Pseudo-Sermons

There is a dangerous tendency among ministers to use a scriptural reference as a religious setting for their talk and by doing so to feel that they have preached the Word. An occasional text also adds a degree of palatability for the spiritual taste buds of those who still long to taste the Word of God. But are we preaching the Word when we use it only as a springboard for our religious remarks?

The late John Osborn was Ministerial director of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and active in conducting seminars on expository preaching.
Stepping to the pulpit as a visiting preacher, I was faced with an en graved wooden plaque that said "Preach the Word." Later, I discovered the congregational side of the plaque carried the words "Thus saith the Lord." The pulpit side told the preacher what he was expected to do; the opposite side told the congregation what it had a right to expect.

How frequently would you say that preachers fail to preach the Word? How frequently would you say that a congregation is disappointed by not hearing a "Thus saith the Lord"? In my judgment it is more often than we would like to believe. As ministers you may reply, "That can't be. I always preach the Word when I go into the pulpit. All the ministers to whom I listen preach the Word, with rare exceptions."

What does it mean to preach the Word? The Word of the living God is found only in the Bible. It is set forth in the pages of the Old Testament, beginning with "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1), and ending with the verse, "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:6). It is set forth in the pages of the New Testament, beginning with "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matt. 1:1) and ending with "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Rev. 22:21).

When Paul instructed Timothy to preach the Word, he was facing execution; his active ministry was over. Never again would he have the opportunity to stand before great audiences and herald the Word of truth. He was about to drop his preaching mantle on younger shoulders, and he did so in an awesome manner: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word" (2 Tim. 4:1, 2). This is probably the strongest, most solemn appeal in all Paul's Epistles. He is saying to Timothy, and to us, that God's Word is deserving of the clearest, the finest, the most ac curate proclamation of which a minister is capable. Many of us have deplored the fact that the modern pulpit has changed that text to read, "Preach social betterment," "Preach cultural progress," "Preach Christian ethics." No attempt may have been made literally to change the text, but it has been ignored in favor of the proclamation of other subjects.

One week I sat in the worship service of one of the largest churches in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. The senior pastor read a text that immediately caught my attention. I said to myself, "What a magnificent portion of Scripture to preach on! Why haven't I thought of preparing a sermon on that scripture?" I sat up in eager expectation. The pastor finished reading the text, made a few preliminary comments about it, and then turned from it, never to return. He held up a book, announced its author and title, and gave what actually amounted to a book review. Now, the book was a best seller; it contained excellent psychological principles, as I learned when I later read it. The material that the pastor presented was interesting and easy to follow; it contained fine instruction. But under no circumstances could it be said that he had preached the Word. Except for the opening scripture and a few random texts, there was no proclamation of Bible truth. Yet, no doubt, had I asked the preacher whether he had preached the Word that morning, he would have looked at me in astonishment. Of course he did! Did he not open with a text? Did he not quote texts throughout?

When Paul said, "Preach the word," did he really mean to preach out of the Word? Did he mean to preach about the Word? Did he mean to preach around the Word? When we have preached psychologically, sociologically, or philosophically, accompanying it by the use of Scripture, have we really preached the Word?

I have noticed a dangerous tendency among ministers to use a scriptural reference to provide a religious setting for their talk and by doing so to feel that they have preached the Word. An occasional text also adds a degree of palatability for the spiritual taste buds of those who still long to taste the Word of God. But when the Scriptures are used to undergird a psychological or philosophical talk, they are being misused if such a practice is considered preaching the Word.

A basic homiletical principle, then, is that Scripture must not be used to sup port the sciences. When it comes to proclamation, the Word of God is not to support the word of man. This is not to say that a preacher should never under gird true science with Scripture, for God is the author of both. It does mean that when he is preaching the Word, it will be exalted rather than science.

