. Grand R a p i d s :
Baker, 1977.

Word Pictures in the New Testament. 6 vols. N e w

York: R. R. Smith, 1930-1933. Reprint. Nashville: Broad-
man, 1943.
Scholer, D a v i d M. A Basic Bibliographic Guide for New Tes-
tament Exegesis. 2d ed. Grand R a p i d s : Eerdmans, 1973.
Strong, James. The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible ...
N e w Y o r k : Hunt & Eaton, 1890. R e p r i n t . N e w Y o r k :
A b i n g d o n , 1961.
Traina, R o b e r t A . Methodical Bible Study: A New Approach
to Hermeneutics. R i d g e f i e l d P a r k ( ? ) , N.J.: R o b e r t A .
Traina, 1952.
Trench, Richard Chenevix. Synonyms of the New Testament.
9th ed. L o n d o n : Macmillan, 1880. Reprint. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1948.
Unger, Merrill F. Unger's Bible Dictionary. 3d ed. Chicago:
M o o d y , 1963.
Vine, W. E. Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
Westwood, N.J.: R e v e l l , 1956.
Wigram, G e o r g e V , ed. The Englishman's Greek Concordance
of the New Testament. 9th ed. L o n d o n : Bagster, 1903. R e -
print. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970.
Biblical Preaching

, ed. The Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concord-

ance of the Old Testament. 5th ed. L o n d o n : Bagster, 1890.
Reprint. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1972.
Young, Robert. Analytical Concordance to the Bible .. . 22d
ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955.
 Tools of the Trade

New Concepts

Context
Lexicon
Concordance
B i b l e dictionary and encyclopedia
Mechanical layout
Diagramming
Paraphrase of a passage

Definitions

Bible dictionary and encyclopedia—contain articles on a w i d e

variety o f biblical subjects, including background o f Bible
books and biographies o f biblical characters.
Concordance—helps determine the meaning of words through
usage.
Context—the w i d e r framework in which a passage occurs. It
can b e as narrow as a paragraph or chapter, but it ulti-
mately includes the larger argument o f the book.
Diagramming — shows the relationship o f individual w o r d s
within sentences as well as the relationship of the clauses.
Lexicon—provides definitions, root meanings, identification
of some grammatical forms, a list of passages in w h i c h a
w o r d occurs, classifications of the use of a w o r d in its
various contexts, and some illustrations that help g i v e
color to a w o r d .
Mechanical layout — shows the relationship of the dependent
and independent clauses in a paragraph.
Paraphrase of a passage —states the progression of ideas in
a passage in contemporary language.
 Stages in the Development
of Expository Messages

1. Selecting the Passage

2. Studying the Passage
3. Discovering the Exegetical Idea
4. A n a l y z i n g t h e E x e g e t i c a l I d e a , p a g e 79.
5. F o r m u l a t i n g t h e Homiletical Idea,
p a g e 97.
 Chapter 4

The Road from Text to Sermon

E x p o s i t o r y sermons consist o f ideas d r a w n f r o m the

Scriptures and related to life. To preach effectively, therefore,
an expositor must be i n v o l v e d in three different worlds.
In his study he gathers k n o w l e d g e about the Bible. Since
G o d chose to reveal H i m s e l f within history to nations that
can be located on a map, through languages described in
grammars, and in cultures as d e v e l o p e d as our o w n , the ex-
egete must understand what the revelation o f G o d meant for
the m e n and w o m e n to w h o m it was originally given.
T h e expositor must also be aware o f the currents swirling
across his o w n times, for each generation develops out o f its
o w n history and culture and speaks its o w n language. A min-
ister m a y stand before a congregation and deliver exegeti-
cally accurate sermons, scholarly and organized, but dead
and powerless because they ignore the life-wrenching prob-
lems and questions o f his hearers. Such sermons, spoken in
a stained-glass v o i c e using a code language never heard in
Biblical Preaching

the marketplace, dabble in great biblical concepts, but the

audience feels that G o d belonged to the long ago and far
away. Expositors must not only answer the questions our
fathers asked; they must wrestle with the questions our chil-
dren ask. Men or w o m e n w h o speak effectively for G o d must
first struggle with the questions of their age and then speak
to those questions from the eternal truth of G o d .
A third sphere in which a preacher must participate is
his o w n particular world. A church has a Z I P Code and stands
near Fifth and Main in some city and state. T h e profound
issues of the B i b l e and the ethical, philosophical questions
o f our times assume different shapes in rural villages, middle-
class communities, or in the ghettos of c r o w d e d cities. Ulti-
mately the expository preacher does not address all man-
kind; he speaks to a particular people and calls them by name.
T h e gift of "pastor-teacher" implies that the t w o functions
should be j o i n e d or else an irrelevant exposition may e m e r g e
w h i c h reflects negatively on G o d . A s one bewildered church-
goer expressed it, " T h e trouble is that G o d is like the min-
ister: w e d o n ' t see h i m d u r i n g t h e w e e k , a n d w e d o n ' t
understand him on Sunday." J. M. R e u was on target w h e n
he wrote, " P r e a c h i n g is fundamentally a part of the care of
souls, and the care of souls involves a thorough understand-
ing of the congregation." A n able shepherd k n o w s his flock.
1

During the stages that follow, the preacher endeavors to

bring the ancient world, the modern world, and his particular
w o r l d together in the d e v e l o p m e n t o f his sermon. In doing
this the expositor does not m a k e the B i b l e relevant as though
he w e r e drawing an apt illustration from an old story. M o d e r n
m e n and w o m e n stand under G o d in exactly the same posi-
tion as did their counterparts in the Bible, and they hear the
Word of G o d addressing them now. " Y a h w e h our G o d m a d e
a covenant with us in H o r e b . " This affirmation comes from
a people being g i v e n the Decalogue a second time and living

1. Homiletics: A Manual of the Theory and Practice of Preaching, p. 129.

 The Road from Text to Sermon

decades after the original giving o f the L a w . Y e t they de-

clared through Moses, " Y a h w e h our G o d m a d e a covenant
with us in Horeb. N o t with our fathers did Y a h w e h m a k e this
covenant, but with us, w h o are all of us here alive this d a y "
(Deut. 5:2-3). T h e community of faith, looking back at an
event that had occurred at a distant time and different place,
experienced that history as a present reality. God's w o r d spo-
ken at Sinai continued to speak to this n e w generation and
not only related them to G o d but also spelled out what G o d
expected in their relation to each other.

To e x p o u n d the Scriptures so the contemporary G o d con-

fronts us w h e r e w e live requires that the preacher study his
audience as w e l l as his Bible. It also means that some v e r y
nuts-and-bolts questions must be asked and answered to dis-
cover h o w the exegetical idea and its outline can e x p a n d into
a sermon. T h e expositor relates the B i b l e to life as he enters
the next phase of his study.

Stage
Four

Stage 4 Submit the exegetical idea to three de- ZZ

velopmental questions.

Exegetical study can lie on the page like soggy cereal in

a b o w l . What can b e done to draw the snap and crackle from
the idea to fashion it into a sermon vital and alive? To answer
that practical question the preacher must be aware of h o w
thought develops.

When anyone makes a declarative statement, only four

things can b e done to d e v e l o p it. It can be restated, explained,
proved, or applied. N o t h i n g else. To recognize this simple fact
opens the w a y to developing the sermon.
B y the use o f restatement, an author or speaker merely
states an idea " i n other w o r d s " to clarify it or to impress it
Biblical Preaching

on the hearer. Restatement occupies a significant place in the

parallelism of H e b r e w poetry. " I will sing unto Y a h w e h as
long as I l i v e , " the psalmist informs us in P s a l m 104:33; " I
will sing praise to m y G o d while I have any b e i n g " (ASV). T h e
apostle Paul, infuriated by false teachers w h o substitute le-
galism for evangelism, uses restatement to emphasize their
condemnation. " T h o u g h we, or an angel from heaven, should
p r e a c h u n t o y o u any g o s p e l o t h e r t h a n that w h i c h we
preached unto you, let him b e damned! A s w e have said be-
fore, so say I n o w again, if any man preaches unto you any
gospel other than that which y o u received, let him b e damned"
(Gal. 1:8-9). Jeremiah hammers h o m e his denunciation of
Babylon by restating the same thought in at least six differ-
ent particulars:

"A sword against the Babylonians!"

declares the Lord —
"against those who live in Babylon
and against her officials and wise men!
A sword against her false prophets!
They will become fools.
A sword against her warriors!
They will be filled with terror.
A sword against her horses and chariots
and all the foreigners in her ranks!
They will become women.
A sword against her treasures!
They will be plundered.
A drought on her waters!
They will dry up.
For it is a land of idols,
idols that will go mad with terror."
[Jer. 50:35-38 Niv]

T h o u g h restatement takes up a great deal of space in

written—and especially oral —communication, for a preacher
wrestling with h o w to enlarge his exegetical thought into a
sermon, it is not o f primary importance as a means of devel-
 The Road from Text to Sermon

opment. Three other forms of expansion, e m b o d i e d in three

developmental questions, p r o v e m o r e provocative. 2

What Does This Mean?

O n e d e v e l o p m e n t a l q u e s t i o n centers on e x p l a n a t i o n :
What does this mean? Does this concept, or parts of it, need
explanation? T h e question can be pointed at different tar-
gets. First, when directed toward the B i b l e it asks, " I s the
author in the passage before m e d e v e l o p i n g his thought pri-
marily through explanation?" When Paul wrote to his friends
at Corinth, he explained h o w the diversity of gifts granted to
its m e m b e r s should w o r k for, and not against, unity in the
congregation. H e sums up his idea in I Corinthians 12:11-12:
" B u t one and the same Spirit w o r k s all these things, distrib-
uting to each one individually just as H e wills. For e v e n as
the b o d y is one and yet has many members, and all the m e m -
bers of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also Stage
is Christ." (NASB) In the verses surrounding this statement Four
Paul explains the concept either b y breaking it d o w n into -
particulars, such as enumerating spiritual gifts, or by illus- 81
trating it through the e x a m p l e o f a human body. B y that
analogy he explains that a church like a b o d y consists o f
many different parts but each one contributes to the life and
benefit of all. A preacher handling this section of the Corin-
thian letter should be aware that Paul expands his thought
p r i m a r i l y t h r o u g h e x p l a n a t i o n and that e x p l a n a t i o n w i l l
probably be the major thrust o f a sermon from this passage.
S e c o n d , the d e v e l o p m e n t a l q u e s t i o n " W h a t d o e s this
m e a n ? " may also probe the audience. It takes several forms.
I f I simply stated m y exegetical idea, w o u l d m y audience
respond, "What does he mean by that?" A r e there elements
in the passage that the biblical writer takes for granted that

2. H. G r a d y Davis has developed these questions extensively in relation to

the sermon. It is beyond the scope of his book to apply them to the study of
Scripture. I am indebted to him for this approach to thinking.
 Biblical Preaching

m y audience needs explained to them? When Paul advised

the Corinthians in I Corinthians 8 about meat offered to idols,
idolatry and sacrifices w e r e as familiar to his readers as shop-
ping centers are to modern audiences. On the other hand,
people today are as bewildered about the practices o f idolatry
as a Corinthian w o u l d be in a supermarket. Therefore a sen-
sitive expositor realizes that when he starts to talk about "food
sacrificed to idols," he must do some explaining. T h e passage
may be misunderstood or, m o r e damaging, misapplied un-
less his listeners understand the background out of w h i c h
the problem developed. T h e y must enter into the psycholog-
ical, emotional, and spiritual tensions posed by eating meat
previously offered in sacrifice to heathen gods. A s a case in
point, when Paul speaks o f a w e a k brother, he does not mean
an individual easily influenced to sin. Instead he has in mind
someone w h o is overscrupulous and does not understand the
theology o f idolatry—namely, that " n o idol is anything in the
w o r l d " but only a creation of superstitious imaginations. In
Stage m o d e r n churches m a n y c o n s i d e r i n g t h e m s e l v e s " s t r o n g "
Four w o u l d be, in Paul's mind, " w e a k . " In a treatment o f this pas-
===== sage, therefore, what Paul took for granted with his readers
82 requires extensive explanation today.
In I Corinthians 12:13 the apostle observes: "We w e r e all
b a p t i z e d b y one Spirit into o n e b o d y — w h e t h e r J e w s or
Greeks, slave or free—and w e w e r e all given the one Spirit
to drink" (Niv). H e r e again Paul assumes what w e cannot—
that his readers understand the baptizing w o r k o f the H o l y
Spirit. A reference to " t h e baptism o f the H o l y S p i r i t " n o w
causes some listeners to shift uneasily in their p e w s and w o n -
der: "What does that m e a n ? " "Isn't that an experience im-
portant to charismatics and doesn't it have something to do
with speaking in tongues?" "What do people in m y denomi-
nation think about it?" T h e minister must not ignore those
responses. Instead he w i l l anticipate t h e m in his preparation
and devote time to explaining the baptism of the H o l y Spirit
even though Paul did not.
One of the major battles of preaching is to attain intelli-
 The Road from Text to Sermon

gibility. N a p o l e o n had three commands for his messengers

that apply to any communicator: " B e clear! B e clear! B e clear!"
Clarity does not c o m e easily. When someone trains to be an
expositor, he will probably spend three or four years in sem-
inary. While that training prepares him to b e a theologian, it
sometimes gets in his way as a communicator. Theological
jargon, abstract thinking, religious questions b e c o m e part of
the intellectual baggage that hinders preachers from speak-
ing plainly to ordinary m e n and w o m e n . I f the preacher en-
tered the hospital, the television studio, the printer's shop,
the locker room, or the local garage, to understand what goes
on there he w o u l d persistently ask, "What do you m e a n ? " A n
e x p e r t in other occupations s e l d o m has to m a k e h i m s e l f
understood to those outside his profession, but preachers are
different. To religion no one is an outsider, and in fact, under-
standing what G o d says is a life-and-death matter. Therefore
the expositor must anticipate what his hearers do not k n o w
and explain it to them.
T h e d e v e l o p m e n t a l question " W h a t does that m e a n ? , " Stage
then, deals w i t h both the passage and the people. L e t an ex- Four
positor imagine s o m e courageous soul standing up in the = = = = =

middle of the sermon to press that question, and he will be- 83

c o m e aware of matters that must b e talked about as his ser-
mon develops.

Is It True?

Another developmental question centers on validity. After

w e understand—or think w e understand—what a statement
means, w e often ask, Is it true? Can I really believe it? We
demand proof. A n initial impulse of those w h o take the B i b l e
seriously is to ignore this question and assume that an idea
should be accepted as true because it comes from the Bible.
Psychological acceptance seldom comes by citing the Scrip-
tures alone, though; it must also b e gained through reason-
ing, proofs, and illustrations.
 Biblical Preaching

Even the inspired writers—men o f the Scriptures though

they were—establish validity not only from the Old Testa-
ment but from c o m m o n life as well. When Paul wanted to
prove to the Corinthian congregation that he had a right to
r e c e i v e financial support for his ministry, he argued from
both experience and the Mosaic law. In a series of rhetorical
questions, he laid out his case:

Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living? Who

serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard
and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not
drink of the milk? Do I say this merely from a human point of
view? Doesn't the law say the same thing? For it is written in
the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading
out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely
he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us,
because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes,
they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we
have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap
a material harvest from you? If others have this right of sup-
Stage port from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? (I Cor. 9:6-
Four 12 NIV)

84 Paul appeals first to the logic o f experience. A f t e r all, if

soldiers, grape growers, shepherds, and farmers receive wages
for their work, w h y not an apostle or teacher? T h e n Paul
reasoned from an all-embracing principle found in the law
against muzzling oxen w h e n they tread out corn. A worker—
b e it beast or man—should b e rewarded for work.
In using this developmental question, therefore, the ex-
positor should note h o w the biblical writer validates what he
has to say. T h e apostles used every legitimate means avail-
able to them to w i n assent from their audiences. When Peter
preached his Pentecostal sermon, he reasoned from both ex-
perience and Scripture to p r o v e that " G o d has m a d e him
both L o r d and Christ—this Jesus w h o m you crucified!" (Acts
2:36 NASB). Jesus' miracles, the crucifixion, the resurrection,
David's tomb, the phenomena o f Pentecost: those verifiable
events carried the weight of Peter's argument. Joel and David,
 The Road from Text to Sermon

both honored b y the Jewish audience as inspired prophets,

were quoted as witnesses to interpret what the people ex-
perienced. In both writing and preaching, the apostles adapted
themselves to their readers and listeners to establish the va-
lidity of their ideas.
When Paul addressed the intellectuals on Mars Hill, he
discussed natural t h e o l o g y — t h e fact of creation and its nec-
essary implications. A l t h o u g h he set forth biblical concepts,
the apostle never quoted the Old Testament since the B i b l e
meant nothing to his pagan G r e e k audience. Rather he sup-
ported his arguments b y referring to their idols and poet-phi-
losophers and b y drawing deductions from c o m m o n life. I n
quoting the G r e e k poets and philosophers, of course, Paul
was not endorsing Athenian philosophy t o Athenian philos-
ophers. T h e Old Testament was the authority for both his
major and m i n o r assertions, as t h e references in the margin
o f the Nestle Greek text demonstrate. I n quoting the pagan
sources, Paul merely took advantage o f insights consistent
w i t h biblical r e v e l a t i o n and m o r e easily a c c e p t e d b y his
hearers. 3

While competence requires that an expositor understand

how the biblical writer establishes validity, it demands also
that w e wrestle w i t h the query, " I s that true? Can I really
believe that?" as it comes from our listeners. T h o s e questions
present themselves often. In a past generation, perhaps, a
preacher might count on a sense o f guilt lying on the fringes
of a congregation's thought. Today he can count only on an
attitude o f questioning and doubt. Our educational system
contributes to this pervasive skepticism, as does the mass
media. Advertisers have created an audience o f doubters w h o
shrug off dogmatic claims and enthusiastic endorsements, no
matter w h o makes them, as nothing more than a pitch from
the sponsor.
A n expositor, therefore, does w e l l to adopt the attitude

3. N. B. Stonehouse, " T h e Areopagus Address," in Paul Before the Areo-

pagus and Other New Testament Studies (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957),
pp. 1-40.
 Biblical Preaching

that a statement is not true because it is in the Bible; it is in

the Bible because it is true. Writing a paragraph in the pages
of a leather-covered book does not make it valid. Instead the
Bible states reality as it exists in the universe as G o d has
made it and as H e governs it. We w o u l d expect, therefore, the
affirmations of Scripture to be reflected in the w o r l d around
us. That is not to say that w e establish biblical truth by study-
ing sociology, astronomy, or archaeology, but that the valid
data from these sciences seconds the truth taught in Scripture.
H o w does a preacher handle the developmental question
" I s that true?" Imagine that y o u w e r e to state to a m o d e r n
congregation the mighty affirmation o f Paul, " W e k n o w that
in all things G o d works for the g o o d o f those w h o l o v e him,
w h o have been called according to his p u r p o s e " ( R o m . 8:28
Niv). M o s t p e o p l e greet that statement with raised eyebrows.
" I s that true? Can w e believe that?" What about the mother
w h o was killed by a hit-and-run driver and w h o left behind
a husband and three children? What about those Christian
Stage parents w h o s e four-year-old son has been diagnosed as hav-
Four ing leukemia? H o w is that good? What's " g o o d " about a young
= = = =
missionary d r o w n e d in the m u d d y waters of a jungle river
86 before he has witnessed to even one native? To w o r k with
this passage and fail to deal with questions as perplexing as
these is to miss the audience completely.
Donald G r e y Barnhouse w o r k s with the question o f va-
lidity while expounding John 14:12: "Greater works than these
shall he do; because I g o unto m y Father" (KJV). H e used an
analogy to establish the validity of his explanation:

Aboard a United States submarine in enemy waters of the

Pacific, a sailor was stricken with acute appendicitis. The near-
est surgeon was thousands of miles away. Pharmacist Mate
Wheller Lipes watched the seaman's temperature rise to 106
degrees. His only hope was an operation. Said Lipes: "I have
watched doctors do it. I think I could. What do you say?" The
sailor consented. In the wardroom, about the size of a pullman
drawing room, the patient was stretched out on a table beneath
a floodlight. The mate and assisting officers, dressed in re-
versed pajama tops, masked their faces with gauze. The crew
 The Road from. Text to Sermon
stood by the diving planes to keep the ship steady; the cook
boiled water for sterilizing. A tea strainer served as an antisep-
tic cone. A broken-handled scalpel was the operating instru-
ment. Alcohol drained from the torpedoes was the antiseptic.
Bent tablespoons served to keep the muscles open. After cut-
ting through the layers of muscle, the mate took twenty min-
utes to find the appendix. Two hours and a half later, the last
catgut stitch was sewed, just as the last drop of ether gave out.
Thirteen days later the patient was back at work.
Admittedly this was a much more magnificent feat than if
it had been performed by trained surgeons in a fully equipped
operating room of a modern hospital. Study this analogy and
you will know the real meaning of Christ's words: "Greater
works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
For Christ, perfect G o d , to work directly on a lost soul to
quicken and bring out of death and into life is great, but for
Him to do the same thing through us is a greater work. 4

Cynddylan Jones w o r k s to w i n belief w i t h a single sen-

tence: " Y o u might as w e l l try to cross the Atlantic in a paper
boat," he declares, "as to g e t to heaven b y your o w n g o o d
works."
C. S. L e w i s comes at validity b y identifying with a ques-
tion that thoughtful people have about the gospel:

Here is another thing that used to puzzle me. Is it not fright-

fully unfair that this new life should be confined to people w h o
have heard of Christ and been able to believe in Him? But the
truth is G o d has not told us what His arrangements about the
other people are. We do know that no man can be saved except
through Christ; w e do not know that only those w h o know
Him can be saved through Him. But in the meantime, if you
worried about the people outside, the most unreasonable thing
you can do is to remain outside yourself. Christians are Christ's
body, the organism through which H e works. Every addition
to that body enables H i m to do more. If you want to help those
outside, you must add your own little cell to the body of Christ
who alone can help them. Cutting off a man's fingers would be
an odd way of getting him to do more work. 5

4. Let Me Illustrate: Stories, Anecdotes, Illustrations (Old Tappan, N.J.: Re-

vell, 1967), pp. 358-59.

5. Mere Christianity ( N e w York: Macmillan, 1952), p. 50.

Biblical Preaching

Whether y o u fully agree w i t h L e w i s or not, h e raises a

classic question, deals w i t h it, and turns it back upon the
questioner.
J. Wallace Hamilton, preaching on the providence of G o d ,
understands the serious questions that steal to the surface
w h e n w e are told that w e live by the p r o v i d e n c e of G o d e v e r y
m o m e n t o f our lives. H e quotes an anonymous poet as he
begins to deal with the doubts:

"Oh, where is the sea" the fishes cried,

As they swam the Atlantic waters through;
"We've heard of the sea and the ocean tide
And we long to gaze on its waters blue."

All around us are little fishes looking for the sea; people living,
moving, having their being in an ocean of God's providence,
but who can't see the ocean for the water. Maybe it's because
w e call it by another name. The ancient Hebrews from whom
the Bible came were a religious people. They thought in relig-
ious patterns, they spoke in religious phrases, they saw in
every event the direct activity of God. If it rained, it was G o d
who sent the rain. When crops were good, it was G o d w h o
yielded the increase. But that is not our language, nor the pat-
tern of our thought. We think in terms of law—chemical, nat-
ural law. When it rains w e know it is the natural condensation
of vapor. When crops are good w e credit it to the fertilizer. A n
amazing thing has happened in our way of thinking. In a world
that could not for one moment exist without the activity of
God, w e have conditioned our minds to a way of thinking that
leaves no room for him. So many of our wants are provided b y
what seem natural and impersonal forces that w e have lost
sight of the great Provider in the midst of providence. Some
of us who were brought up in the country and then later moved
to the city remember h o w easy it was to get out of the habit of
returning thanks at the table, partly because the food on it
came not directly from the earth but from the grocery store. A
physician in N e w York City said, "If you ask a child where
milk comes from, he won't think of saying 'From a cow.' H e
will say 'From a container.' " 6

6. Who Goes There? What and Where Is God? (Westwood, N.J.: Revell, 1958),
p. 52.
 The Road from Text to Sermon

M e r e l y to ask " I s that true? D o I and m y hearers believe

that?" does not produce instant answers. But failing to con-
tend with those basic questions means w e will speak only to
those w h o are already committed. Worse, because w e have
not been willing to live for a time on the sloping back o f a
question mark, w e may b e c o m e hucksters for a message that
w e do not b e l i e v e ourselves. A congregation has the right to
expect that w e are at least aware of the problems before w e
offer solutions. L e t the expositor w o r k his w a y through the
ideas in the exegetical outline and deal honestly with the
question, " W o u l d m y audience accept that statement as true?
If not, w h y n o t ? " L e t him write d o w n the specific questions
that c o m e and, if possible, the direction o f some o f the an-
swers. B e f o r e long he will discover much that he and his
hearers have to think about as the sermon develops.

What Difference Does It Make?

