preaching 2

7/27/2019 Preaching 2

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v RE 321 Homiletics and Preaching Notes

v A Brief Theology of Preaching

v Buttrick Book Notes

v Why do preachers preach

Ø Our preaching, commissioned by the resurrection is a continuation of the

preaching of Jesus Christ

§ Jesus came preaching, He announced an imminent kingdom of God and

urged people to repent and believe the gospel

§ Jesus constituted a symbolic community, twelve disciples who asfishers of men were to share His declarative ministry

§ God’s word, spoken, constitutes community, For God’s word always

takes flesh

§ The community was a being saved community

§ The evident new life they shared confirmed and interpreted the gospel

they preached

Ø Christ continues to speak to the church, and through the church to the world

§ Gospel in continuing because the living reality of being saved in the

world persists and because mysterious Presence-in Absence still impinges on

human consciousnesses

§ Christian preaching not only reveals it, it continues the work of Christ

of calling, liberating and forming a new humanity

§ Words mediate reality

§ Bring reality into being



§ Continues Christ’s own work of revelation and redemption in the world

§ We preach so Christ may use our words in a salvific work, revealing

and redeeming

§ Preaching is a spiritual discipline in which we offer our beat words to

Christ

Ø The purpose of preaching is the purpose of God in Christ, namely the

reconciliation of the world

§ Hope of full community in God

§ Saved: A new social reality in communion with God; a social reality in

which forgiven people are free to live and may live together as a family of God

§ Salvation is the reconciliation in which we are free for love of God and

neighbors

§ The psychological and social structure in which we live are bondage to

sin and estrangement from God

§ An interim activity: between the even of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment

of God’s purpose in Christ

§ A time filled with the activity of God shaping salvation

§ True preaching includes a celebration of God’s promise which is now

happening among us

Ø Preaching evokes response, the response to preaching is a response to Christ,and is, properly, faith and repentance

§ Faith: entrance into a new order of life and a commitment from an old

order (repentance) through Jesus Christ



§ The gospel may be heard as an assault on cherished values on life’s

goals, on political and psychological stabilities

Ø Preaching is the “Word of God” in that it participates in God’s purpose, is

initiated by Christ” and is supported by the Spirit with community in the world

§ Preaching must be understood as a human activity that draw human

understanding and employ human homiletic skills that can be learned

§ Test the Spirit in connection with preaching is the edification and up

building of Christian community

v Lecture notes of 8/29/02 Buttrick's theology of Preaching

Ø Christianity vs. Adventism

§ Christianity 1st Century 12 Apostles

§ Adventism

§ 1844

§ Commandments

§ 2nd coming

Ø Adventism is not an identity but a function in the providence of God

Ø God’s promise………………………………………2nd Coming

v Patriarch Abraham Israel Christ SDA

§ SDA: Church (people) that is fulfilling God’s mission and activity in

salvation history



§ Fulfilling God’s will at the time of our existence when God is doing

something in salvation history

v Buttrick’s Theology of Preaching

§ Personal

§ Relational

§ Christocentric

v Continuation of Christ’s Preaching

Ø Content- Christ Preached Himself

Ø Method- “IN COMMUNITY PREACHING” INCARNATINAL

MINSTRY

Ø He was apart of the community in which he preached

Ø God’s Word within Him preaching

Ø Jesus as preacher critiqued His own community from within

Ø As example of praxis in spiritual principles

Ø Practical theology in relationships and life

Ø More of an attitude

· Ex Jesus weeping in agony of Jerusalem

Ø In Community Preaching EX (Matthew 23:1-3) They sit in Moses seat

Ø He identified with community that He was apart of and built His mission

and life for the people

v Purpose of Reconciliation

§ Reconciliation: Confrontational



§ Judgmental: Condemning and loveless ® Satanic and destroys

v Conclusion: JESUS HAD A RESTRORATIVE MINSTRY FROM

WITHIN

v A Theology of Preaching9/03/02

v The is a paradox of silence and speaking

v Degree of silence in the preaching process

Ø PREACHING DEFINED: PREACHING IS MAKING PRESENT AND

APPROPIATE TO THE HEARERS THE REVELATION OF GOD

Ø Making present and appropriate – recipients are guiding forces in sermon

preparation

Ø Knowing congregation, society, culture, ideologies (contextualization)

Ø Must be an in-community preacher

Ø Revelation…………………Preaching (Extremely important and

interwoven)

Ø The way of God’s word in the world is the way of the sermon in the

world

Ø Understand mode of revelation

Ø Method should be consistent with God’s mode

Ø Method and means important along with ends

Ø Method of preaching should be defined and in harmony with w/ God’sWord

Ø The way you reveal God must be the ay God reveals Himself in Scripture

v Three Phases of Preaching



Ø Proceeding From Silence

Ø Word in Whisper

Ø Heard from Rooftops

v Proceeding From Silence

Ø Silence is a primal reality. An integral part of God’s revelation

§ Cultivating the ability to listen in silence

§ We have preconceived ideas when approaching God. Our ideas must be

silenced so we can hear

§ God’s silence is integral to divine revelation

Ø God’s revelation, the divine Word proceeds out of God’s silence, so the

Minster’s preaching proceeds out of God’s silence

§ Ministers must develop personal comfort with silence- deep, quiet

mediation that taps into the depths of God’s character

Ø Preaching should not proceed from a noisy and distracted mind in themidst of a noisy and distracted world that is uncomfortable with silence

Ø Preaching from silence means being a able to take the minister’s deep

relationship with God (which affects the character) and bring it into each

preaching context rather than being controlled by environmental noise

v 9/05/02

v The Preacher as Person

Ø Spiritual Formation

§ 2 Cor. 4:1-5 Christ…Preacher (bondservant)

Ø Why is it critical for a class in preaching to address issues in spiritual

formation



· God awareness/ consciousness

§ Spirituality

· Being spirit led

· Spirit transformed

· Spirit endowed with power

Ø Suggested answer:

§ 2 Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this allsurpassing power is from God and not from us

§ Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Him who give me strength

§ 2 Corinthians 12:9 my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made

perfect in weakness, therefore I will boast more gladly about my weakness, so

that Christ’s power may rest on me

Ø Key Points:

§ We are a “fallen” human being

§ Christ is sufficient

§ We are not; therefore we are!

§ Recognition but without excuse because power is available

v Difficulties in Preaching

§ Nowen identifies two obstacle that make it difficult for people to hear

the Word of God



Ø The Problem of the Message

§ Church audiences lack motivation to listen to the message because

· The message is redundant

¨ Many people have heard the message their entire life and expect nothing

new or MAENIGNFUL

· They fear the truth

¨ Many people are resistant to letting the radical Word of God really come

through and change their lives

Ø The Problem with the Messenger

§ Preachers often create antagonism and resistance to their preaching

because:

· They have the assumption of nonexistent feelings

¨ Many preachers impose feelings, ideas, questions and problems on thetheir hearers that are often completely unknown to the majority-questions about

which the audience could care less

· The are preoccupied with a (psuedo) theological point of view

¨ Many preachers believe that they are the only one in the congregation

with a theology and that this theology is the one to which their listeners must

covert

¨ They don’t take into account the theological reflection of the their

parishioners and as a result preach sermons reflecting their own interests

¨ Thus actually preaching themselves



v The Preacher who can lead to insight

Ø The task of every preach is to assist people in the ongoing struggle of

becoming

Ø The main message is of Jesus who faced His own condition withincreasing awareness and gave Himself so that we can live with that same

awareness

Ø Preachers are called to remove the obstacle that prevent their hearers

from becoming fully human (true humanity restored), that is from maturing in

Christ

v There are two essential ways that preachers can facilitate growth in the

congregation

Ø They must have a capacity for dialogue

§ To relate to people so that they are able to respond to what is said with

their experience

§ Dialogue is not a technique, but an attitude of preacher who are willing

to enter into personal relationship with they congregants

§ Preachers must be will to be

· Influenced

· Personally involved

· Really engaged in the relationship

§ Those who listen will cone to the recognition of who they really aresince the words of the preacher will find a sounding board in their own hearts

and find anchor places in the personal life experience

Ø They must be available to the congregation



§ Availability is the primary condition for every dialogue that is going to

lead to redemptive insight

Ø Preachers must be willing to make available their understanding of their

own faith, joy anxiety, doubt, fear and joy

§ In order to be available to others, one must be available to oneself fist.

