The Theological Foundations and Structure of Preaching

Devotional

Day 1: Theological Depth in Preaching

Preaching must be deeply theological, integrating every sermon into the broader narrative of Scripture to avoid contradictions and ensure coherence. This theological foundation is essential for all types of preaching, including evangelistic preaching. A sermon that lacks theological depth risks becoming a mere motivational speech or a collection of disjointed ideas. By grounding sermons in a comprehensive understanding of biblical theology, preachers can ensure that their messages are not only coherent but also transformative, leading listeners to a deeper understanding of God’s truth. [04:55]

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you deepen your understanding of biblical theology to better integrate it into your daily life and conversations?

Day 2: Presenting the Gospel Directly

The preacher's task is to present the gospel directly, not merely to talk about it. This involves conveying the whole message of salvation, addressing both personal and cosmic dimensions, and ensuring that the gospel is not reduced to an academic exercise. The gospel is the power of God for salvation, and it must be communicated with clarity and urgency. By focusing on the entirety of the gospel message, preachers can help their congregations grasp the full scope of God’s redemptive work in Christ. [13:05]

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you share the gospel more directly and authentically with those around you today?

Day 3: The Structure of a Sermon

The form of the sermon is vital, distinguishing it from essays or lectures. A sermon must have a clear structure, with a progression and climax, ensuring that each part contributes to the overall message and that the sermon is relevant to the listeners' lives. A well-structured sermon helps the congregation follow the message and see its relevance to their own lives. By crafting sermons with intentional structure, preachers can effectively communicate God’s truth in a way that resonates with their audience. [26:28]

"Let all things be done decently and in order." (1 Corinthians 14:40, ESV)

Reflection: How can you bring more structure and clarity to your personal study of Scripture to enhance your understanding and application of God’s Word?

Day 4: Expository Preaching

Expository preaching is essential, as it ensures variety and prevents repetition. The preacher must derive the theme from the text and context, showing its relevance to the congregation and ensuring that the message is rooted in Scripture. By focusing on expository preaching, preachers can help their congregations see the richness and depth of God’s Word, leading to a more profound understanding of its truths. [37:24]

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate more expository study into your personal Bible reading to uncover the richness of Scripture?

Day 5: Application and Exhortation

Application and exhortation are crucial elements of a sermon, ensuring that the message is not merely theoretical but has practical implications for the listeners' lives. The sermon must end with a call to action, driving home the relevance of the gospel. By focusing on application and exhortation, preachers can help their congregations see how God’s Word applies to their daily lives, leading to transformation and growth. [45:42]

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can apply the truths of Scripture to your life today, and how will you hold yourself accountable to this action?

Sermon Summary

In our time together, we explored the profound and multifaceted nature of preaching, emphasizing its theological foundation and the necessity of a structured approach. Preaching is not merely about delivering a message; it is about conveying the whole counsel of God with clarity and purpose. We began by examining the content of preaching, which is divided into three main types: evangelistic, experiential, and instructional. Each type serves a unique purpose but is interrelated and interdependent, requiring a theological underpinning to maintain coherence and avoid contradictions.

The essence of preaching lies in its theological nature. Every sermon must be rooted in a comprehensive understanding of biblical theology, which informs and shapes the message. This ensures that the preacher does not isolate texts but rather integrates them into the broader narrative of Scripture. Evangelistic preaching, often perceived as non-theological, must be deeply theological to truly call people to repentance and faith in Christ.

Furthermore, we discussed the importance of not merely talking about the gospel but preaching it directly. The preacher's task is to present the gospel in its entirety, addressing both personal and cosmic dimensions. This involves a clear exposition of Scripture, leading to a systematic theology that guides the sermon’s development.

The form of the sermon is equally crucial. It is not an essay or a lecture but a structured message with a clear progression and climax. The sermon should be expository, deriving its theme from the text and context, and should be presented in a way that is relevant to the listeners' lives. The preacher must labor to shape the sermon into a coherent whole, ensuring that each part contributes to the overall message.