Can it be said that we are preaching the Word when we use it only as a springboard for our religious remarks? When the Scripture is opened and then forthrightly abandoned, that is introducing the Word—not preaching it. Is pro fuse quotation of Scripture throughout the discourse preaching the Word? Some preachers have the unique ability to memorize Scripture and quote it with a speed and dexterity that amazes their listeners. The congregation marvels at this great ability, and often says, "That minister really knows his Bible." Of course, they haven't learned very much from this Gatling-gun approach. They have, as spectators, enjoyed the pyrotechnical demonstration of scriptural knowledgeability. But Biblical preaching is not merely preaching that contains a great deal of Scripture. Such an approach can be called quoting the Word, but it does not necessarily qualify as preaching the Word.

Is the use of proof texts preaching the Word? Many people have made a decision to accept Christ through proof-text preaching. Their minds have been convinced of the validity of Bible truth; they see the beautiful chain of truth and accept it link by link. Being in harmony with what they hear, they give mental assent to a checklist of doctrines and unite with the church. In some instances their heads are convinced, but their hearts remain unaffected. Such preaching is proving the Word. It isn't preaching the Word.

What, then, does Paul actually mean when he says, "Preach the word"? The word preach comes from a Greek word that means "to herald." Simply, then, the preacher is to herald the Word, that is, the Word of God. He must follow his spiritual heritage in this matter as it is revealed in both the Old and New Testaments. One of the earliest interpretations of preaching the Word is found in Nehemiah 8:1-9. Ancient Israel met at the square that was in front of the water gate and asked Ezra the scribe to open the book of the law of Moses, the Pentateuch (or Bible at that time), and to read from it. As Ezra and other spiritual leaders read, they gave the sense so that the listeners understood it, and all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.

Here we have three aspects of preaching the Word. First, the Word should be presented so that it makes sense. Second, it should be clearly understood. Third, it must touch hearts.

On the Sabbath our Lord preached in the Nazareth synagogue, He chose as His text a portion of Isaiah 61. After standing to read, He sat down in typical rabbinic fashion to preach on that scripture, and He began to say to them, " 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing'" (Luke 4:21, R.S.V.). The incarnate Word of God was the expositor of the written Word of God! His purpose was to explain it, to unfold its true meaning, and to show its relevance to the current situation.

The deacon-preacher Philip followed essentially the same pattern with the eunuch in his exposition of Isaiah 53. Philip inquired, "Do you understand what you are reading?" To his negative response Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture he preached Jesus to him. It was Philip's purpose to help the eunuch understand Isaiah 53 (see Acts 8:26-40).

The purpose of Biblical preaching, then, is to help the listener understand the meaning of the Word of God. The apostle Paul, who told Timothy to preach the Word, practiced what he preached. The book of Acts tells us that according to his custom, Paul went into the Jewish synagogue at Thessalonica and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidences that Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. He did this by reading from the Scriptures and by explaining their meaning (see Acts 17:1- 3).

Another brief example is found in Acts 28:23. During Paul's first imprisonment at Rome, he lived in his own hired house, and people came to him at his lodging in large numbers to hear him explain the Scriptures to them, solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus from both the law and the prophets.

In summary, these Bible concepts of preaching the Word include: (1) explaining it; (2) giving it sense so that it can be understood; (3) unfolding large Scripture portions; (4) reasoning from it; (5) showing its relevance to people's needs; and (6) presenting conclusive evidences from the Bible. Any type of preaching that does all these things certainly qualifies as preaching the Word.

Biblical preaching is best described by the expository approach rather than the topical. This is not to imply criticism for topical preaching, which is the usual preaching heard in most pulpits. Its heritage is too strongly entrenched. Its effectiveness has been too well demonstrated. Its ability to encourage the converted in his faithfulness to God and the unconverted into a relationship with God has been proved for centuries. Some of the greatest preaching of all times has been topical. The point is not that we abandon topical preaching, but that we should add a new dimension. Assuming that both topical and expository preaching are done properly, the more persuasive and appealing of the two is expository preaching. Initially, it may require more time and preparation. It will also be more demanding in study, but its results will prove more gratifying.