Stage
Four
T h e third developmental question relates to application. =====
While it is essential that an expositor explain the truth o f a 89
passage, his talk is not finished until he relates that passage
to the experience of his hearers. Ultimately the man or w o m a n
in the p e w hopes the preacher will answer the question, So
what? What difference does it make? A l l Christians have a
responsibility to ask that question since they are called to
live under G o d in the light o f biblical revelation. Mortimer J.
A d l e r classifies books as either theoretical or practical. A the-
oretical b o o k may be understood and then put away on the
shelf. A practical book, however, must not only be read, it
must also be used. Taken in this way, the B i b l e is an intensely
practical b o o k since it was written to be o b e y e d as w e l l as
understood.
M a n y homileticians have not given accurate application
the attention it deserves. N o book has been published de-
voted exclusively, or even primarily, to the knotty problems
 Biblical Preaching

raised by application. A s a result many church members,

7

having listened to orthodox sermons all their lives, may b e

practicing heretics. Our creeds affirm the central doctrines o f
the faith and remind us what Christians should believe. R e -
grettably our creeds cannot tell us how belief in these doc-
trines should make us behave. That is part of a preacher's
responsibility, and he must g i v e to it diligent attention.
Basic to perceptive application is accurate exegesis. We
cannot decide what a passage means to us unless first w e
have determined what the passage means. To do this w e must
sit d o w n before the biblical writer and try to understand what
he wanted to c o n v e y to his original readers. Only after w e
comprehend what he meant in his o w n terms and to his o w n
times can w e clarify what difference that should m a k e in life
today.
I n order to apply a passage accurately, w e must define
the situation into which the revelation was originally g i v e n
and then decide what a modern man or w o m a n shares, or
Stage does not share, with the original hearers. T h e closer the re-
Four lationship between modern man and biblical man, the m o r e
===== direct the application. When James writes to Jewish Chris-
90 tians scattered across the ancient world, " M y dear brothers,
take note o f this: Everyone should b e quick to listen, slow to
speak and slow to b e c o m e angry, for man's anger does not
bring about the righteous life that G o d desires" (James 1:19-
20 N i v ) , that counsel applies to believers in every age and in
any situation since all Christians stand in that identical re-
lationship to G o d and His Word.
When the correspondence between the twentieth century
and the biblical passage is less direct, however, accurate ap-
plication becomes more difficult. A n expositor must g i v e spe-
cial attention not only to what modern men and w o m e n have
in c o m m o n with those w h o received the original revelation
but also to the differences b e t w e e n them. A s an example,

7. The new hermeneutic, to its credit, has embraced application as well as

exegesis, but in the effort to apply the B i b l e creatively, it sometimes seems
less concerned with understanding Scripture correctly.
 The Road from Text to Sermon

Paul's m a n y exhortations to slaves had direct application to

Christian slaves in the first century and those throughout his-
tory. M a n y of the principles touched on in the master-slave
relationship can also g o v e r n e m p l o y e r - e m p l o y e e relation-
ships today, but to ignore the fact that modern employees
are not slaves to their employers w o u l d lead to gross mis-
a p p l i c a t i o n o f these passages. F o r e x a m p l e , d e n o u n c i n g
membership in a labor union because slaves are to " o b e y "
their "masters" (Eph. 6:5) would b e to ignore the distinction
between employees and slaves.
A p p l y i n g texts from the O l d Testament t o contemporary
audiences multiplies the problems. I n d e e d misapplication of
the Old Testament has had an embarrassing history. One un-
satisfying approach lies in using these passages like a sanc-
tified R o r s c h a c h test. T h e interpreter a l l e g o r i z e s Old
Testament stories to find in them hidden meanings buried
not in the t e x t but in his o w n m i n d . A n o t h e r inadequate
method o f handling the Old Testament uses it only as an ex-
ample or illustration o f N e w Testament doctrine. Here the Stage
authority for what is preached comes neither from the the- Four
o l o g y o f the O l d Testament nor from the intent o f the Old —
Testament writer, but entirely from the expositor's theology 91
read back into the passage. Should the expositor b e chal-
lenged about his interpretation or application, he appeals not
to the passage before him but to some passage in the N e w
Testament or to a theology he assumes he and his audience
share in c o m m o n .
H o w then can w e proceed as w e answer the third devel-
opmental question, " S o what? What difference does it m a k e ? "
First, application must c o m e from the theological purpose of
the biblical writer. John Bright states the case for determin-
ing the author's intent: " . . . the preacher needs to understand
not only w h a t the t e x t says, but also those concerns that
caused it to b e said, and said as it was. His exegetical labors
are, therefore, not complete until he has grasped the text's
theological intention. Until he has done this he cannot inter-
pret the text, and may egregiously misinterpret it by attrib-
 Biblical Preaching

uting to its w o r d s an intention quite other than that of their

author." 8

We cannot understand or apply an individual passage,

whether in the O l d Testament or in the N e w , until w e have
studied its contexts. F o r instance, plunging into an analysis
o f a paragraph or chapter o f Ecclesiastes without first gaining
an appreciation for the entire b o o k w o u l d lead to many un-
w o r t h y ideas and devastating applications for people today.
Only after mastering the larger passage d o w e find the clues
for understanding what the smaller messages mean and w h y
they w e r e written.
Here are some questions that help us discover the au-
thor's theological purpose:
1. A r e there in the text any indications of purpose, edi-
torial comments, or interpretive statements made about
events? I n the B o o k o f Ruth, for example, the material in
chapter 4:11-21 provides a happy ending to a story with
a g l o o m y beginning, and it affirms G o d ' s gracious direc-
Stage tion in the lives of the characters involved. R u t h d e m -
Four onstrates the providence of G o d , and the theme o f God's
===== loving guidance, brought into focus in the conclusion, is
92 i m p l i e d throughout the b o o k — e s p e c i a l l y in the seven
prayers o f blessing and in the c o m m o n , ordinary w a y
each prayer is answered. G o d ' s w o r k i n g is w o v e n into
the tapestry o f everyday events so skillfully that at first
reading w e m a y not see H i m at w o r k at all. Only on re-
flection do w e b e c o m e aware that H e w a s continuously
acting to meet the needs and hopes of ordinary p e o p l e . 9

2. Are theological judgments made in the text? Com-

ments such as " I n those days Israel had no king; every-
one did as he saw fit" (Niv), m a d e twice in the b o o k of
Judges (17:6; 21:25), points to w h y these sordid accounts
are recorded as part of Israel's history. T h e narrative o f

8. The Authority of the Old Testament (Nashville: Abingdon, 1967; reprint

ed., Grand Rapids: Baker, 1975), p p . 171-72.

9. For a splendid development of this theme and its application, see Ron-
ald M. Hals, The Theology of the Book of Ruth (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1969).
 The Road from Text to Sermon

David's sin with Bathsheba and his murder o f Uriah flows

from the pen o f the historian in a matter-of-fact w a y until
the statement in I I Samuel 11:27, " B u t the thing D a v i d
had done displeased the L o r d " (Niv).
3. Narrative passages o f the B i b l e offer special difficul-
ties. I n addition t o t h e questions normally raised, w e
should ask, Is this story given as an example or warning?
If so, in exactly what way? Is this incident a norm or an
exception? What limitations should be placed on it?
4. What message was intended for those to whom the rev-
elation was originally given and also for subsequent gen-
erations the writer knew would read it?
5. Why would the Holy Spirit have included this account
in Scripture?
Other questions must b e asked t o apply God's Word t o
a contemporary audience in a situation different from that o f
the ones t o w h o m the revelation was originally given.
1. What was the communication setting in which God's
Word first came? What traits do modern men and women Stage
share in common with that original audience? F o r ex- Four
ample, Deuteronomy was spoken by Moses to a n e w gen- -
eration on the far side o f the Jordan River. M e m b e r s o f 93
his audience believed in Y a h w e h and w e r e part o f a the-
ocracy established b y G o d ' s covenant. G o d had entered
into a treaty with them that spelled out in detail the re-
wards and punishments for their obedience or disobe-
dience. A l l of t h e m had c o m e out o f the wilderness w i t h
Moses, and they l o o k e d forward to entering the land G o d
had promised to Abraham.
Christians today cannot b e directly identified with
that nation o f Israel. T h e church is neither a theocracy
nor a nation. We are, however, believers in Yahweh, and
w e are in this age the people o f G o d , chosen b y His grace
to b e witnesses t o the world. In addition, like them, w e
have revelation from G o d that H e expects us t o obey.
2. How can we identify with biblical men and women as
they heard God's Word and responded—or failed to re-
Biblical Preaching

spond —in their situation? While w e cannot identify with

the Israelites in actually entering the land of Canaan, or
with D a v i d reigning as a king in Jerusalem, or with the
life-situation of a H e b r e w under the law, w e do share
c o m m o n humanity with these m e n and w o m e n . We can
identify with their intellectual, emotional, psychological,
and spiritual reactions to G o d and to their fellow man.
We would do w e l l to r e m e m b e r J. Daniel Baumann's
observation: " W e are very much like the p e o p l e of the
ancient world. It is only in some superficial thoughts, ra-
tional beliefs, and mental m o o d s that w e are different. In
all of the basic heart realities w e are the same. We stand
before G o d exactly as people in every age have stood
before H i m . We have all experienced David's guilt, the
doubting of Thomas, Peter's denial, the falling away of
Demas, perhaps even the kiss o f the betrayer Judas. We
are linked across the centuries b y the realities and am-
biguities of the human s o u l . " 10
While it appears some-
what simplistic, w e may conclude that in all the biblical
accounts G o d confronts m e n and w o m e n and that w e
may enter into the responses people make to G o d and to
others—as individuals, in a group, or both. That same
G o d w h o s e p e r s o n and character n e v e r c h a n g e s ad-
dresses us today in our situations, and the principles and
dynamics involved in these encounters remain very much
the same throughout history.
3. What further insights have we acquired about God's
dealings with His people through additional revelation?
A mystery writer often w o r k s into the first chapter of his
story incidents that appear irrelevant or perplexing, but
the significance of which b e c o m e s obvious in later chap-
ters. Since the Bible stands entire and complete, no pas-
sage should be interpreted or applied in isolation from
all that G o d has spoken.

10. An Introduction to Contemporary Preaching, p. 100.

 The Road from Text to Sermon

4. When I understand an eternal truth or guiding prin-

ciple, what specific, practical applications does this have
for me and my congregation? What ideas, feelings, atti-
tudes, or actions should it affect? D o I m y s e l f l i v e in
obedience to this truth? D o I intend to? What obstacles
keep m y audience from responding as they should? What
suggestions might help them respond as G o d wants them
to respond?
Ordinarily an expositor begins his study with a single
passage of Scripture, and his application comes directly or
by necessary implication from that passage. Should he begin
with a specific need in his congregation and turn to the B i b l e
for solutions, however, then he must decide first what pas-
sages address the questions being reused. T h r o u g h an exe-
gesis of those separate passages, then, the subject is explored.
When the B i b l e speaks directly to these questions in a variety
of texts, application and authority still c o m e directly from
Scripture. A p p l i c a t i o n b e c o m e s m o r e c o m p l e x , h o w e v e r ,
w h e n w e must deal w i t h problems biblical writers never en- Stage
countered. Because Jesus Christ stands as L o r d over history, Four
Christians must respond to current ethical and political con-
cerns from a divine perspective. We assume that the H o l y 95
Spirit has a will for such matters as abortion, test-tube babies,
a life-style amid dwindling energy resources, hunger in the
w o r l d , the use of technology, or g o v e r n m e n t welfare pro-
grams. But the B i b l e cannot and does not speak to all moral
or political situations, and as a result the authority for h o w
w e believe, vote, or act cannot c o m e directly from the Scrip-
tures. Instead it comes indirectly and depends primarily on
the validity of the expositor's analysis of the issues and ap-
plication of theological principles. H o w a question is stated
and what is emphasized may produce different results. Sev-
eral questions help us test the accuracy of our conclusions:
1. H a v e I correctly understood the facts and properly for-
mulated the questions involved in the issue? Can those
questions b e stated another w a y so that other issues
emerge?
 Biblical Preaching

2. H a v e I determined all the theological principles that

must be considered? What w e i g h t do I g i v e each
principle?
3. Is the theology I espouse truly biblical, derived from
disciplined exegesis and accurate interpretation of bib-
lical passages? Proof-texting poses a special danger here.
This practice finds support for a doctrine or ethical po-
sition in passages r i p p e d f r o m their c o n t e x t or inter-
preted without reference to the author's purpose.
I n t o the f o r m a t i o n o f these moral and political j u d g -
m e n t s , A l e x a n d e r M i l l e r offers helpful i n s i g h t : " A v a l i d
Christian decision is compound always of both faith and facts.
It is likely to b e valid in the degree to w h i c h the faith is
rightly apprehended and the facts are rightly m e a s u r e d . " 11

Because our analysis of facts and our interpretation o f the

faith may differ, Christians disagree on ethical and political
issues. Yet unless w e struggle with the facts in the light o f
our faith, no decisions w e m a k e can accurately b e called
Stage Christian.
Four T h e three developmental questions, then, prod the ex-
= = =
= positor's thinking and help him decide what must b e said
96 about his passage. T h e questions build on each other. We
don't question the validity o f ideas w e do not understand,
and what w e don't understand or believe cannot m a k e a pos-
itive difference in our lives. While a preacher may deal with
all three questions in his sermon, usually one o f the three
predominates and determines the form his message w i l l take.
A l l of this probing leads the expositor toward his homiletical
idea, which occupies him in the next stage o f development.

11. The Renewal of Man: A Twentieth-Century Essay on Justification by Faith.

(Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1955), p. 94.
 The Road from Text to Sermon

Stage 5 In light of the audience's knowledge and

experience, think through the exegeti-
cal idea and state it in the most exact,
memorable sentence possible.

A t this point the preacher will k n o w the direction his

sermon must take and what questions must be handled in
his exposition o f the passage. T h e central idea should n o w
be stated so that it relates to both the B i b l e and the audience.
Advertisers k n o w that ideas are seldom adopted as ideas but
are often adopted as slogans. While the slogans o f the ad man
are usually little m o r e than b r i g h t l y c o l o r e d b u b b l e s , a
preacher should not despise the impact o f an idea well-stated.
What w e think means m o r e than anything else in l i f e — m o r e Stage
than our social standing, m o r e than our income, m o r e than Five
w h e r e w e live, m o r e than what others think about us. P e o p l e = = = = =

are m o r e likely to think G o d ' s thoughts after H i m , to live and 97

l o v e and choose on the basis o f biblical concepts, if those
ideas are couched in m e m o r a b l e phrases.
When an idea is a universal principle applying to anyone
at any time, then the statement o f the homiletical idea can b e
identical to the exegetical idea. That might b e the case, for
instance, in Jesus' introduction to the parable o f the wealthy
fool. " B e w a r e of covetousness," he cautioned, "for a man's
life does not consist in the abundance of the things he pos-
sesses" ( L u k e 12:15 NKJB). That warning applies to citizens
of any culture w h o set their hearts on piling up m o r e and
m o r e o f what they have enough of already. It needs no m o d -
ification. When the wise man of P r o v e r b s observes, " A soft
answer turns away wrath; but a grievous w o r d stirs up anger"
(15:1), he speaks in w o r d s e v e r y o n e understands. Habakkuk
declares, " T h e righteous [person] shall live by his faith" (2:4
 Biblical Preaching

A S V ) . In saying this the prophet states one o f the overarching

truths o f Scripture, a foundational principle in Christian ex-
perience. It needs only to b e explained, not r e w o r d e d .
Other exegetical ideas e v o l v e into homiletical ideas by
making them precise and personal. F o r example, the concept
bound up in I Thessalonians 1:2-6 might be: Paul thanked
God for the Thessalonian Christians because of the results
springing from their faith, hope, and love and because of the
evidences of their election by God. T h e preaching idea should
be m o r e simple and direct: We can thank God for other Chris-
tians because of what they do for God and what God did for
them.
A n exegetical statement of I Timothy 4:12-16 could be:
Paul exhorted Timothy to win respect for his youth by being
an example in his actions and motives and by being diligent
in the public ministry of the Scriptures. A homiletical expres-
sion could be: Young men win respect by giving attention to
their personal lives and to their teaching. Were this passage
Stage the basis o f a sermon to seminary students, the proposition
Five could be even more personal: You can win respect for your
======= ministry by giving attention to yourselves and to your
98 teaching!
Sometimes the homiletical idea will be more contempo-
rary and less tied to the w o r d i n g o f the text. I n expounding
Romans 1:1-17, James R o s e captures it with the idea: When
the effect of the gospel is all-important in the church, the force
of the gospel is unstoppable in the world. A n exposition of
Romans 2:1-29 might be: Those using the law as their ladder
to heaven will be left standing in hell. In Romans 6:1-14 Paul
deals with an obvious objection to the doctrine o f justifica-
tion by faith: such a means o f declaring people righteous only
encourages sin. Paul replied: We must realize that through
our union with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection,
we have died to the rule of sin and have been made alive to
virtue and holiness. A more unforgettable expression of that
concept might be: You can't live as you once did because you
are no longer the person you once were.
 The Road from Text to Sermon

In Paul's discussion of meat sacrificed to idols (I Cor. 8),

he counseled the Corinthians to act primarily out of love, not
k n o w l e d g e . A modern expositor might frame the principle:
When you think about morally indifferent matters, be flexible,
in love. T h e central lesson contained in the parable of the
G o o d Samaritan could be stated: Your neighbor is anyone
whose need you see whose need you are in a position to meet.
T h e homiletical idea in James 1:1-16 will have a strong sound
of relevance: Your reaction to trials is a matter of life and
death. A sermon on John 3 might advance the proposition:
Even the best of us needs to be born again.
T h e language used in the homiletical idea, then, should
be both w i n s o m e and compelling without being sensational.
Does it sparkle? Does it grab hold o f a listener's mind? Can
I r e m e m b e r it easily? Is it worth remembering? Does the lan-
guage communicate effectively to m o d e r n m e n and w o m e n ?
While personal tastes enter in at this point, these questions
are worth asking.
Because the homiletical idea emerges after an intensive Stage
study of a passage and extensive analysis of the audience, Five
getting that idea and stating it creatively is the most difficult =====
step in s e r m o n p r e p a r a t i o n . W h e n the i d e a rises in the 99
preacher's mind "clear as a cloudless m o o n , " he has the mes-
sage to be preached.
Biblical Preaching

New Concepts

Restatement
Three developmental questions
Homiletical idea

Definitions

Three developmental questions —

1. What does this mean? Explores explanation.
2. Is it true? D o I believe it? Explores validity.
3. So what? What difference does it make? Explores im-
plications and applications.
Homiletical idea—the statement of a biblical concept in such
a w a y that it accurately reflects the B i b l e and meaning-
fully relates to the congregation.
Restatement—the statement o f an idea in different w o r d s to
clarify it or to impress it upon the audience.
 The Road from Text to Sermon

Exercises

Determine the subject and c o m p l e m e n t in the following

exercises. In addition indicate what functional question you
think each author answers.

1. T h e reason you can't teach an old d o g n e w tricks is not

that he is incapable o f learning them. It is that he is quite
content with his mastery of the old tricks, and thinks that
learning n e w tricks is strictly for puppies. Besides, he is
busy paying off the mortgage on the d o g house.

John W. Gardner

Subject:

Complement:

Functional question being addressed:

2. T h e powerful v o i c e o f G o d warns o f judgment, and the

same v o i c e expresses H i s compassion for those w h o c o m e
back to H i m in His given way. We are to listen w i t h the
same intensity o f a w e w e feel w h e n w e observe the p o w e r
o f water. His spoken truth is not for us to j u d g e or edit;
w e are to listen, absorb, understand, and b o w .
Edith Schaeffer

Subject:

Complement:

Functional question being addressed:

3. T h e best thing you can do for your golf this winter is l o o k

in a mirror. A full-length mirror is a valuable learning aid.
With it y o u can m a k e valuable improvement, particularly
in your set-up position and putting. New York Times
Biblical Preaching

Subject:

Complement:.

Functional question being* addressed:

4. M o r e contagious than colds, more habit-forming than hard

d r u g s , C B radio already affects m o r e than 15 m i l l i o n
Americans, and if present trends continue, will soon be as
popular as sex. Once confined to truckers and other red-
neck types, it n o w affects people so intellectually discrim-
inating that they only watch M a r y Hartman on TV.
Texas Monthly

Subject:

Complement:

Functional question being addressed:

5. A Chinese b o y w h o wanted to learn about j a d e w e n t to

study with a talented old teacher. This gentleman put a
piece of the stone into the youth's hand and told him to
hold it tight. Then he began to talk of philosophy, men,
w o m e n , the sun and almost everything under it. After an
hour he took back the stone and sent the boy home. T h e
procedure was repeated for w e e k s . T h e b o y became frus-
trated—when would he be told about jade? —but he was
too polite to interrupt his venerable teacher. T h e n one day
w h e n the old man put a stone into his hands, the b o y cried
out instantly, "That's not j a d e ! "

Subject:

Complement:

Functional question being addressed:.

 The Road from Text to Sermon

6. R u d o l p h Fellner reminds his classes at Carnegie-Mellon

University that " m e l o d y exists only in your memory, for
at any given m o m e n t you are hearing only one note of the
tune." Music is a cumulative art. It is a change o f sounds
through time, each sound taking its meaning from those
that have gone before. It is not the art for amnesiacs.
William Mayer

Subject:

Complement:

Functional question being addressed:

7. H a d security guard Frank Wills not noticed a taped door
lock at the Watergate office building on June 17, 1972, w e
might never have k n o w n that there w e r e those in the inner
circle o f the N i x o n administration w h o lived by a code
alien to the values most of us cherish. W h o can say w h e r e
the abuses of p o w e r might have led had there been no
opportunity for these abuses to e m e r g e into public v i e w ?

While one can argue plausibly that fundamental govern-

ment policies and programs would not have changed much
in terms o f war and peace or the e c o n o m y had the Water-
gate burglary not been discovered, w e certainly w o u l d be
farther d o w n the road to Orwell's 1984 than w e otherwise
are. But because the A m e r i c a n people had this terrifying
glimpse of the abuse of g o v e r n m e n t p o w e r at a time w h e n
centralized, pervasive, and intrusive government had be-
c o m e a general concern, w e are probably farther from 1984
today than w e w e r e ten or even twenty years ago.
Elliot L. Richardson

Subject: .

Complement:— .
 Biblical Preaching

Functional question being addressed:

8. Work today has lost many traditional characteristics; so
has play. P l a y has increasingly been transformed into or-
ganized sports, and sports in turn increasingly resemble
work in the arduous practice and preparation, in the in-
tense i n v o l v e m e n t of coaches and athletes (in the spirit of
w o r k ) , and in actual economic productivity. I n a final par-
a d o x only those sports w h i c h b e g a n as w o r k —that is,
hunting and fishing—are n o w dominated b y the spirit of
play. Sport and Society

Subject:____

Complement:

Functional question being addressed:.

(Answers in appendix 1.)

104
 Stages in the Development
of Expository Messages

1. Selecting the Passage

2. Studying the Passage
3. Discovering the Exegetical Idea
4. Analyzing the Exegetical Idea
5. Formulating the Homiletical Idea
6. D e t e r m i n i n g t h e S e r m o n ' s P u r p o s e ,
page 108.
 Chapter 5

The Power of Purpose

W h y are you preaching this sermon? That obvious ques- = = = =

tion draws many inadequate answers. F o r example, "When 107

11:25 c o m e s on S u n d a y m o r n i n g , I'll b e e x p e c t e d to say
something. That's w h y I ' m preaching." Or " L a s t w e e k I cov-
e r e d G e n e s i s 21 so this w e e k I'll preach on G e n e s i s 22."
Sometimes total vagueness sets in: " I ' m preaching this ser-
m o n because I want to g i v e the people a challenge." Such
purposes, usually implied rather than stated, produce ser-
m o n s like a dropped l e m o n meringue p i e — t h e y splatter over
everything but hit nothing v e r y hard!
N o matter h o w brilliant or biblical a sermon is, without
definite purpose it is not w o r t h preaching. T h e preacher pos-
sesses no adequate idea o f w h y he is speaking. I m a g i n e ask-
ing a h o c k e y team, " W h a t is the purpose of h o c k e y ? " A l l
kinds of activities take place on the ice—skating, stick han-
dling, checking, passing—but the aim o f a hockey team must
be to outscore the opponent. A team that does not k e e p this
 Biblical Preaching

firmly in mind plays only for exercise. W h y preach this ser-

mon? A minister does an assortment of things w h e n he faces
his c o n g r e g a t i o n — e x p l a i n s , illustrates, e x h o r t s , e x e g e t e s ,
gestures, to list a few. But pity the man w h o fails to under-
stand that his sermon should change lives in some specific
way. A . W. Tozer speaks a perceptive w o r d to all of us:

There is scarcely anything so dull and meaningless as Bible

doctrine taught for its own sake. Truth divorced from life is
not truth in its Biblical sense, but something else and some-
thing l e s s . . . . N o man is better for knowing that God in the
beginning created the heaven and the earth. The devil knows
that, and so did A h a b and Judas Iscariot. N o man is better for
knowing that G o d so loved the world of men that He gave His
only begotten Son to die for their redemption. In hell there are
millions w h o know that. Theological truth is useless until it is
obeyed. The purpose behind all doctrine is to secure moral
action. 1

Stage
Six
Stage 6 Determine the purpose for this sermon.
108

T h e purpose states what one expects to happen in the

hearer as a result of preaching this sermon. A purpose differs
from the sermon idea as a target differs from the arrow; as
taking a trip differs from studying a map; as baking a pie
differs from reading a recipe. Whereas the idea states the
truth, the purpose defines what that truth should accomplish.
Henry Ward Beecher appreciated the importance of purpose
w h e n he declared: " A sermon is not like a Chinese firecracker
to be fired off for the noise it makes. It is a hunter's gun, and
at every discharge he should l o o k to see his g a m e fall." That
presupposes of course that the hunter k n o w s w h a t h e is
hunting.

1. Of God and Men (Harrisburg, Pa.: Christian, 1960), pp. 26-27.

 The Power of Purpose

H o w then does an expositor determine the purpose of his

sermon? H e does so by discovering the purpose behind the
passage he is preaching. A s part of his exegesis he should
ask, " W h y did the author write this? What effect did he ex-
pect it to have on his readers?" N o biblical writer took up his
pen to j o t d o w n "a f e w appropriate r e m a r k s " on a religious
subject. Each wrote to affect lives. When Paul wrote to Tim-
othy, he did it "so that y o u may k n o w h o w one ought to
conduct himself in the household of G o d , w h i c h is the church
of the living G o d , the pillar and support of the truth" (I T i m .
3:15 NASB).
Jude changed purposes for his letter after he sat d o w n to
write. " W h i l e I was making every effort to write you about
our c o m m o n salvation," he confessed, " I felt the necessity to
write to y o u appealing that y o u contend earnestly for the
faith w h i c h was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3
NASB). John designed his account of Jesus' life to w i n belief
in Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of G o d " and to secure in
believers "life through his n a m e " (John 20:31 KJV). W h o l e Stage
books, as w e l l as sections within books, w e r e written to m a k e Six
something happen in the thinking and actions o f the readers. -
A n e x p o s i t o r y sermon, therefore, finds its purpose in line 209
with the biblical purposes. T h e expositor must first figure out
w h y a particular passage was included in the Bible, and w i t h
this in mind decide what G o d desires to accomplish through
the sermon in his hearers today.
T h e inspired Scriptures w e r e given so that w e could b e
"adequate, equipped for every g o o d w o r k " ( I I Tim. 3:16-17
NASB). It follows from this that an expositor should b e able
to put into w o r d s what quality of life or what g o o d w o r k s
should result from the preaching and hearing of his sermon.
We accomplish our purpose, Paul told Timothy, through (1)
teaching a doctrine, (2) refuting some error in belief or action,
(3) correcting what is wrong, and (4) instructing p e o p l e on
the proper handling of life. Educators realize h o w e v e r that
an effective statement o f purpose goes beyond procedure and
describes the observable behavior that should c o m e as a re-
 Biblical Preaching

suit of teaching. A purpose statement not only describes our

destination and the route w e will follow to get there, but if
possible tells h o w w e can k n o w if w e have arrived. I f w e are
not clear about where w e are going, w e will undoubtedly land
someplace else. 2

R o y B. Z u c k has drawn up a list of verbs valuable for

stating course objectives and also useful for dealing w i t h
k n o w l e d g e and insight (the cognitive domain) and attitudes
and action (the affective domain). This list is reproduced in
table 1.
While preaching differs significantly from lecturing, stat-
ing the purpose o f a sermon as though it w e r e an instruc-
tional objective makes the sermon more direct and effective.
H e r e are some purposes stated in measurable terms:

T h e listener should understand justification by faith and

be able to write out a simple definition o f the doctrine.
(Whether the hearers actually write out the definition or
Stage not, a preacher will be much more specific if he preaches
Six as though they will.)

A listener should b e able to list the spiritual gifts and

determine w h i c h gifts he or she has been given.

A listener should b e able to write d o w n the name of at

least one non-Christian and should resolve to pray for
that individual each day for the next t w o w e e k s . ( I f some-
one does something for t w o weeks, they have a better
chance o f doing it for several months.)

M y hearers should identify one morally indifferent situ-

ation about which Christians disagree and b e able to think
through h o w to act in that situation.

2. For a discussion of instructional objectives helpful to any teacher, see

Robert F. Mager, Preparing Instructional Objectives, 2d ed. (Belmont, Calif.:
Fearon, 1975).
 Table 1
If the goal is: Knowledge Insight Attitude Skill
Then the verb
can be: list discriminate determine to interpret
state between develop apply
enumerate differentiate have confidence in internalize
recite between appreciate produce
recall compare be convinced of use
write contrast b e sensitive to practice
identify classify c o m m i t yourself to study
memorize select b e enthusiastic solve
know choose about experience
trace separate desire to explain
delineate evaluate sympathize with communicate
b e c o m e aware o f examine view assist in
b e c o m e familiar comprehend plan pray about
with reflect on feel satisfied
b e c o m e cognizant of think through about
define discern
describe understand
recognize discover
Biblical Preaching

T h e congregation should understand h o w G o d loves them

and explain at least one w a y in which that l o v e makes
them secure.

Christians should be able to explain what people must

believe to b e c o m e Christians and should plan to speak to
at least one person about the L o r d in the c o m i n g w e e k .

Listeners should b e convinced of the necessity to study

the Bible and should enroll in a church B i b l e class, a
h o m e B i b l e class, or a B i b l e correspondence course.

