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Homiletics 1
The Preacher & Sermon Preparation
DELIVERANCE BIBLE INSTITUTE of MOSHI
Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
DELIVERANCE BIBLE INSTITUTE
Portland, Maine, USA
Introduction: What is preaching?
Homiletics is the art or science of religious discourse or preaching. A homily is a sermon and the power of a sermon rests in its preparation. In the Bible, we find the pattern for Christian preaching. Following is a list of some of what we know about preaching:
- Teaching and preaching are distinct but go hand in hand (Matt. 11:1)
- John the Baptist preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4)
- A major reason Christ came was to preach (Mark 1:38)
- The Gospel must be preached EVERYWHERE to EVERYONE without exception (Mr 16:15; Rom. 1:15; 2 Cor. 10:16; Gal. 1:16; Rev. 14:6; Matt. 10:7)
- Christ must be preached (Acts 17:3; I Cor. 1:23; 2 Cor. 4:5; Phil. 1:15,16)
- The preacher's duty and burden is to preach (I Cor. 9:16; Eph. 3:8)
- The Gospel is to be free (I Cor. 9:18)
- The preacher preaches and leaves the results and glory to God (I Cor. 15:11)
Preaching is the spoken communication of Divine truth with a view to persuasion. This definition covers three aspects of preaching:
- The Matter of Preaching. “Divine truth”—tells us what to preach
- The Manner of Preaching. “Spoken communication”—tells us how to preach
- The Mission of Preaching. “with a view to persuasion”—tells us why we preach
The Matter of Preaching
Preaching is the communication of truth (Gal. 1:8–9). This tells us what we should preach. Divine truth should be the subject matter of the sermon. In the key verse of this class (II Timothy 4:2), Paul told Timothy to preach the Word. The preacher is called to proclaim the Word of God. The Word of God is the final authority. The preacher must settle every question with The Word of God; he must rest in the absolute authority of Scripture. Preaching then by definition should be limited to:
- THE PROCLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE WORD OF GOD
- THE DELIVERY OF A MESSAGE FROM GOD TO MAN
- PREACHING CONCERNS ITSELF WITH GODLY SUBJECTS. The way of salvation is the most important subject a preacher will preach. Man needs a relationship with God and not merely a philosophical or even religious influence. The preacher will also instruct the congregation in Christian duty. The preacher is called to preach the Gospel of Christ, and not to lecture on literature or unbiblical subjects.
- THE SERMON MUST BE FOUNDED ON SCRIPTURE. When a preacher speaks as a herald, he must cry out THE WORD. Anything less cannot legitimately pass for Christian preaching.
The extent of Christian preaching
- BE CAREFUL—Do not attempt to preach too much at one time
- BE CLEAR—You need to keep the sermon to one main thought
- BE CONSERVATIVE—You should leave something for the next time. A sermon does not have to be eternal to be divine!
The authority of Christian preaching
You are delivering God’s Word and not some newspaper article. Preach out of the conviction resulting from the divine testimony of Scripture. The absolute belief in the inspiration of the Bible is necessary for strong conviction for its truths. We preach what we preach because it is right and we know it is right because God said it! If the foundation of your sermon is the Almanac or Encyclopedia, your message no matter how logical will lack authority. The Divine inspiration of the Bible is what gives Christian preaching its authority.
God's Word has the power to change men's lives and the preached Word is needed to produce that change (Rom. 1:16). Man's ideas will not change lives. The preacher must use the Word of God as the foundation of his sermon. There is life in the Word.
KNOW THE WORD!
You must study the Word of God because you must understand the text to be preached (2 Tim. 2:15). An understanding of the text will yield authority to the preacher during the delivery of the sermon. If you are unsure of what you are saying or lack confidence in your understanding of the message, then that will weaken the presentation of the sermon. If you don’t seem sure of what you are talking about then the people will not receive the message you are trying to preach.
The Manner of Preaching
The manner of preaching is “spoken communication.” The manner of preaching tells us how to preach. Communication involves relating a concept to the people. The concept must be understood by the people for communication to take place. The most practical requirements for communication are proper diction and plain speech. The preacher must speak in such a way that the people understand. Let us look at Nehemiah’s example in Nehemiah 8:8: "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." God’s word was read distinctly or clearly, they explained the Word to the people or gave the sense and the people were taught the Word, so that they understood it.
A preacher ought to so preach, that when the sermon is ended, the congregation shall disperse saying, 'The preacher said this...' —Martin Luther.
A powerful and effective delivery requires:
- the unction of the Holy Ghost (I John 2:20)
- clear, common speech (Effective preachers like D.L. Moody spoke in the language of the common man.)
- and passion (Say what you mean, and mean what you say.)
Persuasion is possible through a powerful delivery. Ultimately, the power of a preacher is the result of the unction of the Holy Ghost. The unction of the Holy Ghost will enable the preacher to preach with passion. Preach as if you were defying the entire host of hell as a David crying on that rock, “Is there not a cause!” The preacher must be convinced of the rightness and power of his message if he is to be effective. Follow the leading of the Holy Ghost because he will guide you right and respond to His unction because in that yielding the power of the almighty God can be manifested.
The congregation needs to be kept in view throughout the entire sermon process
Keep the congregation in view during the preparation of the sermon
Pray for and consider the kind of people to whom you are preaching. Effective preaching requires great flexibility and discernment on behalf of the preacher. Certain approaches are guaranteed to only “shut off” certain kinds of people. Allow the Holy Ghost to lead you in your sermon preparation so that those who hear sense the Divine influence and appointment of the sermon. God knows who will be there and in what frame of mind they will be in, but also there are things we can learn about each different preaching scenario. Whether speaking at a young people’s service, Sunday School class, to a mature congregation, on a Street corner, or in a tent crusade the setting and its congregation must be kept in view. In one sense, the preacher is a student of humanity. “Sir, it is not books, it is men that we must study”—Patrick Henry
Keep the congregation in view during the presentation of the sermon
You will learn to tell if they are receiving the Word. You can add more illustration and emphasis if the people do not seem to be getting the message. Respect the time given to you.
