========================================================================
  HE EXPOUNDED - GUIDE TO EXPOSITORY PREACHING
  by Douglas M. White
========================================================================

Douglas White's practical guide to expository preaching, emphasizing the
preacher's responsibility to open God's Word clearly to congregations hungry for
biblical truth.

  Chapters: 16

------------------------------------------------------------------------
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    1. 002 - Copyrigt Info
    2. 003 - Foreword
    3. 004 - Preface
    4. 005 - Contents
    5. 006 - Prologue
    6. 01 - The Origin of Exposition
    7. 02 - The Progress of Exposition
    8. 03 - The Appraisal of Exposition
    9. 04 - The Expediency of Exposition
   10. 05 - The Technique of Exposition
   11. 06 - The Outgrowth of Exposition
   12. 07 - ADDENDA - Suggested Parallel Reading
   13. 08 - Suggested Reference Works
   14. 09 - Bibliography
   15. 10 - Acknowledgements
   16. 11 - Index of Scripture References

========================================================================
  CHAPTER 1: 002 - COPYRIGT INFO
========================================================================

‘HE EXPOUNDED’

Copyright, 1952, by The Moody Bible Institute Of Chicago Printed in the United
States of America This work is now in public domain


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 2: 003 - FOREWORD
========================================================================

FOREWORD

I am happy to write a brief foreword to this book on expository preaching. With
all my soul I believe that it is the preacher’s business to “preach the word.”

People are hungry for a plain, clear word from God. They are eager to know what
He has said and what it means to them. It is the privilege and responsibility of
the preacher to open to them the matchless glories of God’s Word.

Genuine expository preaching is the answer. It is time that someone called us
back to this, the richest and most fruitful kind of preaching. The author has
written in plain, simple language which any man can understand. He has
skillfully sought to awaken the determination of every preacher to do just this
sort of gospel preaching.

I have a conviction that the Spirit of the Lord, emphasizing the tremendous need
for such preaching, as moved mightily in the heart of the author and that this
book has a real mission to accomplish.

After nearly thirty years of trying to preach “the unsearchable riches of
Christ,” I am convinced that most of us who are preachers have failed badly at
this point. It is not too late to begin!

It happens that the author is my brother in the flesh, in Christ Jesus, and in
the Baptist ministry. It is my earnest prayer that God will greatly use this
book to magnify “His word through preaching.”

K. Owen White, Ph.D. Pastor, First Baptist Church Little Rock, Arkansas


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 3: 004 - PREFACE
========================================================================

PREFACE And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his
lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God.— Acts 28:23 THAT
THERE is a great dearth of expository preaching in the pulpits of today is
apparent to all. Dr. Andrew W. Blackwood, possibly the best-known authority on
homiletics in this generation, recently said this: “For years I have preached
and taught. I have studied the pulpit ways of many ministers, past and present.
More than ever I now believe that the right sort of expository preaching brings
abiding satisfactions such as the Lord grants to few men here below.”

Though the authors of standard works on homiletics extol the expositional
method, they have comparatively little to say on the subject. For example,
Broadus gives only twenty-one pages out of five hundred and fifty-three to the
subject (forty-first edition). Williams Evans, in his concise but well-written
volume, gives only five pages out of one hundred and seventy-eight to
exposition. These two are typical; hence the writing of this volume. This
treatment is designed to serve a twofold purpose. First of all, the writer
desires to offer something that will be of practical benefit to the man in the
pastorate, who may or may not have had formal training. With this in mind we
have sought to avoid verbosity and undue technicality. We have also endeavored
to delete all extraneous material, confining ourselves strictly and exclusively
to the matter of exposition. Matters which apply equally as well to other types
of preaching, and which have been well treated in other works, have been
eliminated also.

It is also desired that the volume may serve as a guide for a course in senior
homiletics, assuming that the student already has a thorough grasp of the
general principles of homiletics. Additional material will be incorporated at
the discretion of the instructor.

Instead of a multitude of footnotes, a complete list of sources, including the
names of book, author, and publisher, will be found in the addenda. It is not to
be understood that the author endorses all of the doctrinal positions held by
those from whose works quotations have been selected. The King James Version of
the Bible is used throughout except where otherwise indicated.

