IT WAS said earlier that a textual sermon must have a theme, the amplification of the theme, and the application of the theme. So far, quite a bit has been said about the theme and its amplification, but nothing as to its application. This must not be overlooked, however, because it is in the application of the theme that the sermon finds its relevance. When a person can say after hearing a sermon, "So what?" the sermon has lost its soul.
Some have said, however, that the matter of relevance and application in the sermon, particularly a textual sermon, is no concern of the preacher because the Word of Cod is always relevant. The Word of God is always relevant, but that is not the question. The question is, do people hear the Word of God simply because they hear the Bible read or because they hear a preacher expound upon it? Not necessarily. But, someone says, is it not God's business to make the Word relevant through His Spirit? Of course it is. But we certainly wouldn't en courage a preacher to read a portion of the Bible, comment upon it, and then say to the audience, "I don't know whether that meant anything to you or not, whether it applies to your life or not, but you are free to draw your own conclusions, since the Holy Spirit will see to it that you get some thing out of it."
There are several ways of applying the theme:
1. It may be obvious in the amplification of the theme. There are sermons in which there is no question as to the relevance of the theme. The preacher knows this and the hearers know it. But the important point here is that nothing be taken for granted. Are you sure the application is obvious? The consequences that fol low if the situation should be judged wrongly ought to haunt the preacher. It is better not to insult the intelligence of the audience by pointing out the obvious, but there are times when it is better to risk such insult in an explicit statement of application than to take too much for granted.
2. The application of the theme may be explicitly stated in the amplification of the theme.
3. The preacher may show at the close of each division of the sermon, or at other appropriate points in its development, just how the message is to be applied to the hearers. Sometimes an illustration from contemporary circumstances will make the application obvious.
4. The preacher may show how the theme and its amplification apply to the hearers at the close of the sermon as a part of the conclusion. Many a good sermon has been drawn to a close by the question, "Now what does all of this have to do with us?" What fol lows not only concludes the sermon but applies the message to the audience in a pointed, unambiguous way.
Every good sermon will be characterized by relevance the voice of Nathan the prophet, whether in praise or blame, will be heard saying, "Thou art the man." But here there is need of caution. The pulpit should not be made a whip ping post. There are times when the preacher must "cry aloud, spare not, . . . and shew my [God's] people their transgressions," but it must always be done with kindness and love. Along with rebuke there must be encouragement and hope. After all, the gospel is good news.
Inasmuch as the conclusion to the sermon has been mentioned, perhaps a word or two about introductions and conclusions in general is in order. Traditionally it has been said that every dis course should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. It has also been said that when you get up to speak you should "tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you have told them." As "old hat" as these cliches may be, they speak important truth. How a discourse begins and ends has much to do with its excellence and effectiveness.
With respect to both the introduction and the conclusion, I have always been inclined more toward utility rather than formality. Some subjects require a longer more detailed introduction than others. Some do well with a very brief beginning, almost a direct, "This is what I am going to talk about," approach. In fact, many textual sermons can begin with, "Our text for consideration this morning is . . ." Some writers on the subject of sermon preparation suggest that the introduction should fit the sermon as a porch fits the house. A veranda would look silly on a single story ranch-style home, even as a two-step stoop would look ridiculous on a large colonial-type mansion.
There are times when a human interest story is needed to introduce the sermon, but this will not always be the case. Often a sermon can best begin with a question or a series of questions that turn the interest of the audience to the theme of the sermon. Two key words having to do with the introduction are attention and interest. But it should attract attention and gain the interest of the audience in the subject. The best conclusion often is what is known as recapitulation of the sermon. This is simply a repeating of the major points or divisions of the theme. Often a repeating or rereading of the text will provide an effective close for the sermon. It is a mark of a good sermon when you can end where you began in the full knowledge that you have really been somewhere.