What is expository preaching? The word expository comes from a Latin root that means "to expose, to lay bare, to make clear, to explain." Expository preaching is first learning what the scripture actually says through exegesis. It is also learning what the scripture actually means through hermeneutics. This is followed by explanation so that what the scripture says and means can be understood by the hearers and shown to be relevant to contemporary life. Thus G. Campbell Morgan says, "The definite objective of all good expository preaching is to discover the meaning of God's message to mankind and apply it to con temporary life. That is reducing it to the simplest common denominator." Dwight Stevenson: "In true exposition the sermon must lie full length upon the pas sage. The proportion of parts in the sermon must be a faithful mirror of the proportions within the scripture under study. There must be no distortion through overemphasis or omission of the main ideas." What these men have said is that the highest form of Biblical preaching is the choice of a Scripture portion—long or short—out of which the truth of God is explained and made relevant to the lives of the hearers.

There are many effective methods of preaching expositorily. The expository preacher may organize his message around a key verse through which he interprets a whole passage. G. Campbell Morgan, who is considered by many to be the outstanding Bible expositor of the twentieth century, used the context principle in Biblical preaching, interpreting a given passage in the light of its context and giving diminishing importance to texts as he proceeded from near to far context. One of the least complicated and most effective ways to develop an expository sermon has been called the three-point pattern—the setting, the meaning, and the relevance. Biblical preaching is not confined to any single method of handling the Scriptures, but utilizes all the standard homiletical procedures.

The methodology that will be presented in these discussions was developed by F. D. Whitesell and Charles W, Koller, and perfected by Lloyd M, Perry. All three were conservative homileticians and evangelists at the Northern Baptist Seminary in Chicago. Their methodology appears in the books they have written: F. D. Whitesell and Lloyd M. Perry, Variety in Your Preaching (Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1954); Charles W. Koller, Expository Preaching Without Notes (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1962); Lloyd M. Perry, Biblical Sermon Guide (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1962) and Biblical Preaching for Today's World (Northbrook, 111.: Moody Press, 1973).

The benefits of expository or Biblical preaching are many. First, it is an inexhaustible type of preaching. It is possible for an expository preacher to remain in one pulpit his entire lifetime and not be repetitive. This is not so with topical preaching. One soon runs out of subjects on which to preach. A pastor whom I once followed in a certain pastorate left after serving the church only a little more than two years. I felt honored to be called to such a fine pastorate. Later, when meeting the former pastor, I asked him why he had left so soon. He said that he had preached all 266 of his sermons and therefore had to leave. Incidentally, he was a superb preacher whom congregations dearly loved, but his topical approach to preaching forced him to leave. He ran out of subjects after a while, and had to go to another church and play the record again. When dealing with the themes of the Bible expositorily, one finds there is an endless supply of sermonic material. In his short lifetime, a man can hardly touch the fringes of God's Word.

Another benefit of expository preaching is that it makes the preacher an ex pert in the field in which he is expected to excel. The minister is required to do many things and to do them well. He must be a teacher, counselor, administrator, financier, and organizer. There are people in his congregation who spend a lifetime in teaching, counseling, administrating, and business. They are more highly trained than the preacher in these areas. He couldn't possibly be superior to those who spend a lifetime in one of these various professions. The only area in which the preacher is expected to be better than anyone else is in preaching the Word. Like Apollos of New Testament fame, he must become mighty in the Scriptures. Like Wesley, he must be known as a man of one book. Expository preaching can do this.

Also, Biblical preaching will help fill our churches with truly regenerated and Spirit-filled men and women. As they gather for worship from week to week, they ask the mute question: "Is there any word from the Lord?" They're not interested in the cleverness of the preacher or his opinions. Biblical preaching will win more souls to Christ and give the assurance that a larger portion of them will stay saved.

Whatever our ability may now be in the pulpit, it can be improved, and it should be improved. In future discussions we will see just how Biblical, expository preaching can open new dimensions in the Scriptures both for ourselves and for our congregations as we preach the Word.

