Category Archives: sermon development

Posted on

How To Structure Your Sermon (part 2): What I’m Learning From the Early Sermons of Jonathan Edwards

by

These posts are designed to give us a look at how Jonathan Edwards crafted his sermons. You can compare this to the way you do it.

Last week I began with Edwards first major sermon section, explication. This week we move to his second section, confirmation. Edwards confirmed the truths he explicated by:

positive proofs from Scripture or reason and also by providing solutions to some major doubts and questions that arise from the text. (cf. Kimnach, p. 30 for more details, including the weird spelling below).

Edwards divides his time between what he called “notionall”, “doctrinall” and “practicall” truths. His powerful logic works thr0ughout the sermon to convince his listeners that what God says is true. And since his third major sermon section is application, you can see that the “practicall” truths he presents already bleeds into the application section.

Edwards is relentless in his attack of the mind of his listeners to grasp the meaning, proof, and implications of Scripture. He literally argues with his audience and their thought-patterns along the way in his second major section of the sermon.

So, before Sunday, see if you have some places in your message where you can confirm the faith and challenge to the doubts and questions of your listeners. See if you are taking them on a logical journey that is impossible to deny (provided they start with your presuppositions about Scripture, God, and the plight of sinful man, of course).

My mentor, Haddon Robinson, used to say that there were only three things you could do with an idea: explain, prove, or apply. These three certainly piggyback onto Edwards distinct Puritan sermon form of explication, confirmation, application.

May our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) due to the way you structure your sermons.

Randal

Posted on

How You Structure Your Sermon: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’s Early Sermons

by

I didn’t know Cox’s book existed, but virtually everyone has heard about sermons crafted with three points and a poem. It’s almost always said in jest (and that’s no slam on Cox).

One of the things I’m learning from reading Jonathan Edwards’s early sermons is what Kimnach refers to as “the seventeenth-century Puritan sermon” (p. 27). Edwards loosely followed a three-point structure of explication, confirmation, and application, borrowed from a seventeenth-century author, Wilkins (Ecclesiaastes, Or, A Discourse Concerning the Gift of Preaching as it falls under the Rules of Art (London, 1646)).

Kimnach provides a detailed look at each of the three and I will summarize the first one, explication, in this post (p. 29). He writes,

“Explication is either of the text…or of the doctrines deduced from it.”

If you decided to develop your sermon from the text, then that would include three things:

First, an “Unfolding [of the] difficulties” of that text. This involved unraveling the difficulties of a phrase, the circumstances surrounding that text (to whom it was written), and the Analogy of Faith (other similar Scriptures).

Second, “Distinguishing ambiguous…words [and/or] phrases.”

Third, “dividing of the Text, which must not be…Needlesse [sic.] [or] Obscure.”

If you decided to develop your sermon from the doctrines within your text, then you would:

One, Clearing their inference (meaning, I think, that you make a clear connection between your text and the doctrine you are expounding).

Two, “Showing the latitude of every…Truth [or] Duty…According to their severall [sic.]…Branches [or] Degrees.”

Let me quickly say two things that might help our own sermon development.

First, Edwards (through Wilkens) did not divide the Text needlessly. That means he only showed divisions that were important for establishing meaning and application. Before Sunday, check how you’ve divided the text and eliminate any unnecessary divisions (those that do not highlight critical flow of thought/argument).

Second, from the second, Two, above, Edwards has made me realize I need to spend more time meditating on the range that a particular doctrine has in life, both truth and duty. Before Sunday, see if you have explored the far-reaching effects of your doctrine.

And may God be glorified in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. Next time, Lord willing, we’ll explore the confirmation and, then, application sections.

Posted on

Securely Fasten Your Congregants To Scripture

by

Along with passing along insights I’m learning from reading Jonathan Edwards’s early sermons, I’m also highlighting Carrell’s findings from surveying hundreds of sermon-hearers. Her book, Preaching That Matters: Reflexive Practices for Transforming Sermons, has helped me think about churchgoers hear sermons.

For instance, chapter 4 (Exegeting, then Organizing) listed poor sermon organization as the number one “listener-identified characteristic” (p. 72). I discussed our tendency to ramble several posts ago.

