Ch. 9 – Expository Preaching
“There are two methods of preaching which are far as the poles asunder, the topical and the expository. In the former [topical preaching] the preacher selects as his theme some subject in theology or philosophy, or some topic suggested by the current life and table talk of the day, makes his address, and then looks into his Bible or concordance for an appropriate motto-text, more or less suitable, but there is perhaps the smallest possible connection between the discourse and the text. In the latter [expository preaching] the preacher prayerfully selects some extended tract of Scripture on which he proposes to concentrate himself for a considerable term of services; carefully breaks it up into paragraphs, each of which will probably yield him at least one sermon; studies the whole to get the general tenor, and then concentrates himself on each separate part, with the result that his soul is dyed with the message that burdened the prophet or evangelist who spoke, centuries ago, in the power of the Holy Spirit. The former method needs a much cleverer man; the latter will enable a man of very moderate abilities to fulfill a long and useful pastorate which will make his people Bible students, acquainted with the whole range of Scripture truth, and less liable than most to be swept away by every wind of doctrine and sleight of cunning craftiness.” P. 62
Three advantages of expository preaching:
“First. Your people will be kept in constant contact with the Word of the living God.
Second. They will be interested to come again and again to pursue the line of teaching…as people will buy the magazine in which the serial story ends with the words, To be continued in our next.
Third. You will be led to consider passages of the Word of God which your own temperament or habit of thought might lead you to avoid, and which might seem so pertinent to the case of people in your audience that you might be accused of being too personal.” P. 65
Giving sources of your study:
“Let me give one caution. Though you shall carefully study every authority in your reach, and especially the original Hebrew or Greek, it is not wise to needlessly obstrude the names of your authorities. Give your people the results, and do not worry them with the process. It is enough for the bees to give us honey; you know in a moment if the amalgam is right. It is not necessary for our tiny purveryors to tell us how far they flew….” P. 66
[We might add that it is always good to give credit for direct quotes from other authors.]
Ch. 10 - A Great Sermon
“Few things are more helpful to a young preacher than to take up the masterpieces of pulpit eloquence…to analyse them, and try and discover their salient characteristics.” P. 67
“I would specially urge young preachers to fill their sermons with the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit.” P. 69
“You may be sure that, since all Scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction, the more there is of it in your sermons the better.” P. 69
“And you may be sure that he will be the successful preacher, whether to children or adults, who can enchain their interest, and lead from the familiar to the less familiar, and from the seen to the unseen.” P. 70
Ch. 14 – The Use of Illustrations
“Other things being equal, the preacher who uses illustrations will be surest of an audience and of the intelligent appreciation of his hearers; for the effort to employ them indicates a desire on his part to accommodate himself to the capacity of the people, and to translate divine truth into human experience and life.” P. 89
“No man ever spake as our Lord did, because none has been so prolific as He in the use of illustrations.” P. 89
“And a careful study of His method would greatly enrich and enhance our power of presenting truth to the minds of men.” P. 89
“The object in using illustrations is to bring the unseen and eternal within the range of ordinary minds, and to express the things of the spiritual world in the language of the senses and the soul.” P. 93
“Illustrations should follow, and not precede, the thoughtful presentation of truth. If we always hasten to present a striking illustration to our hearers, we shall do them the permanent injury of weakening their powers of reasoning and apprehension. Our people should be trained to think, to base their beliefs on scriptural authority, to apprehend statements of truth in their unadorned beauty and simplicity. But when this has been done, it is highly beneficial to employ illustrations to confirm and clinch the impression, to elucidate it for those to whom it may not be quite clear, and to call in the aid of the imagination to assist the memory in her office.” P. 95
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