Framing purposes that describe measurable results forces

the preacher to reflect on h o w attitudes and behavior should
b e altered. That in turn will enable him to b e m o r e concrete
in his application of truth to life. A f t e r all, if a sermon accom-
plishes anything, it must accomplish something.
D a v i d Smith, a Scottish preacher, describes a sermon as
"a speech concluded with a motion." One effective means of
incorporating the purpose into the sermon, therefore, lies in
writing out a conclusion with the purpose in mind. We con-
centrate our thought with greater efficiency if w e k n o w as w e
begin what w e intend to accomplish.
 The Power of Purpose

New Concepts

Purpose
Measurable results

Definitions

Measurable results—the purpose of the sermon stated in terms

of observable behavior.
Purpose—what one expects to happen in the hearer as a re-
sult of hearing this sermon.
 Stages in the Development
of Expository Messages

1. Selecting the Passage

2. Studying the Passage
3. Discovering the Exegetical Idea
4. Analyzing the Exegetical Idea
5. Formulating the Homiletical Idea
6. Determining the Sermon's Purpose
7. D e c i d i n g H o w t o A c c o m p l i s h T h i s
P u r p o s e , page 116.
8. O u t l i n i n g t h e S e r m o n , page 128.
 Chapter 6

The Shapes Sermons Take

Samuel Johnson observed that " p e o p l e need to b e re-

m i n d e d as much as they need to be informed." In light o f his
counsel, let's pause for a m o m e n t to survey the territory w e
have traveled. T h r o u g h a study of the passage, w e should
have determined the exegetical idea by stating clearly what
the writer was talking about and what he was saying about
what he was talking about. I n an effort to relate the exegesis
to the contemporary audience, w e then probed the idea w i t h
three developmental questions: What does that mean? Is it
really true? What difference does it make? F r o m this w e
framed a homiletical idea that relates the biblical concept to
modern m e n and w o m e n . In addition w e established a pur-
pose for the sermon.
A t this point, therefore, w e should k n o w what w e have
to preach and w h y w e are preaching it. N o w the question
before us is this: What must be done with this idea to carry
out the purpose? What shape will the sermon assume?
 Biblical Preaching

Stage 7 Thinking about the homiletical idea, ask

yourself how this idea should be han-
dled to accomplish your purpose.

Basically ideas expand in line with the broad purposes

o f the sermon. Just as any statement w e m a k e d e v e l o p s
through explaining, proving, or applying it, so sermon ideas
too demand explanation, validation, or application.

An Idea to Be Explained
S o m e t i m e s an idea must be explained. T h a t happens
w h e n a preacher wants his congregation to understand a doc-
Stage trine of the Bible. A truth correctly comprehended carries its
Seven o w n application. For example, if your car comes thumping
- to a halt because a tire has b l o w n out, you must change the
116 tire. I f you do not k n o w h o w to change it, your greatest need
is for a clear explanation. Standing beside the highway, aware
of the flat tire, y o u will actively listen to instruction on h o w
to fix it. H a v i n g understood the explanation you will presum-
ably be motivated to get out the tools, jack up the car, and
g o about the business o f trading the flat for the spare. A l l of
this is to say that offering an audience a clear explanation of
a biblical passage may be the m o s t important contribution
an expositor can m a k e in his sermon.
One formula for sermon d e v e l o p m e n t that should be re-
spected if only because it is old says: "Tell them what you are
going to tell them; tell them what you are telling them; then
tell them what you have told t h e m . " When our purpose re-
quires that w e explain a concept, that is splendid advice. In
the introduction to such a sermon, w e state the idea com-
pletely, in the b o d y w e take the idea apart and analyze it, and
 The Shapes Sermons Take
in the conclusion w e repeat the idea again. Certainly such a
d e v e l o p m e n t w i n s t h r o u g h c l a r i t y a n y t h i n g it l o s e s in
suspense.
A s an example, A l e x a n d e r Maclaren preached a sermon
to explain Colossians 1:15-18: " W h o is the image of the in-
visible G o d , the firstborn of all creation; for in h i m w e r e all
things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things vis-
ible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers; all things have been created through
him, and unto him; and he is before all things, and in him all
things consist. A n d he is the head of the b o d y , the church:
w h o is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all
things he might have the preeminence." ( A S V )
Within the sermon Maclaren says, " M y business is not so
m u c h to try to p r o v e Paul's w o r d s as to explain them, and
then press t h e m h o m e . " His subject is why Jesus Christ is
supreme over all creatures in everything, and his c o m p l e -
ment is because of his relation to God, to the creation, and to
the church. I n developing this idea through explanation, Mac- Stage
laren purposes to motivate Christians to make Christ preem- Seven
inent in their lives. = = = =

H o w then does he g o about the sermon? H e offers his 117

idea t w i c e in the introduction. "Christ," he declares, "fills the
space b e t w e e n G o d and man. T h e r e is no need for a c r o w d
o f shadowy beings to link heaven with earth. Jesus Christ
lays His hand upon both. H e is the head and fountain o f life
to His church. Therefore, H e is first in all things to b e listened
to, l o v e d , and worshipped b y m e n . " T h e entire sermon will
say nothing more than that. I n the n e x t paragraph Maclaren
presents the idea in an abbreviated form a second time: "There
are here three grand conceptions o f Christ's relations. We
have Christ and G o d , Christ and the creation, Christ and the
church, and built upon all these, the triumphant proclama-
tion o f His supremacy o v e r all creatures in all respects."
In the b o d y o f the sermon, Maclaren explains what those
relationships involve. R e d u c e d to its outline, the sermon pro-
ceeds in this way:
 Biblical Preaching

I. T h e relation of Christ to G o d is that H e is " t h e image of

the invisible G o d " (Col. 1:15).
A . G o d in Himself is inconceivable and unapproachable.
B. Christ is the perfect manifestation and image of G o d .
1. In H i m the invisible becomes visible.
2. H e alone provides certitude firm enough for us to
find sustaining p o w e r against life's trials.
I I . T h e relation o f Christ to creation is that H e is " t h e first-
b o m of all creation" (Col. 1:15-17).
A . Christ is the agent of all creation, and the phrases
Paul used imply priority of existence and supremacy
over everything.
B. Christ sustains a variety o f relations to the universe;
this is developed through the different prepositions
Paul used.
I I I . T h e relation of Christ to His church is that H e is " t h e
head of the b o d y " w h o is " t h e beginning, the firstborn
from the d e a d " (Col. 1:18).
Stage A . What the Word of G o d before the incarnation was to
Seven the universe, so is the incarnate Christ t o H i s church.
====== H e is the "firstborn" to both.
228 B. A s " t h e head of the b o d y , " H e is the source and center
o f the church's life.
C. A s the " b e g i n n i n g " o f the church through His resur-
rection, H e is the p o w e r b y which the church began
and b y w h i c h w e w i l l b e raised.
Conclusion: " T h e apostle concludes that in all things Christ
is first—and all things are, that he may be first.
Whether in nature or in grace, the preeminence
is absolute and supreme. . . . S o the question o f
questions for us all is, 'What think y e o f Christ?'
. . . Is he anything to us but a name? . . . H a p p y
are w e if w e g i v e Jesus the preeminence, and if
our hearts set ' H i m first, H i m last, H i m midst
and without end.' "*

1. A n outline is not a sermon. To read this sermon with its supporting ma-
terial, see Faris D. Whitesell, ed., Great Expository Sermons, pp. 68-77.
 The Shapes Sermons Take

In this entire sermon Maclaren does little else but answer

the question, What does this passage mean?

A Proposition to Be Proved

Sermons take other forms, however, and sometimes an

idea requires not explanation but proof. When this is the case,
the idea appears in the introduction, but as a proposition the
preacher will defend. T h e developmental question producing
this type of sermon demands validation: Is that true? W h y
should I believe it? Because the stance of the preacher re-
sembles a debater, the points b e c o m e reasons or proofs for
his idea.
A n e x a m p l e of a sermon in which a proposition is p r o v e d
can b e taken from I Corinthians 15:12-19, w h e r e Paul argues
for the resurrection of the body. In the context Paul has con-
tended that the Corinthians cannot b e l i e v e that Jesus rose
from the dead and continue to maintain that there is no such Stage
thing as resurrection. A sermon from verses 12-19 will de- Seven
fend the proposition, The Christian faith is worthless unless = = = =

Christians rise from the dead. T h e preacher aims to convince 119

his hearers that the doctrine of resurrection lies at the center
of Christianity. T h e idea is stated in the introduction, and the
major points defend it as a series o f arguments. In outline
form the sermon looks like this:

I. I f Christians do not rise, the Christian faith lacks valid

content ( w . 12-14).
A . I f the dead do not rise, it follows that Christ did not
rise.
B. I f Christ did not rise, then the gospel is a delusion.
C. I f the gospel is a delusion, then our faith in that gos-
pel has no substance.
( A second reason w h y the Christian faith is worthless
unless Christians rise . . . )
 Biblical Preaching

II. I f Christians do not rise, the apostles are despicable liars

(v. 15).
A . Since the apostles all preached the resurrection o f
Jesus, w h i c h could not have taken place if there is
no resurrection, then they are "false witnesses."
B. T h e y are guilty of the worst kind of falsehood since
they g a v e l y i n g testimony about G o d , w h o m they
claimed raised Jesus from the dead.
( A third argument w h y the Christian faith is worthless
without resurrection . . . )
I I I . If Christians do not rise, then the Christian faith is futile
( w . 16-17).
A . I f Christ's resurrection did not happen—which w o u l d
be the case if there is no resurrection of the dead—
then the effects ascribed to it are not valid.
B. Christians therefore are still in their sins. A dead Sav-
ior is no Savior at all.
( A fourth argument to b e considered . . . )
Stage IV. I f Christians do not rise, then Christians have no hope
Seven ( w . 18-19).
= = = = = =
A . I f there is no resurrection, then Jesus was not raised
120 and his death accomplished nothing.
B. It would follow then that dead saints "have perished."
C. Christians suffering for Christ in anticipation o f life
to come must be pitied. Without resurrection the hope
that sustains them is only wishful thinking.
Conclusion: T h e resurrection of the dead stands as a crucial
doctrine o f Christianity. I f it falls, the entire sys-
tem of Christian faith crumbles with it, and the
Christian gospel and its preachers offer nothing
to the world. Since Christ has been raised, how-
ever, the belief in resurrection and the Christian
faith rest on a strong foundation.

A t first the idea explained and the idea p r o v e d appear to

be identical since both sermons set forth the sermon idea in
 The Shapes Sermons Take

the introduction and then develop it. What must be recog-

nized though is that the sermons expand in different direc-
tions to accomplish different purposes.

A Principle to Be Applied

A third development g r o w s out of the question of appli-

cation: S o what? What difference does this make? In this type
of sermon the expositor lays d o w n a biblical principle in either
his introduction or the first major point, and in the remainder
of his message he explores the implications o f the principle.
A n outline of a sermon designed to apply a principle can
be drawn from I Peter 2:11-3:9. T h e introduction to the ser-
m o n discusses h o w our attitudes determine action and then
asks the question: A s Christ's m e n and w o m e n what should
our attitude b e in a w o r l d that is no friend of G o d and grace?
T h e purpose behind the sermon is to have Christians develop
a submissive spirit in their social relationships. T h e principle Stage
to b e applied appears in the first point. Seven

121
I. We are to be subject for God's sake to every human in-
stitution (2:11-12, 2 1 - 2 5 ) .
A . Subjection brings glory to G o d (2:11-12).
B. Christ illustrates submission e v e n to institutions that
w o r k e d evil against H i m (2:21-25).
1. H e was completely innocent (v. 22).
2. H e remained silent and trusted H i m s e l f to G o d
(v. 23).
3. His sufferings w e r e r e d e m p t i v e ( w . 2 4 - 2 5 ) .
(What difference should this principle make in daily life?)
I I . This principle o f adopting a submissive spirit for G o d ' s
sake must g o v e r n us in our social relationships ( 2 : 1 3 -
20; 3 : 1 - 7 ) .
A . We are to submit for God's sake to civic leaders (2:13-
17).
 Biblical Preaching

B. We are to submit for G o d ' s sake to our employers

(2:18-20).
C. We are to submit for God's sake to our mates ( 3 : 1 - 7 ) .
1. Wives should have a submissive spirit toward their
husbands ( w . 1-6).
2. Husbands should have a submissive spirit toward
their wives (v. 7).
Conclusion: " L e t all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly,
kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning
evil for evil, or insult for insult, but g i v i n g a
blessing instead; for you w e r e called for the very
purpose that you might inherit a blessing" ( 3 : 8 -
9 NASB).

A Subject to Be Completed

A fourth pattern presents only the subject in the intro-

duction, not the entire idea, and the major points complete
S e V e n
t n e S U D
J e c t
- Without doubt this subject-completed form of
^ ^ ^ ^ development is the most c o m m o n one, and many preachers
attracted to the trite and true never vary from it.
122
In the hands of a skilled preacher, a sermon patterned
this w a y can h a v e a sense of tension and strong c l i m a x .
James S. Stewart, in an exposition of Hebrews 12:22- 25, pro-
vides a case study. In the introduction Stewart establishes
his subject. T h e writer of H e b r e w s , he tells us, "is saying five
things about our f e l l o w s h i p of Christian w o r s h i p in the
church." T h e purpose of the sermon is "to m a k e us realize
the riches of our heritage w h e n w e assemble in our places of
worship." T h e subject having been stated, each point in the
body helps to complete it.

I. It is a spiritual fellowship: " Y o u are c o m e unto Mt. Zion,

the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (v. 22).
Christians have direct touch with that visible spiritual
w o r l d w h i c h is the only ultimate reality.
 The Shapes Sermons Take

("I pass on to the second fact our text underlines con-

cerning the fellowship of Christian worship.")
I I . It is a universal fellowship: " Y o u are c o m e to the church
of the firstborn w h o are written in h e a v e n " (v. 23). Chris-
tians are members of the greatest fellowship on earth,
the church universal.
("I pass on to the third description he gives of our fel-
lowship in Christian worship.")
I I I . It is an immortal fellowship: " Y o u are c o m e to myriads
o f angels in festal array, and to the spirits o f just m e n
m a d e perfect" (v. 23). When Christians are at worship,
their l o v e d ones on the other side are near to them and
a cloud of witnesses surrounds them.
IV. It is a divine fellowship: " Y o u are c o m e to the G o d o f all
w h o is Judge, and to Jesus the mediator of the n e w cov-
e n a n t " ( v v . 2 3 - 2 4 ) . In y o u r w o r s h i p , h e tells t h e m —
reaching n o w to the very heart o f the matter—you have
c o m e to G o d as revealed in Jesus.
("One other fact about our fellowship in worship he adds,
Stage
Seven
and so makes an end.")
V I t is a redeeming fellowship: " Y o u are c o m e to the b l o o d
of sprinkling, that speaketh of better things than that of
123
A b e l " (v. 24). " W h e n our sins cry out to G o d for punish-
ment and vengeance, something else also happens—the
blood of Christ cries louder, overbears and silences the
v e r y c r y i n g o f our sins, and G o d for Christ's s a k e
forgives." 2

Stewart makes no formal conclusion, but instead his final

point serves to bring the sermon to an effective close. N o t i c e
that each separate point is related not to the previous point
but only to the subject that it completes.

2. The complete sermon, with its sturdy language and effective supporting
material, may be found in ibid., p p . 138-46.
 Biblical Preaching

A Story to Be Told

Sermons also communicate ideas if the expositor tells a

biblical story with insight and imagination. Unfortunately,
through some tortured reasoning w e have persuaded our-
selves that stories belong to children and that mature adults
take their principles straight, w i t h o u t any sugar coating.
Therefore w e relegate stories to the nursery or w e carry a
novel with us on vacation only as a w a y to pass away the
time.
T h e l o w marks w e have given to the story must b e re-
vised upward if w e observe the impact stories m a k e upon us
all. Television abounds with t h e m — s o m e shoddy, some shady,
some shaky, some w o r t h w h i l e — b u t T V drama attracts the
audience and shapes its values. T h e future of our culture may
depend on the stories that capture the imagination and m i n d
of this generation and its children.
Stage A n y o n e w h o loves the B i b l e must value the story, for
Seven whatever else the B i b l e is, it is a storybook. Old Testament
===== theology c o m e s packaged in narratives of m e n and w o m e n
124 w h o g o running off to set up their handmade gods, and of
others w h o take G o d seriously enough to bet their lives on
H i m . When Jesus appeared, H e came telling stories, and most
of them have entered the world's folklore. In fact, so brilliant
a storyteller was H e that w e sometimes miss the profound
theology disguised in His tales of a rebellious delinquent and
his insufferable brother, pious Pharisees, buried treasures,
and a businessman w h o had an unexpected appointment with
death.
Narrative preaching h o w e v e r does not merely repeat the
details of a story like recounting a pointless, worn-out j o k e .
Through the story the preacher communicates ideas. In a nar-
rative sermon, as in any other sermon, a major idea continues
to be supported by other ideas, but the content supporting
the points is drawn directly from the incidents in the story.
In other w o r d s the details of the story are w o v e n together to
 The Shapes Sermons Take

make a point, and all the points develop the central idea of
the sermon. Narratives seem most effective w h e n the audi-
ence hears the story and arrives at the speaker's ideas with-
out his stating them directly. Motion-picture director Stanley
K u b r i c k discussed the p o w e r of the indirect idea in an inter-
v i e w reported in Time: " T h e essence of dramatic form is to
let an idea c o m e over people without its being plainly stated.
W h e n you say something directly, it is simply not as potent
as it is when you allow people to discover it for t h e m s e l v e s . " 3

Whether the points are stated or only implied depends on the

skill o f the preacher, the purpose of the sermon, and the
awareness of the audience. In any case the story should un-
fold so that listeners identify with the thoughts, motives, re-
actions, and rationalizations o f the biblical characters, and in
the process acquire insight into themselves as well.

Other Forms Sermons Take

Stage
Seven
Sermons also develop inductively, deductively, or through
a combination of both. In deductive sermons the idea ap- ^25
pears as part o f the introduction and the b o d y e x p l a i n s ,
proves, or applies it (see figure 1). T h e first three forms dis-
cussed in this chapter follow the deductive pattern. In an
inductive arrangement, on the other hand, the introduction
introduces only the first point in the sermon, then with a
strong transition each n e w point links to the previous point
until the idea emerges in the conclusion (see figure 1). Induc-
tive sermons may also g r o w through a series of cumulative
e x a m p l e s w h i c h w h e n taken together lead to one general
principle.
Inductive sermons produce a sense o f discovery in lis-
teners, as though they arrived at the idea on their own. In-
duction is particularly effective w i t h indifferent or hostile

3. In Martha Duffy and Richard Schickle, "Kubrick's Grandest G a m b l e , "

Time, 15 December 1975, p. 72.
 Figure 1
Inductive-Deductive
Deductive Development Inductive Development Development

Introduction IDEA

][

Body II

III

Conclusion
 The Shapes Sermons Take

audiences likely to reject a preacher's proposition were it pre-

sented early in the sermon. When P e t e r addressed the throng
at Pentecost—a c r o w d which had recently crucified Jesus —
he e m p l o y e d an inductive approach that G o d used in bring-
ing five thousand to accept Jesus as Messiah and L o r d .

Induction and deduction may be combined in a sermon.

T h e expositor develops his introduction and first point in-
ductively, leading up to the statement of his idea. T h e n the
remainder of the sermon proceeds deductively to explain,
prove, or apply the idea. (See figure 1.)

One variation of the inductive-deductive arrangement is

a problem explored. Within the introduction and first point
the preacher identifies a personal or ethical p r o b l e m , ex-
plores its roots, and perhaps discusses inadequate solutions.
A t the second point he proposes a biblical principle or ap-
proach to the problem, and throughout the remainder o f the
sermon, he explains, defends, or applies it. A special category
of the problem-explored sermon is life-situation preaching. ~
In the introduction the preacher discusses in personal terms Seven
a question, problem, or bewildering experience like depres- ^^^^
sion or grief. H e m a y then demonstrate that the specific case ^7
actually reflects a more general theological or philosophical
problem. Finally he offers a positive biblical solution in a
practical, usable manner. T h e sermon, therefore, becomes a
bridge-building project that spans the gulf between personal
needs on one side and scriptural truth on the other.

Sermons can assume many forms, and those w e have sur-

v e y e d should be considered not exhaustive but suggestive.
T h e shoe must not tell the foot h o w to grow; therefore ideas
and purposes should be allowed to take their own shape in
the preacher's mind. To test a form at least t w o questions
should be asked: (1) Does this d e v e l o p m e n t communicate
what the passage teaches? (2) Will it accomplish m y purpose
with this audience? I f a form communicates the message, by
all means use it; if it gets in the way, devise a form m o r e in
keeping with the idea and purpose of the Scripture.
 Biblical Preaching

Stage 8 Having decided how the idea must be

developed to accomplish your pur-
pose, outline the sermon.

When an architect designs a building, he begins with a

concept derived from function (what the building is to d o )
and form ( h o w the building will look). To construct the build-
ing, the architect turns his idea into a blueprint showing in
detail h o w the concept will translate into steel, stone, and
glass.
T h e preacher, having derived a concept from biblical data
and audience need, must n o w fashion a blueprint, the outline
of his sermon. While content may exist without form, struc-
Stage ture provides a sermon with a sense of order, unity, and prog-
Eight ress. Certainly no sermon ever failed because it possessed a
= = = =
strong outline.
128 A n outline therefore serves at least four purposes. First,
it clarifies in the speaker's eye and mind the relationships
between the parts of a sermon. Second, the speaker v i e w s his
sermon as a w h o l e and thereby heightens his sense of unity.
A n outline also crystallizes the order of ideas so that the lis-
tener will be g i v e n them in the appropriate sequence. Finally,
the preacher recognizes the places in the outline requiring
additional supporting material to develop his points.
Sometimes the arrangement o f ideas in the passage w i l l
have to be altered in the outline. Because o f his readers, the
biblical writer may follow an inductive order; but because o f
his hearers, an expositor may select a deductive plan. Ser-
mons from the epistles fit more easily into outlines than d o
p o e m s , parables, or narratives. Unless a preacher remains
flexible in the ways he communicates passages, he will find
it impossible to accomplish the purpose of some passages
 The Shapes Sermons Take

w i t h his audience. A n expositor handling the e p i l o g u e of

P r o v e r b s , for example, w i l l discover that the passage cannot
be outlined logically. P r o v e r b s 31:10-31 consists o f a H e -
b r e w acrostic, describing the qualities of a g o o d wife from
A l e p h to Tau, the A to Z o f the H e b r e w alphabet. A l t h o u g h
an effective m e m o r y device for a H e b r e w reader, this acrostic
becomes sheer nonsense for English listeners. To teach this
passage a preacher must place his o w n outline upon its sub-
ject matter.
Outlines usually consist of an introduction, a body, and
a conclusion. Introductions (which will be discussed in greater
detail) introduce the subject, the idea, or the first point of the
sermon. T h e b o d y then elaborates on the idea. T h e conclu-
sion (also to b e treated later) brings the idea to a focus and
ends the sermon.
N o t all points in a sermon have equal importance. S o m e
are m o r e basic than others. T h e most fundamental b e c o m e
the main points and make up the basic framework around
which the sermon is built. These main points stand as R o m a n Stage
numerals in the b o d y of the message. F o r e x a m p l e : Eight

I. We should praise G o d because H e has elected us in Christ 229

(Eph. 1:4-6).
I I . We should praise G o d because H e has dealt with us ac-
cording to the riches of His grace (1:7-12).
I I I . We should praise G o d because H e has sealed us with the
H o l y Spirit until w e acquire full possession of our in-
heritance (1:13-14).

S i m p l y listing these major points, however, does not de-

v e l o p the sermon. Because main points need expansion, sec-
ondary points elaborating the main points are added to the
outline. A capital letter designates those points and, in ad-
dition, they are indented.

I. We should praise G o d because H e has elected us in Christ

(Eph. 1:4-6).
 Biblical Preaching

A. H e elected us before the foundation o f the world (v. 4).

B. H e elected us because H e preappointed us to sonship
through adoption.
C. H e elected us so that H e w o u l d be praised for the
glory of His grace (v. 6).

T h e addition of these subpoints improves the outline by

making the development clearer and m o r e specific. T h e out-
line can b e even more complete if it brings in specific details
to support the secondary points. Usually an A r a b i c number
and further indentation shows subordination to the main and
secondary points. In the sample outline the sermon expands
by the addition of detail.

I I . We should praise G o d because H e has dealt with us ac-

cording to the riches of His grace (1:7-12).
A . H e has remitted our sins through Christ's b l o o d (v. 7).
B. H e has g i v e n us w i s d o m to understand the mystery
Stage
Eight of His will (vv. 8-10).
1. His will is according to His g o o d pleasure w h i c h
H e purposed to carry out in Christ ( w . 8 - 9).
130
2. His will purposes to unite all things in Christ at
the proper time (v. 10).

With each expansion of the outline, the substance o f the

sermon becomes more obvious. A n individual w h o had never
l o o k e d at the passage could read the outline and gain some
idea of the speaker's organization and d e v e l o p m e n t o f the
sermon.
I f additional d e v e l o p m e n t is needed, it is shown by use
of small letters and further indentation. A sermon outline,
compared to one for a thesis or research paper, should b e
simple and clear and have relatively f e w points. A compli-
cated outline broken into several indented subdivisions, while
impressing the eye, will only bewilder the audience that must
listen to it.
 The Shapes Sermons Take

Since each point in the outline represents an idea, it

should be a grammatically complete sentence. When w o r d s
or phrases stand as points, they d e c e i v e us because they are
incomplete and vague. Partial statements allow thought to
slip t h r o u g h our m i n d s l i k e a g r e a s e d f o o t b a l l . W h i l e a
preacher may carry an abbreviated outline into the pulpit, it
will fail him if he uses it in his study.
Each point should b e a statement, not a question. Ques-
tions do not show relationships because they are not ideas.
T h e points in the outline should answer questions, not raise
them. Questions may b e used in the delivery of the sermon
as transitions i n t r o d u c i n g n e w p o i n t s . S u c h transitional
questions precede a point and are placed in parentheses.
While the preacher sees his outline lying before h i m on
the page, only its contents w i l l b e heard by the congregation.
T h e y do not hear an outline. This obvious fact makes tran-
sitional statements particularly significant since they point
up relationships o f the parts to the w h o l e . Carefully con-
structed transitions help the listener to think with the speaker Stage
so that together they m o v e through the sermon. A n effective Eight
transition notifies the audience that the preacher is m o v i n g 5=5===
on. It m a y r e v i e w where they have been, identify the thought 131
to w h i c h they are moving, relate what has been said to the
main subject or idea, and interest the hearer in the n e w
thought.
Since clear transitions don't spring readily into the mind,
they should be planned in advance. S o m e t i m e s both the pre-
vious idea and the following idea are stated: " N o t only is our
worship a divine fellowship, it is also a r e d e e m i n g fellow-
ship." A t other times, if w e have stated the previous point
explicitly as w e completed it, w e will omit the review: " B u t
the author tells us something else about our worship; it is a
redeeming fellowship." H o w e v e r w e do it, transitions state or
i m p l y the logical or psychological connection b e t w e e n the
introduction and the body, the points within the body, and
the b o d y and the conclusion. T h e y answer the question, W h y
these points in this order? S o m e transitions accomplish this
 Biblical Preaching

with a single w o r d or a sentence, but others demand a para-

graph to establish the unity, order of points, and m o v e m e n t
in the sermon. While they should b e written out and included
in the outline, transitions w i l l often b e amplified and en-
larged even more as w e actually preach the sermon.