This is the spirituality of the minister

§ We tend to be selective in our self understanding and then project to

other only those things that fit our self image

§ Preachers who want to be real leaders must be able to put the full range

of their life experiences at the disposals of the congregation

§ Aware of weakness and aware of God’s power

Ø “Pastoral care does not mean running around nervously trying to redeem

people…offering you own life experience to you brothers and sisters to lay

down your life as a bridge over troubled water”

Ø Being available does not mean telling about yourself

Ø “Being available mean experiencing life to such a depth that your diverse

listeners can touch places within themselves, where their lives really vibrate-

and become free to let the Word of God do it’s redemptive word

Ø Listeners no longer have be afraid to face their own condition because

the one who stands in front of them is a living witness that insight makes us

free

§ Then the Word of God can find fertile ground and be rooted in the

human souls

Ø Key Point: The Word of God can only reach people when it has become

the flesh and blood of those who preach it

§



v 8/10/02

v The preacher as person

Ø Spiritual formation

v Why is it critical for a class in preaching to address issues in spiritual

formation

Ø There is a spiritual necessity

Ø Who you must be in order to preach

Ø Help people adjust their expectation to decrease disappointment

v The Learning Process

Ø How do people learn

§ 4 ways

· Audition (listening)

· Conversation (discussing)

· Observation (watching)

· Participation (discovering)

Ø How does this learning process apply to preaching and spiritual

formation

v Observation

Ø Observation introduces us to a wide range of visual aids, two of which

God Himself designed

§ The preacher or pastor is a visual aid to the congregation



· In all thing show yourself…model of good things Titus 2:7

· Show you an example of those who believe

· “Τυπός”- type or pattern

· A word used in OT character whose example could be either a warning

or an encouragement

Ø Key Point: Preachers can’t expect to communicate verbally from the

pulpit if visually out of it we contradict ourselves

§ Thus the preacher participates in shaping and nurturing of Christian

community through the preaching of Christ in word an deed

Ø Power of influence

§ Preaching all the time through silent proclamation

v God means the congregation to be a visual aid to the world

Ø If we want our gospel to be credible, we must embody it

Ø In it non-verbal mode, the church is communicating al love the time and

much of what it says contradicts its true message

Ø Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ

§ If we are not creating faith, then what are we creating

§ Christ preaching creates hope and faith

v Ministers are Human

Ø Ministers have two important tasks

§ To become a fully functional person



§ To become a fully competent minister

Ø To become a fully functional person ministers must ask

§ Have I met myself (ideal vs. real self)

· Do I really know who I am

· Am I comfortable with myself

§ Do I know what I look like to other

· Do I practice authentic self disclosure or do I practice dramaturgy

§ What do I feel like

· Am I in touch with my feelings, or do I spiritualize or intellectualize

them

§ Do I know what I can and can’t do

· Do I understand my own strengths and weaknesses

· What skills and abilities need to be strengthened

· How can I assess my limits

Ø More importantly, ministers must ask

§ What does God know about me

Ø The importance of God’s questions

§ Where are you Genesis 2:9



§ Where were you Job 38

§ Who do you say I am Mark 9:29

Ø Key points

§ Jesus would not entrust Himself to Me. because He knew what was in

man john 2:24

§ Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart 1

Samuel 16:6

§ Matthew 6:16-18

· Fasting appearance

· The Father knows all secrets

v 9/12/02

Ø To become a fully competent ministers, ministers must recognize severalformational principles

§ The minister is human

· Ministers are people- physical and spiritual beings created in the image

of God but, limited in all respects

§ The minister is a human symbol

· The minister symbolizes the Christian faith, the gospel, church and value

and goals of the church

· Ministers are more than symbols, they are personal with a personality



· The effective minister is one who can use the strength of his/her

personality and skill to commemorate the symbol of ministry

§ The minister is (ideally) a caring shepherd

· The minister guides, leads, and does all the other ministers which care

for the well being of the flock

Ø What can ministers do to improve her/his capacity to serve and to

symbolize

§ Growth begins on the inside

· The minister must first grow as a person- this means facing internal

blockages to growth (growth mechanisms) and leaving comfort zones

§ Ministry itself is a growth oriented

· The individual is able to grow spiritually by the power of Christ

· As the individual grows, the church will grow

§ Special path to growth

· Ministry is a discovery profession: the minister himself must grow and

must nurture the growth of others

· The Holy Spirit is the guide and power in this process of growth

· Ministers can pursue lifelong growth in a number of way, includingcontinuing education and peer group support

Ø Bill Lenard offers 6 conclusion about the minister and spirituality

§ Recognize that spirituality is a non negotiable quality of the life of a

minister and all Christians



§ Work out you own spirituality wit fear and trembling, don’t hesitate to

experiment and pursue varieties according to you own unique needs and

circumstances

§ Once you establish spiritual disciplines maintain it even at those timeswhen you don’t feel like doing so

§ Strive to maintain balance between personal and corporate spirituality

§ In dependence on God, recognize the dimension of the unpredictable

and surprising in you relationship with Him

· Seek God in the spiritual life not for the sermon material, personal

testimonies, for systematic theology or doctrinal orthodoxy, but for Himself

§ Phil. 2:5-8

§ What you preach and who you are= SAME

v The Life at Study

Ø The responsibility to Study

§ He minister’s office is a study

· Student of God’s Word always

Ø Study is the minister’s responsibility to the church and to the world

§ People have expectation that can only be met through study

§ Speak word at anytime

Ø Study is sustained by disciplined effort

Ø The content of the minister’s study is Jesus Christ and God’s way in the

world



§ See spiritual implications in everything in Jesus Christ

§ Relating everything and all things to Jesus Christ

Ø The study of Jesus is transformative

v What Study Is

Ø Faith and character formation

§ The hours of study bear directly and immediately on who the minister is

and the minister’s influence by word and action

§ Obedience to the 1st commandment

· “…Love the Lord thy God wit all thy mind

§ Worship

· “An hour of study is in the sight of the Holy one as an hour of prayer”

(Ancient Rabbinical Edict)

v What study does

Ø Protects the congregation- study is a corrective

§ Thought study the church is protected from the minister’s opinions,

prejudices and emotions

Ø Creates objectivity

§ The minister and the church needs relief from sustained intimacy,

which tends to smother and distract

· Gives distance from congregation and minister



Ø Creates homiletical confidence

§ Freedom is expressed and created that release all our faculties to their

highest expression when you know your subject

v Hindrances to study

Ø Permission

§ Both the congregation and the conference will begrudge you sufficient

time for study

· They will direct you toward positive activities

· Acts 6:1-4

Ø Personal inclination

§ Your desire will often run toward being with the people instead of with

the Book

§ Often this is based on early school trauma associated with study

v Overcoming Hindrances

Ø Recognizing the communal nature of study

§ Working in the study is being among the flock

Ø Discipline yourself

§ Prioritize and organize/ sort through the countless claims on your

available hours

Ø Value study as a form of experience

§ Study provide understanding and expertise on a wide range of subjects



Ø Explain yours study needs to your church

§ How ministers spend their time is mysterious to the members and they

are suspicious about it

Ø Establish a routine time and place

Ø Learn how to use small units of time

Ø Read good literature (short stories, poems etc)

§ Increases articulation and expression

§ Increases ability to bring thought into words

v 8/17/02

v Preacher As person

Ø Preparation to Preach

v Sermonic Process

Ø “ A process is better than no process”

Ø “ A process create disciplines

v Definition of Expository Preaching

Ø Expository Preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, [The

Truth], derived from and transmitted a historical, grammatical and literary

study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit applies to the

personality an experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to

the hearer

· Explain the message and then apply the meaning to contemporary

hearers

v What is the first step in the sermonic process

Ø Preparation- Listening to the Text



§ Christocentric bias- What is the text going to say about Christ

§ Read texts broadly, using various translation

§ Reflect...consider personal application of the text and apply to your own

condition

v 9/24/02

v The Sermonic Process

Ø Preparation to Preach

Ø 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study…rightly dividing …”

§ Lit. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a workman

unashamed, cutting a straight course

· “Spoudazo” Lit “the zealous or eager, take pain, make every effort”

· “Orthotomeo” Lit “ cut a path in a straight direction” or “guide the

Word of truth along a straight path” like a road that goes straight to it’s goal

Ø Key Points rigorous study is necessary for proper interpretation of

inspired writings

Ø A believer’s presuppositions and methods of interpretation can lead to

Christ or away from Christ

Ø Truth is not some abstract idea or Platonic idea or form

Ø John’s idea of truth wasn’t ideas or presuppositions but a person

§ All ideas or presuppositions points to Ultimate Reality and Ultimate

Reality is a person

· God made known through Jesus Christ

Ø What is your understanding of the phrase “the spirit of prophecy”



§ Typical answer “the writings of Ellen White

Ø Clarification

§ Preaching require an understanding of the “spirit of prophecy” in thecontext of “prophetic stream”

Ø Definition

§ Biblically what is the spirit of prophecy

· Rev 19:10

¨ The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ

Ø Key Point

§ The spirit of prophecy is equivalent to the testimony of Jesus or the

testimony concerning Jesus

Ø “Maturia” “μαρυρια” –testimony or witness

§ Lit. To bear witness, to declare

Ø The Role of The Holy Spirit

§ John 15:26.27

· … He will testify about me

§ John 16:13,14

· .. He will guide you to into all truth

Ø Key Point: Role of the Holy Spirit is to bear witness about or concerning

Jesus



§ Preachers have secondary role in the communication of Truth

§ The primary role is fulfilled by the Holy Spirit

Ø Redefinition

§ The Sprit of Prophecy is the Holy Spirit’s proclamation concerning

Jesus throughout salvation history

Ø Fundamental Presupposition

§ The spirit of prophecy points to the person and salvific work of Jesus

Christ

§ John 5:39

· …Testify of me…

Ø Summary

§ Key Points: It is the Holy Spirit prerogative to choose the persons

through whom truth as it is in Christ is communicated

§ The preacher is called to participate in the work the Holy Spirit

Ø God communicates

§ Revelation : special audible or visual intervention by God into human

history

· Two types

¨ General

¨ Specific



· General Revelation

¨ Psalms 19:1-6 The heavens declare the glory of God

Ø Creation

Ø God is revealed in natural world

Ø Because of sin, natural revelation can be distorted: Darwin, naturalism

· Special revelation

Ø Psalm 19:7,8 “The law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul”

Ø Related to salvation

Ø Canonical revelation: revelation to specific people to communicate

salvation through Jesus Christ; in salvation history

· Inspiration

¨ Inspiration is…usually defined as a supernatural influence exerted on

scared writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which their writings are given

divine trustworthiness

¨ 2 Tim 3:16

§ God breathed

§ “ Theopneustos”

¨ Two types of inspiration

§ Verbal

§ Plenary



v Plenary or Thought Inspiration

v 1 SM p.21 The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God's mode

of thought and expression. It is that of humanity. God, as a writer, is not

represented. Men will often say such an expression is not like God. But God

has not put Himself in words, in logic, in rhetoric, on trial in the Bible. Thewriters of the Bible were God's penmen, not His pen. Look at the different

writers. It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were

inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man's words or his expressions but on the

man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with

thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine

mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind

and will; thus the utterances of the man are the word of God. -- Manuscript 24,

1886 (written in Europe in 1886). {1SM 21. 2}

Ø Mystery (coming together of divine and human= Word Of God

Ø 1 Peter 1:21

§ …They were carried along

§ “Phero” “φερω”

· Lit. Moved, be driven

· Fig. Used as a metaphor for inspiration

· Illumination

¨ Illumination means that anyone who read and studies the Scripture needs

the help of the Holy Spirit in order to understand and interpret correctly what

he or she is studying or reading

Ø 1 Cor.2: 12-14



Ø Inspiration (H.S.) Illumination (H.S.)