The sermon should be a familiar, rhetorical and reasoned discourse
A familiar discourse uses the Scripture as its foundation because God’s Word is relevant and not disconnected from the needs of men
It would seem (and rightly so) very foreign to a Christian congregation if their pastor stood and chose his text out of the Reader’s Digest. Second, the sermon should be familiar in the sense that its vocabulary and meaning can be easily understood. Everyday illustrations can help people relate to the sermon. Jesus was very effective in using that which was familiar (sheep, farming, etc.) to illustrate that which was unfamiliar (The Kingdom of Heaven). Simple exposition of the Scripture will never alienate the hearers, but drawn them in by its relevancy and truth.
A rhetorical discourse is a formal declaration of the Word
Organization and proper outlining will ensure that the hearers will be able to follow the preacher. Unity and orderliness should be accompanied with a passionate presentation of the Word. Structure alone is not enough, but is only the beginning. All the tools of rhetoric benefit the preacher, but his passion and anointing will determine how convincing he will be.
A reasoned discourse presents the facts of God’s Word
Compare Scripture with Scripture and interpret each text within its context. God’s Word is the final authority and standard for all principles of life. Clearly and sensibly communicate. You need to make sense because the people need to be able to follow you while you are preaching. Present truth in a simple logical order. Share truth step by step and progressively build as the sermon continues.
The Mission of Preaching
The mission tells us why we preach. The sermon is framed with a view to persuasion. To truly preach is not just to talk about the Bible, but to produce a decision in the hearts of men. The goal of preaching is edification and changed lives (Col. 1:28; Luke 4:18; 9:60; Ac 5:42; 10:42; 14:15; 15:21; Romans 15:20). The aims which the preacher sets before him are:
The Salvation of Souls
The salvation of souls is one of the main aims of preaching. Preaching is the method God has chosen to reach the souls of men. God chose to use man to reach man with the Gospel. Sinners will not come to God by the wisdom of man, but by the preaching of the Gospel. God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost (I Cor. 1:21).
Spiritual Growth
God has given ministers to the church for the express purpose of the perfecting of the saints (Eph. 4:11–14). The preacher is responsible to feed the sheep with the Word of God (Jn. 21:15–17).
Produce Faith
By the preaching of the Word of God, seeds of faith can be sown in the hearts of people for healing and other needs (Rom. 10:17). God requires faith (Hebrews 11:6) to be exercised by every individual and the preacher’s mission is to cause the people to believe God’s Word.
Instruct the Church
Encourage Believers
A faithful minister of the Gospel carries a burden that all who have heard may be encouraged and helped. While he is preaching, the preacher is reaching down by the help of the Holy Ghost to the lowest places that by any means someone would be helped up and out of their horrible pit.
You should be positive and encouraging in the pulpit. Even reproof can be preached with a positive outlook. Remember you are trying to uplift people and not tear them down. If you tear down it is always with the purpose to rebuild! Do not end your sermon negatively, but positively. After the doctor diagnoses the disease, he does not go home, but follows with the remedy.
Hebrews 4:12—For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Bring the Congregation to a Decision
Never be content as a preacher to have been "inspiring" only. Unless the hearers are brought to a point of decision, they will leave the same way they came. The preacher is not responsible to and cannot force people to obey, but he can straightway lead the people in his preaching to the water and boldly declare with the authority of the Holy Ghost, “Drink! This is what you need! Come to Christ!” The preacher must work towards the "altar call" as he preaches because that is where each person will be brought to a point of decision where they must accept or reject the message.
The qualifications of the preacher
The preacher’s scope of qualification is mental, moral and spiritual. The preacher should be spiritually qualified and anointed to preach. The preacher should be mentally qualified through study. The preacher should be morally qualified by keeping a Christian testimony. Let us look closely at some specific qualifications of the preacher.
He must be a true Christian
To preach Christ you must know Christ. Paul prayed: that I may know Him. As a preacher, you need to know Jesus as your Savior. You must know who Jesus is so that you can share who He is with others. It should be obvious that a preacher must be born-again, yet many today that call themselves preachers are not even saved. An individual must be a Believer before he can be a preacher (II Cor. 4:13).
Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley, preached and taught for several years ever before he accepted Christ as his Savior. As a sinner, he started religious studies at Christ Church, Oxford in 1726, but he wasted most of his energy there looking for good times. He received his master’s degree making marks as a scholar in 1733 and in 1735 he was even ordained a priest in the Church of England. In 1738, Charles experienced a much needed ‘spiritual awakening.’ He was convinced of the New Testament message of salvation finally some 12 years after doing much religious study and even preaching. He was fruitless and ineffective during those 12 years, but following his conversion, Charles became an integral part of the great revival in America working beside his famous brother John Wesley. “Over the years of his ministry he wrote some 6,500 hymns to spread the New Testament message as he understood it. When he died in London on March 29, 1788, he was known as a preacher of great power and wisdom.” ("Charles Wesley". 2005. http://www.bookrags.com/biography/charles-wesley)
He must be called
The ministry of preaching is a calling of God. The Bible tells us that a man must be sent in order to preach the Gospel (Mark 3:14; Rom. 10:15). It is God who does the sending. God called Jeremiah to be a prophet before he was even born. “Before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). The calling of God is more than emotion or excitement. The God of heaven will place His call upon a man’s life to preach His Gospel.
