Relevance

I’ll take another couple of posts to focus on introductions and conclusions, but first, it’s time to focus on support material. Robinson calls this stage “fleshing out the skeleton.” You know why you are preaching (stage 5), what your main idea is (stage 6) and what your strategy or structure is (stage 7). Then it is time to carefully plan where to add support material. Where do people need clarification on your explanation? Where might your message be improved by touching down in today’s world? It is important to include illustrative material so that the message does not degenerate into a poor lecture. But merely sprinkling illustrations is not a wise approach. Illustrations, or as I prefer to call them, support material or applications (note correction here), should be planned carefully and evaluated to the same extent as every other element in the message. If they do not support the main idea and help the message to progress, then cut and find a better alternative. Remember, the best illustrations come not from obscure anecdotes or historical mythology, but from the everyday experience of your listeners, so learn to be an observer of normal life – this will help you to touch down in their world as much as possible in your preaching.

Previously – It is critical to remember that illustrations are servants, not masters in the sermon. Try to make your illustrations relevant, and banish boredom from your preaching. There can be great variety in your illustrating (see also part 2), and often you can find illustration images right in the text. The keys to effective illustration use include concrete language and taking enough time (see here too). One option that may need too much time is the use of movie clips (see also part 2). It is important to be pastorally careful (part 2). Don’t forget the power of humor, make your sermon sizzle and maybe even illustrate without illustrations.

Many great sermons turn out to be good sermons. Sermons looking set to be good often end up average. How is it that the last few minutes of a sermon can change it from powerful to pleasant? One key element is the final descent of the preacher down the ladder of abstraction.

The text must be understood in its original setting for the detail to make sense. Then the process of theological abstraction moves the preacher toward relevance for the contemporary listeners. But this is not enough. It is easy to stop at this stage of the process, and a natural place to let off the preparation pressure (after all, surely listeners can take the abstract and apply it specifically in their own situation?) Actually no, listeners do not generally apply abstracts to their own lives. Don’t stop with “trust God!” or “love God more!” or “love one another!” or “be faithful in your relationships!” These are all abstracts.

To really cement the message as a great, not for the sake of your reputation, but for the sake of lives changed to the glory of God, push through for specific application. This means re-contextualizing the application for the sake of your listeners. What will it look like to trust God for some of them this week? How would greater love for God show up in their daily lives? What specifically might one do to demonstrate genuine love for another believer in the church this week? Where is faithfulness tested and proven day by day?

Don’t finish a great message in mid-air and thereby transform the great into the good. Be sure to earth the message through specifics, stepping down the ladder of abstraction so that the rubber can meet the road of real life. Listeners generally struggle to take hold of an abstract and apply it specifically, but they are very adept at hearing a specific that fits the life of another in the same pew, and translating that specific into a specific that relates to their version of real life. The Bible is relevant, just be sure to demonstrate that reality for some of your listeners. The rest will gladly translate for themselves!