Stage
Eight

132
 The Shapes Sermons Take

New Concepts

S o m e forms sermons take:

idea explained
proposition p r o v e d
principle applied
story told
subject completed
Deductive arrangement
Inductive arrangement
Outline
Transition

Definitions

Deductive arrangement—the idea appears as part of the in-

troduction, and the b o d y explains, proves, or applies it.
Idea explained—the idea is presented in the introduction,
and the points of the sermon are steps in the explanation
of the idea.
Inductive arrangement—the introduction introduces only the
first point in the sermon, then with a strong transition
each n e w point links to the previous point until the idea
emerges in the conclusion.
Outline — shows the speaker the relationship b e t w e e n the
ideas o f the sermon. H e can tell at a glance w h i c h ideas
are superior, subordinate, and coordinate.
Principle applied—the idea is stated in the introduction or
first point as a principle of faith or life. T h e remainder of
the sermon applies that principle to daily experience.
Proposition proved— the idea is stated in the introduction
like the proposition of a debate. T h e points are proofs o f
that proposition.
Story told — a story o f Scripture is narrated in such a w a y that
the idea is d e v e l o p e d directly or by implication.
Subject completed —the subject of the sermon appears in the
Biblical Preaching

introduction. T h e main points of the sermon are comple-

ments of that subject.
Transition—notifies the audience that the preacher is m o v i n g
on by stating (or occasionally by i m p l y i n g ) the logical or
psychological connection between the introduction and
the body, the points within the body, and the b o d y and
the conclusion.
 Stages in the Development
of Expository Messages

1. Selecting the Passage

2. Studying the Passage
3. Discovering the Exegetical Idea
4. Analyzing the Exegetical Idea
5. Formulating the Homiletical Idea
6. Determining the Sermon's Purpose
7. Deciding How to Accomplish This
Purpose
8. Outlining the Sermon
9. Filling in t h e S e r m o n O u t l i n e ,
page 137.
 Chapter 7

Making Dry Bones Live

Outlines serve as skeletons o f thought, and in most ser-

mons, as in most bodies, the skeleton w i l l not b e completely
hidden. We ought not put the outline on vulgar display, how-
ever, as if the skeleton w e r e " E x h i b i t C, V i c t i m o f Starvation
in the Holocaust." T h e most effective means o f hiding the
bare bones o f a sermon is not by disposing o f the skeleton
but b y covering it w i t h flesh. Supporting material is to the
outline what skin is to bones or walls to the frame o f a house.

Stage 9 Fill in the outline with supporting ma-

terials that explain, prove, apply, or am-
plify the points.
 Biblical Preaching

A n audience does not respond to abstract ideas, nor has

anyone ever been m o v e d to action by reading an outline. I f
an outline remains undeveloped, therefore, an audience can
miss its meaning and remain unconvinced. A s the sermon
unfolds, listeners raise several questions: " I w o n d e r what he
means by that?" "What evidence does he have for that state-
m e n t ? " "Sounds impressive, but h o w would this w o r k out in
l i f e ? " To clarify, amplify, prove, or apply his ideas and m a k e
them understandable and appealing, a preacher uses a vari-
ety of supporting materials.

Restatement

Restatement uses the principle of redundancy to state an

idea " i n other w o r d s . " It serves t w o basic purposes. First,
restatement gains clarity. Listeners, unlike readers, must get
what is said w h e n w e say it. T h e y cannot go back and hear
Stage it again. I f at first they don't understand us, then w e must
Nine S a y it again to m a k e ourselves clear. Clovis G. Chappell em-
• ploys restatement in his introduction to a sermon on the
138 w o m a n taken in adultery.

The scholars are uncertain as to where in the sacred record

this story belongs. Some think that it does not belong at all.
From certain of the ancient manuscripts it is omitted. H o w -
ever, speaking not as a scholar but merely as a Bible reader,
I am sure that it does really belong. Here I feel is a true story.
If it is not true it is one from which the truth itself might learn.
Not only is this story true, but in my judgment it is factual. It
is the record of an event that actually took place. It would have
taken a superb genius indeed to have invented a story so true
to life. Certainly it is consistent with what w e know about the
scribes and the Pharisees; it is yet more consistent with what
w e know about Jesus himself. 1

R e s t a t e m e n t impresses the truth on the listener. Say

1. Questions Jesus Asked ( N e w York: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1948; reprint ed.,

Grand Rapids: Baker, 1974), p. 154.
 Making Dry Bones Live

something once and it can be ignored, but repeat it several

times and it will be underlined in his thought and feelings.
Advertisers invest millions of dollars to restate their ideas on
radio, on television, and in magazines. P e t e r Marshall em-
phasizes a point through restatement in his sermon " T h e A r t
of M o v i n g Mountains":

I am sure that each of you has read this statement many

times:
Prayer Changes Things
You have seen it painted on posters which adorn the walls of
our Sunday school rooms.
You have seen it stamped on little metal plates,
read it in the Bible,
heard it from the pulpit, oh, so many times.
But do you believe it?
Do you actually, honestly, believe that prayer changes things?
Have you ever had prayer change anything for you?
Your attitudes
your circumstances
your obstacles Stage
your fears? [vjj ne

Restatement differs from repetition. Repetition says the

139
same thing in the same w o r d s ; restatement says the same
thing in different words. Repetition may profitably b e used
throughout the sermon like a refrain to reinforce a major
idea, but the skillful preacher learns to restate a point several
times in different ways.

Explanation and Definition

A definition establishes limits. It sets d o w n what must

be included and excluded by a term or statement. Explana-
tion also sets boundaries, but it may do so b y amplifying on
h o w ideas relate to one another or what an idea implies. N o -
tice h o w Earl F. P a l m e r explains what is meant b y the G r e e k
w o r d erOs:
 Biblical Preaching

Eros is l o v e that is e a r n e d , l o v e that is w o n f r o m us. It is n o t

t h e i n s t i n c t i v e l o v e t h a t w e h a v e f o r o u r p a r e n t s o r o u r chil-
d r e n , o u r f a m i l y o r o u r social o r r a c i a l s t r u c t u r e . It is n o t t h e
k i n d of love w e h a v e for s o m e t h i n g like w i s d o m or m a n k i n d .
It is l o v e e a r n e d f r o m u s b e c a u s e o f t h e c o m p e l l i n g e x c e l l e n c e
o f t h e p e r s o n o r t h i n g o r reality. It is t h e l o v e o f b e a u t y , t h e
love of p o w e r , the love of strength. 2

Definitions and explanations w o r k in a variety o f ways.

We usually define a term or idea b y placing it in a broad class
of things of which it is a part. A t the same time, h o w e v e r , w e
must show h o w it differs from other things in that class. Clas-
sification, therefore, explains both similarities and differ-
ences. P a l m e r says, "ErOs is l o v e [the broad class of w h i c h it
is a part] that is earned, l o v e that is w o n from us [ h o w it
differs from other kinds of l o v e ] . " S o m e t i m e s w e define and
explain through synonyms. A synonym works, h o w e v e r , only
if it touches a listener's previous experience and makes him
u n d e r s t a n d a n d feel the m e a n i n g i n t e n d e d . P r e s u m a b l y
e v e r y o n e k n o w s what cults are; but perhaps they d o n ' t k n o w
Stage
in the particular w a y w e want, so w e m a y say, " T h e cults are
N i n e
the unpaid bills of the church." 3

Comparison and contrast also develop and explain ideas.

140 P a l m e r used both in his explanation of erOs.
Preachers also use examples in explanation. R a y C. Sted-
man does this w h e n he asks in a sermon, "What do w e mean
w h e n w e say a thing is h o l y ? " H e answers: " L o o k at your
B i b l e and it says, ' H o l y Bible.' What makes it holy? T h e land
of Israel is called, ' T h e H o l y L a n d ' and the city of Jerusalem
is called, ' T h e H o l y City.' Why? There is a quality about all
three w h i c h they share in c o m m o n . T h e y all b e l o n g to G o d .
T h e B i b l e is God's book; Israel is God's land; Jerusalem is
God's city—they are God's property! That is w h y they are
holy; they belong to G o d . "
2. Love Has Its Reasons: An Inquiry into New Testament Love (Waco, Tex.:
Word, 1977), pp. 38-39.

3. This often-quoted statement appears, for example, in Anthony A . H o e -

kema, The Four Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mor-
monism, Seventh-Day Adventism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1963), p. 1.
 Making Dry Bones Live

Explanation proves difficult if the expositor does not

k n o w his audience. T h e more familiar he is w i t h a subject,
the less aware he may b e of a congregation's ignorance of it.
T h e people in the p e w live in a different intellectual w o r l d
from their pastor. I n d e e d they support him financially so that
he can study what they cannot. H e must not assume that his
listeners immediately understand what he is talking about.
H e owes them a clear explanation of exactly what he means.
A s a guiding rule, a speaker should define every important
term in language the audience understands. Certainly it is
better to define too many terms than too few. Explaining the
relationships and implications o f ideas, w e should k n o w the
explanation ourselves so clearly that no vagueness exists in
our o w n minds. T h e n w e should w o r k through the steps in
the explanation so that they c o m e in a logical or psycholog-
ical order. A mist in the pulpit becomes a fog in the pew.

Factual Information Stage

Nine
Facts consist o f observations, examples, statistics, and
other data that may b e verified apart from the speaker. A 141
preacher makes a factual statement w h e n he declares, " G r e e k
is a rich and varied language having several words for l o v e .
But of these w o r d s only t w o , philia and eros, exerted much
influence in Greek literature or thought in the first century."
I f a listener cared to do so, he could verify the accuracy o f
that statement by checking the words the Greeks used for
love. In the expository sermon observations about the con-
tent o f a passage are factual since a hearer can see for himself
what the B i b l e says.
M u c h that parades as fact is opinion in disguise. " A s a
matter of fact," a preacher says, "the greatest threat to the
morality o f A m e r i c a is the television set." O f course that is
not a matter o f fact at all, only a matter of opinion. That opin-
ion may or may not be valid, depending on the facts. Facts,
of course, are stupid things until they are brought into rela-
 Biblical Preaching

tionship w i t h each other and conclusions are d r a w n from

them. Opinions, on the other hand, are just as stupid unless
they are built on facts. T h e expositor, like any ethical speaker,
needs to k n o w his facts and b e sure of their validity. " E v e r y
man has a right to his o w n opinion," Bernard Baruch ob-
serves, "but no man has a right to be w r o n g in his facts."
Facts not only help the listener understand, they secure re-
spect for the speaker.
Statistics are a special form of facts that enable us to
survey a large amount of territory very quickly. T h e y are par-
ticularly appealing to citizens in a numbers-conscious soci-
e t y . I n d e e d t h e A m e r i c a n a p p e t i t e for statistics s e e m s
insatiable, and statisticians crank out an unending supply,
ranging from the number o f hours an average family watches
T V to the percentage of unhappy families in our culture. This
allegiance to numbers has created its o w n pitfalls for the in-
nocent—and opportunities for the dishonest. A n air o f cer-
tainty hangs o v e r the d e c i m a l point or the factionalized
Stage percentage—even w h e r e measurement is u n k n o w a b l e or ab-
Nine surd. A classic illustration is a report m a d e years ago that
= = 33V3 percent of all coeds at Johns H o p k i n s University had
142 married faculty members. T h e percentage was accurate. Johns
H o p k i n s had only three w o m e n students at the time, and one
of them married a faculty member. Preachers eager to w i n
their point may b e particularly susceptible to the unsup-
ported statistic. One noted evangelist reported, " I read not
long ago that 50 percent of rock groups practice devil wor-
ship and witchcraft, and I believe the figure is rising each
day." W h o counted? W h o was counted? When? Where?
When figures do enter a sermon, they should b e as simple
as possible without sacrificing accuracy. R o u n d numbers are
usually sufficient. While an accountant might b e impressed
with the information that in 1950 the population of Chicago
was 3,620,962, most of us will find the figure "a little over
three and a half m i l l i o n " easier to grasp. In w o r k i n g with
statistics, data can be m a d e meaningful and v i v i d by com-
paring them to things within the experience of the audience.
 Making Dry Bones Live

In describing the temple o f Diana in Ephesus w e might say,

" I t was 180 feet w i d e , over 375 feet long, with columns that
t o w e r e d 60 feet in height," and then add, " T h a t temple was
wider and longer than a football field including the end zones,
and the columns w e r e taller than a five-story building." A
speaker m a d e understandable the small size of an electron
by first giving the decimal fraction, w h i c h was incomprehen-
sible, and then adding: " I f an electron w e r e increased in size
till it became as large as an apple, and a human being g r e w
larger in the same proportion, that person could hold the en-
tire solar system in the palm o f his hand and w o u l d have to
use a magnifying glass in order to see i t . " 4

Quotations

We introduce quotations to support or expand a point for

t w o reasons: impressiveness and authority. W h e n w e dis-
cover that someone else has stated the idea m o r e effectively
Stage
than w e can, w e use his words. James S. Stewart introduces
Nine
a sermon on Isaiah 5:30 with a snatch of a phrase from R o b e r t
B r o w n i n g : " O f all the doubts which, as B r o w n i n g puts it, can
143
'rap and knock and enter in our soul,' by far the most dev-
astating is doubt of the ultimate purpose o f G o d . " Stewart
develops his introduction w i t h a series of other quotes, all
selected because of the p o w e r o f their wording. H e says:

. . . that is precisely the doubt which is lying like an appalling

weight on multitudes of lives to-day. They would think twice
before subscribing to Tennyson's faith:
Yet I doubt not thro' the ages one increasing purpose runs,
And the thoughts of men are widen'd with the process of
the suns.
"Where is any evidence of such a purpose?" they want to ask.
. . . So they are back where Ecclesiastes was. "Vanity of vani-
ties, all is vanity." What is the use, cried Thomas Hardy, of all
your prayers, you praying people, when you have nothing bet-
ter to pray to than

4. Alan H. Monroe, Principles and Types of Speech, p. 231.

 Biblical Preaching

The dreaming, dark, dumb Thing

That turns the handle of this idle Show?
" A bad joke" —that was Voltaire's final verdict on life. "Ring
down the curtain," said the dying actor, "the farce is done." 5

T h e r e are m a n y w a y s to talk a b o u t the p l a c e p a i n p l a y s

in our lives. A p r e a c h e r s u m s u p o n e p e r s p e c t i v e b y q u o t i n g
w o r d s m o r e i m p r e s s i v e t h a n his o w n : " P a i n plants the flag of
reality in the fortress o f a r e b e l h e a r t . "
A n c h o r i n g a p o i n t w i t h s o m e w o r d i n g that d i g s into the
m i n d is p r o b a b l y the m a j o r r e a s o n p r e a c h e r s t u r n to q u o t a -
tions in s e r m o n s . W h e n w e g i v e credit for the q u o t e , w e d o
so p r i m a r i l y for ethics.
W e also i n c l u d e quotations for authority. I n this case w h e n
w e g i v e credit for w h a t w e q u o t e , w e d o so b e c a u s e the p e r -
s o n w h o said it is in a better position to s p e a k t h a n w e are.
E r n e s t T. C a m p b e l l d o e s this in s p e a k i n g of times w h e n the
s e e m i n g futility o f w h a t w e d o c a u s e s u s to d r a w b a c k f r o m
i n v o l v e m e n t in social action. C a m p b e l l says:
Stage
Nine I was struck the other day by Leonard Woolf's view of his life's
work. " I see clearly," he said, "that I have achieved practically
j 44 nothing. The world today and the history of the human anthill
during the past 5-7 years would be exactly the same as it is if
I had played ping pong instead of sitting on committees and
writing books and memoranda. I have therefore to make a
rather ignominious confession that I must have in a long life
ground through between 150,000 and 200,000 hours of perfectly
useless work." 6

W e also q u o t e others b e c a u s e t h e y a r e in a better p o s i t i o n

to k n o w the facts o r interpret t h e m o r b e c a u s e t h e a u d i e n c e
w o u l d b e m o r e likely to a c c e p t their e v a l u a t i o n . A n e x p o s i t o r
w h o k n o w s the B i b l e a n d u n d e r s t a n d s p e o p l e a l r e a d y b e -
lieves in original sin, b u t h e m a y q u o t e the r e p o r t of the M i n -
n e s o t a C r i m e C o m m i s s i o n to a skeptical a u d i e n c e :

5. The Gates of New Life ( N e w York: Scribner, 1940; reprint ed., Grand Rapids:
Baker, 1972), pp. 1-2.

6. Locked in a Room with Open Doors (Waco, Tex.: Word, 1974), p. 117.
 Making Dry Bones Live

Every baby starts life as a little savage. H e is completely selfish

and self-centered. H e wants what he wants when he wants it—
his bottle, his mother's attention, his playmate's toy, his un-
cle's watch. Deny him these wants, and he seethes with rage
and aggressiveness, which would be murderous, were he not
so helpless. H e is dirty. He has no morals, no knowledge, no
skills. This means that all children, not just certain children,
are born delinquent. If permitted to continue in the self-cen-
tered world of his infancy, given free reign to his impulsive
actions to satisfy his wants, every child would grow u p a crim-
inal, a thief, a killer, a rapist.

A t other times the e x p e r t is better qualified to speak w i t h

authority on a subject. D . M . B a i l l i e quotes a historian to
demonstrate that early Christians possessed an intellectual
quality in their faith:

Dr. T. R. Glover, w h o was such an authority on that period [the

early centuries A.D.], tells us that one reason why Christianity
conquered the world was because it did better thinking than
the rest of the world. It not only k n e w better h o w to live and
h o w to die: it also knew better h o w to think. It "out-thought"
Stage
the world. Here is a deeply interesting passage: "The Christian
Nine
read the best books, assimilated them, and lived the freest in-
tellectual life the world had. Jesus had set him free to be true 145
to fact. There is no place for an ignorant Christian. From the
very start every Christian had to know and to understand, and
he had to read the Gospels, he had to be able to give a reason
for his faith. They read about Jesus, and they knew him, and
they knew where they stood. . . . W h o did the thinking in that
ancient world? Again and again it was the Christian. H e out-
thought the world." 7

A u t h o r i t i e s m u s t carry c r e d e n t i a l s . S e v e r a l questions
should b e asked about any e x p e r t to establish his c o m p e -
tence: (1) Does his experience or training qualify him to speak
w i t h authority on this subject? (2) Is the testimony based on
firsthand k n o w l e d g e ? (3) Is the authority prejudiced? A prej-
udiced authority does not inspire trust since he w i l l tend to

7. I b Whom Shall We Go? ( N e w York: Scribner, 1955; reprint ed., G r a n d

Rapids: Baker, 1974), pp. 62-63.
 Biblical Preaching

l o o k with favor on evidence supporting his opinions and to

overlook the rest. A prejudiced authority speaking against
his bias can of course make an excellent witness. G e o r g e Ber-
nard Shaw speaking on behalf of Christianity would b e strong
support since he often spoke out against it. (4) H o w does the
audience regard his testimony? D o they k n o w him? D o they
respect him? When an obscure individual is used as an au-
thority, w e should tell the audience his qualifications to speak
to the issue. 8

Quotes should be used sparingly in a sermon. A message

from the pulpit ought not sound like a term paper. Generally
quotes should be brief. L o n g quotations often b e c o m e un-
clear and hinder communication. Sometimes a longer quote
may be paraphrased and then a few important sentences from
the quotation read directly to the audience.
Quotations will be enhanced if w e introduce them into
the sermon w i t h a touch o f freshness. It requires little effort
to draw in a quote with " S p u r g e o n said," " P a u l w r o t e , " or
Stage "the Bible says." M o r e thought is demanded but m o r e accom-
N' n e
plished if w e rearrange them: "Written boldly into the B i b l e
= = = = = !
is this phrase . . . " " P a u l felt keenly that . . . " " T h i s is what
146 Charles D i c k e n s was trying to tell us w h e n he o b s e r v e d
. . . " " Y o u can see then the significance of those w o r d s embed-
ded in verse 10 . . ."

Narration

When w e gossip, w e gossip not about ideas but about

people. When popular newsmagazines such as Time handle
c o m p o u n d - c o m p l e x subjects such as the e c o n o m y or politi-
cal upheaval in China, they do so in part by discussing the
people involved. Narration within a sermon describes the in-
dividuals and events embraced in biblical accounts. E v e r y
passage has its p e o p l e — s o m e t i m e s they stand there laugh-

8. Monroe, Principles and Types of Speech, p. 233.

 Making Dry Bones Live

ing, cursing, praying, and at other times they h i d e and w e

must l o o k for them. In e v e r y text, though, there is always
s o m e b o d y writing and s o m e b o d y reading. P u l l aside a doc-
trine and y o u ' l l find personalities. F o r e x a m p l e , grace does
not exist in cold storage in heaven. T h e r e is only s o m e o n e
g i v i n g grace and another r e c e i v i n g it. T h e H o l y Spirit k n e w
the value of narration w h e n H e filled the Scriptures w i t h it,
and Jesus demonstrated the impact of narration in the par-
ables H e told.
Narration can supply b a c k g r o u n d in a sermon b y filling
in the history, setting, or personalities i n v o l v e d . John Hercus
uses it effectively to m a k e us l i v e w i t h D a v i d as h e w r o t e
P s a l m 24:

David sat u p straight, stretched his arms and yawned. It

had been a day of rehearsing, going over the whole proces-
sional routine with the musicians, the singers, and the ballet.
The score and the choreography were well advanced, and David
was more than satisfied. The psalm w a s good—short, clear,
well-suited to the occasion. Hm-m-m-m-m . . . that was a choice Stage
phrase about "ascend the hill of the Lord . . . stand in His holy Nine
place." Very good. It would make a fine background for work
with the cymbals and trumpets and chorus. A n d the ballet
would have splendid chances, under his leadership, to express 147
their rising feeling of spiritual drama.
A n d those four conditions of entry into the holy place —
they were just right. Terse, compact, neat. Clean hands, pure
heart, no accent on trashy values (that's really what he meant
by "does not lift up his soul to what is false") and no cheating
or being deceitful. Yes, indeed, that checks a man out as fully
and completely as you could wish.
Clean hands . . . like his own clean hands . . .
Suddenly a memory flashed into his mind. A memory of
washing, washing, washing those "clean" hands of his, trying
to scrub away a bloody thing that could not be undone. H o w
did it happen? Oh yes . . . because of Michal. 9

N a r r a t i o n takes o n e n e r g y w h e n the v e r b s and nouns

paint pictures on our m i n d s . S o m e t i m e s a different view-

9. D a v i d , 2d ed. (Chicago: Inter-Varsity, 1968), pp. 55-56.

 Biblical Preaching

point brings freshness to an oft-told account. H o w did the

w o m a n taken in adultery or the w o m a n at the w e l l think o f
Jesus w h e n they first met H i m ? In the epistles Paul pictures
an objector jumping up to argue with him: "What advantage
. . . is there in being a J e w ? " ( R o m . 3:1 N i v ) , someone asks.
" F o o d for the stomach and the stomach for f o o d " (I Cor. 6:12
Niv), argues a hedonist o f the time. What w e r e they like? Can
you describe h o w they might have carried on the discussion?
Use dialogue. T h e Gospel narratives and the parables are
filled with it. P u t words into people's mouths. When only one
person appears, use soliloquy or "self-talk." That's what Her-
cus did with David, and it's what Jesus did with the shrewd
branch manager ( L u k e 16:2-7) and the destitute b o y in the
far country (Luke 15:11-32). T h e lad asks himself, " H o w many
hired servants o f m y father's have bread enough and to spare,
and I perish here with hunger!" (v. 17 A S V ) .
Narration means communicating with imagination, and
imagination reflects the insights of faith. Imagination is half
Stage brother to interpretation since both relate to the text. We de-
Nine termine what a passage means from what a passage says. S o
= = = = = = ;
imagination goes one step b e y o n d the biblical facts and yet
148 stays tied to them.

Illustrations

S. I. Hayakawa's advice for speakers wanting to d e v e l o p

clarity is to study a c o o k b o o k since recipes explain general
concepts by breaking them d o w n to their specifics. F o r ex-
ample, a recipe for B e e f Wellington reads: " P l a c e tenderloin
on rack in open roasting pan. D o not add water. D o not cover.
Roast in a 425° oven, 20 to 25 minutes." Hayakawa's counsel
is particularly helpful for specialists, w h o s e extensive knowl-
e d g e of a subject can keep them from being effective com-
municators. Their education m o v e s them away from partic-
ulars to the vague realms of abstraction.
A theologian for e x a m p l e speaks about harmartiology
 Making Dry Bones Live

instead of sin because the abstract w o r d serves as a better

umbrella for the varied aspects of the topic. When the theo-
logian addresses an audience less familiar with his discipline,
though, he must step d o w n from his abstraction and talk
about murder, lying, stealing, or adultery. I f he cannot or will
not do this, though he may get high marks as a scholar, he
fails as a communicator. Soren Kierkegaard complained that
w h e n he asked the philosopher G e o r g H e g e l for directions to
a street address in Copenhagen, all he received was the m a p
of Europe.

Skilled preachers deal in high and l o w levels of abstrac-

tion, climbing back and forth like a laborer on a ladder. To
have meaning, particulars must b e gathered up in generali-
zations, and abstractions must be taken d o w n to particulars
to be m a d e understandable. " T h e interesting writer, the in-
formative speaker, the accurate thinker, and the sane indi-
vidual, operate on all levels of the abstraction ladder, m o v i n g
quickly and gracefully in orderly fashion from higher to lower,
from l o w e r to higher—with minds as lithe and deft and beau- Stage
tiful as m o n k e y s in a t r e e . " 10
Nine
One means of earthing our sermons lies in the use o f = = = = = =

illustrations. Well-chosen, skillfully used illustrations restate, ^9

explain, validate, or apply ideas by relating them to tangible
experiences. To nail a truth into the m i n d requires that w e
hit it several times. While most restatement comes through
the repetition of propositional statements, illustrations can
present the truth still another time without wearying the lis-
teners. Understanding too may b e gained through analogies
and anecdotes. A n illustration, like the picture on television,
makes clear what the speaker explains.
Illustrations also render truth believable. L o g i c a l l y , o f
course, examples cannot stand as proof, but psychologically
they w o r k with argument to gain acceptance. A preacher ar-
guing that all truth is equally valid but not equally valuable
may use an analogy to get his audience to accept what he

10. S. I. Hayakawa, Language in Thought and Action, p. 190.

 Biblical Preaching

says. A penny and a dollar bill are both genuine, he may point
out, but they are not of equal worth. Therefore w e must dis-
tinguish between penny- and dollar-truth. T h e analogy wins
as much agreement as the reasoned argument.
Illustrations apply ideas to experience. A listener needs
not only to understand and accept a concept but also to
k n o w what difference it makes. Examples display truth in
action. William E. Sangster preached a sermon based on Gen-
esis 41:51 d e v e l o p i n g the idea, " W e must r e m e m b e r to for-
get." H e concludes his sermon with an anecdote:

It was Christmas time in my home. One of my guests had

come a couple of days early and saw me sending off the last
of my Christmas cards. He was startled to see a certain name
and address. "Surely, you are not sending a greeting card to
him," he said.
" W h y not?" I asked.
" B u t you remember," he began, "eighteen months ago

Stage
|\]j ne I remembered, then, the thing the man had publicly said
about me, but I remembered also resolving at the time with
God's help, that I had remembered to forget. A n d G o d had
"made" me forget!
I posted the card.

Illustrations serve a preacher and his congregation in

other ways. T h e y aid memory, stir emotion, create need, hold
attention, and establish rapport between speaker and hearer. 11

T h e foundational principle for the use o f illustrations is

that illustrations should illustrate. A c c o r d i n g to its etymol-
ogy to illustrate means "to throw light on a subject." There-
fore there is no such thing as "a g o o d illustration" but only
a g o o d illustration of a particular truth. Illustrations resemble
a r o w o f footlights illuminating the action on a stage. I f a
footlight shines in the eyes o f the audience, it blinds them to

11. Ian Macpherson lists seventeen purposes served by illustrations in The

Art of Illustrating Sermons, pp. 13-33.
 Making Dry Bones Live

what they ought to s e e . 12

A story told for its o w n sake may
entertain or amuse, but it gets in the w a y o f the sermon. A n
anecdote w o r k s in the service of truth only w h e n it centers
attention on the idea and not on itself.
Illustrations should also be understandable. Through ex-
amples w e clarify the unknown with the known. I f the illus-
tration needs to be explained to make it clear, it should not
be used. To explain an illustration, w h i c h in turn explains a
concept, is to clarify the unfamiliar w i t h the unfamiliar. Ex-
amples taken from the B i b l e sometimes violate this rule by
illustrating the u n k n o w n w i t h the u n k n o w n . I n a day o f bib-
lical illiterates, biblical stories m a y b e as remote to modern
listeners as Chinese history. Using them as illustrations of
other biblical passages can b e an exercise in futility. I f stories
from the B i b l e are told, the expositor must take time and
care to relate t h e m so that an audience enters into t h e m and
feels their force. Because a communicator illumines the un-
k n o w n through the k n o w n , the most effective illustrations
touch as close to the lives of the listeners as possible. A m o n g
the most effective are "human interest" stories, w h i c h deal
with subjects of our c o m m o n life such as children, animals,
and comic strips.