What is meant by a call of God?
It is an inner conviction given by the Holy Ghost and confirmed by the Word of God and the body of Christ. The Holy Ghost will speak to your heart. Paul spoke of the Holy Ghost bearing witness with his conscience (Romans 9:1). God will burn His call upon your heart. The Word of God will strengthen this conviction. God will speak to you through His Word. Other Spirit filled Christians will bear witness of the call. The Holy Ghost spoke to the early church to Separate Paul and Barnabas for the work that God had called them to do (Acts 13:1–3). The call of God will be confirmed by the Body of Christ. James, Peter, and John recognized the call of God upon Paul’s life (Galatians 2:9).
Only God can make a preacher
This class will not make you a preacher. This class will help you to learn how to study the Bible, prepare a sermon, and preach what you have studied. All these tools will still not make you a preacher. Effective preaching is not just presenting many facts and truths of Scripture, but is a work of the Holy Ghost through a prepared vessel.
He must be a student of the Bible
The preacher must know what he is preaching about. You must know the Word before you can preach the Word. A workman will study and learn for the occupation he intends to do. For example a mechanic will learn about cars, a carpenter will learn about working with wood, and the preacher should like the other workman study the Word which he intends to preach.
The preacher should form a habit of daily study of the Bible. If the preacher is feeding daily on the Word of God he will have an abundant source of the Bread of Life to feed to others. The preacher must be prepared, through a study of the text to be preached, before he enters the pulpit. He should be thoroughly familiar with the portion of Scripture that is to be preached.
He must be a man of prayer
I Thessalonians 5:17—Pray without ceasing.
Ephesians 6:18—Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Prayer is the key to the success of the preacher
The success of a preacher is measured in souls saved and lives that have been changed by the power of God, not in monetary gain or popularity. The preacher needs to live a life of prayer if he is to have favor with God to reach the souls of men. A preacher that does not learn to pray will not stay in the ministry.
You will teach by example
The people that you preach to will look to you as their example. If people see that the preacher is not given to prayer then they will not pray much either.
The power of God comes through prayer
If the preacher is to have the power of God in his life he must be a man of prayer. If there is no prayer there will be no power, if there is little prayer there will be little power, and if there is much prayer there will be much power. Every man of God that has been empowered by God has been a man of prayer. There are no shortcuts with God. If you want to preach the Gospel with power and authority then you must pray and pray and pray.
He must be clean in life
The preacher must live a separated life
It is essential that the preacher live a clean life (II Cor. 6:17). The Old Testament Priests were sanctified for the Lord’s service. The word sanctified means to be set apart or separated for God’s service. God requires that a man of God be separated from the world. Jesus was anointed by God above others because He loved righteousness, and hated iniquity (Hebrews 1:9). The preacher’s heart must be toward the things of God, and not towards the world. The power of God comes only through a clean life.
The preacher must keep a good testimony
A preacher that does not live a Godly example will have no effect preaching to others to live a Godly life. The Word tells us that we are living epistles, read and known by all men (II Corinthians 3:2). For example, if people see the preacher always losing his temper and becoming angry they will not listen when that preacher tells them not to get mad. People will not respect a man that does not live a Godly life.
He must be fit for service
God’s Word tells us to work with all of our might (Ecc. 9:10), and this includes the preaching of the Gospel. The preacher should try to live healthy so he can have strength for the service of God.
The preacher should be physically fit for service
It is important as a preacher, you take care of yourself. You should make the attempt to eat right, and get proper sleep. The Bible tells us that there is some profit in bodily exercise. It is difficult for a preacher to preach when he is huffing and puffing in the pulpit and is always out of breath while he is trying to preach. It can also be difficult for people to receive from a preacher who is always out of breath. Your mind will not be alert if you do not get enough sleep. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. The preacher needs to make the effort to take care of his body.
The preacher should be mentally fit for service
You should not bring your burdens with you to the pulpit. The people will feel if you are discouraged and burdened down.
- You must learn to cast all your cares upon Jesus (I Peter 5:7)
- Jesus is the burden bearer (Matthew 11:28)
- Paul admonished us to let the mind of Christ be in us (Philippians 2:5)
The preacher needs to have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is never discouraged, fearful or burdened down. Again, proper rest and nutrition will help you to be mentally fit for service.
The importance of Holy Ghost empowered preaching
Where and what we preached must be inspired by the Holy Ghost (Acts 16:6,10; I Cor. 1:17; 2Co 2:12; Gal. 2:2; Jonah 3:2; Isa. 61:1).
The preacher must be endued with the power of the Holy Ghost
The preacher needs the infilling of the Holy Ghost to preach with power. The preacher cannot deliver the Word with power and authority without the Spirit of God helping him to preach.
The early church disciples were told by Jesus to wait in the city of Jerusalem until they were empowered by the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49). After Jesus shed His blood on the cross to purchase salvation for man, He ascended to heaven and left the task of spreading the Gospel in the hands of man. Jesus knew man could not preach the Gospel and reach the lost souls of men without the power of the Holy Ghost. He told his disciples the Holy Ghost would give them power to spread the Gospel to the entire world. The preacher needs to be empowered by the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel. There is no life or power in the words of the preacher without the anointing of the Holy Ghost.
The preacher is a flicker of what he could be without the anointing of the Holy Ghost
A preacher without the anointing is next to worthless. There are too many dead and dry preachers accomplishing little or nothing because they are not anointed by the Holy Ghost. Worse than “accomplishing little” are the many tares that have been sown in people’s lives by carnal preachers guided by their own interests. The preacher needs to be filled and led by the Holy Ghost.
