Stage 2 – Passage Study

It’s Hard Enough Already

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Some readers preach every week, perhaps multiple times each week.  Others only preach periodically.  Perhaps this post is more for the less frequent preachers, but it could apply to all.  Simple idea today – when you have the choice of what to preach, don’t make it more complicated than necessary.  There’s always a lot to think about when you preach – the text, the congregation, your own life and circumstances.  Then there are all the aspects of effective communication, all prayerfully reliant on the Lord throughout the process.  Preaching is hard enough already, don’t make it harder:

Don’t go for an obscure text unnecessarily.  If you’re preaching through a book, then you probably need to deal with the difficult texts – it’s healthy for you and the church.  But if you have the choice, especially for a one-off message, don’t be afraid to use a familiar text.  By familiar I mean familiar to the listeners.  It may be familiar to you, but I would suggest you still need to study and immerse yourself in the text, even if you think you know it.  But don’t worry about listeners yawning and saying to themselves, “Oh here we go again, the same old text.”  Chances are they haven’t heard it that recently, and perhaps they need it again anyway!

Don’t go for multiple texts unnecessarily.  It may be tempting to combine several texts to construct the message.  There are reasons to preach with a combination of texts (see recent posts on “low fence” for more on this).  However, a lot of the time I would ask if it is worth the extra work?  Either you skim the preparation and present the texts superficially, or you diligently study each text in context and multiply your work by many hours.

If you have the opportunity to deliver a stand alone sermon, select your text wisely.  Don’t add unnecessary work, either in difficulty of text, or number of texts.   Don’t bite off more than you can chew, preaching is hard enough already!

Written Text: More Than Words

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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?”

Check the AA Map On the Bridge

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In the UK one of the companies concerned with caring for stranded motorists is the AA (the Automobile Association). This is essentially similar to the AAA in the US (and I should mention the RAC over here, who I used to work for and remain loyal to!) So the AA produce road maps to help you know where you’re going. Here’s an important tip – when you’re on the bridge, check the AA map.

Preaching, as John Stott taught, is about building a bridge between the world of the Bible text and the world of your congregation. If you look at the 8-stage approach we advocate on this site, you’ll see two parts to the bridge. The first part of the bridge-building is all about the biblical passage. You select the passage(s), study it, discern its original purpose and formulate the idea in it. That puts you 4-stages through the process. You’re half-way. Now check the AA map.

I don’t mean the Automobile Association. I mean your Audience Analysis. This is important because the last four stages are all concerned with effective and relevant communication of the passage(s) to your congregation. The message purpose, idea, outline and details all need to take into account who you are preaching to. So when you’re halfway across, when you’re in the middle of the bridge, check the Audience Analysis map and make sure you know where you’re going!

The Elements of Expository Preaching

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The study of expository preaching can be a lifelong journey. For many of us it should be a lifelong journey. And the complexity of this ministry allows for a lifetime of learning. Consider the complexities of biblical interpretation and the diversity of biblical genre and form. Think about the continual changes in society, not to mention the ever developing experiences and needs of each individual listener. Ponder the numerous variables in effective oral communication, seemingly increasing all the time as advances are made in the fields of communication, rhetoric, education and homiletics. It is clear that there is plenty for us to keep studying and stretching ourselves as preachers: from applied linguistics in discourse analysis to the epistemological paradigms of postmodernity. From family systems dynamics to unintentional perlocutions in the preaching event. There’s plenty to learn for all of us.

But let’s not get caught in a fog of confusion here. The core issues are still the core issues. Preaching must always be concerned with the specific meaning of the biblical author and with the relevant and effective communication of that meaning to contemporary listeners. Preaching remains a spiritual endeavor very much concerned with the work of the Trinitarian God in you and through you. Excellence in Bible study, effectiveness in communication, relevance in presentation, and all of the above in a close reliance on the Spirit of God through prayer. Boil expository preaching down to its elements, and it is not much more than this: God, you, them & Bible study, communication and relevance.

Take stock of the basic elements – where should your learning and passion for growth be focused at this point in the process?

Carefully Communicate Compelling Characters

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As preachers we always run the risk of preaching in black and white. We read a biblical text, compile the facts and preach them. Biblical writers wrote in a time where detail concerning characters in the narrative was sparse to say the least. We don’t read physical descriptions very often, other details are usually lacking and a character’s character is often only hinted at. Yet today we preach in a world where character detail and description are much more prominent (in advertising images, commercials, dramas, movies, etc.)

Warning! – The danger here is that we preach from the biblical lack of detail in a manner that resembles an abstract or colorless lecture. We can easily preach messages that people don’t relate to, can’t connect with and probably won’t be touched by.

