Is it not true that good preaching will always happen through the preaching of the Word of God? I do not know what you think about the subject, but I am convinced that if there is an internal change in the people in our churches, this will happen because of the transforming power of the Word of God. After all, our words do not carry power or authority. Only the Word of God can be characterized like this. Then, every message we preach should be carefully stitched together not to proclaim our own message but that of that particular passage.
We are not looking to communicate knowledge, emotions and applications for any subject. Rather, the content of our preaching should revolve around these three elements: the gospel, the Christian and the church. Think of these three elements as the layers of a sphere. Beginning with the center, each layer should be defined and explained before explaining the outermost layer. These three basic elements are necessary for Christians to have a functional Christian worldview and build a natural sequence of learning.
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15.
This was the mission entrusted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ before he ascended to heaven. Here are some aspects that motivate us, as Christians, to serve God; preaching the gospel.
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15.
This was the mission entrusted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ before he ascended to heaven.
We have all been created to serve God. All human beings are born with a destiny and a purpose, understand that our destiny is God regardless of whether we are saved or not, He has to judge us first.
But let's focus on the purpose, that is, our vocation, our mission on earth: "Go around the world and preach the Gospel to all people," or it can simply be: to speak about Christ to the people around us, to our family, friends, colleagues, etc. It seems small or simple to speak of Christ to our relatives or friends, because when we speak of serving God preaching the gospel we tend to imagine great multitudes, and miracles and healings; in short, great things, but we are not able to see that this "small" service has the same impact and / or transcendence as the aforementioned.
Yes, the best inheritance that a father can bequeath to his son is salvation through the gospel; that through that father Jesus touch that son and also be saved. If the father inherits money, it does not remain for a long time in the hands of that child, if they are material goods, or are sold, discarded or simply corroded with the passage of time. But the seed of the gospel and salvation are blessings that never age with the passing of the years and are gifts that transcend the way of living, thinking and acting of entire generations. With this we ensure the future of us, our children, grandchildren, bisinietos, etc ... a future of peace, joy, blessing but above all of communion with God that is what generates the aforementioned.
The Service to God is not only talking in a pulpit in front of hundreds of people, or doing miracles or things that are extraordinary for us, yes, this is also serving God, but the people with whom we share need that same salvation that Jesus Christ gave us, our family and friends, comrades and comrades, This may be for our limited mind is small, but for God this is something big.
Call it the sixth sense, if you want, but it is a fact that every preacher knows when the interaction between his audience and him is correct, and when it is not. However, in the final analysis, no sermon fails at all.
"... so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; He will not return to me empty, but he will do what I want, and he will be prosperous in what I sent him for "-Isaiah 55:11.
However, it seems that a question arises: What caused that wonderful effect at that moment? Thinking a little, the answer is very simple: The sermon is a discourse, a discourse involves the interaction of three factors: A speaker, a message, and an audience. Remove any of these three components, and there is no discourse. The preacher who preaches to himself, is not really preaching even if the meeting place is totally full. A speech has to be addressed to someone. That is why the preparation of the speech, you must start with that idea in mind.
Every preacher has experienced that moment in which he has realized that his sermon has had a good effect. But, no doubt, there are times when you also experience exactly the opposite: your sermon has not had the desired effect. In most cases, failure is due to poor planning. Instead of really having something to say, we simply say anything, and that is where the problem lies. We had the need to preach the word of God, people had the need to hear the word of God, but in the end, neither of the two needs was met. Yes, it is true: we prayed, we even quoted the Scripture, but our efforts were as weak as those of the mighty Samson, short of hair, of sight, and of strength. Apparently it was Lincoln who insinuated that the preacher, when he preaches, must do it as if he were defending himself from a bee attack: with all his energy, with all his interest, one hundred percent concentrated. A man who is being attacked by a swarm would never think to check the clock. However, it seems that in our case, the preacher is being attacked, but by a clock that is hanging on the wall. If our audience is anxious, it is probably because they are impatient for us to finish.