Illustrations should b e convincing. A s much as lies in

him, the preacher should be sure o f his facts. While a fac-
tually inaccurate story m i g h t clearly illustrate an idea, the
preacher w h o uses it with an audience aware of its inaccuracy
will undermine his credibility. What is m o r e , illustrations
ought not offend the g o o d sense of an audience. Truth may
be stranger than fiction, but improbable anecdotes only lead
the audience to suspect that the preacher is strange. I f an
incident sounds far-fetched, a c k n o w l e d g e that and then g i v e
support for it.
Ministers seem to beget children w h o talk in illustrations.
When too many such stories punctuate sermons, skeptical
congregations cannot help but w o n d e r whether the preacher

12. John Nicholls Booth, The Quest for Preaching Power, p. 146.
 Biblical Preaching

always speaks truth. Because personal illustrations carry

force, preachers fall to the temptation o f relating stories as
though they happened to them w h e n in reality they did not.
T h e gospel sits in j u d g m e n t on the methods used to proclaim
it, and G o d ' s truth cannot be benefited by our falsehoods.
Should a congregation suspect that w e w i l l lie to m a k e a
point, they have reason to believe that w e w i l l lie to make a
convert.
Illustrations should be appropriate to the theme of the
sermon and to the audience. Great themes may b e hurt by
their illustrations. One preacher eager to emphasize the om-
nipresence of G o d declared, " G o d is even in the trash can!"
What the illustration held in accuracy, it lacked in appropri-
ateness. S o m e illustrations acceptable to one audience might
not be appropriate for another. F o r e x a m p l e , this story, while
reflecting on the m o r a l i t y o f our a g e , w o u l d h a v e to b e
w e i g h e d for its appropriateness with different groups: A man
sat in a restaurant chatting with an attractive young w o m a n .
Stage In the course of the conversation, he pointed to a well-dressed
Nine young man seated at a corner table.
==== " S e e that fellow over there? I f he offered you $500 to go
152 to bed with him tonight, w o u l d you do i t ? "
" F i v e hundred dollars?" the girl responded. "Well, for
$500 I guess I w o u l d . "
A f e w minutes later the man pointed to another fellow
seated at another part o f the room.
" S e e that guy? Suppose he offered you $20 to spend the
night with him. Would you do i t ? "
"Twenty dollars?" the girl sniffed. " O f course not. What
do you think I a m ? "
T h e man replied, "Oh, I've already found that out. I ' m
just trying to establish your p r i c e ! "
That illustration might b e perfectly acceptable on a col-
lege campus or in a talk to businessmen, but a minister w o u l d
have to consider carefully whether or not it w e r e appropriate
for his Sunday-morning congregation.
Illustrations should be told dramatically. A sculptor was
 Making Dry Bones Live

asked h o w he carved a statue o f a lion w h e n he didn't have

a model. H e explained, " I simply carved away anything that
didn't look like a lion." That is g o o d advice for preachers too.
A skillful storyteller cuts away surplus details that fail to con-
tribute to the punch line o f his story. Narrative illustrations
should use dialogue and direct quotation so that the preacher
relives the story rather than merely retells it. The story should
be told as dramatically as possible so that the audience enters
into the illustration and feels, as w e l l as understands, the
point being made.
G o o d illustrations can b e found e v e r y w h e r e . Personal
experience is a particularly prolific source. E v e r y life is a cir-
cus, but some people can gather m o r e material in a stroll
around the neighborhood than others can find in a trip around
the world. T h e difference lies not in what w e experience, but
in what w e see in our experiences. We must observe in order
to see. T h e w o r l d can be God's picture b o o k if w e see in
ordinary events of life analogies and applications of spiritual
truth. Stage
Personal illustrations add warmth and vitality to a ser- Nine
mon, but three general rules should govern their use. First, ======
the illustration should be true. It should also be modest. Con- 153
gregations dislike first-person stories w h e n the preacher
emerges regularly as the hero. We react negatively to a con-
versationalist w h o brags about h o w clever, humorous, or
spiritual he is. N o t h i n g changes that reaction w h e n the boast-
ing is done from the pulpit. M o s t experiences of course m a k e
us neither victors nor villains and can b e recounted w i t h
modesty and great benefit. I f a personal illustration is used,
it should b e told without apology. W h e n a preacher says, " I f
you will pardon the personal illustration," he directs atten-
tion to what should not b e noticed. I f the incident should b e
used, then there is no need to apologize. I f it should not b e
used, an apology will not help. A third rule that must b e scru-
pulously observed in using personal experiences is that w e
must not violate a confidence. P e o p l e resent sharing a con-
cern w i t h their pastor and wondering if they will appear as
 Biblical Preaching

part o f his sermon. Even w h e n some personal incident can

be shared without anyone being hurt, ask permission to use
it. E v e n though you may feel you are nattering people, they
m a y resent the public exposure.
Illustrations also c o m e from reading. F e w ministers can
afford to read without pen in hand for recording materials
that w i l l illuminate their sermons. C o m i c strips, nursery
rhymes, magazines, newspapers, novels, history all p r o v i d e
source material for messages. Sermons by gifted preachers
provide illustrations in context that makes them superior to
collections w h e r e stories usually appear divorced from what
they illustrate.
Certainly many illustrations will c o m e to the preacher as
he w o r k s on a sermon. L e t him write d o w n clearly the point
to b e m a d e and then let him think of the relationships within
that point demanding illumination. Often his m i n d and m e m -
ory will supply what he needs. T h e ability to fashion appro-
priate analogies or to c o m e up with apt applications can b e
Stage developed through practice.
Nine Undoubtedly the place to which a preacher turns most
often for supporting material is his file. What he gets out o f
154 his file for a g i v e n sermon depends completely on what he
has put into it. M a n y systems have been d e v e l o p e d to enable
a minister to save the results o f his study and reading. Usu-
ally t w o kinds of files must b e kept. One, the letter-sized file,
stores sermon notes, large sheets of paper, booklets, or even
pages torn from unwanted books. This file m a y b e broken
d o w n a c c o r d i n g to subjects and b o o k s o f the B i b l e . T h e
D e w e y decimal system, used by most libraries, can form the
basis of the subject file. T h e Rossin-Dewey subject list relates
the D e w e y system to a pastor's special n e e d s . 13
A n o t h e r sim-
ple and efficient system designed for ministers is the New
Baker's Textual and Topical Filing System. 14

In addition to a large, letter-sized file, a minister should

13. Available from the Shepherd Company, Hopkins, M N 55343.

14. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1976.
 Making Dry Bones Live

also d e v e l o p a smaller 3- by 5-inch card file. One section of

this file may b e d i v i d e d into the b o o k s o f the Bible, w i t h the
cards arranged under each b o o k according to chapter and
verse. Here illustrations, exegetical notes, bibliography per-
taining to particular passages of the Scripture are stored. A n -
other section of the card file should be i n d e x e d according to
subjects. This file may be broken d o w n by the first letter and
first v o w e l in the subject. T h e system is set up in the follow-
ing manner:
Aa Ae Ai Ao Au
Ba Be Bi Bo Bu
Ca Ce Ci Co Cu
Da De Di Do Du
Ea Ee Ei Eo Eu
etc.
Illustrations of the subject " l o v e " would be filed under
L o ( L is the first letter, and o the first v o w e l ) ; " e x a m p l e "
under Ea; or " a t o n e m e n t " under Ao. T h e advantage o f this
system lies in its simplicity and versatility. M o s t material that Stage
should b e kept as supporting material in a sermon—anec- Nine
dotes, quotes, p o e m s , e x e g e t i c a l notes, analogies, b i b l i o - = = = = =

graphic references—can b e filed on 3 x 5 cards. 155

A minister needs a filing system. A n y system that allows
him to store information is superior to no system at all. T h e
filing system also needs the minister. N o system will w o r k
unless he determines to w o r k it. A g u r , a writer of P r o v e r b s ,
c o m m e n d s the ant for its great w i s d o m : " T h e ants—they are
no strong folk, y e t they lay up their food in the s u m m e r "
(Prov. 30:25). Wise is the preacher w h o learns a lesson from
the ant.
Biblical Preaching

New Concepts

Repetition
Restatement
Explanation
Definition
Factual information
Quotations
Narration
Illustrations

Definitions

Definition—establishes what must b e included and excluded

by a term or statement.
Explanation — sets boundaries b y amplifying on h o w ideas
relate to one another or what an idea implies.
Factual information—consists o f observations, e x a m p l e s ,
statistics, and other data that may b e verified apart from
the preacher.
Narration—describes w h o did what to w h o m with what ef-
fect in the biblical accounts. It can b e used to supply
background in a sermon by discussing the history, set-
ting, or personalities i n v o l v e d in a passage.
IIlustrations—restate, explain, prove, or apply ideas by relat-
ing them to tangible experiences.
 Stages in the Development
of Expository Messages

"I.Selecting the Passage

2. Studying the Passage
3. Discovering the Exegetical Idea
4. Analyzing the Exegetical Idea
5. Formulating the Homiletical Idea
6. Determining the Sermon's Purpose
7. Deciding How to Accomplish This
Purpose
8. Outlining the Sermon
9. Filling in the Sermon Outline
10. Preparing t h e I n t r o d u c t i o n a n d C o n c l u -
s i o n , page 159.
 Chapter 8

Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

Introductions and conclusions have significance in a ser-

m o n out o f proportion to their length. During the introduc-
tion an audience gains impressions o f a speaker that often
determine whether or not they w i l l accept what he says. I f he
appears nervous, hostile, or unprepared, they are inclined to
reject him. I f he seems alert, friendly, and interesting, they
decide he is an able person with a positive attitude toward
himself and his listeners.

Stage 10 Prepare the introduction and conclu-

sion of the sermon.
 Biblical Preaching

The Introduction

A n introduction introduces the congregation to the idea

and its development. T h e characteristics o f effective intro-
ductions will g r o w out of that purpose.

Commands Attention

A n introduction should command attention. When a min-

ister steps behind the pulpit, he dare not assume that his
congregation sits expectantly on the e d g e of the p e w s waiting
for his sermon. In reality they are probably a bit bored and
harbor a suspicion that he will m a k e matters worse. A Rus-
sian proverb offers wise counsel to the preacher: " I t is the
same with m e n as with donkeys: w h o e v e r w o u l d hold them
fast must get a very g o o d grip on their ears!" T h e opening
words of a sermon therefore need not b e dramatic; they need
Stage not even be plain; but they must g o after the minds o f the
Ten hearers to force them to listen. I f the preacher does not cap-
====== ture attention in the first thirty seconds, he may never gain
260 it at all.
T h e possibilities for an opening statement that demands
attention are as w i d e as a minister's creativity. H e may start
with a paradox: " M a n y children o f G o d live as though they
w e r e orphans."
H e may use a familiar thought in an unfamiliar setting:
" 'Honesty is the best policy.' When a person says that, he
may not b e honest at all. H e may simply b e shrewd."
Rhetorical questions reach for attention: " I f it w e r e pos-
sible for G o d to die and H e died this morning, h o w l o n g
would it take you to find o u t ? "
A startling fact or statistic gets an audience to listen: " O n e
out of three marriages ends in the divorce court. Only one
marriage in six is happy."
Having read his text, the preacher can m a k e a provoca-
tive c o m m e n t about it: " T h e r e is a delicious touch of humor
 Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

about this text. Jesus is deadly serious, but that fact does not
interfere w i t h his laughter." 1

A t times humor wins attention: " A businessman, com-

pleting his annual checkup, w a s assured b y his physician,
'Sir, you're as sound as a dollar!' T h e m a n fainted."
T h e passage itself can be the basis of attention: " F o r many
people H e b r e w s chapter six is the most perplexing passage
in the B i b l e . " T h e expositor m a y g o directly to the passage:
"This morning I'd like to begin b y making a confession. I'd
like to bring y o u the message of another preacher. That is,
after all, the w a y Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, intro-
duces himself."
P e o p l e sit up and listen at the prospect o f a story: " M a r y
Watson w a s a housewife in her late thirties. S h e thought of
herself as young and still attractive e v e n though she had been
married fifteen years and w a s the mother o f three children.
I n t h e space o f a m o n t h she d e v e l o p e d into an ugly, o l d
woman."
A t other times the preacher will drive directly to his sub- ^~[Q^
ject: " I f y o u claim to b e a Christian, y o u must b e l i e v e in the
Trinity."
161
H o w e v e r h e begins, the minister should m a k e the most
of his first twenty-five words to seize attention. A n ear-grab-
bing opening promises that what follows may b e w o r t h thirty
minutes o f everyone's time.

Surfaces Needs

A n effective introduction also surfaces need. A preacher

must turn involuntary attention into voluntary attention, so
that people listen not only because they ought to but because
they want to. Paul O'Neil, a writer for Life magazine, e v o l v e d
O'Neil's L a w : " A l w a y s grab the reader b y the throat in the

1. C l o v i s G . Chappell, Questions Jesus Asked (Nashville: Abingdon, 1948;

reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Baker, 1974), p. 30.
Biblical Preaching

first paragraph, sink y o u r thumbs into his w i n d p i p e in the

second and hold him against the w a l l until the tag l i n e . " 2

Social scientist Arthur R. C o h e n concluded that w h e n audi-

ences r e c e i v e information that meets felt needs, t w o things
happen: (1) more learning takes place; and (2) opinions change
faster and m o r e permanently than w h e n information is g i v e n
and then not applied to life. A l l of this says that the impor-
3

tant point o f contact w i t h a congregation lies in answering,

" W h y bring this up? W h y d o I need to listen?"
Charles R. S w i n d o l l b e g a n a s e r m o n on I I Corinthians
1:3-11 b y raising a question that exposes the raw n e r v e of
need:

El Tablazo looked so close. Too close. It happened so fast.

Exploding into the jagged 14,000-foot peak, the DC-4 disinte-
grated with a metallic scream.
What was left of the Avianca Airline flight bound for Quito,
Ecuador, flamed crazily down the mountainside into a deep
ravine. O n e awful moment illuminated a cold C o l o m b i a n
mountain in the night, then the darkness returned. A n d the
silence.
Before leaving the airport earlier that day, a young N e w
Yorker named Glenn Chambers hurriedly scribbled a note on
a piece of paper he found on the floor of the terminal. The
scrap was part of a printed advertisement with a single word,
" W h y ? " sprawled across the center.
Needing stationery in a hurry, Chambers scrawled a note
to his mother around the word in the middle. Quickly folding
this last-minute thought, he stuffed it in an envelope and
dropped it in a box. There would be more to come, of course.
More about the budding of a lifelong dream to begin a ministry
with the Voice of the Andes in Ecuador.
But there was no more to come. Between the mailing and
the delivery of Chambers' note, El Tablazo snagged his flight
and his dreams from the night sky. T h e envelope arrived later

2. In George P. Hunt, "Editor's Note: Attila the H u n in a Tattered Sweater,"

Life, 13 November 1964, p. 3.
3. " N e e d for Cognition and Order of Communication as Determinants of
Opinion Change," in The Order of Presentation in Persuasion, b y Carl I.
Hovland et al. ( N e w Haven, Conn.: Yale University, 1957), pp. 79-97.
 Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

than the news of his death. When his mother received it, the
question burned up at her from the page—Why?
It is the question that hits first and lingers longest. Why?
Why me? W h y now? W h y this? 4

N e e d can be touched quickly. A s k i n g " C a n a w o m a n w h o

w o r k s b e a g o o d mother? What do you say? What does the
B i b l e say?" touches need in less than twenty words.
Sermons catch fire w h e n flint strikes steel. When the flint
of a person's problem strikes the steel of the Word o f G o d , a
spark ignites that burns in the mind. Directing our preaching
at people's needs is not a m e r e persuasive technique; it is the
task of the ministry. L e s l i e J. Tizard understood what preach-
ing must b e about w h e n h e declared, " W h o e v e r will b e c o m e
a preacher must feel the needs of m e n until it b e c o m e s an
obsession of his soul." 5

N e e d s take many shapes and forms. Believers differ from

unbelievers not in their needs but in the ways their needs are
met. A b r a h a m H. Maslow, a noted psychologist, believes that Stage
needs build on one another. Throughout our lives w e m o v e Ten
from one cluster o f needs to another as motivations for our
actions. One basic set of needs, he argues, springs from our
6
J g3
bodies. T h e s e physiological needs are m e t by food, drink,
recreation, sexual expression, and elimination, and if they
are not met, they dominate thought and life.
M e n and w o m e n have needs that result from living with
other people. Social-dependency needs include the desire for
esteem, l o v e and affection, security, self-realization and self-
expression. P e o p l e want to k n o w that they are l o v e d , that
they have worth, that they can g r o w , d e v e l o p , and realize
their potential.
P e o p l e also need to k n o w and understand. M a s l o w main-
tains that curiosity as a strong motivation c o m e s only after

4. For Those Who Hurt (Portland: Multnomah, 1977).

5. Preaching: The Art of Communication.
6. Motivation and Personality, 2d ed. ( N e w York: Harper & R o w , 1970).
 Biblical Preaching

physical and social-dependency needs have been met. Curi-

osity may catch attention at the beginning of a sermon. But
it will not cause people to respond at the same depth as w h e n
they understand h o w G o d meets their l o n g i n g for self-es-
teem, security, affection, and love.
Early in the sermon, therefore, listeners should realize that
the pastor is talking to them about them. H e raises a question,
probes a problem, identifies a need, opens up a vital issue to
which the passage speaks. Application starts in the introduc-
tion, not in the conclusion. Should a preacher of e v e n limited
ability bring to the surface people's questions, p r o b l e m s ,
hurts, and desires to deal w i t h them from the Bible, he will
b e acclaimed a genius. M o r e important than that, he w i l l
through his preaching bring the grace o f G o d to bear on the
agonizing worries and tensions of daily life.

Introduces Body of Sermon

Stage
Ten Introductions should orient the congregation to the b o d y
= = = = =
o f the sermon and its development. A n introduction should
164 introduce. A t the v e r y least it should introduce the sermon's
subject so that no one need guess what the preacher plans to
talk about. I f the subject alone is introduced, then the major
points usually complete it. F o r example, if the minister raises
the question " H o w can w e k n o w the will o f G o d ? , " the au-
dience expects the major assertions o f the b o d y to p r o v i d e
the answer.
T h e introduction may g o b e y o n d the subject and orient
hearers to the main idea. A n exposition of R o m a n s 1:1-17
that raises the issue o f what must b e done to evangelize so-
ciety may lead to the statement, " W h e n the effect of the gos-
pel is all-important in the church, the force o f the gospel is
unstoppable in the w o r l d . " Once the idea has been stated,
h o w e v e r , the preacher must then raise one o f these basic
questions about it: What does this mean? Is it true? What
difference does it make? While he may not use these words,
 Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

he should bring up one o f these questions. I f he fails to do

so, directly or indirectly, the sermon is over even though he
speaks for another thirty minutes. Effective sermons main-
tain a sense of tension—the feeling that something more must
be said if the message is to b e complete. When the tension
goes, the sermon ends. Therefore, through the developmental
questions the preacher explores what must b e done with the
idea in the remainder of the sermon. It may d e v e l o p as an
idea explained, a proposition proved, or a principle applied.
In sermons d e v e l o p e d inductively, the introduction leads
into the first main point. A s far as the audience knows, the
first point could b e the entire message. T h e first point must
then b e linked to the second point by a strong transition, and
in the same way the second to the third, until the c o m p l e t e
idea o f the sermon emerges.

Exhibits Other Characteristics

Other things may b e said about introductions. A sermon Stage

should not b e opened w i t h an apology. T h r o u g h an apology Ten
the speaker hopes to w i n sympathy; at best he gains pity. A —
congregation will not b e persuaded b y that preacher. I f y o u 165
are unprepared, let the congregation discover it for them-
selves. In many cases they will never find out.
K e e p the introduction short. A f t e r you get water, stop
pumping. Unfortunately no percentages help us here. A n in-
troduction needs to b e long enough to capture attention, raise
needs, and orient the audience to the subject, the idea, or the
first point. Until that is done, the introduction is incomplete;
after that the introduction is too long. A n old w o m a n said o f
the Welsh preacher John O w e n that he was so long spreading
the table, she lost her appetite for the meal.
A n introduction should not promise m o r e than it deliv-
ers. W h e n it does, it is like firing off a cannon to shoot out a
pea. Sensational introductions to m e d i o c r e sermons resem-
ble broken promises. W h e n the preacher fails to m e e t the
need he has raised, the congregation feels cheated.
Biblical Preaching

S o m e place at the opening o f the sermon, the preacher

should read the Scriptures. S o m e m e n place the Scripture
reading i m m e d i a t e l y before the sermon since the sermon
should be an exposition of the passage. Unfortunately, unless
the text is read skillfully, congregations may regard it as a
necessary b o r e d o m that c o m e s before they settle d o w n to
hear what is said about the Bible. A s a general rule, short
passages should c o m e after the introduction. When the Scrip-
ture follows the introduction, the audience has a mindset that
helps them pay attention to the reading.

Use humor carefully. I f it directs attention to the idea,

laughter serves as a splendid tool. When it merely entertains,
humor makes the sermon seem like a letdown. I n facing a
n e w audience humor helps a speaker build a bridge, but too
many jokes may cause them to write him off as a comedian.
W h e n humor is used, therefore, it should relate the audience
to the minister or his message.

H o w a minister steps into the pulpit tells the audience a

lot about him. I f he m o v e s in an unhurried, confident man-
ner, his b o d y language communicates that he has something
important to say and that the audience w o u l d do w e l l to lis-
ten. B e f o r e he speaks, the preacher should pause to capture
attention. H e and the congregation ought to start together
even though they might not finish together. H e should l o o k
at the people, not at his notes or even at his Bible.

N e r v o u s n e s s o c c a s i o n a l l y m a k e s the v o i c e h i g h and
squeaky. Therefore a preacher needs control in order to speak
his opening w o r d s in a composed, relaxed manner. Running
the tongue to the back of the mouth or y a w n i n g w i t h the
mouth shut, w h i c h can b e done w h i l e waiting to speak, re-
duces tension in the throat. A deep breath before starting
also puts a speaker at ease. A large, definite gesture after the
first sentences can direct nervous energy into positive bodily
m o v e m e n t . M o s t of all, nervousness and tension will b e re-
duced if the minister k n o w s before he gets to his feet exactly
h o w he will begin his sermon.
 Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

T h e r e are three types of preachers: those to w h o m you

cannot listen; those to w h o m you can listen; and those to
w h o m you must listen. During the introduction the congre-
gation usually decides the kind of speaker addressing them
that morning.

The Conclusion

A s an experienced pilot k n o w s that landing an airplane

demands special concentration, so an able preacher under-
stands that conclusions require thoughtful preparation. L i k e
the pilot a skilled preacher should never have uncertainty
about w h e r e his sermon w i l l land.
In fact the conclusion possesses such importance that
many craftsmen prepare it first so that the sermon will pro-
ceed toward it in a direct path. Whether or not a minister uses
that technique, he must w o r k on his conclusion w i t h special
care. Otherwise everything comes to nothing.
T h e purpose of the conclusion is to conclude—not merely
to stop. It should b e more than a s w i p e at getting out o f an
a w k w a r d situation: " M a y G o d help us live in the light o f these
great truths." It should be m o r e than asking the congregation
to b o w in prayer so that the preacher can sneak off w h e n
they're not looking. H e should conclude, and the sermon
should produce a feeling o f finality. L i k e a lawyer, a minister
asks for a verdict. T h e congregation should see the idea entire
and complete, and listeners should k n o w and feel what G o d ' s
truth demands of them. Directly or indirectly the conclusion
answers the question, S o what? What difference does this
make? A n d the p e o p l e face another question: A m I willing
to allow G o d to m a k e that difference in m y experience? Paul
W h i t e m a n u n d e r s t o o d the d e m a n d s o f introductions and
conclusions w h e n he advised, " W h e n you begin, start with a
bang, and w h e n you quit, quit all o v e r ! "
Conclusions take different shapes and forms, depending
on the sermon, the audience, and the minister. Since the ele-
 Biblical Preaching

merit of freshness adds interest to preaching, a minister will

w o r k to vary his conclusions. What are some elements used
to land a sermon?

A Summary

In many conclusions a preacher looks back over the ter-

rain and restates points covered along the way. In doing this,
however, he reviews the important assertions in order to bind
them into the major idea of the sermon. A summary ties loose
ends together. It should not b e a second preaching o f the
sermon.

A n Illustration

A n anecdote summarizing the idea or showing h o w it

w o r k s out in life adds impact to a conclusion. T h e illustration
must b e exactly on target so that listeners grasp the meaning
Stage in a flash without explanation. H a v i n g offered the illustra-
Ten tion, stop. M a k e the illustration so transparent that only a
sentence or t w o needs to b e added—and e v e n m o r e p o w e r
168 comes w h e n it does not need even those.
Peter Marshall ends a sermon on James 4:14 w i t h this
gripping story:

An old legend tells of a merchant in Bagdad who one day

sent his servant to the market. Before very long the servant
came back, white and trembling, and in great agitation said to
his master: "Down in the market place I was jostled by a woman
in the crowd, and when I turned around I saw it was Death
that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening ges-
ture. Master, please lend me your horse, for I must hasten away
to avoid her. I will ride to Samarra and there I will hide, and
Death will not find me."
The merchant lent him his horse and the servant galloped
away in great haste. Later the merchant went down to the mar-
ket place and saw Death standing in the crowd. He went over
to her and asked, "Why did you frighten my servant this morn-
ing? Why did you make a threatening gesture?"
 Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

"That was not a threatening gesture," Death said. "It was

only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Bagdad,
for I have an appointment with him tonight in Samarra."
Each of us has an appointment in Samarra. But that is
cause for rejoicing —not for fear, provided w e have put our
trust in Him who alone holds the keys of life and death. 7

A Quotation

A well-chosen quote used in the conclusion sometimes

states the sermon idea in w o r d s stronger and more v i v i d than
the preacher can find himself. A quotation should b e short,
and the preacher should have it memorized. A f e w lines taken
from a p o e m or a h y m n may capture truth dramatically. Gen-
erally poetry should b e brief, as w e l l as clear and to the point.
When a h y m n quoted is then sung by the congregation, its
impact may be doubled. A g a i n a single sentence taken from
the Scripture e x p o u n d e d may sum up the entire passage or
apply it. When that verse is quoted again, its force, strength-
ened by the sermon, can nail the truth to a listener's mind. Stagi
Ten
A Question

A n appropriate question or e v e n a series of questions can

conclude a sermon effectively. A sermon on the g o o d Sa-
maritan ended: " L e t m e conclude w h e r e I began. D o you l o v e
God? That's splendid. I ' m glad to hear that. But do you l o v e
your neighbor? H o w can w e talk about loving G o d w h o m w e
have not seen w h e n w e do not l o v e our brothers and our
neighbors w h o m w e do s e e ? "

A Prayer

A prayer makes a fitting conclusion only w h e n it is an

honest petition and not a device to summarize the sermon or

7. John Doe, Disciple: Sermons for the Young in Spirit, ed. Catherine Mar-
shall ( N e w York: McGraw-Hill, 1963), pp. 219-20.
 Biblical Preaching

m a k e an indirect application to the audience. When a desire

for God's w o r k emerges from a response to the sermon, then
it can be expressed in an earnest prayer.

Specific Directions

A bit of doggerel reports that:

As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks

Were walking out on Sunday,
Said Tommy Snooks to Bessie Brooks,
Tomorrow will be Monday.

While this might be nominated as the ultimate l o w in

social conversation, for a preacher it ranks high. What can
people do to act on the Sunday sermon in M o n d a y morning's
world? A conclusion can answer that; and if the preacher
does not face this question w i t h his congregation, they may
Stage not be able to answer it at all. N o t every sermon can end with
^ e n
" h o w to do it." S o m e preaching explores great questions, and
^ ^^-
=
it a c c o m p l i s h e s its p u r p o s e w h e n p e o p l e understand the
170 p r o b l e m and its biblical solution. N o clear, specific duty can
b e spelled out. Y e t preaching comes closer to being incor-
porated into the structures of life w h e n the minister offers
practical guidance on h o w to translate truth into experience.

