Last month we considered the factors involved in the preparation of sermons, and noted that there are five parts to the sermon outline. We come now to the consideration of the sermon outline.
I. Introduction.—Don't apologize. An apology is weakness on parade. A good introduction should be short and direct. One illustration or observation, appropriate to the occasion, will sometimes serve tei get the attention of the audience.
2. Explanation.—Explain your theme to your audience. Suppose my subject were, "Why I Am a Seventh-day Adventist." To get the interest of my hearers I might say: "Once when I was walking down the street of a small town I heard some boys shout, 'There goes an Advent !' Now an advent is a coming, and one who believes in the coming of Jesus is an Adventist rather than an advent.
3. Exposition or Proof.—The exposition includes proof texts, materials, and evidence, and the points one makes in the substance of the sermon. From the Bible, history, biography, latest scientific discoveries, well-chosen quotations, newspaper and magazine clippings, good illustrations, etc., we find the material for the exposition of the lecture.
In regard to anecdotes and illustrations, an anecdote should never be told for its own sake. Its application to the point at hand must be instantly evident. It is a skylight, not a foundation stone. Illustration is the oldest form of narrative. All the world loves a good story. Anything from human experience, and especially incidents from one's own childhood and adulthood, will hold attention. Incidents in the lives of one's friends and striking illustrations from the daily paper will also hold interest. Good illustrations are as varied as the truths they embellish. A wise preacher will constantly seek appropriate stories which he will use to feather the arrows of truth that he sends home to his audience. Dwight L. Moody captured his audience by choice illustrations. Abstract thought is made clear by the use of illustrations, blackboards, charts, slides, etc.
A. famous doctor told me that the appetites of sickly people are often improved by a frequent change of the ware on which their food is served. The new ware gives a certain appeal to the accustomed food. A new way of stating a fact awakens zest and interest, but hackneyed phrases leave one's hearers listless. Try to use freshness in expressing your thought. A man, in telling how rich Solomon was, once caught my attention when he said, "Solomon was so rich he could have hired Henry Ford for his chauffeur or John D. Rockefeller to mow his lawn." It is not necessary, however, to go so far as did the young preacher who changed the expression "from the cradle to the grave," to "from the bassinet to the sepulcher."
Psychologists tell us that only io per cent of an average audience will respond to an appeal to pure reason, and 70 per cent to an inspirational appeal, but over go per cent will instantly respond to humor. Through humor, Lincoln won the nation and endured the dark hours of the rebellion. It is difficult to be a winning speaker without a sense of humor. A good rule is: "Never laughter for laughter's sake, but a little humor now and then for the gospel's sake."
It is a false notion that frowns are more religious than laughter.. The old idea that Jesus was often seen to weep but never to laugh has been proved spurious. Concerning the religion of Christ I read from "Steps to Christ": "The religion of Jesus . . . does not quench the light of joy; it does not restrain cheerfulness, nor cloud the sunny, smiling face."—Page 126. A bit of humor or a flash of satire, sparingly used, has universal appeal. Bible speakers used humor effectively. Elijah suggested to the prophets of Baal that they shout louder, for perhaps Baal was asleep, or perhaps he was out on a hunting trip. I can see the twinkle in his eye, can't you?
Mrs. White was not morbid and sad, as often pictured. Once she was addressing a parents' meeting at a Michigan campground, and began speaking of her two sons, Willie and James Edson. She told how she found it necessary to correct certain tendencies in the boys. "You see," said she, "they take after their father." A big smile lightened her countenance as her gaze met that of her husband, who was seated on the rostrum, and a bit of merriment rippled through the audience.
Let the sparks that fly from your anvil light and glow with fire. If the pulpit is on fire, the people will be there to see it burn. Let us be possessed of the spirit of a crusade. An audience will be impressed by the preacher who is tremendously in earnest. Nothing but fire kindles fire. The man who believes what he preaches will compel others to believe that he believes what he proclaims.
I remember the first time I ever preached. It was at Matt J. Allen's Orange Hall meeting in Toronto. He had asked me to prepare and deliver a sermon, and criticized my technique thus: "Howard, don't•be an icicle. Get some fire in you. Go after your audience and get the people. Preach as if life and death depended on what you said, or you'll never be a success in this preaching business."
Speaking a little louder than will fill the room wins the gratitude of your hearers. But a foghorn is monotonous, so change the pitch of your voice. No two bullfrogs croak in the same key, and no two sets of human vocal chords vibrate on the same level. All speech should be in the key of "B natural." This advice is good: "Begin low, go slow, rise higher, take fire, wax warm, sit down in a storm."
Two disappointed women, leaving a hall in which one of our evangelists had spoken, said, "We came to hear the Bible, and he didn't use the Bible. It wasn't a Bible lecture at all." The use of the Bible is essential and should naturally be made prominent and all-important in our sermons. We should live and preach in the atmosphere of the Holy Scriptures. If we would be mighty preachers, we must be mighty in the Scriptures. If the Scriptures are to be impressed upon the people, we must read the texts to them. A forceful way is to say, "I will read the exact words, so as not to make a mistake." In order to see what the people desired in this matter, I took a census, and they overwhelmingly voted for reading the texts, in preference to repeating them from memory. When talking with their friends, people say, "You should have heard that man. He knows his Bible. He reads it right out of the Bible. That is what the Bible says; so how are you going to get around it?" Let us use our Bibles in our preaching.
1. Conclusion.—Know where you are going, and when to stop. A brief sermon will be more easily remembered both by the speaker and by the hearer. Have a definite stopping place. Don't wear out the saints of the Most High by preaching on for another twenty minutes after reading, a closing text. After a sermon of thirty-five 'to forty-five minutes, further talk is like pouring water into a tumbler when it is already full. M. N. Campbell taught us a good formula at Oshawa once: "Fill up. Get up. Speak up. Shut up."
2. Summary.—It is well to sum up briefly the points that have been proved. One or two concise, well-worded summation sentences will fix the exposition in the minds of the hearers.
3. Appeal.—Our sermons must bring people to a decision. To win souls and bring men's lives into harmony with God's commandments is the only object of our evangelistic discourses. It is profitable to invite the members of a congregation to indicate their decision by uplifted hand, by signing a card, by standing, or by signing the covenant to keep the commandments of God.
After all, is there anything in all the world to compare with the results of preaching, the satisfaction found in building up ,men and women in the most holy faith'? There is no higher calling than that of the gospel minister. "God had only one Son, and He made Him a minister." The call of the present hour is for better preaching. No amount of time, strength, thought, or effort can be too much to devote to this, our prime duty.