Without a doubt, the audience is the motive and the opportunity of a sermon. A discourse goes beyond propagating information, it goes beyond simply delineating certain facts. For example, a speech on computer engineering would surely not be very effective at a funeral. Or, a defense lawyer speaking in court about how to make a good soup of potatoes, very soon he would find himself in a soup of malpractice. The preacher simply can not ignore the audience and expectations of it. What would you think if you go to a ice cream shop and order a glass of vanilla snow and the waiter serves a fish dish, arguing that he likes smoked salmon more?
In the case of a sermon, things are not different. Consider for a moment the perspective of someone who visits a worship service: He is not a member, and he may know little or nothing of what God expects of him. But he has come before the Lord. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to be careful of what people would think of them if the service is confusing and inappropriate: "Will not they say they are crazy? (1 Cor 14:23) To ignore the visitor is to detract from the Gospel. Andrew Blackwood in one of his many books on how to prepare sermons, suggests four reasons why a person can visit a worship service:
He wants to worship God. He comes seeking forgiveness for living a wrong life.
He needs the warmth of a true friend. He comes because in the life he leads, he no longer finds answers.
It is obvious that any of these four reasons may well be the basis for a sermon, but consider the first: "the visitor wishes to worship God." Of course we could start with any of the four themes and the result of the process would be basically the same.
The idea is that if we start with a theme focused on visitors, the preparation of the sermon should be in accordance with each phase of that preparation focused on the need of our guest. Very similar to what happens when someone visits our home. We do everything possible to show that visitor is welcome: We offer the best chair, "sit here, sit there," we say. We kindly offer you the best piece of meat, and for us a good plate of beans. When we know that visitors are on the way, we strive to be hospitable. We want people to feel welcome. "Come back to visit us when you like." In the church, things are not different. The center of our attention must be that visitor who has come to worship God.
Every conversation, however trivial, must have a sense of interest shared by both parties. In the case of a sermon, the principle is the same. It is therefore the audience, the main reason to think about giving shape to a sermon. If a person comes to worship God, and my discourse is structured on that subject, then we can be sure that the gospel is being preached, and not only that, but it is being heard. There is no doubt that the gospel must be preached, but it must be preached to people.
Begin before beginning the sermon
With what has already been said, the question or the obligatory questions are: How can I prepare a sermon that fills that need? If worshiping God has to be my theme, how can I create a message centered on that theme? How can I help that visitor who has come with the purpose of learning more about the things of God? Actually, basing a sermon on a particular topic is not too difficult, it's all a matter of thinking a little.
No, I am not suggesting that a series of sermons based on a particular theme be preached. We are not talking about the subject or the content. If the soup is terrible, serving more soup to our guests is making things worse. Preaching a series of poorly prepared sermons can hardly be the solution. What is less needed is more sermons.
We are talking about people, how to make up for the need of someone who has come before God to worship. God gives us the opportunity to speak to a person about his soul, but instead, we talk about politics, or about weather conditions, or about whether it is right for the Lord's Supper to be served on Sunday afternoon. Very well we could be talking about cabbages, or kings, or that the sea is so hot that it is about to boil. We are not underestimating other issues. What we are saying is that the message should be appropriate for that person, in the same way that a tailor makes a shirt that suits the person.
Then, then, the first step in the preparation of a sermon is to make sure that we need a topic that is suitable for a particular audience. In our scenario the theme is: Worship God. Our audience is that where there are one or several visitors who have come before the presence of God to worship Him. So we have the size of the shirt, we also have the fabric. The next step is to make the necessary cuts, join them correctly and in that way we can appreciate a consistent finish.
Then, then, the first step in the preparation of a sermon is to make sure that we need a topic that is suitable for a particular audience. In our scenario the theme is: Worship God. Our audience is that where there are one or several visitors who have come before the presence of God to worship Him. So we have the size of the shirt, we also have the fabric. The next step is to make the necessary cuts, join them correctly and in that way we can appreciate a consistent finish.
It is necessary to finish and talk about the importance of finishing, if we do not want to be criticized that we do not know when to finish, or to be verbose, talkative, even tedious. "It's very boring," they might think.