Visualization

In the mountain passes o f the Pacific Northwest, high-

w a y signs warn motorists, " B e w a r e of Falling R o c k . " Unfor-
tunately w h e n those massive boulders t u m b l e from their
resting places, it is usually too late to d o d g e them. N o t all
truth can be acted on immediately. M u c h preaching prepares
people for the rocks that may crash in upon them unexpect-
edly in some indefinite future. Visualization projects a con-
gregation into the future and pictures a future situation in
 Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

w h i c h they might apply what they have learned. Visualiza-

tion must be probable enough so that anyone can imagine
himself in the situation before it takes place. In closing a
sermon, a preacher might visualize: " I do not k n o w w h e n it
may happen to you or how. S o m e dark night you m a y b e
awakened from a deep sleep by the insistent jangle of your
telephone. Y o u will reach over to answer it only to hear a
v o i c e on the other end say, 'Prepare yourself for a s h o c k — I
have some terrible news.' A t that m o m e n t you may see the
things y o u ' v e g i v e n your life to broken, or s o m e o n e w i t h
w h o m y o u have linked your life taken. A s life crumbles in
about you, you will need to take hold on this unshakable
truth. G o d is too kind ever to b e cruel and too w i s e ever to
make a mistake." 8

S o m e general observations need to be m a d e about con-

clusions, whatever form they take. N e w material should not
be introduced in a conclusion. These final moments should
drive h o m e what has been said, and they must not take the Stage
audience off into n e w avenues o f thought. T h e sermon itself Ten
m o v e s the guns into position; n o w is the time to fire the shot i====as
at the listener's m i n d and emotions. 171
I f w e pretend to be honest, w e must not tell our congre-
gations that w e intend to conclude and then fail to do so.
Words such as "finally" or " i n conclusion" too often promise
what they don't deliver. I n fact w o r d s such as those should
b e used sparingly. I n a well-planned sermon, conclusions
should conclude without announcing their appearance.
Conclusions need not b e long. A t times a sudden stop
can have penetrating effect. Poorly prepared conclusions that
wander about looking for an exit line leave the congregation
looking toward the exit. In the words o f an old farmer, " W h e n
you're through the pumpin', let go the handle." William E.
Sangster puts it clearly:

8. For an extended discussion of visualization, see Alan H. Monroe, Prin-

ciples and Types of Speech, pp. 327-29.
 Biblical Preaching

Having come to the end, stop. Do not cruise about looking for
a spot to land, like some weary swimmer coming in from the
sea and splashing about until he can find a shelving beach up
which to walk. Come right in, and land at once. Finish what
you have to say and end at the same time. If the last phrase
can have some quality of crisp memorableness, all the better,
but do not grope even for that. Let your sermon have the qual-
ity that Charles Wesley coveted for his whole life: let the work
and the course end together. 9

Stage
Ten

172

9. The Craft of Sermon Construction, p. 150.

 Start with a Bang and Quit All Over

New Concepts

Introduction
Major characteristics of an effective introduction
Conclusion

Definitions

Conclusion—gives the congregation a v i e w of the idea, entire

and complete, and drives h o m e its truth to the m i n d and
life.
Introduction—exposes the congregation to the subject, ma-
j o r idea, or first point of the sermon.
Major characteristics of an effective introduction — com-
mands attention for the idea, raises need, orients the
c o n g r e g a t i o n to t h e b o d y o f t h e s e r m o n and its
development.

173
 Chapter 9

The Dress of Thought

T h e preacher o f Ecclesiastes waits until the conclusion

to w r i t e d o w n his credentials: " N o t only was the Teacher
w i s e , " he says w i t h unsettling candor, " b u t also he imparted
k n o w l e d g e to the people. H e pondered and searched out and
set in order many proverbs. T h e Teacher searched to find just
the right w o r d s , and what he w r o t e was upright and true"
(Eccles. 12:9-10 NIV). To impart k n o w l e d g e and to search and
find the right words, the ancient preacher wrote a manuscript.
N o t all preachers write out sermons, nor do preachers
w h o write out sermons write every sermon, but the discipline
of preparing a manuscript improves preaching. Writing
scrapes the fungus off thought, arranges ideas in order, and
underlines the important ideas. "Writing," to quote Francis
Bacon, "makes an exact man exact in thought and in speech."
O f all people an expository preacher professing a high
v i e w o f inspiration should respect language. To affirm that
the individual w o r d s of Scripture must b e God-breathed and
Biblical Preaching

then to ignore his o w n choice of language smacks o f gross

inconsistency. His theology, if not his c o m m o n sense, should
tell him that ideas and words cannot be separated. L i k e jello,
concepts assume the m o l d o f the w o r d s into w h i c h they are
poured. A s p i g m e n t s define the artist's concept, so w o r d s
capture and color the preacher's thought.
T h e wise man o f Proverbs compares the w o r d fitly spo-
ken to "apples o f g o l d in baskets of silver" (25:11). " T h e dif-
ference between the right w o r d and almost the right w o r d , "
w r o t e Mark Twain, "is the difference between lightning and
lightning bug." L i k e any skillful author, English poet John
Keats understood h o w style shapes ideas. One evening as he
sat in his study with his friend L e i g h Hunt, Hunt read w h i l e
Keats labored over a poem. A t one point Keats glanced up
and asked, "Hunt, what do you think of this? ' A beautiful
thing is an unending joy.' "
" G o o d , " said Hunt, "but not quite perfect."
There was silence for a while, then Keats looked up again.
" H o w about this? ' A thing o f beauty is an unending joy.' "
"Better," replied his friend, " b u t still not quite right."
Keats once more bent over his desk, his pen making quiet
scratching noises on the paper. Finally he asked, " N o w what
do you think of this? ' A thing o f beauty is a j o y forever.' "
" T h a t , " said Hunt, " w i l l live as long as the English lan-
guage is s p o k e n ! "
W h o could underestimate the p o w e r o f words? Most o f
the Scriptures w e l o v e best are those that express truth in
delightful language—Psalm 23, I Corinthians 13, Romans 8.
E v e n though Paul disdained eloquence as valuable in itself,
he wrote his inspired epistles in inspiring language. While a
painting such as Rembrandt's "Christ at E m m a e u s " can leave
us speechless, anyone w h o generalizes that "a picture is worth
a thousand w o r d s " has never tried to capture John 3:16 (a
t w e n t y - f i v e - w o r d sentence) in a picture. 1

T h e r e are bright w o r d s as brilliant as a tropic sunrise,

1. Kyle Haselden, The Urgency of Preaching, p. 26.

 The Dress of Thought

and there are drab words as unattractive as an anemic woman.

There are hard w o r d s that punch like a prize fighter and w e a k
w o r d s as insipid as tea m a d e with one dunk of a tea bag.
T h e r e are p i l l o w w o r d s that comfort people and steel-cold
w o r d s that threaten them. S o m e w o r d s transplant a listener,
at least for an instant, close to the courts o f G o d , and other
words send him to the gutter. We live by words, love by words,
pray with w o r d s , and die for words. Joseph Conrad exagger-
ated only slightly w h e n he declared, " G i v e m e the right w o r d
and the right accent, and I will m o v e the w o r l d ! "
" B u t language is not m y gift," protests a one-talent ser-
vant in the process o f burying his ministry. Gift or not, w e
must use w o r d s , and the only question is whether w e will use
them poorly or well. I f a minister will do the sweaty labor,
he can b e c o m e m o r e skillful with them than he is. I f he com-
pares h i m s e l f w i t h C. S. L e w i s , M a l c o l m M u g g e r i d g e , or
James S. Stewart, he may feel like declaring bankruptcy. L e t
artisans like these p r o v i d e ideals toward which he can reach,
but in every sermon any minister can b e clear and exact in
what he says.
Our choice o f w o r d s is called style. E v e r y o n e possesses
style—be it bland, dull, invigorating, precise—but h o w e v e r 177
w e handle or manhandle w o r d s becomes our style. S t y l e re-
flects h o w w e think and h o w w e l o o k at life. Style varies w i t h
different speakers, and a speaker w i l l alter his style for dif-
ferent audiences and occasions. Speaking to a high-school
class, for instance, permits a style different from that used in
addressing a Sunday-morning congregation. T h e polished
w o r d i n g used in a baccalaureate sermon w o u l d sound com-
pletely out of place in a small-group B i b l e study.
W h i l e rules governing lucid writing also apply to the ser-
m o n , a sermon is not an essay on its hind legs. Since what
he writes serves only as a broad preparation for what he will
actually say, the manuscript is not a preacher's final product.
A sermon should not b e read to a congregation. Reading kills
the lively sense o f communication. Neither should it b e m e m -
orized. N o t only does memorization place a hefty burden on
 Biblical Preaching

the preacher w h o speaks several times a week, but an audi-

ence senses w h e n a speaker reads w o r d s from the wall o f his
mind. L e t a preacher agonize with thought and w o r d s at his
desk, and what he writes will be internalized. T h e n let him
rehearse several times aloud from the outline, or his m e m o r y
of the outline, making no conscious effort to recall his exact
manuscript at all. When he steps into the pulpit, the written
text will have done its w o r k on the preacher's sense o f lan-
guage. M u c h of the w o r d i n g w i l l c o m e back to him as he
preaches, but not all. In the heat o f delivery, sentence struc-
ture will change, n e w phrases will occur to him, and his speech
w i l l sparkle like spontaneous conversation. A manuscript,
therefore, contributes to the thought and style of the sermon,
but it does not dictate it.
Writing a sermon differs from writing a book. A preacher
must write as though he w e r e talking with someone, and as
in conversation he must strive for immediate understanding.
A n author k n o w s the reader need not grasp an idea instantly.
She can examine a page at leisure, reflect on what she has
read, argue with the ideas, and m o v e along at any rate she
finds comfortable. Should she stumble across an unfamiliar
178 word, she can pick herself up and consult a dictionary. I f she
loses an author's path of thought, she can retrace it. In short
the reader controls the experience. A listener cannot afford
the luxury of leisurely reflection; he cannot g o back to listen
a second time. I f he does not take in what is said as it is said,
he w i l l miss it completely. Should he take time out to r e v i e w
the speaker's argument, he will miss what the preacher is
saying now. A listener sits at the m e r c y o f the speaker, and
the speaker, unlike the writer, must m a k e himself under-
stood instantly.
Several techniques help the preacher think w i t h fierce-
ness and speak w i t h clarity. S o m e ministers indent and label
their manuscripts according to their outlines. B y doing this
they imprint on their minds the coordination and subordi-
nation o f their thought. In addition because transitions carry
a heavy burden in spoken communication, they take up m o r e
 The Dress of Thought

space in a sermon manuscript. T h e listener hears the sermon

not as an outline but only as a series o f sentences. Transitions
stand as road signs to point out w h e r e the sermon has been
and where it is going and therefore are longer and m o r e de-
tailed than in writing. Major transitions remind the listener
of the subject or the central idea of the sermon; they w i l l
r e v i e w the major points already covered and show h o w the
points relate to the major idea and to each other; and they
introduce the next point. A s a result of the w o r k they do,
major transitions can take up a paragraph or more. M i n o r
transitions linking subpoints may b e shorter: sometimes a
single w o r d (therefore, besides, yet, consequently), at other
places a phrase (in addition, what is more, as a result of this),
not unusually a sentence or t w o . While an author may i m p l y
transitions, a speaker develops them. Clear, full, definite tran-
sitions l o o k clumsy on paper, but run easily in a sermon and
enable a congregation to think the preacher's thoughts w i t h
him.

A Clear Style

What characteristics of style should a preacher cultivate?

First of all he must be clear. Talleyrand once remarked that
language was invented to conceal, not reveal, the thoughts o f
men. Educated p e o p l e sometimes speak as though Talley-
rand had been their speech instructor. T h e y attempt to im-
press their audience w i t h the profundity o f their thought
through the obscurity of their language. A sermon is not deep
because it is muddy. Whatever has been thought through can
be stated simply and clearly. Poincaré, the brilliant French
mathematician, insisted, " N o m a n k n o w s anything about
higher mathematics until he can explain it clearly to the man
on the street!" Similarly no preacher understands a passage
in the B i b l e or a point of theology unless he can express it
clearly to the congregation sitting before him.
F o r the preacher clarity is a moral matter. I f what w e
Biblical Preaching

preach either draws people to G o d or keeps them away from

H i m , then for God's sake and the people's sake w e must b e
clear. Helmut Theilicke reminds us that offense comes not
because people do not understand but because they under-
stand all too well, or at least are afraid they will have to under-
stand. I m a g i n e a mass meeting in Russia with a Communist
2

launching a tirade against Christianity. S o m e o n e j u m p s to

his feet and shouts, "Jesus is the Messiah!" T h e audience is
startled, and he is ejected for disturbing the meeting. But
what if he had cried out: "Jesus Christ is G o d ! H e is the only
L o r d , and all w h o make the system into a g o d will g o to hell
along with their Communist leaders!" H e w o u l d risk being
torn to pieces by the crowd. Clarity reveals the offense of the
gospel. It also provides life and hope.

Clear Outline

H o w then do w e bring clarity to our sermons? Clear

manuscripts g r o w out o f clear outlines. Communication orig-
inates in the mind; not in the fingers, not in the mouth, but
in the head. S o m e preachers have jerky minds. Although they
have stimulating insights, their thought follows no natural
sequence, and their zigzag thinking runs listeners to death.
A f t e r a bewildering half-hour trying to keep up w i t h a j e r k y
speaker, listening to a dull friend comes as a soothing relief,
like taking a cat in your lap after holding a squirrel. Z i g z a g
thinking can b e straightened out only by outlining the overall
thought before w o r k i n g on details. L a b o r i n g o v e r a para-
graph or sentence is pointless unless the preacher k n o w s
what he wants it to say. Clear manuscripts d e v e l o p from clear
outlines.

Short Sentences

Furthermore, to be clear one must keep sentences short.

R u d o l f Flesch in The Art of Plain Talk insists that clarity

2. Encounter with Spurgeon, p. 34.

 The Dress of Thought

increases as sentence length decreases. A c c o r d i n g to his for-

mula a clear writer w i l l average about seventeen or eighteen
w o r d s to a sentence and will not allow any sentence to wan-
der over thirty w o r d s . In the sermon manuscript short sen-
3

tences keep the thought from tangling and therefore are easier
for the preacher to remember. When he delivers his sermon,
the minister will not concern himself at all with sentence
length, just as he does not think about commas, periods, or
exclamation points. In making himself understood, his words
tumble out in long, short, e v e n broken sentences, punctuated
by pauses, vocal slides, and variations in pitch, rate, and force.
While the short sentences in the manuscript serve his mind,
they have little to do w i t h his delivery.

Simple Sentence Structure

K e e p sentence structure simple. A clearer, more ener-

getic style emerges w h e n w e follow the thinking sequence:
main subject, main verb, and (where n e e d e d ) main object. I n
the jargon o f grammarians, concentrate on the independent
clause before adding dependent clauses. ( A n independent
clause can stand alone as a complete sentence; a dependent
clause cannot.) I f w e start into a sentence without pinning
d o w n what w e w a n t to emphasize, w e usually end up stress-
i n g insignificant details. I f w e a d d t o o m a n y d e p e n d e n t
clauses, w e complicate our sentences, making them harder
to understand and remember. Style w i l l be clearer if w e pack-
age one thought in one sentence. F o r t w o thoughts use t w o
sentences. Arthur Schopenhauer scolded the Germans: " I f it
is an impertinent thing to interrupt another person w h e n he
is speaking, it is n o less impertinent to interrupt yourself."
Complicated sentences have an additional disadvantage. T h e y
slow the pace of a sermon. A s H e n r y Ward Beecher put it,
" A switch with leaves on it doesn't tingle."

3. P p . 3 8 - 3 9 .
Biblical Preaching

Simple Words

S i m p l e w o r d s also contribute to a clear style. Ernest T.

Campbell tells of the w a g w h o in a m o m e n t o f frustration
declared, " E v e r y profession is a conspiracy against the lay-
m a n . " A n y citizen w h o has battled with an income-tax re-
4

turn wonders w h y the Internal R e v e n u e Service cannot say

what it means. L a w y e r s assure themselves of a place by em-
balming the law in "legalese." Scientists keep the little man
at bay by resorting to symbols and language only the initiates
understand. T h e o l o g i a n s and ministers t o o s e e m to k e e p
themselves in jobs by resorting to language that bewilders
ordinary mortals. B e w a r e o f jargon. Specialized vocabulary
helps professionals within a discipline to communicate, but
it becomes jargon w h e n used unnecessarily. While it takes
three years to g e t through seminary, it can take ten years t o
get over it. I f a preacher peppers his sermons with w o r d s like
eschatology, angst, pneumatology, exegesis, existential, Jo-
hannine, he throws up barriers to communication. Jargon
combines the pretentiousness of " b i g " w o r d s w i t h the dead-
ness o f a cliche, and it is often used to impress rather than
inform an audience.
U s e a short w o r d unless a longer w o r d is absolutely nec-
essary. Josh Billings strikes a b l o w for simplicity and clarity
w h e n he says, " Y o u n g man, w h e n you search Webster's dic-
tionary to find w o r d s big enough to c o n v e y your meaning,
you can m a k e up your mind you don't mean m u c h . " L o n g
words have paralysis in their tails. L e g e n d has it that a f e w
years ago a young copywriter came up w i t h an ad for a n e w
kind of soap: " T h e alkaline element and fats in this product
are blended in such a w a y as to secure the highest quality of
saponification, along with a specific gravity that keeps it on
top of the water, relieving the bather of the trouble and an-
noyance o f fishing around for it at the bottom of the tub dur-
ing his ablution." A m o r e experienced ad man captured the

4. Locked in a Room with Open Doors (Waco, Tex.: Word, 1974), p. 46.
 The Dress of Thought

same idea in t w o simple words: " I t floats." George G. Williams

maintains that from 70 to 78 percent o f the words used by
W. Somerset Maugham, Sinclair L e w i s , R o b e r t L o u i s Steven-
son, and Charles Dickens have only one syllable. 5
Seventy-
three percent o f the w o r d s in Psalm 23, 76 percent of the
words in the L o r d ' s Prayer, and 80 percent of the w o r d s in
I Corinthians 13 are one-syllable words.
N o matter h o w accurately a phrase or w o r d expresses a
speaker's meaning, it is worthless if the listeners do not k n o w
what it means. " S p e a k , " said Abraham Lincoln, "so that the
most l o w l y can understand you, and the rest will have no
difficulty." B i l l y Sunday, the noted evangelist, understood
the value o f simplicity w h e n he said:

If a man were to take a piece of meat and smell it and look

disgusted, and his little boy were to say, "What's the matter
with it, Pop?" and he were to say, "It is undergoing a process
of decomposition in the formation of new chemical com-
pounds," the boy would be all in. But if the father were to say,
"It's rotten," then the boy would understand and hold his nose.
Rotten is a good Anglo-Saxon word, and you do not have to
go to a dictionary to find out what it means. 6

This does not mean that a minister should talk d o w n to his

congregation. Instead his rule of t h u m b should b e : D o n ' t
overestimate the people's vocabulary or underestimate their
intelligence.

A Direct and Personal Style

I n addition to being clear, a second major characteristic

of style is that it must b e direct and personal. While writing
is addressed " t o w h o m it may concern," a sermon is delivered
to the m e n and w o m e n o f the First Baptist Church meeting
on July 15 near N i n t h and E l m Streets at eleven o'clock in

5. Creative Writing for Advanced College Classes, p. 106.

6. In John R. Pelsma, Essentials of Speech, p. 193.
Biblical Preaching

the morning. T h e writer and reader sit alone, distant from

each other and unknown. T h e preacher speaks to his hearers
face to face and calls them by name. Written language com-
municates the results of thinking, w h i l e spoken language
represents a spontaneity of thought that Donald C. Bryant
and Karl R. Wallace describe as "vivid-realization-of-idea-at-
the-moment-of-utterance." 7
T h e r e f o r e a s e r m o n must not
sound like a thesis read to a congregation. It sounds like con-
versation w h e r e thinking is going on and where the preacher
talks to and with his hearers. Speaker and listener sense they
are in touch with each other.

The sermon uses the style of direct address. While a writer

might say, " I n his conversation the Christian must b e careful
o f h o w he speaks about others," a preacher w i l l m o r e likely
say, " Y o u must be careful of h o w y o u talk about others." T h e
personal pronoun you gives both minister and audience a
sense of oneness. While you can b e effective, at other times
the preacher will say we because he means " y o u and I . " T h e
we of direct address stands in contrast to the editorial we that
substitutes for the pronoun I. A n editorial we sounds as if
the preacher speaks for a committee. T h e we of oral style,
like the we o f g o o d conversation, means " y o u and I together."

A speaker w i l l use questions w h e r e a writer may not. T h e

question invites a listener to think about what the preacher
will say next and often introduces a major point or n e w idea.
It may invite the congregation to respond to what the preacher
has said and is often e m p l o y e d to conclude a sermon. Ques-
tions show clearly that the audience and speaker are face to
face.

Personal style pays little attention to the conventions of

formal writing. Contractions present no problem (can't, we'll,
wouldn't), and neither do split infinitives. What is appropriate
in g o o d conversation fits preaching. This does not mean, o f
course, that anything goes. P o o r grammar or faulty pronun-

7. Fundamentals of Public Speaking, 3d ed., p. 129.

 The Dress of Thought

ciation unnerve a listener, like a g i g g l e in a prayer meeting,

and raise doubts about a preacher's competence.
Slang gets m i x e d reviews. When used deliberately, slang
can capture attention and inject a feeling of casualness and
informality into the sermon. When used thoughtlessly, slang
sounds trite and e v e n cheap and betrays a lazy mind. Per-
sonal, direct speech does not call for careless speech or un-
dignified English. T h e language of effective preaching should
be the language of a gentleman in conversation.

A Vivid Style

A t h i r d characteristic o f e f f e c t i v e style is v i v i d n e s s .
Wayne C. Minnick argues that communication which taps a
listener's experience appeals to both m i n d and feelings. We
learn about the w o r l d around us through hearing, sight, smell,
taste, and touch. To get an audience to experience the mes-
sage, therefore, a minister must appeal to the senses. 8
A
preacher does this directly through sight and sound. T h e con-
gregation sees his gestures and facial expressions and hears
what he says. H e also stimulates the senses indirectly through
his use of words. L a n g u a g e makes listeners recall impres-
sions of past experiences and respond to the words as they
did to the event. F o r example, gastric juices flow w h e n w e
hear the w o r d s hot, buttered bread and stop in a shudder
w h e n w e think of roaches crawling on it. In doing this, the
speaker enables people to connect an experience they have
not had with feelings they have had.
Vividness increases w h e n you use specific, concrete de-
tails and plenty of them. We label a phrase "specific" if it is
explicit and exact, and " c o n c r e t e " if it paints pictures on the
mind. T h e figure $1,923,212.92 is specific d o w n to the penny
but not concrete. T h e figure $275 on your monthly electric
bill is concrete. Y o u can't visualize the first figure, but you

8. The Art of Persuasion, chap. 7.

Biblical Preaching

can the second. Specific details add interest if they are con-
crete. T h e y communicate because they relate to the experi-
ences of the audience. Therefore instead of " p r o d u c e " say
"cabbages, cucumbers, and oranges." Rather than " w e a p o n "
say "heavy lead p i p e . " In place of "major cities" b e specific:
" N e w York, Chicago, Dallas, or San Francisco." T h e follow-
ing statement is abstract: " I n the course o f human experi-
ence, w e observe that the events of our existence have definite
cyclical characteristics. A w a r e n e s s o f these w i l l direct the
observer to a high degree o f appropriateness in his actions."
T h e preacher in Ecclesiastes expressed that same thought
this w a y : " F o r everything there is a season, and a time for
every purpose under heaven: a time to b e born, and a time
to d i e ; . . . a t i m e to w e e p , and a t i m e to laugh; a t i m e to
mourn, and a time to dance; . . . a time to keep silence, and
a time to speak" ( 3 : 1 - 7 A S V ) .

L i k e an artist or novelist a minister must learn to think

in pictures. That means he must visualize details. Gustave
Flaubert g a v e his writing disciple G u y de Maupassant an as-
signment: " Y o u g o d o w n to the [railroad] station and y o u w i l l
find there about fifty cabs. T h e y all look pretty much alike,
but they are not alike. Y o u pick out one and describe it so
accurately that w h e n it goes past I cannot possibly mistake
i t . " Concrete language develops first as a w a y o f seeing and
9

then as a w a y of writing and speaking. Unless w e observe

life, w e cannot represent it clearly.

Vividness develops w h e n w e let nouns and verbs carry

our meaning. Adjectives and adverbs clutter speech and keep
company with weak words. A c c o r d i n g to E. B. White, " T h e
adjective hasn't been built that can pull a w e a k or inaccurate
noun out of a tight place." Strong nouns and verbs stand
alone. A "tall m a n " should b e c o m e a "giant"; a "large b i r d "
a "pelican." Say " h e b e l l o w e d , " not " h e talked loudly"; or " h e
trotted" rather than " h e w e n t quickly." B e especially careful

9. In Christian Gauss, The Papers of Christian Gauss, ed. Katherine Gauss

Jackson and Hiram Haydn ( N e w York: Random, 1957), p. 145.
 The Dress of Thought

of qualifiers like very, so, quite, rather, too. T h e y betray a

failure to choose words of substance. "Scalding" has strength,
" v e r y h o t " does not; " e x c r u c i a t i n g " hurts m o r e than " t o o
painful"; and "scintillating" paints a better picture than "so
interesting." When choosing verbs use live ones. Finite active
verbs make sentences go. T h e principle to follow is " S o m e -
b o d y does s o m e t h i n g . " P a s s i v e verbs suck the life out o f
speech. "Opinions and judgments are formed by us on the
basis of what w e have k n o w n " sounds dead. " W e think as w e
have k n o w n " possesses vitality. " A g o o d time was had b y all"
lies there w h i l e " E v e r y o n e enjoyed h i m s e l f " moves.
Verbs, like nouns, w a k e up the imagination w h e n they
are precise. H e " w e n t " gets h i m there but not as clearly as
" c r a w l e d , " " s t u m b l e d , " "shuffled," "lurched." She "shouts,"
"shrieks," "rants," " w h i s p e r s " tells us w h a t " s a y s " does not.
Vividness also increases w h e n you e m p l o y fresh figures
of speech. Metaphors and similes produce sensations in the
listener or cause h i m to recall images o f previous experi-
ences. Alexander Maclaren stimulates the sense of touch w h e n
he says, " A l l sin is linked together in a slimy tangle like a
field o f seaweed so that a man once caught in its oozy fingers =====
is almost sure to drown." George Byron appeals to sight when 187
he tells us:

The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,

and his cohorts all gleaming in silver and gold.