In light of my experience listening to masters and doctoral student sermons, Carrell’s next observation didn’t surprise me. When you hear it, hopefully you will think: “Well, duh!”

She writes, “Listeners also describe disorganized sermons as those without clear connections to Scripture, even though preachers who are perceived as disorganized often claim to be structuring content in a way that is especially biblical” (p. 73, emphasis added).

And, as noted above, my experience listening confirms this. I am often reminding preachers-in-training to keep us connected to the text during their sermons. Several minutes go by without directing our attention to verse ___.

You and I can help our listeners by keeping them connected to the Scripture being expounded. And, according to Carrell’s findings, our listeners will consider this a part of effective organization.

You might think that simply doing good exegesis will alleviate the problem of losing connection with Scripture. But, think for a moment about how many minutes can go by in a sermon while you explain the finer points of exegesis. The sheer volume of words contained in those minutes can create a disconnect from the very Text you’re explaining.

So, before Sunday, as you’re preparing your notes–you are manuscripting, right?–keep reminding yourself of the need to remind your listeners where you are in the Text.

And may our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) because of your efforts to exegete and organize.

Randal

Posted on

If Edwards Preached Your Ordination Sermon: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’ Early Sermons

by

Kimnach writes,

“Edwards’ matured vision of the ideal preacher is most completely delineated in his ordination sermon on John 5:35, entitled The True Excellency of a Minister of the Gospel (1744)” (p. 25).

I am always looking for ways to guide my ongoing pastoral/preaching ministry and find Edwards’ approach very helpful. He identifies two necessary skills, heat and light; one is spiritual and the other mechanical.

The spiritual skill: “[the preacher’s] heart [must] burn with love to Christ, and fervent desires of the advancement of his kingdom and glory” (p. 25).

What I refer to as the mechanical skill: “his instructions [be] clear and plain, accommodating to the capacity of his hearers, and tending to convey light to their understandings” (p. 25).

If Edwards preached my ordination sermon I would come away with a burning desire for God. And that desire for God would be the foundation for my sermon development.

And what was clear about Edwards’ thoughts on clarity was that he was clear about the need for moving the affections of his listeners with his clarity. All his arguments and reasoning was designed to “move the affections” (Kimnach, p. 26 citing, Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New England).

I would summarize the two aspects as passion for God and for His people. It means cultivating my love relationship with God. It means cultivating my understanding that His people’s lives are on the line each Sunday. I want to be used by God’s Spirit to move their affections so they love God supremely in the way Sunday’s Scripture presents Him and them.

Before Sunday, as you prepare for the first sermon in 2019, bring the heat and light so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

Posted on

The Ability To Not Lose Our Listeners: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’ Sermons

by

First, like all good preachers, I’m taking these Drake lyrics way out of context (not having heard it, I’m guessing the question is asked in the context of a relationship issue). But, that’s not important right now.

What is is what Edwards learned from one of his two preaching mentors, Solomon Stoddard. In volume 10 of The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Wilson Kimnach begins the book with a detailed look at the context within which Edwards lived and began to preach.

Kimnach describes Stoddard:

“On the whole, Solomon Stoddard was a formally orthodox, but unusually powerful and even pontifical preaching; he was a master of the controlled tone and went beyond clarity, precision, and sincerity without losing them on his way.” (p. 14)

It took me a while to figure out what this meant. It was the pairing of clarity and precision that struck me. Often in my desire to be precise things get fuzzy or, if you prefer, muddy.

Have you ever wondered how many times you lose your hearers while you’re preaching? It’s a scary thought, I know. But I think it happens more than we think. Edwards, learning from Stoddard, adopted a preaching style that achieved a high standard of clarity and precision that never “lost” his listeners.

So, before Sunday while you’re preparing to preach and teach Scripture this week focus on two things.

First, while you’re developing your sermon in your thoughts and on your screen, be relentless about your clarity and precision. What’s clear to you might not be clear to your listener. Work hard at clear vocabulary and clear logical connections during each message minute. I’ve discovered that I can gauge how precise I am by how concise I can be.