Finally, the sermon must end with application and exhortation, driving home the relevance of the message for the listeners. This artistic element in preaching is not for art's sake but for the effective communication of truth, aiding the congregation in understanding and applying the gospel to their lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Preaching must be deeply theological, integrating every sermon into the broader narrative of Scripture to avoid contradictions and ensure coherence. This theological foundation is essential for all types of preaching, including evangelistic preaching. [04:55]
2. The preacher's task is to present the gospel directly, not merely to talk about it. This involves conveying the whole message of salvation, addressing both personal and cosmic dimensions, and ensuring that the gospel is not reduced to an academic exercise. [13:05]
3. The form of the sermon is vital, distinguishing it from essays or lectures. A sermon must have a clear structure, with a progression and climax, ensuring that each part contributes to the overall message and that the sermon is relevant to the listeners' lives. [26:28]
4. Expository preaching is essential, as it ensures variety and prevents repetition. The preacher must derive the theme from the text and context, showing its relevance to the congregation and ensuring that the message is rooted in Scripture. [37:24]
5. Application and exhortation are crucial elements of a sermon, ensuring that the message is not merely theoretical but has practical implications for the listeners' lives. The sermon must end with a call to action, driving home the relevance of the gospel. [45:42]
** [45:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Opening Prayer
[00:43] - Introduction to Preaching
[01:17] - Content of Preaching
[02:28] - Types of Sermons
[03:49] - Theology and Preaching
[05:11] - Evangelistic Preaching
[07:31] - Preaching vs. Lecturing
[09:39] - Systematic Theology
[12:02] - Preaching the Gospel
[14:14] - Presenting the Total Gospel
[17:34] - Paul's Epistles as a Model
[20:35] - Surprises in Preaching
[21:52] - Form of the Sermon
[25:33] - Sermon vs. Lecture
[29:15] - The Burden of the Lord
[36:33] - Form and Structure
[41:31] - Relevance and Application
[45:42] - Ending with Exhortation
[49:36] - The Artistic Element in Preaching

Sermon Clips

I suggest that the way to answer that question is to realize the relationship between Theology and preaching so I would lay down a general proposition that preaching must always be theological always based on a theological foundation in other words we mustn't preach at random from isolated texts uh and deal with each one separately. [00:03:47]

The preacher is a man who must have a grasp and a good grasp of the whole biblical message and this message of course is a Unity so what it leads to is this that he a man who should know his biblical theology which leads him onto a Systematic Theology to me there is nothing that is more important in a preacher than that he should have a Systematic Theology. [00:08:06]

We are to preach the gospel and not to preach about the gospel here is a very vital distinction it's not always easy to put it in words and yet it is a very clear thing there are some men who think that they're preaching the word when the whole time they're really saying things about the word. [00:13:05]

We must present the Total Gospel there is a personal side to it and that is right and we must start with that but we don't stop with it there is a cosmic side as well we must present the whole Plan of Salvation as it is revealed in the scriptures. [00:15:56]

A sermon is not an essay that is something that needs to be said and said constantly because there are so many who clearly draw no distinction between a sermon and an essay this is one of the points at which what I was referring to the after the other afternoon concerning the danger of printing sermons and reading them comes out most obviously. [00:22:26]

A sermon does not start with a subject the sermon is always expository the theme or the doctrine is something that arises out of the text and its context and it is something which is illustrated by that text and context so the some doesn't start with a subject as such it starts with the word of God. [00:26:28]

The characteristic of a sermon is that it has a definite form and that it is this form that makes it a sermon it's based upon Exposition but it is this Exposition turned into a message which has this characteristic form uh the phrase that I always like in this connection is a sermon to me is similar to what you read of in the Old Testament in the prophets when he talks about the burden of the lord. [00:28:56]

You start you're preparing your seron now you start therefore with exposition of your passage or of your statement this is essential this is vital as I've said all preaching must be expository you don't start with a thought it may be a right thought a good thought you don't start with that and then work out an address or a sermon on this. [00:37:24]

You must be exposited and in any case my whole argument is that it is to be clear to people that what we are saying is something that comes out of this book we are presenting this and its message that is why I'm one of those who likes to have a Pulpit Bible and it should always be there and it should always be opened and the men should be preaching out of it. [00:38:31]

You are setting out to do something definite and particular to influence these people the whole of their lives and their Outlook very well then you've obviously got to show the relevance of all this you're not an antiquary lecturing on ancient history or on ancient civilization or something like that you're a man who is speaking to people who are alive today and confronted by the problems of life. [00:41:31]

It is vital to the seron that it should always end on this note of application or of exhortation now there is my idea of the sermon and that is what I mean when I am stressing this idea of the form you see you haven't stopped at mere Exposition or explanation of the meaning you've done that you've got to do this but what you are concerned to do now is to convey this whole message. [00:45:42]

The artistic element comes in for the sake of the people for the propagation of the truth and the honor of the gospel and I believe that what I've been trying to say can be substantiated very clearly and evidently from the long history of the Christian Church the preaching which God through the spirit has been most pleased to honor throughout the centuries has been preaching which has been based on these great sermons. [00:49:36]

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