Charles H. Spurgeon captured the senses in a simile that re-

fers to a past era " w h e n the great universe lay in the m i n d o f
G o d like unborn forests in the acorn's c u p . " A l f r e d N o r t h
Whitehead called up an i m a g e w h e n he reflected, " K n o w l -
e d g e doesn't keep any better than fish." Figures o f speech
conserve time by packing more into a phrase than a w o r d -
wasting speaker expresses in a paragraph. Consider a few:
fig-leaf phrases that c o v e r naked ignorance
w o r d s that have been h o l l o w e d out on the inside and
filled with w h i p p e d cream
cliches that fall like tombstones over dead ideas
Biblical Preaching

I f Protestantism is found dead, the sermon will be the

dagger in her heart.
H e avoided the sticky issues as though he w e r e stepping
around puddles of hot tar.
Metaphors and similes, like lobsters, must be served fresh.
Both the literal and figurative meanings should strike the
mind at the same instant. When the literal i m a g e fades be-
cause the comparison has been o v e r w o r k e d , the figure loses
its force. T h e listener becomes tone deaf to them. T h e follow-
ing once hit like a one-two punch but n o w hardly touch us
at all:
outreach of the church
tried and true
lost and d y i n g world
born-again Christian
saving souls
souls for your hire
listeners in radio land
prayer-hearing and prayer-answering G o d
straddle the fence
W h e n a comparison has turned stale, throw it out and c o m e
up with a fresh one that clarifies the point and keeps the
audience alert. Relevance shows up in style as w e l l as con-
tent. We must speak the eternal message in today's words. A
minister should study magazine ads and radio and television
commercials for easily understood language that speaks to
captives of our culture. C o m m o n observation tells us what
linguistic tests have p r o v e d — m u c h o f the language used in
our pulpits is "imprecise, irrelevant, and insignificant." 10

Effective style cannot b e taught like a mathematical for-

mula. Mastery of "the well-dressed w o r d " requires an eye for
particulars and a search for significant r e s e m b l a n c e s be-
tween things not ordinarily associated with one another. In
short, doing away with hackneyed and tired speech demands
imagination. In expository preaching nothing has been more

10. Donald O. Soper, The Advocacy of the Gospel, p. 36.

 The Dress of Thought

n e e d e d — a n d m o r e lacking. Expositors w h o represent the

creative G o d dare not b e c o m e , in R o b e r t Browning's descrip-
tion, " c l o d s untouched by a spark."
H o w can you shun the sin of sounding uninteresting?
1. Pay attention to your own use of language. In private
c o n v e r s a t i o n d o n ' t shift your m i n d into neutral and use
phrases that idle rather than j u m p . Cultivate the choice of
fresh comparisons, and you will find them easier to use when
you preach. Beecher gives this testimony about illustrations
that also applies to style: " . . . w h i l e illustrations are as natural
to m e as breathing, I use fifty n o w to one in the early years
of m y m i n i s t r y . . . . I d e v e l o p e d a tendency that was latent in
m e , and educated m y s e l f in that respect; and that, too, by
study and practice, b y hard thought, and by a great many
trials, both with the pen, and extemporaneously by myself,
w h e n I was walking here and t h e r e . " 11

2. Study how others use language. W h e n a w r i t e r or

speaker shakes you awake, examine h o w he did it. Since po-
etry bursts with similes and metaphors, studying verse de-
v e l o p s a feel for figurative language.
3. R e a d aloud. Reading aloud does t w o things for you.
First, your vocabulary will increase. A s children w e learned
to speak b y listening and imitating long before w e could read
or write. Reading aloud re-creates that experience. Second,
as you read style better than your own, n e w patterns of speech
and creative w o r d i n g w i l l b e etched on your nervous system.
Y o u w i l l d e v e l o p a feel for picture-making language. Read to
your w i f e and children so that you w i l l b e forced to interpret
what you read. R e a d novels, plays, sermons, and especially
the Bible. T h e K i n g James Version presents G o d ' s truth in
Shakespearean grandeur, and the N e w International Version
puts it in m o r e up-to-date dress. Both have impressive style.

11. Yale Lectures on Preaching, p. 175.

Biblical Preaching

New Concepts

Style
Characteristics o f effective sermon style
clear
direct and personal
vivid

Definitions

Style— the choice o f words.

 Chapter 10

How to Preach So People Will Listen

M o s t books on homiletics say a great deal about the de-

v e l o p m e n t of sermons but little about their delivery. Pastors
appear to take a lead from these preaching texts. While a
minister spends hours every w e e k on sermon construction,
he seldom gives e v e n a f e w hours a year to thinking about
delivery. Y e t sermons do not c o m e into the world as outlines
or manuscripts. T h e y l i v e only w h e n preached. A sermon in-
eptly delivered arrives stillborn.
T h e effectiveness of our sermons depends on t w o factors:
what w e say and h o w w e say it. Both are important. A p a r t
from life-related, biblical content w e have nothing w o r t h
communicating; but without skillful delivery, w e will not get
our content across to the congregation. In order of signifi-
cance the ingredients making up a sermon are thought, ar-
r a n g e m e n t , l a n g u a g e , v o i c e , and g e s t u r e . I n p r i o r i t y o f
impressions, however, the order reverses. Gesture and v o i c e
e m e r g e as the most obvious and determinative. Every em-
B i b l i c a l Preaching

pirical study of delivery and its effect on the outcome o f a

speech or sermon arrives at an identical conclusion: delivery
matters a great deal. 1

N o t only do the speaker's v o i c e and gestures first strike

the audience's senses, but his inflections and actions transmit
his feelings and attitudes more accurately than his words.
During the 1970s scholars in several disciplines —psychol-
ogy, anthropology, sociology, and speech communication, to
name a few—investigated the effects of nonverbal commu-
nication. These researchers observed h o w w e broadcast mes-
sages b y the w a y w e sit or stand, b y facial expressions, b y
gestures, and even b y h o w much space w e allow b e t w e e n
ourselves and those w e m e e t . A s a by-product o f these stud-
2

ies, several paperbacks promised to interpret this silent lan-

guage so that readers could use it for personal advantage.
T h e " o v e r c l a i m " of these books probably produced as many
skeptics as believers. Individual and cultural differences in
nonverbal communication m a k e dogmatic definitions o f the
meaning of b o d y language simplistic and possibly danger-
ous. F o r example, to assert that arms folded across the chest
reveals that an individual wants t o shut out those around her
is like saying that the w o r d model always refers to a small-
scale replica o f a larger object.
Y e t no observant person w o u l d seriously deny that w e
communicate messages e v e n w h e n w e d o not speak. Friends
believe that one measure o f the depth o f their relationship
lies in their ability to understand each other e v e n w h e n they
sit together silently. W e determine that casual acquaintances,

1. Wayne N. Thompson, Quantitative Research in Public Address and Com-

munication, p. 83.
2. See, for example, Journal of Communication 22 (1972): 335-476. This en-
tire issue (no. 4) deals with nonverbal communication; individual articles on
the subject appear in this journal regularly. See too Robert Rosenthal et al.,
" B o d y Talk and Tone of Voice: The Language Without Words," Psychology
Tbday 8 (September 1974): 64-68; or Ernst G. Beier, "Nonverbal C o m m u -
nication: H o w We Send Emotional Messages," Psychology î b d a y 8 (October
1974): 53-56.
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

or even strangers, are friendly, angry, or worried by their pos-

ture, facial expressions, or tone o f v o i c e . Smiles, frowns,
stares, winks, or glances affect whether w e like or dislike,
trust or distrust those w e meet. T h e writer of P r o v e r b s under-
stood the p o w e r of nonverbal communication w h e n he de-
clared: " A worthless person, a w i c k e d man, is one w h o walks
with a false mouth, w h o winks with his eyes, w h o signals
with his feet, w h o points with his fingers; w h o with pervers-
ity in his heart devises evil continually, w h o spreads strife"
( P r o v . 6:12-14 NASB). T h e eyes, hands, face, and feet say as
much to a congregation as the words w e utter—in fact more.
Psychologist A l b e r t Mehrabian breaks it d o w n to a formula.
Only 7 percent of the impact of a speaker's message comes
through his w o r d s ; 38 percent springs from his v o i c e , 55 per-
cent from facial expressions. 3

Several observations can b e drawn f r o m this research

that relate to preachers and preaching. First, nonverbal lan-
g u a g e possesses strategic importance in public speaking.
When w e address a congregation, three different communi-
cation networks operate at the same time: our w o r d s , our
intonation, and our gestures. A l l three communicate ideas.
When actor G e o r g e Arliss first read the play Disraeli, he ad-
vised the author to take out two pages. " I can say that with
a l o o k , " he said. "What l o o k ? " asked the author. Arliss dem-
onstrated, and the pages came out. In fact actions may often
4

be m o r e expressive than words. To place the finger on the

lips says m o r e than " B e quiet." Opening the eyes and raising
the e y e b r o w s expresses surprise that w o r d s cannot, and a
shrug of the shoulders communicates an idea that is b e y o n d
w o r d s . I n general, t h o u g h , n o n v e r b a l e l e m e n t s m o r e fre-
quently communicate emotions and attitudes. Edward T. Hall
sums up the findings o f social scientists w h e n he observes,
" I n addition to what w e say with our verbal language, w e are

3. In Flora Davis, " H o w to Read B o d y Language."

4. In Loren D. Reid, Speaking Well, p. 141.

Biblical Preaching

constantly communicating our real feelings in our silent lan-

guage—the language of b e h a v i o r . " 5

Second, research and experience agree that if nonverbal

messages contradict the verbal, listeners will m o r e likely be-
lieve the silent language. It seems more difficult to lie with
the w h o l e b o d y than with the lips alone. This is the thrust of
Sigmund Freud's observation: " N o mortal can keep a secret.
I f his lips are silent, he chatters with his fingertips; betrayal
oozes out of him at every p o r e . " A pastor's w o r d s may insist,
" T h i s is important," but if his v o i c e sounds flat and expres-
sionless and his body stands limp, the congregation will not
believe him. I f a preacher shakes his fist at his hearers w h i l e
he says in scolding tones, "What this church needs is m o r e
l o v e and deep concern for each other!" the people in the p e w
will wonder whether he knows what he is talking about. Since
a vast amount o f preaching involves attitudes that either rein-
force or contradict what our w o r d s proclaim, a preacher dare
not ignore delivery.

Third, effective delivery begins with desires. T h e philos-

opher-humorist A b e Martin suggested, " T h e r e is m o r e differ-
ence between a professional and an amateur than anything
else on earth!" In public speaking the amateur says words.
T h e professional, on the other hand, possesses a deep desire
to communicate. T h e amateur settles for getting his ideas out
of his head, w h i l e the professional strives to get them into
ours. In the preacher technical k n o w l e d g e and training in the
art of public address cannot take the place o f conviction and
responsibility. H a v i n g something to say to a congregation
that you want them to understand and live by provides the
essential stimulus for g o o d delivery. It produces the e m o -
tional " s e t " for speaking. Therefore g o o d delivery from the
pulpit resembles lively conversation. When w e concentrate
on ideas to m a k e others understand and accept them, deliv-
ery comes naturally. It does not e m e r g e from slavishly fol-
l o w i n g a set o f rules. Charles R. B r o w n in his Yale lectures

5. The Silent Language, p. 10.

 How to Preach So People Will Listen

on preaching described the pulpit w o r k of G e o r g e Macdon-

ald in L o n d o n :

He read for the Scripture lesson that morning the eleventh

chapter of Hebrews. When the time came for the sermon, [he]
said: "You have all heard about these men of faith. I shall not
try to tell you what faith is—there are theological professors
w h o can do that much better than I could do it. I am here to
help you to believe." Then followed such a simple, heartfelt,
and majestic manifestation of the man's own faith in those
unseen realities which are eternal, as to beget faith in the minds
and hearts of all his hearers. His heart was in his work, and his
delivery was effective because it rested back upon the genuine
beauty of his own inner life. 6

" H i s heart was in his w o r k . " N o rules can take the place
of that. Sincerity, enthusiasm, and deep earnestness tear d o w n
barriers that allow the real self to break free. In that sense
effective delivery approximates the everyday give-and-take
of conversation.

Saying that pulpit delivery resembles conversation, how-

ever, does not mean that our ordinary ways of speaking are
necessarily our best ways. H o w w e talk in private develops
from an accumulation of lifelong habits. We can acquire p o o r
habits o f communication just as w e d e v e l o p bad habits of
posture or eating. What is more, some behavior inconspic-
uous in private situations becomes distressingly obvious in
public speaking. W h e n w e address an audience, our position
becomes unique and emphatic. Stuffing hands in the pock-
ets, stroking the hair or face, playing with a ring, fussing w i t h
a necktie, shuffling the feet are the bad grammar o f delivery.
Mannerisms and repetitious behavior peculiar to you may g o
unnoticed by friends and be tolerated by associates, but in
the pulpit they scream for attention and divert people from
what you are saying. In the pulpit, therefore, m o v e m e n t o f
the b o d y must be disciplined to b e effective.

6. The Art of Preaching, p. 170.

Biblical Preaching

A t first, attempts to i m p r o v e delivery often feel unnatu-

ral. T h e n o v i c e may insist that he should abandon the effort
since a minister is not an actor and w o r k i n g on delivery vi-
olates his personality. But acquiring any habit usually in-
v o l v e s initial self-consciousness. W h e n w e first d r i v e an
automobile or take up tennis, for example, w e feel a w k w a r d
as w e try to control our behavior. After practice and experi-
ence, however, the self-consciousness disappears and the new-
learned behavior comes easily. It takes effort and discipline
to seem natural before an audience.
What are some nonverbal factors in delivery to which w e
should g i v e our attention?

Grooming and Dress

When the apostle Paul declared that he w o u l d " b e c o m e

all things to all men, that I might by all means save s o m e "
(I Cor. 9:22 NKJB), he established a basic tenet of Christian
communication. In matters o f moral indifference, what mat-
ters most is not m y feelings but the feelings and attitudes of
others. Since grooming and dress m a k e a difference in h o w
a listener responds to us, they should m a k e a difference to
us.
A basic rule of grooming and dress for the preacher is
that t h e y s h o u l d fit the a u d i e n c e , the situation, and the
speaker. For instance, changing fashions in hair styles, beards,
sideburns, and moustaches make absolute rules impossible.
A minister aware o f his community and its standards will not
want to allow his hair to stand in the w a y o f his ministry.
J o h n T . M o l l o y , wardrobe consultant to many o f A m e r i c a ' s
top corporations, has been asked if any traits are c o m m o n to
all successful executives. H e singles out t w o : their hair is
combed and their shoes are shined. A n d they expect the same
of other men, particularly subordinates. M o l l o y ' s studies in-
dicate that disheveled hair, even if it is short, triggers strong
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

negative reactions in other men. Hair, whatever its length,

should b e neat. 7

A program of regular exercise and proper diet can trim

off excess pounds that hinder communication. It is hard to
believe that a minister thirty pounds o v e r w e i g h t takes seri-
ously the biblical injunctions about self-control. G r o o m i n g
also includes the use o f deodorants, toothpaste, and breath
fresheners. While television commercials m a k e bad breath
sound w o r s e than cancer, breath odor and b o d y odor none-
theless can b e offenses that b u i l d w a l l s w h e r e w e w a n t
bridges.
R e c e n t research demonstrates that dress and appearance
cause us to make judgments about others without really being
aware o f w h y w e m a k e those judgments. Apparently the old
saw "Clothes make the m a n " should be revised to say "Clothes
express the m a n . " While w e may dress to b e comfortable,
clothes should m a k e others comfortable w i t h us as well. Psy-
chology Today reported on a three-month study done w i t h
seven salesmen to determine the influence of dress on sales:
" A t a time w h e n jeans and safari jackets are turning up in
e v e n the most sedate establishments, does wearing a busi- M
——
ness suit matter anymore? In some businesses, it evidently 197
does. W h e n salesmen in a M o n t g o m e r y , Alabama, men's store
w o r e suits,...the average value o f their sales was 43 percent
higher than w h e n they w o r e shirtsleeves and a tie, and 60
percent higher than w h e n they w o r e an open-collar shirt." 8

Pastors w h o feel inadequate in selecting the best ward-

robe for their budget would b e wise to put themselves in the
hands o f an experienced clothier in their area. His counsel
on clothes can save m o n e y and turn a liability into an asset.
Suits should be kept clean and pressed. Socks should c o v e r
the leg; pockets should not bulge with a collection o f pens,
datebooks, eyeglasses, and a wallet; and a fresh shirt should

7. Dress for Success ( N e w York: Wyden, 1975).

8. Margot Slade, "Casual Clothes Are the Death of a Salesman," Psychology
Today 13 (August 1979): 29.
Biblical Preaching

b e adorned w i t h a neatly tied tie. Handkerchiefs displayed

should not be limp, or i f carried in the pocket, they should
b e clean. A minister does not p r o v e he is an e x p o s i t o r y
preacher by looking as though he dressed staring into a Greek
text instead of a mirror.

Movement and Gestures

G o d designed the human b o d y to m o v e . I f a congregation

wants to look at a statue, they can go to a museum. E v e n
there, however, the most impressive statues are those that
appear alive. I n most realms the professional uses his w h o l e
body. T h e conductor of a symphony, the concert pianist, the
baseball pitcher, the umpire, the actor, and the golfer all put
their bodies into what they do. A n accomplished speaker
likewise lets his body speak for him.
Content should motivate m o v e m e n t . This principle ap-
plies in t w o ways. S o m e ministers need to m o v e . T h e y stand
almost motionless before their people, little m o r e than talk-
ing heads that refuse to let their bodies interact with the mes-
sage. Such m e n need to set their bodies free to do what their
minds and emotions demand. T h e y should not inhibit the
physical expressions that a c c o m p a n y vigorous thought. A
preacher needs to carry over into preaching the same free-
d o m he gives to his hands, arms, and head in personal con-
versation. While some of us gesture m o r e than others, w e
should not gesture less in the pulpit than w e do in private.
In fact w e need to m a k e our gestures larger, more forceful
and deliberate.
T h e principle that content should motivate m o v e m e n t
also means that some speakers should m o v e less. I f they pace
back and forth, they reveal their uneasiness and their m o v e -
ment disturbs the listener's concentration. Their actions do
not spring from content, they merely discharge nervous en-
ergy. While their walking benefits them, it does little for the
congregation. I f your m o v e m e n t comes from habit, stand still.
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

I f it comes from content, drop your inhibitions and express

it. F o r example, w h e n you introduce a n e w point in your
sermon, y o u may take a step or t w o from w h e r e you are
standing to show visually the transition in thought. When
that idea has been d e v e l o p e d and you proceed to another,
then you can m o v e back to your original position again. I f
you want the listeners to relax after a major point, you may
step back and pause. Hamlet's instruction to his actors still
holds: "Suit the action to the w o r d , the w o r d to the action."
A specific part of total bodily m o v e m e n t is gestures that
relate to speaking as diagrams do to a book. Gestures are for
expression and not exhibition, and they communicate in sev-
eral ways. Gestures help us explain and describe. I f a preacher
wants to depict the walls of Babylon, he can do so more ef-
fectively if he gestures as he describes them. Think of the
following description without gestures, and then with ges-
tures: " B a b y l o n stood as a monument to pagan power. T h e
city was surrounded by an intricate system o f double walls;
the outer range c o v e r e d seventeen miles and was strong and
w i d e enough for chariots to pass on top. These massive walls
w e r e buttressed by giant defense towers and pierced by eight
large gates."
Gestures emphasize our speech. Contrast saying "This is
e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t " w i t h your hands hanging l i m p l y by
your side and then with a clenched fist shaken at the w o r d
extremely. T h e gesture injects v i g o r into your voice. In giving
emphasis, if you must pound, pound softly; and don't shake
your finger at your audience. That action scolds your listeners.
Gestures maintain interest and hold attention. A m o v i n g
object captures the e y e m o r e than one at rest.
Gestures put the speaker at ease. W h e n your body w o r k s
to reinforce your ideas, y o u feel m o r e confident and alert.
Gestures help our listeners experience what w e feel as
they identify with us. A t a football g a m e fans cringe w h e n
their favorite runner falls victim to a crushing tackle; some-
times they actually kick the seat b e l o w them w h i l e watching
a crucial field goal attempt. This projective behavior is called
Biblical Preaching

empathy. I n essence empathy is sympathetic, muscular re-

sponse in w h i c h your listeners, in a limited way, act with you.
Because those subliminal actions tap feelings, listeners feel
what you feel and hopefully what you wish them to feel about
your ideas. If a speaker fidgets or fails to control his gestures,
his actions reflect his discomfort. T h e audience may squirm
or in some other w a y empathize with those actions, feeling
uncomfortable too. On the other hand if through your ges-
tures y o u can get your congregation to act and feel in a man-
ner appropriate to your thought and purpose—even though
this takes place on a subconscious l e v e l — y o u increase the
likelihood of winning a positive hearing for your message. 9

Spontaneous Gestures

What are s o m e characteristics of e x p r e s s i v e gestures?

First, gestures should b e spontaneous. G e s t u r e but d o n ' t
" m a k e gestures." Gestures should develop from within as the
outgrowth of conviction and feeling. While gestures can b e
practiced, they should not b e planned. I f in preaching the
sermon they do not c o m e naturally, let them go.

Definite Gestures

Gestures should also b e definite. When you m a k e a ges-

ture, m a k e it. A half-hearted gesture communicates nothing
positive. P u t your b o d y behind it. A simple gesture w i t h the
index finger involves not only the finger, hand, and wrist, but
the upper arm, shoulder, and back as well. E v e n your w e i g h t
shifts slightly to g i v e added force. I f a gesture appears awk-
ward, it m a y be that the entire body does not support it.

Varied Gestures

Gestures should be varied. Repetition of a single gesture,

even a spontaneous and forceful one, calls attention to itself

9. See Jon Eisenson and Paul H. Boase, Basic Speech, pp. 334-35.
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

and irritates an audience. F o r instance, a pump-handle ges-

ture gains emphasis, but used too often it looks like it needs
a well. Stand in front of a mirror and note h o w many different
ways you can use your body. S o m e o n e w h o has bothered to
count them insists that w e can produce 700,000 distinct ele-
mentary signs with our arms, wrists, hands, and fingers. 10
Try
using either hand, both hands, an open hand, a closed hand,
palm up, palm d o w n . Experiment with the arms, head, eyes,
face.

Properly Timed Gestures

Gestures should be properly timed. T h e gesture either

accompanies or precedes the w o r d or phrase that carries most
of your meaning. I f the stroke of the gesture follows the w o r d
or phrase, then it may l o o k ridiculous. P o o r l y timed gestures
usually reflect a lack o f spontaneity and proper motivation.

Eye Contact

A s important as grooming and m o v e m e n t are to a speaker,

eye contact probably ranks as the most effective single means
of nonverbal communication at his disposal. Eyes c o m m u -
nicate. T h e y supply feedback and at the same time hold an
audience's attention. When you l o o k directly at your hearers,
you pick up cues that tell you whether they understand what
you are saying, whether they are interested, and whether they
enjoy the sermon e n o u g h to c o n t i n u e listening. A n alert
speaker will adjust what he says—for e x a m p l e , adding ex-
planation or illustrations —as he interprets these responses.
M o r e o v e r listeners feel that ministers w h o " l o o k them in the
e y e " want to talk w i t h them personally. Therefore pastors
w h o gaze over the audience's heads, stare d o w n at notes, look

10. Richard Paget, Human Speech: Some Observations, Experiments, and

Conclusions as to the Nature, Origin, Purpose, and Possible Improvement of
Human Speech.
Biblical Preaching

out of w i n d o w s , or, worse, shut their eyes w h i l e they speak,

place themselves at a crippling disadvantage. A l m o s t without
e x c e p t i o n a c o n g r e g a t i o n w i l l not listen a t t e n t i v e l y to a
speaker w h o does not look at them while he talks. Just as
significant, people mistrust someone w h o avoids eye contact,
and as a result they undervalue what he says.
Even though you address a congregation as a group, you
talk with them as individuals. A s you stand to speak, pause
to establish personal contact with your hearers. M o v e your
eyes over the congregation and let them rest for an instant
on several different people. Throughout the sermon continue
your eye contact. Plan to talk w i t h one listener at a time for
a second or t w o , looking that person in the eye, then turn to
someone else. Choose listeners in every section of the audi-
torium, and keep the eye contact long enough so that they
k n o w that you have singled them out and are speaking to
them. I f the congregation is v e r y large, you can select a small
group in one area and look at them for a m o m e n t or t w o , then
shift to another group, and continue to do that throughout
the sermon. B e sure not only to l o o k at your listeners but to
talk with them. Concentrate on communicating to each one
the message you eagerly want him to understand.
Your p e o p l e need to see your face. Therefore illumine the
pulpit with a strong light, placed at an angle that keeps your
eyes from being thrown into shadow. Take a light meter and
test the focus of light in the front of the church. Sunday after
Sunday preachers stand in dimly lit pulpits, and the congre-
gation has only a shadowy v i e w of his countenance. T h e pul-
pit should b e located as close to the listeners as possible, at
an angle that makes it easy for them to see the minister's eyes
and the full range of emotions playing across his face.

Vocal Delivery

Speech consists of more than words and sentences. T h e

v o i c e conveys ideas and feelings apart from words. We m a k e
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

j u d g m e n t s about a speaker's physical and emotional state—

whether he is frightened, angry, fatigued, sick, happy, con-
fident—based on the tremor of his v o i c e , its loudness, rate,
and pitch. Since the minister's v o i c e is a major tool in his
profession, he should understand h o w his vocal mechanism
works and h o w to use it skillfully.

T h e human v o i c e is produced in much the same manner

as sound is produced by a w i n d instrument. Just as the reed
in the instrument must vibrate, so must the vocal folds in the
larynx w h e n air is e x p e l l e d from the lungs. V o i c e begins
therefore w h e n a column o f air is p u m p e d from the lungs
through the bronchial tubes, which connect the lungs to the
w i n d p i p e . A s the exhaled breath m o v e s across the v o c a l folds
in the larynx, located in the upper end o f the w i n d p i p e , it
sets up the vibrations that b e c o m e sound waves. This sound
is then amplified as it vibrates in the larynx, throat, sinuses
and mouth. These cavities, called resonators, act somewhat
like the h o l l o w section or soundboard o f a stringed musical
instrument, w h i c h increases the v o l u m e o f sound m a d e b y
the strings. A s the resonating cavities change shape through
the m o v e m e n t of the palate, jaws, teeth, lips, tongue, and the
back wall o f the pharynx, they produce the ultimate quality
o f the voice. Consonants such as I, p, t, d, s, r are also formed
as these m o v e m e n t s take p l a c e . 11

E v e n a casual understanding of the vocal mechanism re-

veals that since tone is produced on the exhaled stream o f
breath, a g o o d supply o f breath, steadily controlled, is essen-
tial. Because tone begins by the vibration of the vocal cords,
a vocal-cord impulse free from undue strain or tension is also
necessary. Since the final sound results from modification in
the resonating cavities, attention should b e given to the throat,
mouth, and nasal resonators.

M o s t speakers can i m p r o v e the quality o f v o i c e , e v e n

without extended drill, if they understand h o w vocal sounds

11. For an extended discussion of the physiological basis of speech, see

Giles W. Gray and Claude M. Wise, The Bases of Speech, pp. 135-99.
Biblical Preaching

are made. For example, if you breathe efficiently, y o u should

expand the beltline instead of the chest. A speaker should be
able to recite the entire alphabet on a single breath. S o m e
ministers allow the pitch of their voices to rise w h e n they
increase their volume. T h e y need to practice going d o w n in
pitch w h e n they g o up in force. Others muffle their sound b y
speaking w i t h a tight jaw, lazy tongue, or clenched teeth. Still
others allow too much air to escape as they talk, giving the
v o i c e a breathy quality. S o m e ministers speak too rapidly
and slur their words, while many speak in a monotone. Most
basic texts on speech supply exercises that can correct these
c o m m o n faults. 12
Major universities and many smaller col-
leges maintain speech clinics, staffed b y competent instruc-
tors w h o p r o v i d e h e l p f o r speakers w i t h m o r e c o m p l e x
problems. With such assistance available a minister has little
excuse for not d e v e l o p i n g the capability o f his v o i c e to the
optimum.
A speaker emphasizes what h e says in only four ways —
by variety in pitch, punch, progress, and pause. T h e use o f
these or a combination of them becomes the punctuation o f
speech.

Pitch

Pitch involves the m o v e m e n t of the v o i c e up and d o w n

t h e scale, in d i f f e r e n t r e g i s t e r s , w i t h v a r i o u s inflections.
Sometimes changes in pitch are called melody. I f someone
asks, with an inflection rising rapidly from l o w to high pitch,
" D o you b e l i e v e in hell?" h e is asking a question. Precisely
that same sentence, w i t h a different change in pitch, can im-
ply: " Y o u don't say that y o u — y o u o f all p e o p l e — w o u l d be so
out o f touch with modern theology as to believe a medieval
superstition like that!" I f the individual responds with abrupt
d o w n w a r d steps, " I d o not," that m e l o d y communicates: " N o ,

12. See, for example, Alan H. Monroe and Douglas Ehninger, Principles and
Types of Speech Communication, p p . 203-23; or John A . G r a s h a m and
Glenn G. Gooder, Improving Your Speech.
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

I don't hold that position. Certainly not. D o n ' t accuse m e o f

such idiocy." While the words don't express disgust, the pitch
does.
M o n o p i t c h drones us to sleep or wears upon us like a
child pounding the same note on the piano. Failure to control
pitch effectively is sometimes the reason a preacher's humor
falls flat. His listeners cannot tell from his pitch that he is
joking.