Second, while you’re delivering your sermon, be relentless about keeping your listeners with you in the moment. That means staying engaged and connected with them as much as staying connected to your manuscript/orascript. Even if you don’t actually dialogue with them like I do, at least keep them in the conversation with you through your use of questions and answers.

Drake’s chorus is a good refrain for us during the teaching time (whether articulated or not) and will lead to our Lord receiving glory in the church and in Christ Jesus because of your efforts (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

 

Posted on

Tell ‘Em Why: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’ Sermons

by

In these posts I’m observing how Jonathan Edwards crafted what may have been his first sermon, Christian Happiness. His text was Isaiah 3:10 “Say unto the righteous, it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.” (cf. Kimnach, pages 296-307)

In his doctrine section, proposition II is “The good man is happy in whatsoever condition he is in; and that, First, because…”

What follows are three reasons why this proposition is true. Let me give you the three so you can see what Edwards is doing in this segment of the sermon.

“First, Because no worldly evils can do him any real hurt….

Second….because of the spiritual privileges and advantages, joys and satisfactions, he actually enjoys while in this life….

Third. And lastly, from the joyful hope and assured expectation of the enjoyment of the completion of happiness eternally hereafter…”

There are at least two things to consider. First, why does Edwards spend these minutes developing these reasons. Second, how does Edwards maintain biblical authority while answering these questions that his passage doesn’t answer.

First, Edwards identifies these reasons because the listeners requires some proof that this is true. Isaiah 3:10 is too good to be true in a badly broken world (the same could be said about Romans 8:28). Sometimes this kind of theological/philosophical exposition–remember, I’m not entirely happy with this designation but feel it’s adequate for now–requires our investigation of why the assertion of the Word of God is true or not true.

Second, Edwards answers these questions that are not answered in his text by appealing to the rest of Scripture’s teachings. At times Edwards appeals to multiple Scriptures without quoting them directly. If you read this sermon, you could easily insert Bible references because of Edwards’ ability to loosely quote Scripture. At other times Edwards paraphrases the teachings of Scripture that directly affect his text in Isaiah.

Before Sunday, see if your text contains questions that need to be answered and answer those questions, especially the “why?” question so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

 

Posted on

Limit My Word-Studies: What I’m Learning About Preaching From Jonathan Edwards’s Early Sermons

by

The first thing I noticed is that Edwards spent hardly any sermon time on word studies.

Let me back up. Several months ago I decided to pretend I was in Jonathan Edwards’s 18th century parish. I began reading his sermons in chronological order (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 10, Sermons and Discourses 1720-1723, edited by Wilson H. Kimnach). It’s been a great addition to my Bible readings and also an excellent homiletical exercise (doing rhetorical analysis on Edwards’s early sermons).

The first thing that struck me was how little Edwards defined key terms. It seemed odd because doing word studies was such an important part of my exegetical training. So, I had to ask myself, “What did Edwards spend all his sermon time doing if he wasn’t doing lots of word studies?”

Edwards’s first sermon was, Christian Happiness, based on Isaiah 3:10 “Say unto the righteous, it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”

My hermeneutical/homiletical instincts would have me begin by explaining who are “the righteous.” Not Edwards.

He began by reasoning with his hearers in the same way Isaiah reasoned with his hearers: “Reasonable beings, while they act as such, naturally choose those things which they are convinced are best for them…” (p. 296). Reading Edwards’s first sermon made me realize how much God reasons with us.

Edwards preached, “…God always deals with men as reasonable creatures, and every [word] in the Scriptures speaks to us as such” (p. 296).

One thing to be gained by letting Edwards preach to you is that you will come away with a greater ability to reason with your congregants. Edwards has taught me so far that although God must act by His Spirit to convert sinners, God also believes that some will be persuaded by reasonable arguments. And, man, does Edwards spend time “arguing” with his congregants.

And, so far, he hasn’t defined one term.

Help your parishioners be reasonable people so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

P.S. If you are interested in homiletics as a discipline, you will benefit from Kimnach’s excellent insights concerning the preaching of Edwards’s day and his own method.

Posted on

Preach the Book of Job in One Sermon?!?

by

I hope Jesus returns before I have to preach through a few books of the Bible. One of them is Job. But nearing the end of our summer series, Worshiping the Creator Rather Than the Creature, I selected Job 38–42:6 as one of our Texts.