—D.M.W.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 4: 005 - CONTENTS
========================================================================

CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

Prologue

PART ONE

Chapter 1. The Origin of Exposition 2. The Progress of Exposition 3. The
Appraisal of Exposition

PART TWO 4.The Expediency of Exposition 5.The Technique of Exposition 6.The
Outgrowth of Exposition

Addenda Suggested Parallel Reading Suggested Reference Works

Bibliography

Acknowledgments Index of Scripture References


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 5: 006 - PROLOGUE
========================================================================

Part One A PLEA FOR EXPOSITORY PREACHING

PROLOGUE WITH A VIEW to gleaning information from which we might be enabled to
draw some positive conclusions relative to the expositional method of preaching,
a questionnaire was recently circulated among a representative and widely
scattered group of ministers. The majority of them are located in the South,
though some are in the North, but all are conservative. Some are now serving as
professors of homiletics or as executives, but all have been in the pastorate.
In some cases they are men who were known to give emphasis to the expositional
ministry, but this could not be said of all of them.

There was a remarkable unity of opinion revealed in the replies. Each one was
requested to “write a brief paragraph setting forth your personal convictions
relative to the value of expository preaching.” Remarks such as the following
were typical of the replies to this request:

If a minister desires to stay in a pastorate much over two years he must be an
expository preacher. The messages which are best received are expositions of key
passages. In my judgment the need for expository preaching is paramount. It is
sad that there is so little of it today; and that first, among other reasons,
accounts for our impotency.

Prevalence—it is almost unknown today. Value-beyond calculation. I use it
exclusively, or nearly so. God has always honored the Word when so preached, in
the growth and usefulness of His people.

I give expositions of Bible books morning and evening to my congregation. I find
it feeds the flock, grips young people, sustains interest. (Italics ours.)

Expository preaching is the best. Our preachers are so busy in promotional work
that they are not giving the time necessary for expository preaching. People are
hungry for it. If preachers knew how to do it, expository sermons would be as
popular as topical sermons.

It is very rare these days, and the Church is paying a high price for lack of a
constructive, all-round Bible teaching ministry. It is the most valuable type of
preaching for building up an intelligent and spiritual church. I am following
the expository method most of the time. I have covered the New Testament—much of
it many times, and about seventy per cent of the Old Testament. Nothing builds
up saints like it.

It is the only kind of preaching which has any true value or authority.

There is very little of it done these days. It would be profitable for all
ministers to employ it a great deal of the time. Because of the manifold
programs in churches today most of us neglect the “dig” required for it. I
employ this method about one-fourth of the time. I must give more time to this
field.

There are many reasons why there is far too little of it today. The schedule
most preachers have to follow, the speed of the program, the lack of time for
preparation, seem to be the greatest hindrances. I am not an expository preacher
in that I follow that pattern of preaching week by week.

I believe it to be the richest and most needful type of preaching.

It seems that there are very few who even attempt it. I try to do more
expository than any other kind. In my opinion this is the most effective
preaching to be done. We have few expository preachers because of the cost
involved. Many men lack knowing how. The most valuable but most neglected type
of preaching, at least two-thirds of my preaching is expository. Most men would
do more if they had learned how.

I try to do some of it and I believe our people need more of this kind of
preaching. Some men can, and some men cannot, do it well.

Some of these comments came from men who are pastors of large, progressive city
churches and, in some cases, they have been on the field for twenty or thirty
years. In addition to the foregoing, it was also requested in the questionnaire
that four or five names be given of preachers in their own state, who were known
to give at least some emphasis to expository preaching, as well as a similar
number from any area in the country. Not many names were given, and there was
some duplication. In some cases those who were mentioned were men of great
ability in the pulpit, but not in the realm of exposition, a fact which they
themselves would readily acknowledge. The one supplying the name was doubtless
assuming that the man would excel in that realm as in others. One man who is in
position to speak with authority said that he did not know of one. The author
was rather surprised to find that the information gathered by this means most
emphatically endorsed his own conclusions, which may be summed up briefly as
follows:

1. That expositional preaching is by far superior to all other types of
preaching.

2. That there is evidently very little of it being done today.

3. That the ministers have either not been trained to do it, or they do not give
the time necessary to expository excellence.