↓ ↓

Ø Inspired writer →→→→ Word of God→→ Illuminated Reader

§ Recover truth…necessity of exegesis

§ Preach with life…necessity of Holy Spirit

v 9/26/02

v Choosing the passage to be Preached

Ø While all scripture is profitable, not every Scripture possesses equal profit for a congregation at a particular time

Ø Preachers serve as builders of bridges as they endeavor to span the gulf

between the Word of God and the concern of men and women

v Sources for preaching

Ø Prompting of the Holy Spirit while studying the Word

· Holy Spirit reveals person not just meaning in a text

· Points to the Object of the study and not just the study itself.

Ø Needs of the congregation

· Ministers must be familiar with the needs of their churches as they are

with the content of their bible

· Sensitive to the needs, but not defined by them

Ø Societal circumstances (conditions)

Ø Personal experience (s)



· Progressive revelations (experiences influenced your preaching

· Gives authenticity and conviction to preaching

· Without experience we compensate with “fill-in” gimmicks


Ø Hermeneutics

v Introduction

Ø Q. How can preachers consistently feed God’s people that saving Gospelof Jesus Christ

Ø Suggested Answers

§ Spiritual Commitment-commitment wherein the preacher exposes

himself to the Holy Spirit

§ Discipline

§ A Process

v Sermonic Process

Ø The Sermonic Process is a 5 step procedure which describes the

development of a sermonic from initial preparation to final manuscript

Ø Five steps

§ Preparation

§ Hermeneutics

· Exegesis



· Christocentric Theology

· Significance

· Homiletic Form

§ Goal

¨ Address hermeneutics for sermon preparation

§ Apology

¨ Hermeneutics necessarily technical

§ Application text

· Luke 12:11-32 (Loving Father)

· Hermeneutics

¨ Greek Verb “Hermeneuein ” “To interpret”

¨ Noun “Hermenia ” “interpretation”

Ø Shades of meaning: Explanation, Exposition, Expression, Intelligible

rendition, Translation

v Biblical Hermeneutics

Ø Basic Definition

§ Principles of interpretation, i.e. The rules method, principles or theory

governing the process of interpreting an individual’s author’s meaning

Ø Definition Confusion



§ Sometimes synonymous with Exegesis

Ø Working Definition

§ Hermeneutics encompass both what the text mean and what is means

§ Opposed to the practices of using exegesis for the study of the text’s

meaning, and hermeneutics as it’s significance in the present

§ Hermeneutics is the overall term, white exegesis and significance are

two aspects of the larger task

Ø Critical Assertions

§ All hermeneutics method are informed by the interpreter's pre-

understandings, or presuppositions

· Example: John 20:30

§ Although there is diversity in interpretive presuppositions two basic

world views underlie all approaches to the interpretation of a biblical text

v Closed Universe: Interpretive Assumption

Ø Principle of Correlation

§ Events and text (including the Bible) can only be understood according

to their historical, this worldly context

§ Implication

· There is no possibility of divine intervention or final revelation,

breaking into the natural laws of cause and effect

Ø Principle of Analogy

§ The past is understood t through human experiences in the present



· Implication

¨ Jesus can’t be viewed uniquely, but rather as homogenous with present

human experience

Ø Principle of Criticism

§ Our understanding of the past is never absolute and always open to

revision

· Implication

¨ All knowledge (including Scriptural) is relative and tentative

v 10/01/02

v Ten Assumptions: Biblical interpretation

Ø Beliefs, confessional bias/ presuppositions

§ The Bible is the inspired Word of God

§ God as the “author ” of the Bible, inspired person as it writers

§ The Scripture is an indivisible union of the Divine and human

§ The authority of the Bible is the authority of God

§ The canon of the Bible includes Old Testament and New Testament

§ There is unity of the Old Testament and New Testament

§ The Bible is its own interpreter

§ The Bible contains normative truth



¨ Norms of which all other truths are measured

§ The spiritual interpreter’s pre-understanding can be derived from and

remain under the control of the Bible itself

¨ Openness and Humility

§ The Scripture can only be understood properly based on the abiding

illumination of the Holy Spirit

v Basic Principles and Procedures: Biblical Exegesis

Ø Definition: Exegesis

· Lit: “To pull out”

· The opposite of exegesis, which means “to put in”

Ø Thought Units and Exegesis

§ The Bible is put together in units that go from large to small. The best

way to do exegesis is to start with the smallest unit and work up

§ You can starts wit ha larger unit and work down, but this method has a

much greater tendency to error in interpretation

Ø Principle #1 The Bible is its own interpreter

§ Biblical Thought Unit

· Words

· Sentences

· Verses



· Paragraphs

· Chapter

· Books, Letter

· Whole Letter

§ Exegetical Procedure

· Isolate passage - delimit the unit to be exegeted. Select the passage

based on the natural divisions of the material

Ø Example- in the New testament letters, the text will usually be selected

by paragraph division, because paragraphs delaminate the building blocks of

thought

· Identify Biblical Allusion in the passage

Ø Especially allusion (s) to the OT in the NT

· Use a bible index to compare other relevant Scripture

Ø Ex. Application Text (Luke 15:11-32)

· Comparative Scripture

¨ Luke 15:12 Deut. 21:17-21

¨ Luke15: 15,16 Lev. 11:7,8

¨ Luke 15:21 Psalm 21:3-4

§ Principle 2: Establish what the text meant then



· Literary Exegesis

¨ The Context of the passage is all important

¨ Analyze the literary context. The context I what immediately precedes

and follows a given unit of Scripture

¨ Example: Application Text

Ø Compare 15:1-10(preceding context)

Ø 16:1-12 (following context)

¨ Outline the structure of the passage under consideration

¨ Identify and analyze the author’s argument or plot line exposed in the

structure

¨ The passage should be treated verse by verse based on its own structural

integrity

§ Consider author’s characteristics, style, vocabulary and expressions

§ Perform necessary literary studies

¨ Genre conventions (letter, parables, proverbs, prayer, speeches,

allegories, history, laws, contracts, biography, drama, apocalypse and stories)

¨ Grammar, semantics (word studies), syntax

§ Word Studies

¨ Goal of Word Studies

Ø How is the word being used in this specifics context



Ø How this author typically used the word

Ø How the biblical writers typically used the word

Ø How the word was generally at the time

¨ Caution

Ø The meaning of a word in context is not determined by etymology

Ø A word means what is meant when the author used it in context

· Example: Application Text (Luke 15:11-32)

¨ “So he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country”

¨ “ κ α λ λ α ω ” Kallao Lit. “Join oneself, to join, cling to, associate with

¨ Luke 10:11, Acts 5:13, 8:29, 9:26, 10:28, 17:31 cf Matt. 19:5

¨ In Context, Luke uses the aorist passive indicative

Ø Boy acted upon by sin passive

Ø Aorist –past tense

§ Ekallethe? Lit. “And having traveled he was joined” to one of the

citizens”

· Use lexicons, concordances, word studies and grammar

§ Establish the Historical/Cultural context

¨ Analyze the text’s original ancient setting



Ø Identify the original author, audience, date, occasion and authorial

purpose

Ø Reconstruct the author’s “life setting”- geography, habits, customs,

practice, religions, political and economic systems

Ø Treat the author’s thought world (OT- Near Eastern; NT Greco-Roman

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v

v 10/3/02

v Christocentric interpretation

Ø Introduction

§ Intentional hermeneutic

Ø Key text

§ Luke 24:13-27 “All things concerning Himself”

Ø Challenge of Preaching Christ

§ The Task of the Preacher

· Explaining all that is said about Jesus Christ in the OT and NT

§ The Challenge to the Preacher

· To reveal Christ where He is not explicitly revealed

· This involves “unlearning” as well as learning



Ø Christocentric Interpretation

§ The interpretive center of all of scripture is Jesus Christ

· John 5:39-40 “Testify of me”

· Luke 24:27..”Explained things concerning Himself”

¨ Deirmeneuo Lit. “Translate, explaining, interpret”

