Preparing Sermons
Key To Understanding God's World
This series will be an effort to assist preachers (especially younger men) to make preparation to speak before an audience. I am not a scholar or a professor, but in 49 years of preaching I have learned a few things about sermon preparation, and am glad to suggest them to others who stand in the pulpit.
It is understood that prior to sermon preparation there must be self preparation. Paul told Timothy to take heed to himself and to the doctrine (1 Tim. 4:16). Note that only the one whose life is in order has the right to teach others, so we first look closely at self. Next we make certain the doctrine we teach is pure truth. Then we begin with a sense of obligation to God, to the Gospel, and to our hearers. The preacher will be seen and heard, but we try to "hide ourselves behind the cross" so that people will go away talking more about the wonderful Savior than about the wonderful preacher. In the matter of preparing self numerous passages stay close to our minds. A few are 1 Cor. 6:18; 10:31; Rom. 12:1-3,9-10; 13:8; 1 Tim. 5:1-2,22; 2 Tim. 4:1-5; Tit. 2:11-15. Many such verses will be memorized and lived.
The word "evangelist" is used primarily in the New Testament in reference to those inspired men who originally announced the Gospel. The Gospel is now confirmed and written. So a modern teacher ("evangelist" if you wish) is to teach that truth and nothing else - Gal. 1:8-9; Rev. 22:18-19. The truth is powerful (Heb. 4:12) and it does not require any propping up by human power. There is no place in the pulpit for comedians or actors, and no need for long-winded intellectuals. Let's just "preach the Word!"
Since we are not inspired we have to study, and study can be hard work. It takes hours of prayerful concentration. At the center of the study is to be the Word of God. We must know the Truth, believe it without question, love it without reservation, live it without deceitfulness, and teach it without apology. Someone said "read it through, write it down, pray it in, work it out, and pass it on." Perhaps Paul summed that up in 2 Cor. 4:13 when he quoted Psa 116:10 ("I believed, therefore have I spoken").
We are dying men who are speaking to dying people, and our work is deadly serious. We cannot be satisfied with less than the best we can do on sermon preparation and presentation. For each man there is the involvement of his individual personality and style. The best improvement of each one's capabilities is found by developing his own strength, not by imitating someone else. Listen to good men and follow good advice, but be natural and be your own man.
As we proceed we will look at different types of sermons and how to develop them. Some mention will be made of available tools and the way to use them effectively. Keep in mind that we are not trying to make a name for self or develop a big reputation. If you have great inherent ability, you will attract attention and become widely known, but that is secondary -- the first order of importance is to work for the glory of the Father and the honor of the Savior. The result will be the salvation of souls. Keep those objectives in mind and try to reach them without being overly long-winded. As a young preacher I was told "stand up to be seen, speak out to be heard, and sit down to be appreciated." Or, "stand up, speak up, and shut up." One older preacher said "take a long text and don't say much about it." There may be occasions when a sermon needs to be longer than usual, but just be sure to quit when you get through.
Topical sermons can be scriptural and interesting. Some topics are big and complex, and more than one sermon may be needed to cover the field. Some brethren tend to weary if it is "stretched out too long" (in their view), so it is good to avoid wandering from the subject and thereby making the lessons or the series drag out. Expository sermons may be the most difficult to prepare, but plain teaching right out of the Book, following the inspired author step by step is valuable to the hearer. You will find great satisfaction in this kind of study. When you have engaged the audience in serious exegesis of a paragraph or a chapter you will be encouraged by their obvious interest, and you will be glad you made your best effort to heed Paul's instruction to a young preacher: "Preach the Word" (2 Tim. 4:2). - Derrel Shaw