Preaching is...

1. Sacramental: it brings people in touch with the grace of God. (I wonder how many preachers believe that in any serious sense!)

2. Saving: it creates opportunities for precious human beings to come to terms with their Redeemer and in fact be made right with Him.

3. Satisfying: both preacher and parishioner have a need to share thoughts and feelings under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

4. Scholarly: every local pastor should be a "theologian in residence." Too long we have attempted to separate
the preaching and teaching functions. The pulpit is to be occupied by a preacher who is also a teacher. Today's
sensitive and well-educated laity even tually will not settle for anything less.

5. Searching: it does not claim to lay before a congregation pat answers to those mysteries where Scripture does not provide clear answers. Nevertheless, it points to The Answer. And it humbly admits that its value is being a means and not an end in itself.

6. Selfless: it becomes obedient to the work of the Holy Spirit in and through both our intellects and emotions. In short, we do not preach "the" sermon; we preach the crucified and resurrected Christ.

7. Sensible: it explicitly or implicitly presents the option of belonging to Christ and spending eternity with Him or
belonging to the world and being lost in hell. (We may not especially like the word hell, but our Lord manages to use it upon several occasions.)

8. Sensitive: it does not seek to dominate and manipulate those whom God loves. (Of course, some will perceive
anything other than positive pointers to worldly success as being insensitive.)

9. Serious: it deals with man's whole being, in both the present and ultimate terms. We are not entertainers; we are under orders from the Master and that's serious business.

10. Significant: it really doesn't have any substitutes. In preaching, the Holy Spirit is uniquely at work creating a dialogue between preacher and people.

11. Social: it does not occur in a vacuum. Common kindnesses, courtesies, and compliments are important to gaining the right to be heard. Most will listen gladly without padded pews and a revolving spotlight on the pulpit. However, few if any will tolerate arrogance and disrespect by the preacher.

12. Spiritual: the preacher in the pulpit represents a historical Figure who is now present through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, both a mystical and mysterious quality exist with true preaching, and we must beg God that it be recovered in our churches!

13. Stimulating: it renews moribund congregations and calls to repentance those who hear and thus discover the saving power of the Lord. Let us not writeoff mass evangelism with integrity. Yet, we are mandated to be on guard against questionable even enormously hurtful methodology, which stresses the preacher and not Christ.

14. Strong: it brings the Word of God into meaningful contact with the living needs and concerns of a congregation. Therefore, it is not apologetic; it does not back away from the truth as it is given by God in His Word.

15. Subjective: while the Word comes to and for human beings, it also comes through a preacher who is tainted by original sin and whose perspectives are limited. "Truth through personality" is an accurate depiction.

16. Submissive: we are called to deliver what is given to us and not necessarily what we might like to preach
about. We are to die daily to the will of the Master and that means Sundays in the pulpit.

17. Survival: there is an urgency on the part of the preacher who believes that preaching has to be done. "Woe is
unto me, if I preach not the gospel" was never more valid than today.

18. Sustaining: we nourish our flock and they, likewise, nourish us. The interaction that can and should take place
between preacher and people is often a banquet!

19. Sweaty: we are to toil and perspire until the riches of the faith give forth their life-giving gems. We who preach
must prove the Word, study and apply preaching skills, draw wisely upon the unlimited sources that inundate us from the secular world, and make use of various literary forms in our preaching.

20. Symphonic: there is a harmony that results among God's people with convincing clarity when preacher and
people agree that to be right with Him is all that ultimately matters. Only the Maestro of marvels, the Master Himself, can conduct such a concert! By Dr. Donald C. Lacy, pastor of the First Methodist church, Princeton, Indiana. Reprinted with permission from the Nov./Dec., 1979, issue of Good News, 308 E. Main St., Wilmore, Kentucky 40390.


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The late John Osborn was Ministerial director of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and active in conducting seminars on expository preaching.

July 1980

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