Ø To unfold the meaning of what is said, explain, expound

· 2 Corinthians 3:14-16 RSV

¨ Veil is taken away in Christ

¨ Some in biblical interpretation don’t have interpretive key

Ø Kalumma Fig. “covering that prevents right understanding”

Ø Veil prevents right understanding

§ Definition

· The means by which the expositor accounts for the saving reality of

Jesus Christ in the biblical message through the illumination of the Holy Spirit

§ Historical Sketch

· Breakout of Millerites

¨ Joshua Himes Group –nothing happened in Oct. 22

¨ Spiritualizers –Spiritual Second Coming

¨ Future SDA- investigated the 2300 day prophecy in Daniel



§ SDA Evangelistic Tendencies

· Focus on doctrinal preaching to the exclusion of the Gospel

¨ “People already know Gospel” presupposition

· Evangelism at combat with other Christian churches

· Legalism’ salvation is in the law

Ø Implicit and explicit

Ø Christ in Scripture

§ Christ is in the revelation of Scripture

§ Key in interpreting every text of Scripture

§ Revelation of Christ in text---saving power

· Since Scripture concerns salvation and salvation is through Christ,

Scripture is full of Christ

· Jesus asserted that the three divisions of the OT all concerned Him and

would be fulfilled

Ø Luke 24:44

· Jesus asserted that the fundamental relation between the OT and NT s

promise and fulfillment

Ø Mark 1:15, cf. Matt. 13:16-17

Ø OT (Christ in the Law) Pentateuch

§ The Law bears witness to Christ in 3 ways



· The law contains foundational prophecies of God’s salvation through

Christ which underlie the rest of the Bible

Ø The Messiah would be human (descended from Eve) and Jewish

(descended from Abraham/Judah) and would crush Satan, bless the world andrule as King forever (Gen 3:15, 12:3,49:10)

· The Law contains indirect pictures , in which the Messiah is

foreshadowed

Ø In these stories there is a link that shows the revelation of Jesus Christ

Ø NT words that portray aspects of salvation through Christ- election,

atonement, covenant, redemption, inheritance- all used in the OT, in relation to

God’s grace toward Israel

Ø These stories have meaning in Christ alone

Ø To understand meaning of stories we must understand their ultimate

meaning in Christ

¨ The Law’s condemnation made Christ necessary . I held us in bondage in

order “to lead us to Christ” who alone could set us free. We are condemned by

the law, but justified through faith in Christ

Ø Law shows us that it can’t be kept without Christ

Ø “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be

justified by faith” Galatians 3:23-24

Ø Christ in the Prophets

§ God used the experience of the kingdom of Israel, Judah to illustrate the

limitation of human government and to clarify their understanding of the…”

§ The prophets described four characteristics of the kingdom of the

Messiah

· Peace, Justice, Universality, Eternity



§ The Prophets also foretold the suffering of the Messiah

· He would be rejected, despised, and bear the sins of His people

Ø Christ in the Writings

§ The NT make us of several Psalms, referring to the diety, humanity,

sufferings, and exaltation of Christ

§ Jesus embodies the Wisdom of God, the personal “Word” who was in

the beginning with God, and through whom all things were made

Ø OT Summary

§ The OT depict Christ as a greater prophet that Moses, a greater priest

than Aaron, and a greater King than David

§ That is to say, Christ will perfectly……….

§

§

§

§

Christ Christ

Prophet Priest

Revealer of Reconciler of

God God’s people



Christ

King

Ruler over God’s People

Ø NT Summary

§ Gospels present eyewitness accounts of Jesus Christ

· He was born to save

· His words were words of eternal life

§ Acts of the apostles

· Acts presents Christ as He was still speaking through Peter and Paul’s

sermons, miracles, evangelism, etc

· Show divine-human and saving work

§ Epistles

· The epistles elaborate in the glory of Christ

· They relate the life of the believers and the Church of Christ

§ Revelation

· Revelation portrays Christ in vivid imagery

¨ Glorified among the lampstands



¨ The Lamb slain for all people

¨ The returning of the heavenly bridegroom

· Revelation depicts Christ in final, eternal victory

¨ The champion over the beast and his image

¨ The one to whom all praise belongs

¨ The majestic rider on the white horse

¨ The victor over Satan, death and hell

Ø Practical suggestions

§ Begins with a prayerful, Christ centered bias

§ Presuppose Christ in all Bible study

§ Be sensitive to relationship issues which define the nature of sin andsalvation

¨ Sin (deeds) – transgression of law

¨ (Nature) –wrong relationship, independence from God

¨ Salvation (deeds)- obedient to law

¨ (Nature) –right relationship, loving submission to God

Ø First work is to seek oneness with Christ and let works grow out of this

relationship

Ø Mary seek word and will



Ø Need correct starting point

Ø Success isn’t measured in productivity but in complete devotion to Christ

Ø Out devotion and love to him is to a response to His love and devotion to

us.

¨ Always read in context, beware proof-texting

Ø The Bible can’t be it’s own interpreter if the expositor ignores it’s

context

§ Reading in a Context

Contextualizing Proof textingMeaning of text is derived

from context

Meaning of text is

predetermined

Other texts are chosen to

illuminate meaning (index)

Other text are chosen to

support predetermined

meaning

A sermon is text controlled Sermon is preacher

controlled

Authority of sermon is

from the Word

Authority of sermon is

from the preacher

¨ Looking for Christ symbolized (OT)

Ø Noah’s ark, Abe’s ram, Jacob ladder, Moses’ rod, Red Sea, Rock in the

wilderness, Sanc.

¨ Interpret meaning theologically, not humanistically “culture, history,

denomination”

Ø Note Israel’s failure 1 Samuel 4:1-11

§ Personal Question: Why is the Lord not with us?

§ Answer is an object: Let us take…ark of the cov..



¨ Result: v.21, 22 Ichabod

¨ V.8 Philistines interpreted the significance and presence of the ark in the

same way as Israel. Israel’s interpretation of their situation was pagan and

without divine insight.

¨ They made answer human instead of divine

¨ Consider relevance of the GC theme

¨ Do not preach a text you can preach Christocentrically

v 10/15/02

¨ Emphasize principle above practice

Ø The behavior or standard has it’s importance, but the principle behind the

standard is the eternal link to Jesus Christ

§ E.g. Peter teaches Dress reform, but John the Baptist was a more

conservative dresser than Jesus. The principle behind the reform, however is

epitomized in Christ, who alone implants the reform quality into the heart of

the believer

¨ 1 Peter 3:4

¨ Want to control practices instead of teaching principles to help them

make decision based on personal conviction and their own relationship

¨ Creates dependence on God in stead of dependence on us

¨ Principle preaching encourages maturity in the spiritual walk instead of

formal adherence to a set or rules

v The Sermonic Process: Preaching Christ from the Old Testament

Ø Necessity of preaching Christ



§ Preach Christ in all the Scripture. He is the subject matter of the

whole…

§ In expositing Scripture for the congregation…. for a sermon

§ Preach Christ always and everywhere….

§ Some ministers think that it is not necessary to preach repentance and

faith; they take it for granted that their hearers are acquainted with the gospel,

and that matters of a different nature must be presented in order to hold their

attention. But many people are sadly ignorant in regard to the plan of salvation;

they need more instruction upon this all-important subject than upon any other.

§ Theoretical discourses are essential, that people may see the chain of

truth, link after link, uniting in a perfect whole; but no discourse should ever be

preached without presenting Christ

§ Let the science of salvation be the burden of every sermon, the theme of

every song. Let it be poured forth in every supplication. Bring nothing into

your preaching to supplement Christ, the wisdom and power of God. Gospel

Workers p.158

Ø No need to add to Christ or to balance

Ø Give fullness of Christ

Ø John 12:32 And I, If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men

unto me

Ø Meaning of preaching Christ

§ How broad or narrow is preaching Christ?

· (1) Birth



Ø Incarnation, Dual nature, personhood

· (2) Life

Ø Teaching, Deeds, Relationships

· (3) Suffering

Ø Cross, Atonement, Righteousness by Faith

· (4) Resurrection and Exaltation

Ø Victory over Satan, Alive as Intercessor

· (5) His Sprit Present

Ø Sanctification, Life in Christ

· (6) His soon return

Ø Signs, End Time, Parousia, Final Victory

Ø Seven Ways to Christ from the Old Testament

· 7 Ways to help see meaning in text

· Roads to help find meaning in Christ

1. Redemptive-Historical Progression

2. Promise Fulfillment

3. Typology- not allegory

4. Analogy

5. Longitudinal Themes

6. NT References



7. Contrast

Ø Redemptive –Historical Progression

§ Foundational method that supports all other ways of preaching Christ

from the OT

¨ Salvation history, the story of God’s redeeming and restoring activity in

the earth

Ø Understand particular test in wider context of salvation history

§ The Bible is the story of God Sovereign intervention in the earth to

redeem us back to Jesus Christ

¨ The flow of history of redemption from Eden to Paradise

¨ Sovereign God always at work for redemption

Ø E.g. 1 Samuel 17:45-50 cf 16:10-13

§ David and goliath

· Can lift story out of context and preach another sermon that has nothing

to do with Christ

¨ Personal achievement

· Rob story of power when not showing meaning in Christ

Ø The power is in pointing meaning to Christ

Ø The interpretation comes from the ext itself

Ø Promise- Fulfillment

§ God gives promises at tone stage of salvation history and brings it to

fulfillment at a later stage



· E.g. Joel 2:28-32, Cf. Acts 2:14-17

§ God’s redemptive purpose is being filled until it is full

¨ Adventists: Early and latter rains are both fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.

