Sermon Preparation - Guidelines for the Best Method of Preaching

Today, many Christians are turning back to the puritans to, “walk in the old paths,” of God’s word, and to continue to proclaim old truth that glorifies Jesus Christ. There is no new theology. In our electronic age, more and more people are looking to add electronic books (ePubs, mobi and PDF formats) to their library – books from the Reformers and Puritans – in order to become a “digital puritan” themselves. Take a moment to visit Puritan Publications (click the banner below) to find the biggest selection of rare puritan works updated in modern English in both print form and in multiple electronic forms. There are new books published every month. All proceeds go to support A Puritan’s Mind.

preacher, who by its help is able to reduce into a topic anything available to him during his meditation and reading, no matter how disjointed, and likewise commit them to memory.” 2. “Because of the hearers, who can more easily follow what is said and being said, commit it to memory, remember it, and even repeat it themselves, or with their families, upon which generally all the effectiveness of the sermon depends.” 3. “Because of the things being said, which all, whatever kind they are, or among whomever they occur, can be recalled according to their topics without any trouble.”

What is Expository Preaching?

The Magisterial Reformation was set on going back to the sources (ad fontes) to find the intent of the mind of the Spirit in what the inspired text meant. This is the heart of expository preaching. To expound Scripture is not to work through a word study, or simply give the correct grammatical sense of a verse or passage. Rather, it is to set down and apply the doctrines which God meant for the words to convey. Expository preaching is considered in the following:

1. The sermon is a result of going back to the original sources of the bible, and dealing critically with the intended statements in their original language as God determined. It conveys what the Scriptures meant at the time of their writing.
2. The sermon is not sharing a thought, but is extracted from Scripture through careful exegesis (drawing out the meaning of the passage that God intended), demonstrating the truth contained in the passage being studied.
3. The sermon applies the Scriptural meaning for today.

Consider:

“And they read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading,” (Neh. 8:8).

“Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God,” (Acts 20:26–27).

 

 

Basic Sermon Preparation:

• Sermon Preparation – Expository Sermons Have a Specific Structure – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 1 – Text Choice and Exegesis – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 2 – Making Notes About Exegesis – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 3 – Filling Out the Outline – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 4 – The Title of the Sermon and the Point of Doctrine – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 5 – The Application – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 6 – Practicing the Sermon – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 7 – Transcribing the Sermon Word for Word – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 8 – Preparing the Order of Worship and Public Prayer – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Sermon Preparation Part 9 – Preparing Successfully – by C. Matthew McMahon
• Miscellaneous Thoughts on Sermon Structure – by C. Matthew McMahon