Don’t know how many times I find myself getting closer to Sunday with too much information, and a debate rages in my mind as to which parts are most important to the overall idea.

I’m still learning much, but I see so many teachers and preachers unloading tons of information, leaving the listeners with overload and perhaps misunderstanding of the point.

Two questions I like to ask: 1) What’s the point? 2) So what?
My hope is that people leave the sanctuary with a clear answer to both questions, because I am assuming that is what they are asking, whether they know it or not.

Great Post!

There are times when I wish a sermon (or series) could have “Bonus Features” with some of the stuff that didn’t make it to the pulpit.

Some of it’s really good, but you can’t say all you want about a subject and I’m thinking it takes years of experience to begin to perfect what goes and what stays.

I know I’m not quite there yet.

I agree. Exegesis and homiletics are not just adding but taking away.

You made me think of a sculptor: He mines for that perfect rock (our perspective of the passage), he chips away at it from every angle (exegetical outline), he polishes it (homiletic outline), he wants to present it well (pulpit outline), and finally, a sculptor wants to position the piece in a prominent place for all to enjoy. Light and vantage point for onlookers need to be optimized (application/illustration/presentation). Different from a rock sculpture, the process of sermon preparation is less static and more fluid. He chips for the eye, we chip for the ear.
chip.