Instead of asking is prophecy capable of more than one fulfillment, realize that

is filled progressively until it is full

§ Promise fulfillment occurs in the psalms and in OT narratives in

addiction to prophetic writings

¨ E.g. Psalm 2:7-9; 45:6,7; 110 Gen. 3:15

§ Gen 3:15 fulfilled progressively

· Cain kills Abel

· Cain’s descendant vs. Seth’s descendants

· Esau’s descendants vs. Jacob’s descendants

· The enmity in opposing nations

· Christ vs. Satan

Ø Typology

§ Persons, events and institutions of the Old testament which function as

divinely establishments prefigured of the Christ-event in NT

· Open-universe- God is engaged in human history as Sovereign and has

ordained events in regular pattern by foreshadowing in type what is fulfilled in

antitype

Ø Exegetically, typology searches for linkages between events, persons, or

things within the historical framework of the text



· E.g. Gen 22:13

· In the exegetical work one must understand the original author’s

message to his original audience before the linkage can be seen

· See purpose of salvation in text through typology

· Typology looks for linkages to see deeper meaning in Christ

§ Clarification

· Typology isn’t allegory

¨ Allegory is a superficial interpretive method based on a Greek

hermeneutic brought into the church by Origen and Clement. It makes use of

incidental or accidental similarities based on a superficial evaluation of the text

§ E.g. Genesis 22:13

§ Guidelines for Typology

· A genuine type is historical, based on actual words, persons, institutions

· A genuine type is theocentric, having to do with God’s acts in and

though human persons and events

· A genuine type exhibits a significant analogy with its antitype. There is

a real correspondence, an agreement of fundamental principles

· A genuine type is related to its antitype by escalation, a fortiori – “howmuch more” something greater

Ø Mathew 12,41,42; John 3:14, 15; John 6:49-51

Ø Analogy



§ Emphasizes both the continuity and progression of God’s dealing with

His people by drawing parallels between Israel’s situation and the situation of

the church body

§ Key areas to look or analogy

· What God does for Israel and what God does in Christ

· What God teaches Israel and what God teaches the church

· God’s demands in OT and Christ’s demands

¨ Ex. Ex 19:5,6—1 Peter 2:9 Ezek. 34:11-16—John 10:11-16

¨ Mal. 3:1—Matt. 11:10 Hosea 2:16-20—Eph 5:26,27,32

v Connection in all interpretive methods must be found in text

Ø Longitudinal Themes

§ Focuses on theme of salvation that can be traced from OT to NT,

extended and reinterpreted in the light of Jesus Christ

· E.g. (Gen 28) The promise of God to be with Jacob establishes the

theme of God’s presence with His people , that can be traced throughout

salvation history

Ø Pillar of Cloud-fire in wilderness (Ex. 13:21)

Ø 7 golden candlesticks in tabernacle (Ex. 25:31)

Ø Jesus is Emmanuel “God with us” Is 7:14, Matthew 1:23

Ø NT References

§ Places in Scripture where NT authors use or allude to OT passages to

support their messages



¨ John 3:16/ Gen 22:2

¨ John 1:51/ Gen.28: 10-12

Ø Contrast

§ Focuses on the discontinuity Christ brings places where NT teachings

contrast OT laws, usually connected to the transition from old covenant to new

covenant

¨ Gen 17:12-14/ Acts 15:1,28,29

¨ Ex. 34:29-33/ II Corinthians 3:13-16

¨ Deut. 7:1-6/ Matthew 28:19,20

v 10/16/02

v The Sermonic Process: Christocentric Interpretation

Ø Hermeneutic Method 3 Movements

§ Biblical Text (Exegesis)—Chris. Inter. (Contextual Ideologies)—Signif.

Ø Clarification

§ Two types of contextual interpretation

Ø Confessional contextual interpretation

§ Confessional contextual interpretation is faith perspective. It is sensitive

to, but not determined by, historical context (i.e. Personal, cultural, social and political) even within the text

§ All levels of human experiences are critiqued and informed by the

biblical text and ultimately through the person and work of Jesus Christ



§ The context is subordinate to the inspired text and to The Person of the

text

Ø Humanistic/ Christian-Humanistic contextual interpretation

§ This is contextual interpretation that has a humanistic perspective that is

determined by cultural context along the continuum of human meaning

§ The biblical text is thought to be social constructed. It is a human

product, created to promote perceived well-being of humankind (i.e. The

individual or group)

§ In other words, the text is subordinate to the context

§ Thus, Christian humanism-the syncretistic blending of humanist

categories w/Christian categories-may cause the interpreter to unconsciously

embrace cultural relativism

Ø Pauline perspective a critique of contextual interpretation and human/

Christian-humanistic interpretation in light of Christocentric interpretation

v Christ-Centered Preaching

Ø The Biblical Imperative

Ø 1 Cor. 2:1-5

§ For I have decide to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and

Him crucified

Ø Interpretative question

§ Why does Paul treat the topic of preaching?

§ How does wisdom language relate to preaching and function as a

corrective

§ Is there an embedded Pauline imperative for genuine biblical preaching



§ What is the significance of Paul’s discussion of preaching for black

SDA preaching in the 21st century

Ø Interpretive Method

§ Establish the exigence of the letter

· Occasion

· Authorial purpose

§ Occasion found in chapter 1:10-13

§ Chloe Servant Report

· “Schismata”

¨ Lit. Tear, crack, as in a garment or stone

¨ Greco-Roman usage: political

Ø A division into mutually opposing parties

· Erides

¨ Strife

¨ Contextual usage

Ø Angry, hostile, hateful speech calculated to control

§ Issues causing division in Corinth

· Chapter 1-4 Wisdom and speech



· 5-6

· 7 Marriage

· 8-10

· 11-14 Worship

· 15 Resurrection

· 16

§ Values form society flowing into the church

§ Greco-Roman Education

· Elementary grammar and literature

· Intermediate philosophy and logic

· Advanced Rhetoric (persuasion)

§ The central Value

· Honor

§ Sociological Divisions

· Upper Strata

¨ Equestrian Class

¨ Senatorial Class



¨ Based on Status Indicators

Ø Birth

Ø Wealth

Ø Education

Ø Gender

Ø Ethnicity

· Lower Strata

§ 1 Corinthians 1:26

· Not man wise, powerful, noble birth

· Church at Corinth reflects the social-stratification in society

§ Do societal values affect the choice of preachers and preaching in

Corinth

· 1 Corinth 1:18-25

§ Rhetorical Contrast

§ Human Wisdom---God’s Wisdom

§ Three pervading wisdom of 1st century worldview

· Where is the wise man

¨ Greek Wisdom

· Where is the scribe



¨ Jewish wisdom

· Where is the debater of this age

¨ Roman Wisdom

· Greek Wisdom

¨ Quest for virtue (god and salvation)

Ø Through philosphia (love of wisdom)

Ø Through rationality and ritual

· Jewish Wisdom

¨ Quest for God (perfection and salvation)

Ø Through signs

Ø “Nomos” traditions

§ Mishnah/ Gemorah of the Tannaim

Ø Through rationality and ritual

· Roman Wisdom

¨ Quest for honor and status

¨ Through Logios (persuasive rhetoric

¨ Through rationality and rhetoric

· Status of Rhetoric



¨ Rhetor considered a sage person

¨ Popular type of rhetoric in Corinth

Ø Sophistic

§ Rhetoric of flattery

§ Ornamentation

§ Elocution aimed at pleasing crowd

Ø Deceptive Humanistic Preaching

§ Pauline example

§ 2 Cor. 2:17

· Preaching for money

§ 2 Cor. 3:1

· Preaching based on authority of men and pleasing to men

§ 2 Cor. 5:12

· Preaching based on cultural values

Ø Humanistic Preaching is any proclamation that doesn’t issue from the

person and work of Jesus Christ

Ø Humanistic is by definition deceptive, demonic

v 10/22/02

Ø Question



§ Is SDA preaching informed by human wisdom?

§ Is Euro centrism a modem type of human wisdom?

Ø Euro centrism

§ The normative cultural orientation in contemporary American society

§ Groundedness which allows the one who adapts this perspective to view

the world fro the standpoint of the European American

§ Whitman centered

Ø Basic Premise

§ White man is at the center of meaning

Ø Dominant Ideology (Pre- Socratics to Modernism

§ Rationalism

·The practice of explaining in a meaning agreeable to reason, whatever is

apparently supernatural in the records of sacred history

· The principle of regarding reason as the chief or only guide in matters of

religion, or of employing ordinary reasoning to criticize and interpret religious

doctrines

· Also called “objectivism”

§ Eurocentric interpretation

· Hermeneutic

¨ Empirical



¨ Observation based upon experimentation

· Example

¨ Wesleyan Quadrilateral (4 ways to define reality)

¨ Reason, Scripture, Experience, Tradition

¨ All on the same

· Key Point (all elements are same level; thus reason dominates)

§ Does Eurocentrism produce a type of preaching?

