1. Seventh-day Adventists
Rebuilding the Walls:
Rebuilding People;
Restoring Relationships;
Inspiring Excellence.
(Ephesians 4:1-13)
JULY 13
FHM

2. Sun 12 Jan 2014
Introduction
Lecture 11: How to Gather & use Sermon Material
Lecture 12: How to Prepare an Introduction & a Conclusion

3. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Explanation (Cf: Neh. 8:8; 1 Tim. 4:13)
Teaching is not possible without explanation.
Sources of explanation include:
The Bible
Christian literature (commentaries, concordances, dictionaries and Books on Bible subjects)

4. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Argument: “a process by which it is proved, demonstrated, or inferred that a certain proposition is true or false.”

5. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Some of the most practical forms of argument…
Deduction – reasoning from the general to the specific
Induction – reasoning from the specific to the general
Cause to effect (a priori) – reasoning from an original, all-powerful cause
Effects to cause (a posteriori) – reasoning from design in nature
From the lesser to the greater (a fortiori) – Something which is valid in an unlikely situation will be much more valid in a likely situation

6. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Some of the most practical forms of argument…
Analogy – what is true in one realm is probably true in another
Tradition – that there is presumption in favour of established institution, customs, or practice.
Testimony – first hand experiential account from a witness
Experience – an event that is shared by so many as to be a common human phenomenon

7. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Some of the most practical forms of argument…
Authority – has weight when the authorities are accepted by all parties.
Reducto ad absurdum – reducing the opponents argument to absurdity.
Process of elimination – listing all possible alternatives and disposing of them one by one until one is left.

8. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Illustrations: “The windows of the sermon.”
Let needed light into the sermon
Help hearers to see the sermon
Make abstract truth vivid.

9. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Kinds of illustrations…
The One word Illustration, e.g.: salt, light, rock
Analogy - Cf. John
Anecdote – use of a true incident (experienced or reported) as an illustration
The Story – not an actual incident, is fictional, or not sufficiently verified to be told as truth
Poetry

10. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Some Sources of Illustrations…
The Bible
Science
Nature
Fiction
Poetry
History
Current Events
Personal Experience

11. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
Application or Persuasion
Distinguishes a sermon from a talk or a lecture
Seeks not for simple approval, but for action

12. How to Gather and Use Sermon Material
If the sermon has a balance of all four materials, it will…
Instruct the mind
Challenge/Impress the will
Hold the attention
Appeal to/stir the emotions, and
Motivate/move to action,
…provided that it is delivered under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.