Possibility! – The text often does give us more than we may at first notice. So with a little extra work and care, perhaps we can preach narrative texts in a more compelling and gripping way.

Definitely! – First we must be sure to make the most of whatever the text does give us. Don’t skim over a physical description, or the meaning of a name, or dialogue from their lips, or any other statement regarding the person.

Carefully! – Typically the text will not give enough information to build a full profile of a character. But carefully proceed to build more of a profile if you can. Consider all pertinent biblical, historical and cultural information. In areas where there is no possible certainty, perhaps suggest possibility without being definite. “Perhaps he felt . . . or was . . . or wanted . . .”

Remember that your goal is to preach the idea of the text with relevance to your listeners. Don’t get sidetracked into endless character profiling like an obsessive detective in a crime drama. Of course, facts are critically important. However, remember that lectures can be boring, but characters in dramas are compelling.

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Mapping Your Thought

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Some people think in a very linear and text-oriented way.  Others don’t.  I find the use of mind maps or concept maps to be helpful in my Bible study.  Somewhere between analysis of details and synthesis of discourse using a conventional outline, I often find myself doodling a map or diagram on paper.  For instance, when trying to define the relationships between the major themes in Hebrews, I started to map out my thoughts.  Suddenly I have a piece of paper with major and minor themes, circles, linking lines, arrows and so on.  I wouldn’t show this paper to my congregation, but it helps me process the mass of information into a more coherent and dynamic understanding of what is there.

Typically I will take appropriate elements of that thought and convert back to an outline form (and if possible, a full manuscript), but there are also possibilities in respect to replacing outlines and notes with sermon maps.  Perhaps I’ll address that another day.  At this stage I am merely suggesting that some may be helped by free doodling of the themes, ideas, flow and theology of a book or section of book during stage 2 – passage study.

There are software tools available, some free to download.  I haven’t explored those possibilities yet, but if you know of one that is easy to learn and use, let us know about it!

Happy New Year! Resolution Anyone?

/ Peter Mead / 3 Comments

To be honest I am not a huge advocate of resolutions.  But this year I have been inspired.  I have one that is very fresh in my thinking right now.  Of course, as preachers, there are many possible resolutions.

Do You Have One?  Perhaps to pray more specifically and fervently, to apply more directly, to call for response more overtly, to preach from a book you’ve never touched before, to continue to develop by reading a preaching book, or maybe one each quarter, to attend a conference or training event for further equipping, to take a formal class or distance learning course, to get specific feedback or pre-sermon input every other month, to begin the process of mentoring another preacher during the year, to get more involved in your church small group program so as to get to know your people more fully, to read through the Bible in English once, twice, more, to read the New Testament through in Greek, to approach someone and request their input as a mentor, to preach first person properly for the first time, to preach from a difficult genre, to refresh or stretch yourself in exegetical skills, theology or some other area of “divinity” studies.  Do you have one?  Maybe one of these, or maybe another of your own, feel free to share a comment as it may motivate others to follow your lead.

Here’s Mine!  All of the above are good ideas.  But the one that is really burning in me at the moment is not new to me.  It’s not about turning over a new leaf.  It’s about continuing to do what I always try to do, but with even more conviction.  Brief story:  The other day I finished preparation for my Sunday evening sermon on Hebrews 13:20-21.  I had some spare time and was curious what other preachers have done with the text since it is not a typical epistle paragraph.  So I did a search and a quick skim through about ten sermons on the text.  I entered the process with a small amount of interest, I finished with a large amount of concern.  Some of the sermons had good content, very orthodox, theologically solid, but why was it that none of the examples I looked at seemed to be trying to preach what the author intended?  Why did they feel like Bible truths strung together by passing reference to these two verses, rather than actually preaching the intended truth of these verses?

My resolution for 2008 is to strive always, passionately and prayerfully, to actually preach the text I claim to be preaching.  You?

A Low Fence

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

When you have a single text for a sermon, you also need a fence.  The fence is there to keep you from wandering too far away from your focus.  

Erect a fence for the passage – last night my preaching text was Hebrews 13:20-21, the final benediction.  I erected a fence around the book of Hebrews.  That fence meant that I kept my study in Hebrews and my presentation in Hebrews.  

Study inside the fence – So what did the writer mean by the reference to “Shepherd,” “the will of God,” and “pleasing”?  While naturally my mind might jump to Psalm 23, John 10 and other passages all over the canon, I tried to stay within the fence.  The best evidence of authorial intent would be found in Hebrews.  By staying there I discovered the unity of 13:1-21 as a follow-on to 12:28, which shed light on “pleasing.”  By staying there I discovered the unity of the final section with parallels to the end of chapter 10, which shed light on “the will of God.”  Staying within the fence kept the focus for study.