There is no substitute for the power of God in the preacher’s life
II Corinthians 3:6—Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Study and preparation without the anointing of the Holy Ghost will not complete the ministry of the preacher in the pulpit. The word letter in this Scripture refers to the letter of the law without the Spirit of God. The Word alone without the Holy Spirit will not produce life. The goal of this class is to show the importance of study and preparation combined with the anointing of the Holy Ghost.
Man does not have the ability in himself to preach the Gospel
I Peter 4:11—If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
God intended for the Gospel to be preached with power
I John 2:20—But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
The word unction in this verse refers to the anointing of God. The word means that with which the anointing is performed. The rivers of life that flow from the preacher to reach out to the needs of men. The word unction literally means to smear in the original Greek language; it refers to the saturating presence of God that helps a man preach with power and authority.
God gives the ability to preach to those he calls to be preachers of the Gospel
Natural ability alone is not enough to reach the hearts of men. Speaking skills and flowering words will not produce life. The preacher must have the anointing of God to proclaim the Word of God.
Paul the Apostle was empowered by the Holy Ghost
Paul preached with the power of God (I Cor. 2:4–5). The Word tells us there was a demonstration of that power. A demonstration is something that is seen. The world needs to see a demonstration of the power of God. Paul did not rely on the wisdom of man to preach the Gospel. Paul was an educated man. He had been a Pharisee and was taught the Law of Moses by Gamaliel a doctor of the law (Acts 5:34; 22:3). Yet, even Paul with all of his training needed the power of the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel.
What is meant by the term: the Anointing of the Holy Ghost?
The oil is a symbol of the Holy Ghost
Throughout the Word of God oil is a symbol of the Holy Ghost. The anointing oil poured upon a man was a sign of the Holy Spirit being poured upon a person’s life.
This term refers to the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon and flowing through a man
Jesus said the Holy Ghost would flow from within a man like rivers of living water (John 7:38–39). In the New Testament the anointing is used in relation to the preaching of the Gospel. The anointing is the power of God to enable a man to preach with power and authority.
The Old Testament kings were anointed with oil
The kings were anointed with oil by the prophets of God. This was a sign that they were authorized by God and set apart for His service. God’s plan for the kings was for them to have the Spirit of God upon their lives. Some of the kings did not serve God and the Holy Ghost was not with them.
The Old Testament prophets were anointed with oil
In I Kings 19:16 Elijah is instructed by God to anoint Jehu to be king and to anoint Elisha to be his replacement as prophet. The anointing oil was poured upon the prophets as a sign of the Holy Ghost being poured out upon their lives. The prophets spoke as the very mouthpiece of God. God spoke through the prophets; they did not speak their own thoughts when they were prophesying but only as God spoke through them. The Bible uses the phrase: “the Word of the Lord,” to refer to God revealing His messages to His prophets (Jeremiah 44:24).
The Old Testament priests were anointed with oil
The priests were to be Holy unto the Lord. They were also anointed with oil (Num. 3:3). This shows to us that those who do the work of the Lord must be anointed by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was anointed by God to preach the Gospel
Luke 4:18, 19—The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord .
Hebrews 1:9—Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Acts 10:38—How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
The Son of God was empowered by the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel. How much more do we need the anointing of God to preach the Gospel?
Jesus spoke with authority (Matt. 7:29). God gives authority to the preacher by the power of the Holy Ghost.
The Anointing breaks the bondages of sin
The anointing destroys the yoke of bondage (Is. 10:27; 61:1). People are bound by sin, and only the power of God can set them free. Jesus said the anointing would bring deliverance to the captives. Many people are bound by Satan's power and are in the prison of sin. The Word of God preached under the anointing of the Holy Ghost will break the chains of bondage and set the sinners free from Satan's power.
Holy Ghost power moves over a congregation
The Holy Ghost can break the power of sin while the preacher is preaching. Preaching alone can not break the power of sin. The Holy Ghost anointing will break the power of sin in the lives of the people. The anointing is more than the power of God to help the preacher it is the power of God to help the congregation.
The Holy Ghost brings conviction of sin
The Holy Ghost will convince men of their sin and draw them to the cross (John 16:8). Anointed preaching will produce conviction of sin. Man can preach The Word, but only the Holy Ghost can cause men to be aware of their sin and bring them to God.
Proper use of the text (Hermeneutics)
Introduction
II Timothy 2:15—Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The preacher needs a right understanding of the Word for himself, so that he can proclaim the truth to others. This class will help the student learn how to study the Word and to understand the meaning of Scripture. The power of a sermon rests in the preparation. The preacher needs a message from God. The Scripture text should be chosen with much prayer and consideration. Once the text has been chosen the preacher needs to study the Scripture passage. The goal is to know where you are going before you get to the pulpit.
Every preacher will develop his own style of preaching and note taking. Some preachers will preach with no notes at all; others write out the text of their entire sermon. This class will suggest a simple method of notes for use by the preacher. Some preachers may use the notes only for their personal study and not use them in the pulpit at all. Whatever method the preacher uses, he will need to study the Scriptures.
Meaning of hermeneutics
Webster's dictionary defines hermeneutics as "The art of finding the meaning of an author's words, and of explaining it to others." Biblical hermeneutics is the study of biblical interpretation. Biblical hermeneutics is simply the process of correctly interpreting the Scriptures. Hermeneutics deals with issues such as:
- What is the formal interpretation of this text?
- What is the official interpretation of this text?
- What did the author intend to say?
- What message did the author intend to convey?
- Is the use of a particular word, grammatical construction, verb tense, etc., significant in this instance?
- Who were the author's readers or listeners, culturally, etc.?
- How was the text interpreted by the author's contemporaries?
