Sermon Helps

I recall the first time a little girl asked me to sign her Bible after I had preached in the fall of 1972. Signing my autograph was easy, but I knew it was customary for preachers to put a verse beneath their names.

The one fault with which the Lord Jesus confronts the church at Thyatira is that they allowed Jezebel to do her wicked work in their midst. In verses 22-23, the Lord pronounces terrible judgment on her and her followers. But after He confronts the church with her faults and before He pronounces judgment on Jezebel, He makes this amazing statement, “I gave her space.”

Sermon outline: This is an abbreviated outline with the complete sermon downloadable at the bottom of the post. Acts 9 is a testimony of the miracle of salvation, the ministry of serving, and the manifestation of a sovereign God!

In the 1700’s, Isaac Watts penned the words to a song that is very popular at this time of the year, “Joy to the World.” It’s not unusual to hear the song sung or played in shopping malls, restaurants, school plays, and of course, church services. According to Watts’ testimony, the source of inspiration for the lyrics was the 98th Psalm.

Hemlock is a poisonous plant that grows from two to six feet in height. It looks like parsley and has a hollow stem, such as the kind that might be used by children to whittle a whistle or make a pea-shooter.

The greatest ministry responsibility of a pastor’s life is noted in Acts 6: “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

This is an abbreviated outline with an expanded outline downloadable at the bottom of the post. I read about a Muslim in Africa who had become a believer in Christ. When asked why he converted from the faith he had known all his life, he replied, “Imagine that you have come to a fork in the road. It is extremely important that you choose the right way, but you have no knowledge as to which way is better. Two men are there from whom you could ask directions. One of them is living and one is dead. To whom would you go for advice?”

It is to be hoped and presumed that all of us study for our sermons, that we are careful to say what the Bible says and not what we want it to say, and that we give our people good, solid, Scriptural truth. You, like I, however, may have had the experience of preaching a message that is biblically sound, carefully outlined, and seems to fall flat.

Sermon outline: This is an abbreviated outline with the complete sermon downloadable at the bottom of the post. Introduction: The recruiting slogan of our U.S. Marine Corps is “We’re looking for a few good men.” The Marines also have a motto in Latin that states their code of conduct in battle and in their affairs, Semper Fidelis, or “Always faithful.”

My conversation with preachers across the country persuades me that for many of us, finding “something to preach” Sunday after Sunday can be a difficult and frustrating task. It need not be so. Perhaps the following suggestions will help.

Psalm 104 is a great doctrinal Psalm. The entire Psalm revolves around and supports the doctrine that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. The key verse in my opinion is verse 24, which reads, “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”

The pastor who knows his people is going to communicate with his people better. Why? Because he knows their heart. Shortly after coming to Lancaster Baptist Church I was amazed at how well Pastor Chappell knows his people. I would bring up a name thinking, “He’s not going to know this guy in my Sunday school class,” but he would stop and tell me all about that guy or his family, and I would just stand there amazed. But that is what makes a preacher effective.

Outside of Christ, there is no greater communicator in the Bible than Solomon. Proverbs is a book of metaphors. One common denominator to all great preaching other than the Holy Spirit and the Word of God is a metaphor. A metaphor uses the imagination to picture your point.

Why is it that when Tom Farrell preaches, there is just usually a period of time where it’s really quiet? Have you ever heard this saying: a message in the head reaches the head, and a message in the heart reaches the heart? Go one step further, preachers: a message from the conscience reaches the conscience. Once you’ve reached the conscience of an individual, that’s when the life is going to be changed.

William Ball was a constitutional lawyer in the early 70’s that stepped up to the plate for Christian schools in America. He fought cases all the way up to the U. S. Supreme Court. I was a “young buck” just coming out of college at the time, and somehow I ended up getting to have dinner with Mr. Ball. He said something rather profound.

After twenty-six years of pastoring and thirty-two years of preaching, I can tell you that preaching is no problem at all—it’s practicing what you preach. This came home to me one day through the actions of a young lady. She transformed my preaching ministry.

Sermon outline: This is an abbreviated outline with the complete sermon downloadable at the bottom of the post. Luke 2:14 has been called the first Christmas poem. I don’t know that it was sung (verse 13 used the word “saying”), but it is certainly worthy of our attention. There we see the angels glorifying God at the birth of the Saviour. There is no envy present in their carol of praise, no tinge of jealousy, no desire for the attention that belongs to Christ and Him alone.

In the last two articles we have seen how to preach Bible stories by using running narrative, and why preachers should be transparent in their sermons. Let’s see another tip that can transform your delivery:

Once your people trust you, it is amazing how their hearts become open to the truths you are preaching. I go to some large churches, and listen to the preacher, and the preaching is okay. It isn’t anything spectacular, but you can tell that it is effective because the people love their preacher and trust him. The preacher is transparent with them.

In the qualifications of a bishop, pastor, or elder, 1 Timothy 3:2 says he should be, “Apt to teach.” A pastor must be able to teach God’s Word. Have you ever wondered what makes the difference between great Bible teachers and average ones? It’s not the Bible—they are teaching the same one. It’s in their delivery.