It seems that there are two primary reasons why men do not give the necessary
time to it. First of all, the multiplicity of pastoral duties and complexity of
programs crowd it out; or there is an unwillingness to spend the hours in
diligent concentration. In some cases it may be a combination of both. A further
request in the questionnaire was for the titles of some books which had been
found helpful in the technique of expositional treatment. The replies to this
were rather meager. One man who is well-read, and who is both a pastor and
professor of homiletics, summed it up this way:

During recent years I have read many books on preaching. From them three
definite impressions have been made with reference to expository preaching:

1. Many of them are loud in their praise of expository preaching.

2. It is generally recognized that little actual expository preaching is being
done.

3.They offer very little help to the man who really wants to do expository
preaching. In the light of these conclusions it is to be hoped that the
following pages will offer some practical assistance to those who would like to
excel, to some extent at least, in the realm of expositional preaching.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 6: 01 - THE ORIGIN OF EXPOSITION
========================================================================

Chapter 1 THE ORIGIN OF EXPOSITION

It pleased God . . . preaching to save them that believe (1 Corinthians 1:21).
God . . . hath . . . manifested his word through preaching (Titus 1:3).

PREACHING IS PRIMARY. Though this is a positive and dogmatic assertion, there is
no hesitation in stating such a premise, because divine revelation, history, and
Christian experience all combine to corroborate it.

Recognizing the fact that there are many ways of reaching human hearts, and with
no thought of belittling or discrediting the least of them, it can still be
factually maintained that preaching is primary.

Though Paul himself counseled that we should “by all means save some,” he
nevertheless taught and evidenced in his own ministry that preaching is primary,
and all other means must be secondary and supplemental. When other means have
become primary the Church has suffered as a result. This being true, preaching
should have first consideration in our present-day ministry. Sad to say this is
too often untrue. The preparation and presentation of God’s message deserves the
very best that can be given to it, under the direction of God. It demands every
ounce of energy, every atom of intelligence, every shade of talent, every gleam
of personality, every emotion of the entire being, in full and utter
consecration to God. Everything else must be subsidiary, and must be made to
recognize and contribute to the superiority of preaching. Preaching must have
priority over all other ministerial functions if it is to glorify God and
fulfill the purpose for which it was ordained.

Again, it is our firm and studied conviction that, in the light of the fact that
preaching is primary, the style or method known as expository preaching is
paramount, and will enable the minister to magnify his office more nobly and
efficiently than any other method. This and other conclusions expressed in these
pages are not merely the private opinions of the author, but have been
substantiated by the testimony of Christian leaders through the centuries, as
well as by evangelical contemporaries.

EVIDENCES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT Expository preaching dates at least as far back
as Ezra the scribe. Dr. Robert Lewis Dabney says:

It was under Ezra that preaching assumed, by appointment, more nearly its modern
place as a constant part of worship, and also its modern character, as an
exposition of the written Scriptures. And all the people gathered themselves
together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they
spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord
had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the
congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding,
upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street
that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and
the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were
attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of
wood, which they had made for the purpose; . . . And Ezra opened the book in the
sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened
it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. . . . So
they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and give the sense, and
caused them to understand the reading (Nehemiah 8:1-8).

We shall seek in vain for a more apt and scriptural definition of the preacher’s
work than is contained in these words. Henceforth, as the Jewish antiquaries
tell us, expository preaching prevailed as a regular exercise, following the
reading of the Scriptures in the services of the synagogues. In the ninth
chapter of Nehemiah we read that “they stood up in their place, and read in the
book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day” (Nehemiah
9:3). The remainder of the chapter is given over to a historical exposition of
the mercy and goodness of God to Israel in days past. These are typical
illustrations of preaching in Old Testament times. It seems to have been the
method employed throughout the centuries prior to the coming of the Christ,
and—though corrupted with tradition and spiritual blindness, and thus lacking
authority and power—was still in vogue when Jesus entered His public ministry.

Much more could be said, and perhaps profitably, on the matter of expositional
preaching in the Old Testament; but, since ours is distinctly a New Testament
ministry, it seems necessary only to set forth a precedent and example to show
that it is not an innovation, but rather the accepted manner of procedure
followed by the ministers of the Lord in all preceding generations.