Value of Hermeneutics
It is not only foolish, but dangerous to misinterpret the Bible. It is especially detrimental to abuse Scripture intentionally. There are objective principles of interpretation that guide us in understanding and teach Scripture. These principles serve as boundary lines that keep our explanation and presentation of biblical thought "within bounds."
We refer to the issue of Scripture as an accommodated text and some preachers wrongly attempt to make the Scripture accommodate their own philosophies. The Bible is not to be subjected to what we want it to mean, but our study of Scripture should always be to discover God's message. To do this we must use objective principles of interpretation good hermeneutics and allow Scripture to speak for itself (2 Pet. 1:16–21).
The ministry of the preacher is to feed the people with the truth of God’s Word (Jer. 3:15). The preacher needs to be able to help people to understand the Bible. The preacher must first understand the Word for himself before he can preach to others. Nehemiah read from the book of the law, and then he explained the meaning to the people so they could understand God’s Word for themselves. This is what preaching is all about: proclaiming the Word of God in such a way that people can understand and receive the Word and then be encouraged to act on the Word. The goal of this class is to help the student learn how to study the Word. There is no set way of study; every preacher will develop their own style of studying the Scriptures. The preacher should develop a habit of reading the Bible every day. The preacher must know the Word before he can preach the Word.
The Bible is God’s message to man, and God knew what He meant when He gave man His Word. The Holy Spirit will help man understand the Word (John 14:26; 16:7–13; I Cor. 2:13). Man will not receive the full understanding of the Word all at once. As the preacher prays, studies, and learns more of the Word, God will help him to understand more. The preacher should at least have an understanding of the passage he intends to preach.
Principle one: interpretation must be consistent and objective
A valid and honest method of interpretation must be consistent and without contradiction. We must never be governed by a theological predisposition. If our interpretation (hermeneutics) is controlled by our theology, then the Bible can be made to say whatever our theology says.
We must always use the right principles of interpretation in order to properly understand the truth. The Bible contains various types of literature, such as parables, poetry, proverbs, allegories, prayers, decrees of Kings, and letters. We would not interpret a poem as we would a decree. For example Nebuchadnezzar made a decree to cut in pieces anyone who spoke against the true Go A preacher could be grossly wrong if he followed a literal interpretation today of this decree.
Principle two: there is only one correct meaning of a Bible passage
A prophetic passage may have a two-fold fulfillment, but there is only one right interpretation of these fulfillments.
Principle three: the literal interpretation is most usually the best
All Scripture must be taken in its literal and obvious sense allowing only for symbolism and figures of speech. Every passage must be taken at face value. Martin Luther called this principle "literal interpretation." This principles means that we read and evaluate Scripture with the same honesty and understanding that we read any book.
Let scripture speak for itself. Truth is absolute and not relative to your scenario. This principle has special relevance in the study of prophecy. The Old Testament contains about 450 prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ. Many of these prophecies were duplicates, at least sixty distinct facts of Christ's life and ministry were predicted, and all sixty, without exception, were literally fulfilled. Prophecy that is not literally fulfilled and I not true prophecy.
Ask the question: What concepts NATURALLY flow from the text? The plain meaning read it the way it was written. There is great wisdom in simplicity.
Principle four: read from the author's point of view
All Scripture must be taken from the author's point of view (2 Tim. 3:16). Consider details like, who was the author's target audience? Who wrote it? Paul, Peter, John the Beloved, Moses, or Mark? All of these people had different writing styles and different purposes for writing. The context of Scripture involves the personalities and characteristics of the authors. We would judge a record written by an eye witness different from a record written by someone with second-hand information.
Consider the historical setting of a passage to insure correct interpretation
The context of Scripture involves the historical details influential at the time a passage was written. Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon from prison! Also, Paul was born in Tarsus the capital of Cilicia and home to one of only three great universities of the ancient world Athens andAlexandria are the other two. Paul was trained in Jerusalem under Gamaliel the great teacher of Jewish Law. Paul received the best education possible in his day. He was no uneducated fool.
For example Daniel 5 opens with a feast of revelry and drinking. The city of Babylon had been under siege by the Medo-Persians for two years prior to the opening feast of this chapter. This tells us something of the pride and arrogance of the Babylonians who thought they were indestructible. The only way to know about such historical considerations is to study research materials such as commentaries. A word of caution not all books are historically accurate. Special caution should be used for example when reading any material produced by the Roman Catholic church since they often alter the accounts to their advantage.
Consider archaeological factors to help you understand the meaning of a passage
Again in Daniel 5, the walls of the city of Babylon were so thick that chariot races were held on top of the walls. The people thought there fortress was impenetrable. Archeology is in full support of the Bible. This is why study and education are so important to be able to understand these archaeological facts in order to better understand the setting of the Biblical accounts.
Consider geographical factors that would contribute to the understanding of the passage.
We will stay in Daniel 5 to show you how all these considerations are taken together to glean the full meaning of the passage. The Euphrates River ran into the city of Babylon. They had a freshwater supply and grew their own food; this added to their feeling of unconcern of the siege for they thought they could hold out forever. The entrance of the River was protected buy two large iron gates. This information is helpful to understand the prophecy of Isaiah regarding Babylon (Isaiah 45:1). History tells us that on the night of the feast the guards got drunk and left the iron gates open. The prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled when Cyrus the Persian and Darius the Median took the kingdom of Babylon that night of the feast.
Consider cultural practices of the time setting of the passage
Paul admonished the woman to keep silent in the church (I Cor. 14:3). A cultural practice of the day was for the woman to sit on one side and the men on the other. The unlearned women were disrupting the service by asking questions across the aisle. A continuation of the context of the verse tells the woman to ask their husbands at home. Or, to put it simply, Paul was telling the wives to wait until they got home to ask their husbands a question and not to disrupt the service. Paul is in no way saying that woman have no place and should not be allowed to testify and participate in the church service.
