It would seem obvious that a written text, such as the one you will preach next Sunday, is made up of words on the page.  Furthermore, we all know that words on a page convey information.  So our task in preaching must revolve around the relevant explanation, proclamation and application of those words, right?  Right, sort of, but it’s much more than that.  Words on a page are not randomly generated codes from some computer.  They are coherent and purposeful communication.

How is writer communicating with those words? We need to be sensitive to the tone of writing as well as the words written.  Is the writer rebuking or encouraging, defensive or freely celebrating, sarcastic or sombre?  For example, when you consider the cultural context and background issues in Corinth, you might expect a rebuking and attacking tone toward the end of 1Cor.15.  But actually the tone there is careful, then celebratory and genuinely encouraging.  It would be a shame to miss the tone as you study it and then preach rebukingly.

What does the writer intend to occur through that communication? If the writer intends to inform and stir specific application, then it will help us to pick up on that from the text.  For instance, if the tone is encouraging and positive, it would likely be counter-productive to preach a stinging message from the text.

Start with the tone and intent of the writer.  There may well be reason to preach in a different tone or with a different goal.  But first of all see if the writer’s tone and intent fit your situation.  That’s the best place to start.  If you decide to change your tone or intent because of the congregation, great, but let’s be careful not to default to always rebuking, or always guilt-inducing, etc.

As you study your passage for the next sermon, remember to ask yourself, “what was the writer’s tone here?” and “what did he intend to achieve through this text?”