· Eurocentric preaching in benign form

¨ Prepositional

Ø Idea Oriented

¨ Polemical

Ø Truth vs. Error

¨ Vertically focused

Ø God and the individual

Ø Personal understanding of truth or personal holiness emphasized

¨ Generally non relational

Ø Unconcerned with issues of justice

Ø Disconnected with the tangible needs of preaching



¨ Key POINT

Ø Much of SDA preaching, even black preaching, is informed by this

wisdom

· In malignant form

¨ Proclamation designed to maintain white male hegemony

¨ Examples

Ø Supported 19th century chattel slavery

Ø Exploring Western “civilization” through missions

Ø Afro centrism

§ A pro African belief system. Involves the conviction that an African

perspective provides the focus through which people of African origin must see

the world in order to survive and progress

§ Afro centrism as a human wisdom

· Basic Premise

¨ Black male at center of meaning

· Dominant Ideology (Post Colonial)

¨ Necessarily “Reactionary”

¨ Therefore subjective

· Afrocentric Interpretation

¨ Hermeneutic



Ø Composite, yet predominately experimental

¨ Example

Ø Suggested Quadrilateral

Ø Experience, Scripture, Reason, Tradition

¨ Does Afro. Inform preaching

¨ Predominately ethical and pragmatic

Ø Concerned wit the liberation of black people from social, political, and

economic oppression

Ø Concerned with the sustaining the black community in the face of

dehumanizing oppression

· Results in two tragic consequences

· # 1

¨ Need to legitimize subjectivism’s basic premise or epistemology

Ø All knowing is subjective, based on one’s own experience

Ø Experience based on culture

Ø Therefore, I can only know God thou my culture

v 10/23/02

· What is the root of thinking?

¨ Subjectivism

Ø Durkheim, Weber, Hegel, Marx



Ø Leads to Romaniticism-idealism0Lieberation Theology—Latin

American, Feminism, Black Theology, Womanism

· What do these thinkers all have in common

¨ Closed universe

Ø Human methods/practices/assumptions

§ Pauline Assertion

· Spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14)

· Is not Paul suggesting a spiritual epistemology

§ Tragic consequence #2

· A horizontal “gospel” that is primarily ethical and pragmatic in

emphasis can easily lead to a “prosperity gospel”

¨ Emphasis is material

§ Modern Human Wisdom (summarized)

§ Erocentrism Afrocentrism Humanism

§ White man Black Man Human

§ Preaching product

Ø Wisdom (Ancient and Modern) Rhetorical Contrast 1 Corinthians 1:18-

25

§ Human Wisdom

· Jewish, Roman, Greek, Afro, Euro,



§ God’s Wisdom

· JESUS CHRIST

Ø Paul’s Corrective

§ 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not

with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of

God. 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus

Christ, and him crucified. 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear,

and in much trembling. 2:4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not

with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of

power: 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the

power of God.

Ø 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

§ Structure of the argument

· Text provides two dimension of preaching Christ and a final purpose

clause

¨ VV 1-2 The connect of Paul’s preaching

¨ VV. 3-4 The form of Paul’s preaching

¨ V.5 The reason

Ø Question

§ What does the assertion mean?

· For I have decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and

him crucified

§ Answer



· First Dimension: Content

¨ Christ alone (Person)

Ø The Person of Jesus in its “fullness” constitutes Paul’s ‘definitivehermeneutic

Ø Christ crucified (salvific work)

¨ Key – Christ the person, revealed in His saving work constitutes the

content of Paul’s preaching

Ø We see God in Christ by what He does

Ø Paul’s Apocalyptic Hermeneutic

Ø Old Age Judgment

Ø -----------------------------------------------------------------

Christ R ← Believer → P

-----------------------------------------------------------

↑ New Age



Inauguration of believer new life

§ -Cross

§ R - Resurrection

§ P - Parousia. Second Coming

§ Believer can look back in faith and result in gratitude

§ Also look forward in faith in anticipation and hope

Ø Critical Clarification

§ It is possible to preach Christ and not be Christocentric

· Make man at the center and put Christ at the periphery

Ø Tragic Duplicity

§ Church has professed Christian values

§ Society has cultural values

§ The cultural values goes into the church and become spiritualized

cultural values

Ø How does Christo centric preaching relate to SDA preaching

Ø Paul’s Apocalyptic Hermeneutic

Ø Old Age Judgment



Ø -----------------------------------------------------------------

Christ R ← Believer → P

-----------------------------------------------------------

↑ New Age

SDA eschatology is Christ, Him crucified and

Coming again within the context of the Great Controversy

(Eschatology (last days) begin with Christ at the cross and

ends with Christ at the Parousia

Ø Paul’s Two ways to living (Two Worldviews)

Living Kata Sarka: according to the

flesh

Living Kata Pneuma: according to

the spirit

Egoism (with self at the center) God’s grace in Christ (wit God at

center)

Ethnocentrism (with group at the

center)

Believer’s reconciled to God (with

Christ at center)

Cultural Relativism (with culture at

the center)

Appropriate response of believers

(with faith at center)

Ø Preaching Christ

§ Second Dimension

· Form of Paul’s preaching

¨ 1 Cor. 2:3 And I was with you in weakness , and in fear, and in much

trembling.



· Key point

¨ The form of Paul’s preaching has nothing to do with style or manner

¨ Paul asserts the needs for the preacher to be “cruciformed”

¨ Astheneia “lit” frail, impotent, strengthless

Ø “Weakness” is not a lack of courage, but a radical rejection of self-

reliance, embracing the paradox of continuous grace

Ø How does Christocentric preaching relate to SDA “black” preaching?

Ø Answer

§ Christ center SDA “black” preaching identifies wit h Christ’s suffering

and his compassionate regard for the marginalized oppressed

§ T he compassion of Christ constitutes the basis for genuine “liberation”

preaching

· Radical love born of t he Spirit for the oppressed and oppressor, which

proclaims the paradox of justice and mercy in Christ

· Genuine liberation is not based on reciprocity, but in the security and

power of Christ’s love

Ø Why so important?

§ Why is Paul’s dictum and implied imperative “we preach Christ and

him crucified” so important

· 1 Cor. 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel:

not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none

effect.

Ø Human wisdom drains the blood from the cross



· 1 Cor. 2:4-5 4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with

enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of

power: 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the

power of God.

Ø Human wisdom truncates the power of the Spirit

· 1 Cor. 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto

us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

Ø Jesus Christ, God’s wisdom is the only source of salvation

v 10/31/02

v The Sermonic Process:

v Significance: Understanding Postmodern Culture

Ø Significance is for meaning now

§ Application

· Taking meaning of Christ in text to hearer

· Making the meaning urgent, meaningful

· To apply the meaning here and now, we must understand our people

here and now

¨ Their ideas, presuppositions and also that we are apart of the group that

we are critiquing

¨ In our own congregations there are generation gaps that we must

understand



¨ We must understand our culture (what make people think, react, move

etc.) in order to apply Christ’s message in text

Ø Evolution “more than a hypothesis, a legitimate part of God’s master

plan

Ø Pre Modern Era (General widespread view of people who lived in this

period of time)

§ Medieval/ Ancient –17th Century

· A. Creationism

¨ The idea was virtually unchallenged that the universe was rational andcame into existence by a divine act

· B. Teleology

¨ Both theology and science viewed the natural order as a purposeful

process leading back to God.

· C. Correspondence theory of truth

¨ There is an objective reality that exists apart from man’s ability to

understand or describe it

· D. Belief in the supernatural

¨ There is a God or gods who are the subject of human reflection and

intellectual pursuit

Ø General belief of a supernatural realm of some kind

¨ Theology was studied alongside science and mathematics with no though

of any contradiction between them



· E. Theology as the “Queen of sciences

¨ Viewed as a perspective on reality

Ø The authority of the Bible was taken for granted

§ Men may have had different interpretations of the Bible but no one

questioned it’s authority

§ Pre modern values was the supernatural as the center

· And objective reality/truth on the periphery

Ø Galileo came along before the Enlightenment Period

§ Emergence of science in Western culture which altered the worldview

and shifted people’s view of what’s real and not real

§ He developed new theories and dynamics

· He said that the sun was center (heliocentric) instead of the earth

(geocentric)

· Brought science into conflict with the church

· 1633

¨ Condemned as a heretic

¨ Prison

¨ Cosigned writing s as forbidden books

¨ There was a divide e between the authority of science and the authority of

the church



Ø Affect of Emerging Science

§ Because of the integration of Aristotelian philosophy into Christian

theology, geocentric cosmology was viewed as a part of church dogma

§ Scientific discoveries threatened church authority, church leader

retaliated

· Church began to be viewed as an obstacle to intellectual progress,

oppressive and tyrannical

· Divide created in the culture and people’s worldviews began to change

§ Science and religion engaged in a divisive struggle for next 200 years

§ The emerging philosophy of the Enlightenment rivaled the transcendent

in religion

Ø Modern Era

§ 17th Cent. –1960’s

· A. Naturalism

¨ Reality is restricted to the observable/ there is no intelligent purpose

behind creation; nature is all there is

· B. Humanism

¨ The human being is the highest value. The end for which reality exists

Ø They are not mean for a higher purpose

· C. Empiricism



¨ The best method for obtaining knowledge is the scientific method,

observation verified by experimentation

· D. Science as Truth

¨ The assertions of science are facts, the products of objective study

Ø Religion is just beliefs, suppositions. They only have reality only if you

have belief in them

· E. Inevitable Progress

¨ Knowledge is virtue, through it we are progressively overcoming

humanity’s problems

Ø Philosophy behind Star Trek (Idealism of Science)