What is the genre of the passage?
Meaning is Genre Dependent. The consideration of the many different Biblical genre text is so important to meaning. Epistles, Gospel, Apocalyptic, Prophetic, Parabolic, Poetic, Historical cannot all be treated in an identical manner because each is governed by a different purpose.
Principle five: context is the greatest key to interpretation
This fifth principle is pretty much "all encompassing." Context is how a word or sentence fits in relation to the whole sentence or passage. Context takes in all the individual parts of the whole. The best way to understand the meaning of a word is to see how that word is used in the sentence. The context of Scripture involves the placement of a verse within its particular chapter and book. Each verse of Scripture is profoundly important, but its importance can only be understood by considering its role in the paragraph, chapter, book, or even the Bible as a whole. A complete understanding of the book the text is taken from is best.
We cannot properly study a small portion of anything without carefully considering the whole and the sum of its parts. Imagine how incomplete your understanding of airplanes would be if you were not educated in the natural laws. The flight of an airplane would forever be a mystery until you studied the airplane in the "context" of its natural environment of wind, gravity, air pressure, etc.
EXAMPLE: We know Hebrews 13:5 says Christ promised us, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." So, What did Jesus mean "I go away" in John 14:28? If all we do is consider verse 28 and ignore its context, we will forced to conclude there is a contradiction found here. But, if we carefully include its context in our study, we will discover a clear and simple meaning. The manner in which Christ was with them (physically present) was going to change (present spiritually).
A text taken out of context is pretext. A "pretext" is used to disguise the real motive and intention. Using Scripture as a pretext is using Scripture to say what you want it to say and not what God has to say. A text taken out of context is an abuse of Scripture.
The Bible contains an inspired account of events that occurred and statements that were made. For example the Book of Job records the conversations between Job and his friends. The conversation is recorded accurately as it took place, but the council of Job's comforters is not good council and should not be regarded as such.
The temptation of Jesus found in Matthew 4:1–11 records the devil quoting Scripture to Jesus in verse 6. The devil twisted the meaning of Psalm 91:11–12 to tempt Jesus to jump off of the temple. Jesus refuted the devil's misuse of theScripture by responding with another Scripture: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God (Deut. 6:16).
Should we follow the words of the king in Daniel 3:29?
The best way to understand the meaning of a word is to see how that word is used in the context of the sentence.
PRINCIPLE SIX: ALWAYS COMPARE SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE
Scripture always holds its own interpretation (II Peter 1:20). A word, phrase, or concept should first be studied in the book that in which it is recorded, and then in its use in other passages. When a text is not explicit about a truth, no conclusion should be drawn about it until all relevant passages have been studied. Doctrinal statements should be made based not on a single text, but doctrinal statements should summarize what ALL Scripture says on the topic.
The Scripture will explain itself as Bible verses are compared to each other. One Scripture will help to interpret another Scripture. The Bible instructs us to compare spiritual things with spiritual things (I Cor. 2:13). By comparing verses with each other the Bible will be better understood. The Word of God will fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. One Scripture will interpret another Scripture. The Bible is in complete harmony with itself. There are no contradictions in the Bible. What God has written in Genesis will be in agreement with what God has written in Revelation.
Compare Scripture texts on the same subject
Comparing Scripture texts on the same subject will help you to better understand that subject. A concordance is a book that lists the words in The Bible and shows were they are located in the Bible. You can use it to find Scriptures on the same subject. This will give you a better understanding of the subject being studied. For example, if the subject of fasting has been chosen; you would look up Scriptures that contain the word fasting, fast, or fasted and read these Scriptures which will explain about fasting. This will give the preacher a Biblical understanding on the subject and give him a source of material to use in the pulpit.
Compare how the same word is used in different Scriptures
A good way to understand the meaning of a word is to see how that word is used in the context of different Scripture passages. Looking at a word in context of various passages will help you to understand the meaning of the word. For example, see how “the Word” is used in John 1:1 and 1:14 and you will understand “the Word” refers to Jesus.
Example: Ephesians 1:22–23 explains that the church is the body of Christ; also, by comparing these verses with I Corinthians 12:13, we understand that the “body” is referring to the “church” in both of these verses.
You want to make sure you are comparing the same original language word in one verse to that same original language word in another verse. Also keep in mind the comparison of Old Testament words to New Testament words. It can be very helpful to compare the OT with the NT, but you must remember that you are dealing with different languages, so an exact original word comparison is not possible.
PRINCIPLE SEVEN: THERE ARE NO CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BIBLE
God's Word is without error, it cannot be self contradictory. Where there seems to be contradiction, truth has not yet been found. Keep looking. There is perfect and unbroken unity from Genesis to Revelation. When interpreting a portion of Scripture, we must study its context. Not only the verses before and after it, but Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. My interpretation of that portion of Scripture must not disturb this perfect unity and harmony of Scripture. Let Scripture be its own interpreter. Remember, we are fully dependent on the Spirit of God to understand His Word (John 16:13; I Cor. 2:6–14). Ask God to show you His truth (James 1:5).
When establishing one doctrine from a passage, you must never displace any other doctrine of Scripture.
PRINCIPLE EIGHT: PASSAGES CAN HAVE BOTH NEAR AND FAR APPLICATIONS
Application is the response to the text. Scripture often has a near and far application. For a valid interpretation with a near and far application, it must be clearly allowed by the text context book the Bible as a whole. Passages written to Israel can have valuable meaning to the present day Church.