In the course of preparing to preach that section of Job, I quickly realized I had to help everyone know the context. That forced me to preach the theology of the entire book of Job in one sermon.

Here’s my approach:

Title: The Next Time You Ask, “Why?”

  1. The test every Christian must pass (Job 1:9-11, 22; 2:4-5, 10b). Satan wanted to show God that Job’s integrity was a sham. God knew better.
  2. The question that shows the test is a real test (Job 3:20-26; 40:1-2, 8). This is where Job begins to question, “Why?” He says some awful things about his life, like wishing he didn’t ever live!
  3. How our Creator “answer” our question (Job 38:1–39:30; 40:6-7, 9–41:34). God never answers Job’s questions. Instead, God bombards Job with over 50 questions of His own. As Job is forced to answer God’s questions…
  4. The genuine worship that results (Job 40:3-5; 42:1-6). Job no longer demands an answer, but takes his rightful place as a worshiper of God.

I chose not to include a thought block covering Job’s friends’ attempts to “help” him, but you may want to do that. They say some good things, but God indicts them in the end and vindicates Job.

And if you want to preach Christ from Job, one way to do that is to move from Job’s “Why?” to Jesus’ “Why?” on the cross, “My God, My God! Why have you forsaken me?!?” True worship begins by acknowledging our need for the Savior God provided for us. By faith, Christ’s righteousness creates the same kind of character exemplified by Job in the opening verses of the book and sends us on a journey where our faith is tested to produce maturity (cf. James 1).

This example provides some help for tackling other similar assignments. For instance, notice that I deal with the beginning and ending of the book of Job. Many books reveal their intention at the beginning and the end. Then, you’re able to make better sense of the middle portions.

I hope you’ll have an opportunity some time to preach a whole book in one sermon. When you do, God will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. Last week I referred to Mark Dever’s, The Message of the Old Testament. It’s an excellent resource when you plan to preach an entire book of the Bible in one sermon. Dever’s book is a collection of his attempts to do the same for the Old Testament.

Posted on

Four Categories That Help Us Evaluate Our Preaching

by

If you are a dentist you might be interested in the product advertised above. If you are a preacher, the four quadrants I list below are a great way for you to evaluate and potentially elevate your preaching.

Quadrant #1 Am I Biblical?

Most preachers answer, yes, but it’s important to note the difference between preaching from the Bible without preaching the Bible. Biblical preaching occurs when the intention of our sermon matches the intention of the Scripture being preached. Notice I said, intention, not meaning. The two are connected. However, matching intention assures that we are using the Bible in the way God designed it to be used. For instance, if you preach the Parable of the Prodigal and focus on the prodigal son, your intention does not match God’s for Luke 15.

Quadrant #2 Am I Relevant?

Exposition sometimes deserves the bad rap it receives. During student sermons I will sometimes start my stopwatch and mark the time when the preacher strikes relevance (when I hear them speak to me about me from the Bible). In a 15 minute sermon, there have been times when I have stopped the clock at 8 or 9 minutes! Up to that point, I was listening to fairly good exegesis. Just no relevance.

Quadrant #3 Am I Clear?

Have you ever been in a conversation, said something, saw the reaction and said, “I didn’t say that right”? Sermon clarity involves, among other things, choosing the right words to say. While I’m writing my sermon throughout the week, I’m working hard to create clear sentences, sentence fragments (due to conversational style), and clear paragraphs. Besides my Bible, my Reader’s Digest Oxford Complete Wordfinder is the book I consult the most each week. It’s a combination dictionary/thesaurus.

Quadrant #4 Am I Organized?

My wife, Michele, listened to a sermon preached by one of my pastoral colleagues. One thing that stood out to her was how well the sermon flowed. That’s the sign of a well-organized sermon. That kind of organization allows congregants to follow along without getting lost in all the details and without losing sight of the intention.

So, before Sunday, evaluate your sermon:

  • Is it biblical?
  • Is it relevant?
  • Is it clear?
  • Is it well-organized?

And, as always, preach so God receives glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

P.S. I was introduced to a similar critique back in the good ole days at DTS in the mid-80’s.