Punch

Variations in loudness achieve both interest and empha-

sis. A change in force communicates the relative importance
of ideas. In the declaration " T h e L o r d is m y shepherd," there
are only five w o r d s ; yet if the sentence is repeated five times
and each t i m e a different w o r d is punched, the m e a n i n g
changes. Entire sections o f a sermon can be stressed if a
preacher utters them with greater v o l u m e .
U n f o r t u n a t e l y s o m e preachers k n o w n o other w a y to
underline their points, and their sermons sound like shouting
sessions. T h e y confuse v o l u m e with spiritual power, thinking
G o d speaks only in the whirlwind. L i k e monopitch, the m o -
notony of unvarying v o l u m e wears on a listener. Emphasis
comes through variety. Dropping the v o i c e to a near whisper
can put an idea into italics as effectively as a loud shout.
Intensity can b e as effective as v o l u m e . M o s t ministers use
only one degree of force w h e n e m p l o y i n g a w i d e range of
v o l u m e could enhance their delivery.

Progress

Emphasis can also be obtained through changing the rate

o f delivery. F o r example, speak David's w o r d s o f grief over
his rebellious son A b s a l o m at the same rate: " A b s a l o m , m y
son, m y son A b s a l o m ! Would I had died for thee, O A b s a l o m ,
m y son, m y s o n ! " ( I I Sam. 18:33 A S V ) . T h e n speak the sen-
tences very, very slowly. Then speak the first six words rap-
Biblical Preaching

i d l y w i t h f e e l i n g and the rest s l o w l y . T h e v a r i e t y in rate

communicates different meanings and emotions.
In the use o f rate, as in other means o f s h o w i n g emphasis,
the secret lies in contrast. A s you recite a story, g i v e out facts,
or summarize a passage, you usually do so at a lively pace.
T h e n w h e n you c o m e to a key statement or a major point,
you can slow d o w n so that the congregation w i l l appreciate
its importance. T h e sentences spoken more slowly stand out
because they are in strong contrast to the content surround-
ing them. While words may also b e emphasized by speeding
up their delivery, emphasis is m o r e often accomplished by
slowing the rate.
S o m e ministers have gained a reputation for speaking
too rapidly w h e n their problem may be that they fail to speak
distinctly or to vary their rate.

Pause

" B y y o u r s i l e n c e , " said R u d y a r d K i p l i n g , " y o u shall

speak." T h e skilled speaker recognizes that pauses serve as
commas, semicolons, periods, and exclamation points. Pauses
are the punctuation marks of speech. Pauses are "thoughtful
silences." T h e y g o beyond a stoppage in speech and g i v e the
audience a brief opportunity to think, feel, and respond. T h e
first w o r d or phrase uttered after a pause w i l l stand out from
what has preceded it. For e v e n stronger emphasis on a w o r d
or phrase, one can pause after it as w e l l as before it. A pause
before the climax of a story increases suspense, and a dra-
matic pause introduced w h e n a speaker feels deep emotion
can c o m m u n i c a t e f e e l i n g s m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y than w o r d s .
Pauses not motivated by thought or feeling, however, con-
fuse a listener, just as random punctuation bewilders a reader.
M a n y speakers are afraid of silence. T h e y do not have
enough self-control to pause for long. T h e y feel they must
keep talking so that the audience will not think they have
forgotten what they want to say. Rather than pause, there-
fore, they hurry on with an unremitting stream o f w o r d s —or
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

worse, fill their sermons with w o r d whiskers such as er —

and—uh—so—uh. I n s o m e religious circles " A m e n " and
"Praise G o d " are thrown in aimlessly and serve as nothing
m o r e than vocalized pauses. These meaningless sounds and
w o r d s c o m m u n i c a t e nothing; instead they draw attention
away from the idea and irritate the congregation.
A pause seldom seems as long to the listener as it does
to the speaker. I f you concentrate fiercely on your thought
and feel the emotion o f what you are saying, a pause will
underline important points. While you pause, continue to look
at your listeners intently. Audiences sense w h e n a speaker is
thinking hard, and they w i l l wait w i t h him. A f e w speakers
may misuse the technique and, b y pausing too long, sound
melodramatic. T h e pause should b e long enough to call at-
tention to the thought but not so long that the silence calls
attention to the pause.
T h e minister should rehearse his sermon before he deliv-
ers it. Rehearsal tests the structure o f the message. T h e prog-
ress o f thought that seemed clear on paper m a y feel a w k w a r d
w h e n the material is spoken. A s he says his sermon aloud, a
preacher may change the progression of ideas into a pattern
that flows more easily.
R e h e a r s a l also e n h a n c e s s t y l e . A s he p r a c t i c e s , the
preacher m a y find a phrase that illuminates an idea in a par-
ticularly effective way. H e should not rehearse in order to
m e m o r i z e the sermon (he should not hesitate to alter some
w o r d s or phrases once in the pulpit). Rather he should w o r k
to have a clear progression o f thought and to express it in
language that communicates what he wants to say.
Rehearsal also improves delivery. A professional actor
w o u l d not think of going before an audience without first
going o v e r his material orally—usually many times—to be
sure that it comes to him easily. H o w can it b e spoken so that
it will be clear? When should he increase his force, vary his
rate, change his pitch, or pause to let a line sink in? While a
preacher is more than an actor, he should not b e less. Effec-
tive delivery must be practiced since the minister cannot think
 Biblical Preaching

about it much as he speaks. T h e g o o d habits acquired in the

study w i l l c o m e m o r e easily in the pulpit. Beginners w i l l
profit from rehearsing with a full v o i c e w h i l e standing before
a mirror and using a tape recorder. M o r e experienced speak-
ers may settle for sotto v o c e or no v o i c e as they g o over their
sermons. F o r a few, sitting and thinking through their ser-
mons, animated in their imaginations b y a picture of them-
selves before the congregation, will be enough. F o r all o f us,
having traveled a path before makes it simpler to follow that
path again.

208
 How to Preach So People Will Listen

New Concepts

N o n v e r b a l language

Definitions

Nonverbal language — gestures, facial expression, and tone

o f voice that transmit messages.
 Appendix 1

Answers to Exercises

Exercises in Chapter 2

1. Subject: T h e test of a g o o d sermon

Complement: It reveals what you are.
2. Subject: W h y the m o d e r n pulpit is w e a k
Complement: It has ignored the Bible.
3. Subject: T h e consequence of not believing in G o d
Complement: We w i l l believe anything.
4. Subject: T h e value o f a g o o d reputation
Complement: It is worth m o r e than material things.
5. Subject: W h y everyone should praise G o d
Complement: We should praise H i m for His strong love
and eternal faithfulness.
6. Subject: W h y w e n e e d m e m o r i e s (or, the benefit of
memories)
Complement: T h e y k e e p us from insignificance.
7. Subject: H o w w e should deal w i t h others
Biblical Preaching

Complement: We should treat them with the respect one

gives to members of one's family.
8. Subject: T h e benefits of walking
C o m p l e m e n t : I t benefits us p h y s i c a l l y and p s y c h o -
logically.
9. Subject: T h e current influence of astrology
Complement: I t is attracting m o r e a d h e r e n t s and is
spreading to places that would ordinarily reject it.
10. Subject: T h e poor reputation of White House food
Complement: T h e reputation of the White House kitchen
is undeserved.

Exercises in Chapter 4

1. Subject: W h y older people don't learn

Complement: T h e y feel they already k n o w and are too
concerned about other matters.
Functional question being addressed: Is it true? (validity)
2. Subject: H o w to listen to the Word of G o d
Complement: Listen carefully and obey.
Functional question being addressed: S o what? What
difference does it make? (application)
3. Subject: H o w to help your golf g a m e in the winter
Complement: Practice before a full-length mirror.
Functional question being addressed: Is it true? (validity)
4. Subject: T h e popularity of the C B radio
Complement: It has affected every segment of A m e r i c a n
life.
Functional question being addressed: Is it true? (validity)
5. Subject: H o w w e learn about reality
Complement: We learn by repeated, unconscious expe-
rience.
Functional question being addressed: W h a t d o e s it
mean? (explanation)
6. Subject: T h e importance of m e m o r y in music
Complement: Without it w e w o u l d have no melody.
 Appendix 1

F u n c t i o n a l q u e s t i o n b e i n g a d d r e s s e d : W h a t d o e s it
mean? (explanation)
7. Subject: T h e positive effect of the Watergate scandal
C o m p l e m e n t : It has delayed the nation's rapid m o v e to-
ward centralized, pervasive g o v e r n m e n t
Functional question b e i n g addressed: So what? What
difference does it make? (application)
8. Subject: T h e reversal of traditional distinctions of play
and w o r k
C o m p l e m e n t : What was play has been made into work,
and what was w o r k is n o w recreation.
F u n c t i o n a l q u e s t i o n b e i n g a d d r e s s e d : What does it
mean? (explanation)

213
 Appendix 2

Mechanical Layout of Ephesians 4:11-16

215
Verse
11 A n d he gave
some (to b e ) apostles;
and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists;
and some,
pastors
and teachers;
12 for the perfecting of the saints,
unto the work of ministering,
unto the building u p of the b o d y of Christ:
13 till w e all attain
unto the unity
of the faith,
and of the k n o w l e d g e of the Son of G o d ,
unto a fullgrown man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 that w e may b e no longer children,
tossed to and fro
and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
by the sleight of men,
in craftiness,
after the wiles of error;
15 but speaking truth in love, may grow up
in all things
into him,
w h o is the head,
(even) Christ;
16 from w h o m all the body
fitly framed
and knit together
through that which every joint supplieth,
according to the working in (due) measure of
each several part, maketh the increase of the
body
unto the building u p of itself in love, (ASV)
 Appendix 3

Sermon-Evaluation Form

T h e elements of a sermon suggested in this book can b e

reduced to a number of specific questions.

Organization

Introduction

Does it get attention?

Does it touch some need directly or indirectly?
Does it orient you to the subject? or to the main idea?
or to the first point?
Is it the right length? Is there a specific purpose?
 Biblical Preaching

Structure

Is the d e v e l o p m e n t clear? Is the overall structure

clear?
Does the sermon have a central idea? Can you state
it?
A r e the transitions clear? D o they review?
Is there a logical or psychological link b e t w e e n the points?

D o the main points relate back to the main idea?

A r e the subpoints clearly related to their main points?

Conclusion

Does the sermon build to a climax?

Is there an adequate summary o f ideas?
A r e there effective closing appeals or suggestions? _

218 Content

Is this subject significant? Is it appropriate?

Is the sermon built on solid exegesis?
Does the speaker show you w h e r e he is in the text? .
Is the analysis of the subject thorough? logical?
Does the speaker convince you that he is right?
Does the content show originality? •

Supporting Material

Is the supporting material logically related to its point?

Is it interesting? varied? specific?
sufficient?
 Appendix 3

Style

Does the speaker use correct grammar?

Is his vocabulary concrete, vivid? varied?
A r e w o r d s used correctly?
Does the choice of words add to the effectiveness of the ser-
mon?

Delivery

Intellectual Directness

Does the speaker want to b e heard? Is he alert? _

D o you feel h e is talking w i t h you?
Is he friendly?
Does the delivery sound like lively conversation?
A r e w o r d s pronounced correctly?

Oral Presentation

Is the v o i c e easy to listen to? Is there clear articula-

tion?
Is there vocal variety? Does the pitch level change?

Is there a variety in force? Does the rate vary enough?

Does the speaker use pauses effectively?

Physical Presentation

Is his entire b o d y i n v o l v e d in the delivery? Does he

gesture?
A r e the gestures spontaneous? wide? defi-
nite? A r e there distracting mannerisms?
Is the posture good? Does the speaker look alert?

Is there g o o d facial expression?

 Biblical Preaching

General Effectiveness

Audience Adaptation

Is the sermon adapted to your interests? attitudes?

Is it related to your k n o w l e d g e ? Does it meet needs?

Does the speaker look you in the $ye?

D o you feel he is aware o f audience response?

220
 Selective Bibliography of Works Cited

B a u m a n n , J . D a n i e l . An Introduction to Contemporary
Preaching. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1972.
Beecher, H e n r y Ward. Yale Lectures on Preaching. N e w York:
J. B. Ford, 1872.
B l a c k w o o d , A n d r e w W. Expository Preaching for Today: Case
Studies of Bible Passages. Nashville: Abingdon-Cokes-
bury, 1953. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1975.
Booth, John Nicholls. The Quest for Preaching Powe>. New
Y o r k : Macmillan, 1943.
Brigance, William N o r w o o d . Speech: Its Techniques and Dis-
ciplines in a Free Society. N e w Y o r k : Appleton-C^ntury-
Crofts, 1952.
Broadus, John A . On the Preparation and Delivery of Ser-
mons. R e v . ed. E d i t e d by Jesse Burton W e a t h e r p o o n .
S

N e w York: Harper, 1944.

Brown, Charles R. The Art of Preaching. N e w York: Macmillan,
1922.
 Biblical Preaching

Bryant, D o n a l d C , and Wallace, K a r l R. Fundamentals of

Public Speaking. N e w York: Appleton-Century, 1947. 3d
ed. N e w Y o r k : Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1960.
C o x , James W. A Guide to Biblical Preaching. Nashville:
A b i n g d o n , 1976.
Davis, Flora. " H o w to Read B o d y L a n g u a g e . " In The Rhetoric
of Nonverbal Communication: Readings, edited by
Haig A . Bosmajian. G l e n v i e w , 111.: Scott, Foresman, 1971.
Davis, H. Grady. Design for Preaching. Philadelphia: Muh-
lenberg, 1958.
D i c k e n s , M i l t o n . Speech: Dynamic Communication. New
York: Harcourt, Brace, 1954.
Eisenson, Jon, and Boase, Paul H. Basic Speech. 3d ed. N e w
York: Macmillan, 1975.
Flesch, Rudolf. The Art of Plain Talk. N e w Y o r k : Harper,
1946.
Grasham, John A., and G o o d e r , G l e n n G. Improving Your
Speech. N e w York: Harcourt, Brace, 1960.
Gray, Giles W , and Wise, Claude M . The Bases of Speech. 3d
ed. N e w Y o r k : Harper, 1959.
===== Hall, Edward T. The Silent Language. Garden City, N.Y.: Dou-
222 bleday, 1959. Reprint. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett, 1968.
Haselden, K y l e . The Urgency of Preaching. N e w York: Har-
per & R o w , 1963.
Hayakawa, S. I. Language in Thought and Action. 2d ed. N e w
York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964.
H o w e , Reuel L. Partners in Preaching: Clergy and Laity in
Dialogue. N e w York: Seabury, 1967.
Jowett, J. H. The Preacher: His Life and Work. N e w York:
G e o r g e H. Doran, 1912. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Baker,
1968.
Macpherson, Ian. The Art of Illustrating Sermons. N e w York:
A b i n g d o n , 1964. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1976.
Miller, Donald G. The Way to Biblical Preaching. N e w York:
A b i n g d o n , 1957.
Minnick, Wayne C. The Art of Persuasion. Boston: H o u g h t o n
Mifflin, 1957.
 Selective Bibliography

Monroe, A l a n H. Principles and Types of Speech. 3d ed. Chi-

cago: Scott, Foresman, 1949.
Monroe, A l a n H., and Ehninger, Douglas. Principles and Types
of Speech Communication. 7th ed. G l e n v i e w , 111.: Scott,
Foresman, 1974.
Paget, Richard. Human Speech: Some Observations, Experi-
ments, and Conclusions as to the Nature, Origin, Purpose,
and Possible Improvement of Human Speech. N e w York:
Harcourt, Brace, 1930.
Pelsma, John R. Essentials of Speech. R e v . ed. N e w Y o r k :
Crowell, 1924.
Reid, L o r e n D. Speaking Well. Columbia, Mo.: Artcraft, 1962.
R e u , J. M. Homiletics: A Manual of the Theory and Practice
of Preaching. Translated by A l b e r t Steinhaeuser. Chi-
cago: Wartburg, 1924. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1967.
Sangster, William E. The Craft of Sermon Construction. Phil-
adelphia: Westminster, 1951. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Baker,
1972.
Sarett, A l m a Johnson; Sarett, L e w ; and Foster, William Tru-
fant. Basic Principles of Speech. 4th ed. Boston: Hough-
ton Mifflin, 1966.
Soper, Donald O. The Advocacy of the Gospel. N e w York:
A b i n g d o n , 1961.
Stibbs, Alan M . Expounding God's Word: Some Principles and
Methods. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1961.
Sunukjian, Donald R. "Patterns for Preaching: A Rhetorical
Analysis o f the Sermons o f Paul in A c t s 13, 17, and 20."
Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1972.
Thielicke, Helmut. Encounter with Spurgeon. Translated by
J o h n W . D o b e r s t e i n . P h i l a d e l p h i a : Fortress, 1963. R e -
print. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1975.
T h o m p s o n , Wayne N. Quantitative Research in Public Ad-
dress and Communication. N e w York: R a n d o m , 1967.
Thonssen, Lester, and Baird, A . Craig. Speech Criticism: The
Development of Standards for Rhetorical Appraisal. New
York: Ronald, 1948.
Biblical Preaching

Tizard, Leslie J. Preaching: The Art of Communication. Lon-

don: A l l e n & U n w i n , 1958.
Whitesell, Faris D., ed. Great Expository Sermons. Westwood,
N.J.: Revell, 1964.
Whitesell, Faris D., and P e r r y , L l o y d M . Variety in Your
Preaching. Old Tappan, N.J.: Revell, 1954.
Williams, George G. Creative Writing for Advanced College
Classes. R e v . ed. N e w York: Harper, 1954.
Wood, John. The Preacher's Workshop: Preparation for Ex-
pository Preaching. Chicago: Inter-Varsity, 1965.
 Index of Persons

Abel, 123 Bauer, Walter, 60

Abraham, 27, 93 Baumann, J. Daniel, 94
Absalom, 205 Baumgartner, Walter, 60
A d a m , 57 Baxter, Richard, 10
Adler, Mortimer J., 89 Beecher, Henry Ward, 108, 181,
Agur, 155 189
Ahab, 108 Beier, Ernst G., 192 n 2
Albright, W. F., 64 Billings, Josh, 182
Alsop, John R., 60 Blackwood, A n d r e w W., 35 n 8
Arliss, George, 193 Blass, F. W., 63
Arndt, William F., 60 Boase, Paul H., 200 n 9
Bacon, Francis, 175 Booth, John Nicholls, 151 n 12
Baillie, D. M., 145 Brigance, William Norwood,
Baird, A. Craig, 34 34 n 2
Barber, Cyril J., 65 Briggs, Charles A., 60
Barclay, William, 25 Bright, John, 91-92
Barker, Kenneth L., 65 Broadus, John A., 35 n 8
Barnabas, 84 Bromiley, Geoffrey W., 64
Barnhouse, Donald Grey, 8 6 - 87 Brooks, Phillips, 24
Baruch, Bernard, 142 Brown, Charles R., 194- 95
Bathsheba, 55, 93 Brown, Colin, 61
Biblical Preaching

Brown, Francis, 60 Gooder, Glenn G., 204 n 12

Browning, Robert, 143, 189 Grasham, John A., 204 n 12
Bryant, Donald C , 34 n 2,184 Grassmick, John D., 65
Buttrick, George Arthur, 64 Gray, Giles W., 203 n 11
Byron, George, 187 Hall, Edward T., 193-94
Cain, 57 Hals, Ronald M „ 92 n 9
Campbell, Ernest T., 144,182 Hamilton, J. Wallace, 88
Chappell, Clovis G., 138, 161 n 1 Hammond, N. G. L., 64
Chesterton, G. K., 46 Hardy, Thomas, 143
Childs, Brevard S., 65 Haselden, Kyle, 16,176
Childs, Julia, 48 Hatch, Edwin, 62
Cohen, Arthur R., 162 Hayakawa, S. I., 148,149 n 10
Conrad, Joseph, 177 Hegel, Georg, 149
Coolidge, Calvin, 32 Hercus, John, 147,148
Cowley, A. E., 63 Hoehner, Harold W., 59 n 1
Cox, James W., 35 n 8 Homer, 11
Crim, "Keith, M
Dana, H. E., 63 Howe, R e u e l L . , 3 2 - 3 3
Danker, Frederick W., 60,65 Hunt, Leigh, 176
David, 55, 8 4 - 85, 93, 94, 147, Jacob,57
148, 205 Joel, 8 4 - 85
Davis, H. Grady, 10- 11,35, Johnson, Samuel, 115
40-41,81 n 2 Johnson, S. Lewis, 65
Debrunner, A., 63 Jones, Cynddylan, 87
Demas, 94 Jowett, J. H.,35
Dickens, Charles, 183 Judas (Iscariot), 27, 94,108
Dickens, Milton, 34 n 2 Kautzsch, E., 63
Douglas, J. D., 64 Keats, John, 176
Driver, S. R., 60 Kennedy, John F., 48
Durocher, Leo, 10 Key, William Bryan, 39
Ehninger, Douglas, 204 n 12 Kierkegaard, Sören, 149
Einspahr, Bruce, 60 Kipling, Rudyard, 11,206
Eisenson, Jon, 200 n 9 Kittel, Gerhard, 61
Elijah, 57 Kcehler, Ludwig, 60
Fellner, Rudolph, 103 Kubrick, Stanley, 125
Flaubert, Gustave, 186 Lambdin, Thomas O., 63
Flesch, Rudolf, 180-81 Lewis, C.S., 87-88,177
Forsyth, P. T., 24 Lewis, Sinclair, 183
Foster, William Trufant, 34 n 2 Liddell, Henry George, 61
Freud, Sigmund, 194 Lincoln, Abraham, 183
Friedrich, Gerhard, 61 Luke, 36
Funk, R. W., 63 Macdonald, George, 195
Gardner, John W., 101 M^claren, Alexander, 117-19,
Geden, A. S., 61-62 187
Gesenius, William, 60, 63 Macpherson, Ian, 150 n 11
Gingrich, F. Wilbur, 60 Müger, Robert F., 110 n 2
Glover, T. R., 145 Mandelkern, Salomon, 61
 Index of Persons

Mantey, Julius R., 63 Sangster, William E., 150,

Marshall, Peter, 139,168- 69 171-72
Martin, A b e , 194 Sarett, A l m a Johnson, 34 n 2
Maslow, Abraham H., 163- 64 Sarett, L e w , 34 n 2
Maugham, W. Somerset, 183 Schaeffer, Edith, 101
Maupassant, Guy de, 186 Schaeffer, Francis A., 22
Mayer, William, 103 Scholer, David M., 65
Mehrabian, Albert, 193 Schopenhauer, Arthur, 101
Meyer, F. B., 29 Scott, Robert, 61
Michal, 147 Scullard, H. H., 64
Miller, Alexander, 96 Shaw, George Bernard, 146
Miller, Donald G., 34 Simpson, Matthew, 12
Milligan, George, 60 Slade, Margot, 197 n 8
Minnick, Wayne C , 185 Smith, David, 112
Molloy, John T., 196- 97 Solomon, 27,161
Monroe, Alan H., 143 n 4,171 n 8, Soper, Donald O., 188 n 1()

Montgomery, R. H., 20 Stedman, Ray C , 140

Moses, 27,79, 93 Stevenson, Robert Louis, 183
Moulton, James Hope, 60,63 Stewart, James S., 122-23,
Moulton,W.F.,61-62 143-44,177
Muggeridge, Malcolm, 46,177 Stibbs, Alan M., 35
Nader, Ralph, 19 Stonehouse, N. B., 85 n 3
Napoleon, 83 Strong, James, 62
Nixon, Richard M., 103 Sunday, Billy, 183
O'Neil, Paul, 161-62 Sunukjian, Donald R., 36
Orr, James, 64 Swindoll, Charles R., 162- 63
Orwell, George, 103 Talleyrand, 179
Owen, John, 165 Tennyson, Alfred, 143
Paget, Richard, 201 n 10 Thielicke, Helmut, 180
Palmer, Earl F., 139-40 Thomas, 94
Paul, 17,17- 18,27,36,36- 37,80, Thompson, Wayne N., 192 n 1
81,82,84, 85,91,98,99,176 Thonssen, Lester, 34
Perry, Lloyd M., 35 n 8 Thoreau, Henry David, 23
Peter, 17,27,36, 84-85, 94,127 Timothy, 18
Phillips, J. B., 58 Tizard, Leslie J., 163
Poincaré, J. H., 179 Tozer,A.W., 108
Quayle, William A., 24 Traina, Robert A., 66
Redpath, Henry A., 62 Trench, Richard Chenevi*, 63
Rembrandt, 176 Turner, Nigel, 63
Reu, J. M., 78 Twain, Mark, 176
Richardson, Elliot L., 103 Unger, Merrill F., 64
Robertson, A. T., 63 Uriah, 93
Rose, James, 98 Vine,W.E.,63
Rosenthal, Robert, 192 n 2 Voltaire, 144
Ruskin, John, 16
Wallace, Karl R., 34 n 2,184
Ryken, Leland, 70 n 2
Waltke, Bruce K., 65
 Biblical Preaching

Wesley, Charles, 172 Williams, George G., 183

White, E. B., 186 Wise, Claude M.,203n 11
Whitehead, Alfred North, 187 Wood, John, 35 n 8
Whiteman, Paul, 167 Woolf, Leonard, 144
Whitesell, Faris D., 35 n 8 Young, Robert, 62
Whitman, Walt, 23 Zuck, Roy B., 65,110
Wigram, George V., 61, 61-62

228
 Index of Scripture

Genesis chapter 24 147

41:51 150 91:11-12 28
104:33 80
Deuteronomy 93 chapter 117 4 1 - 4 2 , 4 6
5:2-3 79
Proverbs
Judges 6:12-14 193
17:6 92 15:1 97
21:25 92 22:1 46
25:11 176
Ruth 30:25 155
4:11-21 92 31:10-31 129

II Samuel Ecclesiastes 9 2 , 1 4 3 , 1 6 1
chapter 11 55 3:1-7 186
11:27 93 12:9-10 175
chapter 12 55
Isaiah
18:33 205-6
5:30 143
Psalms Jeremiah
chapter 23 176,183 50:35-38 80
 Biblical Preaching

Habakkuk
2:4 97

Luke
12:15 97
15:11-32 148
16:2-7 148

John
chapter 3 99
3:16 176
14:12 86-87
20:31 109

Acts 36-37
chapter 2 36
2:36 36,84
6:2 16-17
chapter 13 36
13:23 36
chapter 20 36-37
20:28 37

Romans
1-17 98,164
11-12 17
15 17
1-29 98
230 1 148
1-14 98
chapter 8 176
8:28 86

I Corinthians 27
6:12 148
chapter 8 82,99
9:6-12 84
9:22 196
chapters 12- 14 59
12:11-12 81
12:13 82
chapter 13 59,176,183
15:12-19 119-21

II Corinthians 27
1:3-11 162
Galatians
1:8-9 80

Ephesians
1:4-14 129-30
4:11-16 215-16
6:5 91

Colossians
1:15-18 117-19

I Thessalonians
1:2-6 98
1:9-10 17
2:13 17-18

I Timothy
3:15 109
4:12-16 98
5:1-2 47

II Timothy
3:15 19
3:16-17 19,26,109
4:2 18

Hebrews
chapter 6 161
10:19-25 42-43
chapter 11 195
12:22-25 122-23

James
1:1-16 99
1:2-4 67
1:5-8 67,68
1:19-20 90
4:14 168

I Peter
1:23 17
1:25 17
2:11-3:9 121-22

Jude
3 109