In exegesis we try to expose the 1) Original Meaning of the text; while in, 2) Personal Application we seek to find significance in the text for us today. These two endeavors together create a spiral of interpretation called the "Hermeneutical spiral" (Grant R. Osborne). Although an event recorded in Scripture happened at a definite time in history passed, the principles of its passages are timeless and personally relevant.
The relationship between meaning and significance summarizes the hermeneutical task. The preacher must ask how the biblical writer would have applied the theological truths of the passage if he were addressing them to the modern congregation."
INDUCTIVE STUDY is when the bible student interacts with the text directly to form our own conclusions.
DEDUCTIVE STUDY is when the bible student interacts with other scholars' conclusions and rework our findings. It is helpful in taking us away from our contemporary meanings and personal experiences. It is important that we interact with exegetical tools critically and not uncritically parroting other people's ideas.
PRINCIPLE NINE: LANGUAGE RULES MUST NOT BE IGNORED
All languages are not equal. As a matter of fact, each language is unique with its own strengths and weaknesses. The uniqueness of each language makes the study of it complex, but exciting! Greek and Hebrew are vastly different from each other and equally different from our modern languages. The peculiarities of the Biblical languages should be studied and understood even to interpret Scripture that is translated in our native tongue.
EXAMPLE: Christ's address to Mary in John 19:26 sounds a bit harsh in English: "Woman, behold thy son!" As a matter of fact, it sounds very derogatory in English. We interpret this passage not in light of how it sounds in English, but how it sounds in the Greek because that is the original and inspired language of the book of John and the Hebrew or Aramaic because that is probably the language which Christ spoke In Hebrew, "woman" has the opposite sound than that in English; it is a term of respect such as "madam."
Looking up the meaning of words in a dictionary can help the preacher gain a better understanding of the Scripture. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and the New Testament was originally written in Greek. There are reference books available such as concordances and Bible dictionaries. These books give the meaning of words in theoriginal languages. The use of a regular language dictionary like Webster's can also help in understanding the meaning of words in the Scripture passage.
EXAMPLE: The word "servant" in Romans 1:1 is doulos in the original Greek language and it means "a love servant or one who chooses of his own free will to be a servant." Paul was not orced to be a servant of Jesus, but rather chose to be a servant of Christ because of his great love for the Lor Looking up the meaning of the word servant helps you to understand the right meaning of the passage.
PRINCIPLE TEN: REFERENCE MATERIALS ARE POWERFUL TOOLS, BUT THEIR USE MUST BE GOVERNED BY PRINCIPLES OF LOGIC
Dictionaries
A dictionary is a helpful tool to better understand the meaning of words.
Concordances
A concordance is valuable to find where Scriptures are located. Concordances give the original language word in the Hebrew or Greek. A concordance is a good tool to locate Scriptures on the same subject.This will give you a better understanding of the subject being studied. Remember, the Bible is in perfect harmony with itself. The use of other Scriptures will help you to gain a Biblical perspective on the passage or subject you are studying.
Always consider word meaning within the context of the Scripture. Most of the definition sections of concordances give a list of possible meanings and uses of the word. Some preachers will pick the choice that best accommodates them without regard to context. This is not good hermeneutics. Use reference materials as a source, but not as the final authority.
Commentaries
Commentaries can also be useful to help you understand the meaning of Bible passages. Commentaries give historical information and other facts that are useful to understand the Bible.
These are comments about the Bible by men. They should never be considered as infallible or the final authority. Many men try to include their ideas and opinions about the Bible. Most commentaries are in error concerning end-time prophecy. Most popular commentaries were written over one hundred years ago. God explains in His Word that He would only reveal the end-time truths in the end-time. These books were written before the time of God illuminating end-time truth so they could not possibly be right.
Computer programs
These computer programs contain much reference material available at theclick of a button. You can also bring material and Scriptures into your document quickly.
PRINCIPLE ELEVEN: We must be taught by the Holy Spirit
He is the master teacher (I Cor. 2:13–14). Be careful of the words which men's wisdom teacheth. Commentaries can be helpful especially to learn about culture and history, but they are no substitute for the teaching of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost will teach you (John 14:26; 16:13). This is a promise of God. Pray for understanding of the Word you are studying. God is faithful to reveal His Word to you.
Meditate on the Word of God (Joshua 1:8).
CONCLUSION TO HERMENEUTICS
The preacher should make notes on what he has studied.
Write down the meaning of new or unfamiliar words
Everyone will develop their own way of learning new words. Some Bible words have a different meaning in the original language than what the meaning is of those words today. One method is to keep a notebook of new words and Bible definitions; this will help you to be able to memorize these definitions. The more the preacher understands of the Word; the more that God can use in the pulpit.
Keep the notes simple, direct and to the point
You don’t need to write a book to take good notes. Organize your notes into topics or subjects. Make a list of key Scripture verses that relate to your subject. If you use notes in the pulpit they should not contain all the material you have studied. Sermon notes should be very concise and organized. In this class you will learn how to prepare a simple outline of the sermon to use in the pulpit.
Write down a thought or sermon topic as soon as you can
If you don’t write down something when you receive it you may not be able to remember it later. God may show you something in prayer or while you are reading the Word; these truths should be written down and kept so they can be studied and used later.