· F. Certainty

¨ As objective, knowledge contains certainty. The facts we discover have a

basis for reality

· G. Individualism

¨ Because truth is objective, individuals can discover it on their own, by

there own efforts

· H. Rationalism

¨ Human reason is competent for understanding and solving all problems

Ø A New Epistemology

§ Critical rationality is the standard for evaluating truth

§ Any proposition not based on empirical evidence is inferior



§ All branches of learning adapted to science and the scientific method

§ Theology became “Scientized”. Assertions of Scripture that could not

be verified empirically were labeled pre-scientific. By discarding old

mythologies, theology would enter a new world of existential relevance

§ The Bible was viewed as full of inconsistencies and absurdities

Ø Modernism has reason at the center

§ Science as truth in the periphery

Ø Seed of Post Modernism

§ Discoveries in science undermine scientific authority

· The objectivity of the scientific method

· Laboratory conditions, objectivity of scientists

· 1906 Einstein relativity

¨ Results in experiment dependant on relative position and motion of

scientists

¨ Different observer’s obtain divergent results

¨ All "knowers" are participants in that which they know

Ø Doppler Effect

Ø Post Modern Era

Ø 1970’s – Present

§ A. Subjectivism



· Knowledge is not objective. The idea of an individual knower discerning

objective truth is a myth

¨ Truth is a social product

§ B. Relativism

· There is no objective truth. All knowledge is culturally conditioned. No

absolutes

§ C. Pluralism

· Not only is all knowing and speaking done from a particular perspective, but each perspective is equally true and valuable

¨ Meaning is reader- response not original intent

§ D. Science Method Questionable

· Science as the epitome of objectivism. Observation is called into

question

§ E. No Inevitable Progress

· Knowledge is not inherently good as demonstrated by the destructive

ends to which it has often been put (war, racism etc.)

§ F. Community Based Knowledge

· The model of the isolated individual knower is replaced by community- based knowledge. All knowledge occurs within some community

Pre

Modernism

Modernism Post Modernism



Critiqued as

superstition

Critiqued as

subjective

Supernatural

at center

Reason at

center

Skepticism at center

Thesis Antithesis Synthesis

v 11.5.2002

v The Sermonic Process: Significance

Ø Basic Principles and Procedures: Contemporary Significance

§ Present Contextualization

Ø Principles: Apply biblical meaning to modern context

Ø Exegetical Procedure

§ Recognize the necessity of contextual exegesis (ancient and modern)

§ Assess the significance of the issues raised by the text for the modern

community

§ Assessment must have particularities

· Society

· Church (Black, SDA, Christian)

· Individual (open, aware, alert to people)

¨ Self centered—insensitive to people

§ Identify the possible obstacles to receiving the message of the text that

a modern/postmodern audience might have

· Philosophical



¨ Worldviews analysis: Premodern, Modern, Post

¨ The Anti-authority Mood

Ø Modern society is witnessing an unprecedented self-conscious,worldwide revolt against authority

Ø All accepted authorities of the past are being challenged

§ Family, school, university, state, church, Bible, Pope, God

Ø This prevalent mood views the pulpit as a symbol of authority against

which one should rebel

§ Preaching is considered offensive, tedious, obtrusive and patronizing

Ø Anti authority protests of the past decades focused on tearing down

institutions

Ø Contemporary protest tears down the ideas that discredited institutions

persist on imposing on other

Ø Postmodern people believes that:

§ Minds can’t be organized an that thoughts can’t be imposed on people

§ There is no such thing as a truth that is absolute or universal

§ Everything is relative and subjective

§ Before I can believe any idea, it has to authenticate itself to me

personally

· Christian Response to the Anti Authority Mood

¨ Questions- how should preachers react to the Anti- Authority Mood?



¨ What distinctively Christian critique and response may be made?

Ø We should retain our loyalty to the historic Christian faith, while at the

same time recognizing and respecting the modern mood of doubt and denial

¨ We should remember four Christian truths

Ø 1.) The nature of human beings is to be both morally responsible

(receiving commandments) and free (invited, but not coerced into being

obedience)

· Human fulfillment is impossible outside some content of authority,

especially divine authority

Ø 2.) Doctrine of revelation teaches that God has revealed authoritative

truth to human beings

· Preachers can proclaim the gospel with quiet confidence as good news

from God

Ø 3.) The locus of authority resides only in God and preachers should not

claim this authority as coming from themselves

Ø 4.) The relevance of the gospel authenticates itself

· Preachers should demonstrate the reasonableness and relevance of the

gospel

v 11/07/02

§ Identify the possible obstacles to receiving the message of the text that a

modern/postmodern audience might have (CONTINUED)

· Philosophical

¨ Worldviews analysis: Premodern, Modern, Post



¨ Existentialist Analysis: Alienation, death, suffering, loss, fear (guilt,

anxiety, boredom)

· Cultural

· Sociological

· Psychological

§ Use the method of “dialogical preaching”

· Dialogical preaching refers to the silent dialogue which he should be

developing between the preacher and his/ her hearer

¨ What the preacher says provokes questions in the hearers' minds which

he/she then proceeds to answer

Ø The preacher’s answer raises further questions to which he/ she replies

¨ One of the greatest gifts a preacher need is such a sensitive understanding

of people and their problems that he/she can anticipate their reaction to each

part of his/ her sermon and respond to them

¨ Preachers should provoke people to think, to answer us and argue with us

in their minds, and we should maintain such a lively (through silent) dialogue

with them that they find it impossible to fall asleep

Ø Dialogical preaching is molded in Scripture:

§ Old Testament Malachi 1:12, 2:17, 3:8

§ New Testament

· Jesus: Luke 10:36, Matthew 21:40; John 13:12

· Paul: Romans 3:1-6, cf vv. 27-31



Ø Dialogical preaching is “quadruple thinking”

§ Quadruple –thinking is thinking out of what I have to say, then thinking

out how the other man will understand what I say, and then re-thinking what I

have to say, so that, when I say it, he will think what I amthinking…Quadruple-thinking involves mental pain and great spiritual

sensitivity (Canon Max Warren, Crowded Canvas)

Ø Dialogical preaching lessens the offense which authoritative preaching

would otherwise give

v 11/12/02


v The Sermonic Form

Ø Substance and Form

§ In the community of thought the relationship between substance and

form is organic and inseparable

· The form is the “body” and “flesh” of the thought

· A common thought has both a subject and predicate

¨ Name a subject, say something about it- “Time flies”

§ Expressing a thought means giving it a form recognizable by another

person



· Organize a thought where the hearer will understand

· Even if a thought is disorganized and careless, it still has a form; its

form is merely chaotic instead of organized

· When the form is weak, the expression of the thought is limited

· When the form is right, form and thought become one

· Finality and power of expression takes careful effort

§ Form affects people at a level of awareness deeper than rational thought

Ø Why Does Form Matter

§ Form doesn’t attract attention to itself as form but persuades at a level

deeper than logic. The hearer may not analyze the form, but will feel its effect

· Clear expression leads to deep impact

§ Appropriate form may help to reach listeners who are affected in heart

and mind

· A listener may be convinced in his mind (logic) while battling against

the Word in his heart (feelings), or vice versa. God desires to reach both heart

and mind.

§ Appropriate form may help to break down listeners’ resistance to

radical claim of the gospel, which run counter to our natural and comfortable

way of being

· The gospel asks us to relinquish our “selves” to God; God at the center

in the place of self

· Correct form can help break down natural defenses to this kind of

surrender



¨ Correct form gets the message into the heart and mind of the hearer

Ø Sermonic Form

§ There is no ideal or standard which every sermon should take. There isno pre-existent mold into which the substance of thought must be posted in

order to make a sermon

§ Each individual sermon has a form that is appropriate to it. The right

form derives from the substance of the message.

§ The preacher ought be a good craftsman, but never a mere technician.

In other words, the preacher must never take in too much concern for form with

too little concern for content; this is form for form’s sake

§ Also, the preacher should not just be concerned about the content, but

should do the hard work if mastering sermonic form and making it serve the

message

Ø The Art of Sermonic Form

§ The appropriate preacher should move from theory to practice

· Read good books and writing and on speaking

· Study the sermons of experienced preacher for their thought and craft

· Practice designing actual sermon, recognize that each sermon will call

for its own form based on its own message

Ø Anatomy of the Idea

§ Before moving to sermonic form, the preacher must be certain he/she a

forma firm grasp in the main (generative) idea of the sermon. This may be

exposed y asking five questions

· Structural Questions



¨ What is the speaker talking about? (Subject)

¨ What is the speaker saying about it (predicate)

· Functional Questions

¨ What does it mean

¨ Is it true (Do I believe it?)

¨ What difference does it make (So what)

Ø Structural Questions

§ What is the speaker talking about

§ What is the speaker saying about it?

· These two questions of a good listener intuitively asks, whether

consciously or unconsciously

· These questions come from a desire for a unity as a law of the mind, the

attempt to bring order to many impressions being given by a sermon or a talk

¨ Unity: am impression of oneness and entirety, of an ordered relatedness

of parts to a whole Opposite –fragmentation, disorder

· If the speaker doesn’t join together his/her ideas into some kind of unity,

the listener will be forced to make his own combination of the fragments of

thoughts into a total impression that may be different from what the speaker intended

¨ Improper encoding leads to improper decoding

Ø 2 Peter 3:15-18



Ø 3:15 And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation;

even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him

hath written unto you;

Ø 3:16 As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in

which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned andunstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own

destruction.

Ø 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before,

beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your

own steadfastness.