Preach inside the fence – It is always tempting to present the sermon in the terms you prefer.  I tried to preach in Hebrews terminology.  Instead of talking about our “vertical spirituality” as loving God (as I would by default, very Johannine), I instead spoke of worshipping God – very Hebrews.  References to a pilgrimage of faith, toward a heavenly city, not shrinking back, shame, the joy set before, Jesus’ being led up from the dead, and so on.  All terminology appropriate for a sermon on Hebrews.  I also tried to refer to the writer as the preacher to the Hebrews rather than the standard writer to the Hebrews.

You only need a low fence – I am not suggesting that you study or preach a book in complete isolation from the other inspired texts.  I am suggesting you honor the author of the book in both your study and presentation.  So to understand “Shepherd” I had to be aware of at least Isaiah 63:11 in the LXX, although the addition of “Great” is very much a Hebrews idea.  And to see that God is pleased with the two-part sacrifice of vertical and horizontal spirituality naturally sets up a brief comment about the greatest commandment(s), John’s first epistle, etc.  The fence does not preclude very helpful study in Old Testament quotes and allusions, nor the opportunity to point out the consistency of idea across New Testament books.  The low fence is there to honor the author, thereby helping you study better, and present more faithfully.

Thriving in the People / Passage Tension

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Phillip Brooks said something along these lines: He never went to his study and looked in the Bible that he didn’t see his people’s faces running across his study. When he went out to meet his people, his study would beckon and he would see the Bible.

This tension is not a reason for frustration. When studying a passage, pause and consider who would be directly helped by it. Take a moment to pray for them. Then get back to study. When meeting people, perhaps on a Sunday at church, do the reverse. Between conversations consider what passage would help the person you just spoke to, again fire a quick prayer for them. Then press on to the next interaction. In reality every passage holds value for everyone in the church, but allow your mind to make specific connections anyway.

This mental exercise can bear ministerial fruit. With practice you will find yourself more naturally bringing helpful Bible texts into conversations, and more naturally bringing relevance and application into your preaching.

As preachers we live in a tension between people and passages. Embrace the tension and learn to thrive in it.

Review: Preaching the Gospel from the Gospels, by George Beasley-Murray

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beasleygospels.jpg

This book is far more a book on the Gospels than it is on preaching.  It would serve well as a reference tool for the gospels, having an accessible scripture index included.  Yet while not addressing homiletics very much, what it does is share a fundamental conviction that the gospels were written out of preaching, by preachers and are ideally suited to the contemporary preacher wishing to preach the truth of the gospel today.

George Beasley-Murray is a top gospels scholar.  This book was forty years in the writing, beginning as a series of lectures, then published, then revisited and rewritten in light of developments in the field.  Preaching the Gospel from the Gospels is an academic work with a door left open for ease of access for preachers.  While aware of aspects of form criticism, the historical Jesus quest, British and German scholarly traditions, etc. the book does not get weighed down with such matters. 

The book, as you might expect from a series of lectures, consists of five lengthy chapters.  The first chapter focuses on the relationship between preaching and the writing of the Gospels – it is worth the value of the book.  As Martin Dibelius said, “In the beginning was the sermon.” 

Certainly the evangelists were collectors and compilers of known stories, sayings and events of the life of Christ.  However, they were more than that.  Through the process of redaction they were theologians with unique and distinct emphases to bring out regarding the work and mission of Christ.  One great insight from redaction criticism is that of how the gospel was presented to a specific audience.  As we see the evangelists using the history for a specific group of people, there is scope for the modern evangelist to see how the story of the gospel can likewise be used for a different contemporary audience.

The remaining four chapters deal with the life, the miracles, the teaching and the parables of Jesus.  Each writer began conceptually with the resurrection of Christ, then told the story, theologically, according to their specific goals.  The stories from the life of Christ, such as the miracles, are designed with the gospel as central rather than appended.  The teaching and parables are grouped and explained in five categories each.

In conclusion Beasley-Murray finishes with a postscript that affirms Jesus himself to be the parable of God.  As such, the truth of His teaching is ultimately found in His person.  This would be true of the whole book – His parables, but also His miracles, His teaching, His life, His passion.  Jesus is the revelation of God.  In preaching Jesus, the gospel is preached.  I suppose the big message of the book is that you don’t have to hunt through the gospels to find a gospel message.  If the content of the gospels are preached faithfully to their original intent, then the gospel will be preached.