Sermons

After decades during which I took courses in rhetoric and homiletics, prepared sermons and speeches for many occasions of varying purposes, taught the principles of sermon/speech creativity in composition and delivery, and experienced the effects of sermons, the following is offered with strong conviction.  The sermon spoken, perhaps read, from thousands of churches with varying theologies is more important to persons and society than we generally realize.  The consideration begins with the character and life of the person delivering the sermon.  That life is, in itself, a sermon modeled, and is vital to message outcomes. 

A sermon must have a text, or its offer as a sermon is doubtful.  It may be a good speech with moral meaning, but it is not a sermon.  The Christian sermon is wholly dependent upon a biblical text.  If the text is used as a suggestion for an investigation of the theme it is known as a topical sermon – close to a speech.  It is the least strong for sermon, but may be excellent as a thematic sermon.  If a text is limited to a phrase or verse in a careful treatment of the biblical meaning, it is known as a textual sermon.  If a passage of some length, dealing with a meaning given development is adopted, it is known as an expository sermon.  There is reason to use, on any one occasion, any one of the sermon types.  The exposition is, for intense treatment of the biblical record, presumed to be the ideal.  Some ministers, perhaps most, tend toward the use of the textual approach with the exposition met in the choices of illustrations drawn from Scripture.  Some ministers will use only the textual method, and others only expositional.  The topical is common for special events like baccalaureates, or July 4^th, or New Year’s, or weddings, or funerals, or any special event.

The text for exposition may be dictated by a series, offered to cover a book of the Bible, so shifts a bit to a lecture of the facts of the context, as a teacher might do in presenting a history lesson.  The projection for the pastor is for some spiritual meaning and consequence.  The history teacher presumes history does for the natural problem of societal life what the sermon does for the spiritual meaning related to the context. It is very likely that this is what Ezra did in the scene depicted in the text above.  He likely made both applications in the governance of the newly reestablished Israel in the land, and the spiritual factors that would make a difference in that recovery of the promised-land from God.

The authority of the sermon is in the text, so the text must not be violated.  The preacher is representing someone else, in the belief that he is, in the final word, representing God.  That is done through clearly stated principles, generally in simple, declarative sentences for main ideas.  (A simple sentence deals with one meaningful concept at a time.  A compound sentence introduces two or more requirements, so to risk confusion, especially when one part is accepted and the other rejected.)  From there the strongest support comes from Biblical illustrations faithfully presented, and made current with illustrations from daily life, literature, news, and from wherever they may be found, with consideration of sources (documentation).  In this there are statistics, instances, opinions, arguments that may be used as they are in a general speech.  The preaching of Jesus was heavily carried by illustrations called parables – both real experiences and formed experiential possibilities.  These have been summarized as parables.  We call them illustrations and analogies.  When well-ordered they are persuasive, and fairly well remembered.  The sermon uses available aids like summaries and questions, but implies that a human declaration is to be made.

Delivery of a sermon and/or speech can be learned by nearly all persons.  Fear is the greatest block to effective public presentation.  Presentations to groups require an elevation of conversational habits.  The voice is projected, conviction is elevated, eye contact is more consistent, gestures are appropriate to what is said, adaptations are made related to place, conditions, audience interests, ages, with a feeling of empathy, friendship, and an ethos that causes persons to consider and grow (improve), based on the presentation.