Ø 3:18 But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and

Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever.

v 11/19/02

Ø Every sermon consists of only two things

· 1 What is talked about, and

· 2 What is said about it

§ If the sermon is well designed, these questions can be answered

satisfactorily. If they can’t be answered, then the sermon is not well designed

§ The effective speaker will study the essential structure of the sermon

and not get lost in details

· Ex. Matt. 5:43-48

¨ A. God’s Love



¨ B. The true disciple loves as God loves

· Luke 4:16-21

¨ A. The Gospel (good news)

¨ B. It is fulfilled today in Himself

· John 3:3-8

¨ A. Salvation (New Birth)

¨ B. It is God’s act in the believers’ life

Ø Organic Forms

§ H. Grady Davis describes fie organic forms that a sermon idea may take

· Having an “organic form” means that the form of the original thought

largely determine the structure of the sermon

· Sermons don’t have all the same organizational structure

· KEY POINT: THE FORM DOES’T PRODUECE THE SUSSTANCE

OF THE SERMON; THE SUBSTANCE TAKES ON THE APPOROPIATE

FORM

Ø (1.) A Subject Discussed

§ A germinal idea may take the form of a subject to be discussed – an

incomplete thought which the sermon must complete

§ The idea from which the sermon expand is a noun subject with no

predicate



§ A noun subject requires that the sermon take the form of distributed

predication, a number of things said about the subject, but no one complete

thought uttered

§ A sermon in this form can be preached for any purpose: The proclamation of the gospel, teaching, exhortation, denouncing, praising, or

merely entertaining

· Ex. The Character of Christ (Phil. 2:5-11, John 13:1-20. 1 Cor. 13:4-9

Ø (2.) A Thesis Supported

§ A sermon idea may take the form of a proposition to be proved, thesis

to be supported. An argument

§ The proposition for which the sermon expands is a complete idea,

having both subject and predicate

§ The sermon is designed to support the thesis with evidence and

reasoning

§ The immediate aim of this form is to convince the listener that the

thesis is true

· Example

¨ Saved in Him (Romans 1:16 cf. 3:21-26)

Ø Thesis: “Believers are saved through the righteousness of God in Christ ”

Ø (3.) A Message Illuminated

§ A sermon idea may take the form of a message to be illuminated. A

single complete idea is expanded. An assertion is prepared and affirmed

§ The difference between this form and “A Thesis Supported” is that it

simply sat what is has to say and doesn’t pose it as an issue of debate. The



assertion is presented as fact, a message that needs only to be delivered and

elaborated

§ The assertion maters not in whether the assertion is true, but in other

functional questions: What does it mean? What difference does it make? Whatare the consequences?

§ Form for initiator

§ The sermon will be structured to announce the message, to throw light

in it meaning, and to show it’s consequence to the people who hear the sermon

· Example The Lord is my Shepherd (Ps. 23:6)

¨ Answers functional: What difference does the care of God make?

¨ Message: The Lord’s care is sufficient

¨ If Sheep could talk

Ø (4.) A Questioned Propounded (pondered)

§ A Sermon idea may take the form of a question to be investigated, not

an assertion, but an inquiry

§ It’s method is to ask, not to tell

· The main feature is inquiry by the preacher on behalf of both his people

and himself, concerning a question for which there is no pat answer (The

question is not just an excuse for telling the answer: It is not a rhetorical device

· The preacher may not be able to answer the questions in full, but he may

answer in part, point to where the answer lies, or answer for himself and leave

his listeners to do the same. Or he may not be able to answer at all, only ask



§ The sermon should expand and illuminate the question, show clearly

what is the issue, show what direction the answer lies, if it can, and move

toward the answer as far as possible

· Example

¨ Question “Is there justice before God Jer 12:5

¨ What do the righteous suffer Job 1:11

v 11/19/02

Ø (5.) A Story Told

§ A sermon idea may have the form of a narrative of events, persons,

actions and words

§ A distinguishing feature of this is that the idea is embodied in a

structure of events and persons, rather than in a verbal generalization, whether

assertion or questions

· Note: The ideas of the gospel are mainly n the form of a “story told”

§ This form doesn’t consist of mere sketches or illustrations. The whole

narrative is the structure of an idea . The detailed actions and words are the

means of communicating the thought

§ The story conveys meaning indirectly; through it’s characters, their

conversation and interaction. It speaks by suggestion rather than in direct and

explicit statement

· If the preacher overloads the story with assertion and explanation he

risks destroying the inherent force of the narrative

Ø A story is a story and should make its point as a story



· For the most part, listeners must draw their own conclusions and make

their own application

¨ Ex. Anointed by a Sinner (Luke 7:36-50)


Ø Sermonic Form

Ø Narrative Form

§ Preaching is Story

· Scripture has a story line

¨ Narrative preaching has an unusual power because in Scripture, “God wit

us” has a story line. God is revealed in story: the story of God’s interaction with

the human family

Ø E.G., Life of Abraham “stories” redemption

§ God revealing Himself through His relationship with a person and his

descendants

· Story Confer Identity

¨ Self-consciousness is story related, we think of ourselves and our history

as a family story. Narrative preaching has a power to alter identity by prefacing

our personal story in the larger context of God’s story. God’s story changes

identity by giving us a new beginning, prior to our natural conception of our

parents, and by visioning an ultimate ending in the outcome of God’s story with

us.

Ø “For God’s story with us will end in a world reconciliation…then all of

our stories must be revised”

· Dramatic Story Has plot



¨ Boy Meets Girl Situation

¨ Boy loses girl Complication

¨ Boy gets girl back Resolution

Or

¨ Paradise Given Situation

¨ Paradise Lost Complication

¨ Paradise Restored Restoration

Ø Crum Narrative Method

§ Purpose

· 1.) To focus initial attention in the Bible

· 2.) To focus corollary attention on the believer’s life both in terms of

symptomatic behavior and roots of behavior

¨ The application of the meaning to the listener is indirect and therefore

effective as suggestion

Ø What a person tells themselves when they hear a story

· 3.) To order thinking after the design of a story that can be told with

feeling, that is, experience by the listener

¨ Breaks down defenses that are inherent in the listener

§ Key Concept: Effecting Human Behavior

· Moralistic Preaching: tells people what they ought and ought not do



· Idealistic Preaching: Focusing on ideals that if people followed would

make them happier

BUT

· Moralistic and idealistic preaching re ineffective because they address

only symptoms of behavior, not root causes

¨ Root causes: Beliefs, perceptions, values, emotions, motives, etc (Cf.

Luke 6:43-45, Romans 11:16 E.G Matthew 25:24-25).

§ Three Movement of the Narrative Sermon

· 1.) Verbal Content -words an images that help listeners “see” what is

being said. Must be grounded in Scripture

· 2.) Structure- Movement of the story from fallen humanity to redeemed

humanity: from sin to faith, from darkness to light. From kata sarka to kata

pneuma

· 3.) Dynamic Factor that facilitate the movement

Ø Symptomatic behavior- concrete example of sin

Ø Root of behavior- underlying cause (inner person)

Ø Resulting consequence- God’s wrath

Ø Gospel content- redeeming act of Jesus Christ

Ø New result- New behavior based on a new faith perception

§ Narrative Preaching

§



Introduction Situation Complication Resolution Conclusion

Description “Cause” Gospel Content

Symptomatic Root New

Behavior of Behavior

Behavior

Resulting New

Consequence Result

v 11/21/02




v Narrative Preaching

Ø Example Matthew 8:23-27

Recognition · Crum Method

I know this

situation/person

Situation Description of a

human setting

Tells story with

realistic manner

with detail (seen in

exegesis)

Symptomatic

behavior is revealed

Behavior of

characters that

everyone hearing can

relate to

The behavior that

highlights itself in

the story

That’s my

problem too

I would like to

be different

Complication Story develop to the

point where a

problem arises that

creates a crisis in the

story

Mathew (Sudden

Storm)

Root of behavior

(self-reliance) leads

to recognition

↓

Consequence of

behavior (threat of

death)

Thank God for

Jesus

Resolution Point of story where

Jesus intervenes and

takes over situation

Gospel content

↓

New Behavior/Result

· · · ·



Four Step Process to Narrative Preaching

1) Introduction-attempt to depict some relevant them in your sermon to set

the hearers attention

A. Attention step

Focus

Begin introduction with illustration

· Apt illustration that is relevant to the sermon

C. Read you test in a thoughtful manner to allow your Scripture to set thetone

2) Exegetical Narration 1 st. Horizon

A. Develop story

§ Bring story to life

§ Immerse hearer in story so their sense of self is lost and they can pace

themselves in the story

B. Relating the story is it is from Scripture

§ Adding details that you have gleaned



§ Using historical and contextual information that you have gathered from

your research

C. Emphasizing details that have significance for your story

§ Use descriptive language

D. Carry story to point of crisis for the characters

§ Where a need of solution arises

E. Break from narrative and use analysis and explanation

3) Principle Development- develop crisis

A. Use research and analysis to reveal root behavior

B. Explore behavior and see what caused the behavior

C. Break in narrative to do analysis

§ Transition (then → now)

D. Illustrate principle that you are talking about

E. Show that the story is about you and them

F. Introduce resolution phase

§ Return to the story narrative how the problem was resolved in the then

· Show resolution in the original setting

G. Analogy of resolution

§ Christocentic imperative

· Deals with root of behavior



4) Decision

A. Recapitulation, using other language, your main point

B. Personalize listener’s need for Christ

C. Directing appeal to listeners to make a decision for Christ

D. Close with illustration with God’s solution in Christ

preaching 2

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