It can be helpful to separate a Scripture into its main thoughts
A good way to study a Scripture is to break it down into the main phrases of the text. You can then study each main thought of the text separately. The goal of the preacher is to share one portion of truth at a time. Separating the Scripture into parts will help you to preach one part of the Scripture and then go on to the next part and build the sermon on the whole Scripture one piece at a time. For example John 3:16 can be separated into its main thoughts:
| Scripture Part | Topic to Study |
|---|---|
| For God so loved the world | the great love of God—Loves ALL |
| that he gave his only begotten Son, | the great cost of our salvation—the cross |
| that whosoever believeth in him | the great requirement—faith |
| should not perish | the great escape—no condemnation |
| but have everlasting life. | the great reward—heaven |
Looking at this verse part by part and studying it will help you to better understand the verse. This will also help you to preach this verse in workable pieces, one portion at a time. You will learn how to share truth in sections and build one step at a time.
The Delivery of the Sermon
This chapter will look at the delivery of the sermon. We do not want to over emphasize oratory and platform skills, but there are certain skills the preacher can develop that will help him to preach the Gospel. Preaching is still public speaking and God gives gifts and talents to men that He can use to spread the Gospel.
The preacher should be himself
Do not try to imitate another preacher
Never try to be someone else. Some try to imitate the actions and motions of other preachers or try to imitate the voice of a great preacher thinking this will make them spiritual and effective. This is not an effective way of preaching the Gospel. The best way to preach is yield your personality to the Holy Ghost.
You should be natural in the pulpit
Do not try to force an unnatural presentation. Don’t just wave your hands for the sake of motion. Let your hand gestures be natural and flowing, and not rigid and forced. A preacher may shout and get excited about what is being preached and the anointing will give power and authority to his voice, but always use your own voice in the pulpit. (You are preaching and not play acting.)
God will use your personality
The personality of the preacher will be evident in the pulpit. God will use who you are to proclaim His Word.
Avoid nervous habits which will distract from the message
We will discuss a few things that many people do that are very distracting to what is being said so you can get an idea of what to avoid while you are preaching. There are many other similar habits that even seasoned preachers get caught up in:
Don’t put your hands in your pockets
Some people do things when they are nervous that they don’t even know they are doing them. Some preachers will jingle coins in their pocket or play with keys in their pocket while they are preaching. Habits such as these are very distracting and can hinder what God is trying to do in people’s lives.
Don’t tap your fingers
Something as simple as tapping your fingers can be very distracting.
Do not say aah… or umm… transitioning between thoughts
Some people have a habit of trying to fill in non words such as the ones listed above while they are talking. Some of these habits may take time to overcome, but will be worth it in the pulpit. It is okay to pause for a second while you are preaching. Sometimes a pause can be very effective to gain attention. It is better to pause than to try to fill the space with words that make no sense and do not add to the message.
Do not pace incessantly while you are preaching
It is okay to walk and move while you are preaching and sometimes a preacher will get right down and move among the people while he is preaching. There is a difference, though, between natural walking and pacing. A caged animal will pace back and forth with no intent of going anywhere. Pacing like a cage lion while you are preaching will certainly take away from your message.
Eye contact is crucial to a good sermon delivery
Do not look down while you are preaching
Some preachers have a good message, but people have a hard time to receive the Word because the preacher is always looking down while he is talking. It is important that the preacher is not always looking at his notes while he is preaching. The notes should only be scanned quickly from time to time during the sermon. You should look at the notes and then look up at the people to preach to them. The notes should only be a brief outline to help the preacher to remember what he has studied and to add Scriptures to support the message that is being preached.
Look people in the eyes while you are preaching
Preaching is the communication of truth. A good communicator looks people in the eyes when he is talking to them. When there is a large congregation it will not be possible to look everyone in the eyes, the preacher still needs to look at the people while he is preaching. Eye contact tells the listener that you are talking to them!
Proper diction is necessary for a clear delivery of the message
Don’t mumble while you are talking
It is important that you speak clearly and pronounce every word so that people can easily understand what you are saying. Practice clear diction in your everyday conversation; this will help you to get in the habit of speaking clearly. It will also save you the embarrassment of people turning to a friend constantly to ask, ‘What did he say?”
Speak loud enough so people can hear what you are saying
Even with a microphone and sound system you should still speak loud and clear. Good speakers project their voice from their diaphragm. Practice projecting your voice and let the air come from deep within the lungs.
Preach with passion
The people need to feel that you believe what you preach
You are trying to convince people the Word of God is true and that they need God in their lives. There must be no doubt or question in the mind of the preacher while the Word of God is going forth. The congregation will pick up on any hesitancy or unbelief from the preacher. If there are any doubts or questions you need to pray until you have the assurance of God in your heart concerning the Word that is to be preached.
Preach with feeling and emotion
It is okay to get excited about what you are preaching. Jesus came to give us life. The preacher should be full of the life of Jesus.
Gestures & Movement
It is okay to use hand movements while you are preaching You are preaching a living Word; you do not need to be stiff and dead in the pulpit. If you are telling the story of David and Goliath, it is okay to swing your arm over your head like you are slinging a stone. Body motions can be helpful when preaching to children, but are equally important when preaching to adults.
Body movements can add to the effectiveness of the message
A good speaker will illustrate with his hands while he is speaking. Our goal as a preacher is to be more than just a motivational speaker, yet we also want to use every means possible to communicate the truth of the Word of God. Let your movements be as such which adds to the message. You don’t just want to flail your arms aimlessly with no motive or reason. To some people the use of hand gestures while they are talking comes natural to them, while to others it will seem unnatural to illustrate with their hands. You need to remember to always be you, but it is also okay to learn to express yourself through body motions.
Action can also help to illustrate your point
You can use action movements at times to illustrate what you are sharing with the people. For example, you can hold up the shield of faith or make motions like you are swinging a sword to illustrate the sword of the Spirit. You are trying to convince people of their need and share truth with them; you can use almost every means possible to get your point across. You do not want to be excessive with your motions to the point where you take away from what is being said, but it is okay to put life and energy into the sermon.
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