EVIDENCES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

It goes without saying that Jesus Christ was the peer of all expositors. Though
His manner and doctrine were in many cases directly opposite to those which
prevailed, He adopted the customary method of reading and expounding the
Scriptures. Whether in the synagogue, in the home, on the hillside, in the prow
of a boat, or whatever the location, He preached to them. Publicly and privately
He opened the Scriptures for their understanding. And they went into Capernaum;
and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had
authority, and not as the scribes (Mark 1:21-22). And again he entered into
Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And
straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to
receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto
them (Mark 2:1-2). The thing which distinguished Jesus from the scribes of His
day, in His teaching and preaching, was the fact that He “spake with authority.”
His was no cursory, mechanical repetition, but a powerful, heart-searching
interpretation and application of the truth, designed to convince His hearers of
their need of a personal relationship to God through Him, and of His right to
claim their faith and allegiance for Himself. He did not have to preach to empty
pews. People will come to hear the Scriptures preached, even if it is offensive
to their pride (as much of His preaching was), when it bears the stamp of divine
approval and has the ring of heavenly authority.

“When they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples” (Mark 4:34).
The deeper things, beyond the comprehension of the populace, held the apostles
spellbound, as He expounded them to His followers in private. Wuest says that
the word “expounded” literally means “to give additional loosening,” so as to
explain, make plainer and clearer, the Word of God.

Possibly the most notable example of public exposition on the part of Jesus is
recorded in Luke 4:16-22: And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up:
and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood
up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.
And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel
to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance
to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them
that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the
book, and he give it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all
them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto
them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him
witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.

Though He read only two verses from Isaiah 61, it is quite possible, even
probable, that He gave them an extended exposition of those statements in their
context. Only what He “began to say unto them” is recorded for us; with the
consequent result that the people “wondered [were filled with wonder] at the
gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” That was exposition at its
best. Something of the practical results from this kind of exposition done by
our Lord is set forth in the experience of the Emmaus disciples.

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken:

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And
beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the
scriptures the things concerning himself. And they said one to another, Did not
our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he
opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to
Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Saying, the Lord is risen indeed . . . (Luke 24:25-27, Luke 24:32-34).

It was as “He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning
himself” that these discouraged, heavy-hearted disciples found their hearts to
“burn within” them; and it was this opening of the scriptures to the eyes of
their understanding which sent them back to the city that same night with a
glowing testimony of a renewed faith.

Luke shows in his second treatise that the apostolic Church leaders followed the
same pattern of preaching as exemplified by Jesus. The first gospel message
delivered by Peter on the Day of Pentecost is an exposition of passages from the
Prophecy of Joel and from the Book of Psalms. Of course, it must be remembered
that New Testament preaching was not only declarative exposition, but also
involved the introduction of new revelation, which is not true of present-day
preaching, and therefore is not strictly exemplary in every respect, though the
principles are identical.

Stephen’s address (Acts 7:1-60) is an expository dissertation covering the
historical portions of Genesis and Exodus, along with a brief summary of the
Babylonian captivity, with a very pungent application to that generation.

Philip follows the same procedure in dealing with the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-35),
giving him an exposition of Isaiah 53: “and began at the same scripture and
preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:35).

Second only to Jesus Christ Himself as an expositor there is the apostle Paul.

They came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his
manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of
the scriptures,

Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from
the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ (Acts 17:1-3).

“As his manner was” depicts the characteristic method of Paul, which was that of
the expositor. In that same chapter (Acts 17:10-12), we find that such preaching
caused the more sincere Bereans to make a personal study of the Scriptures for
themselves, which in turn resulted in their belief of the gospel unto salvation.
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging;
to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them
concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets (Acts
28:23). At the close of his long and fruitful ministry, when the apostle was
enduring his last confinement before execution, we find that experience had in
no wise caused Paul to depart from the expository method which evidently had
proved to be most beneficial. That Paul esteemed the expository method above all
others is further revealed in his counsel to Timothy, his young son in the faith
and in the ministry.

Until I come give constant attention to the public reading of the Scriptures, to
personal appeals, to exposition (1 Timothy 4:13, Way). This very clearly calls
for the expositional treatment of passages of Scripture, presented in such a way
as to obtain a favorable reaction from the listeners. In this way the hearers
are indoctrinated with the truths of divine revelation, and must necessarily
face the claims disclosed therein.

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). The Authorized
Version does not clearly present the idea contained in the words “rightly
dividing the word of truth.” Though eschatological analysis may be most
desirable and most helpful, the thought here seems to be much broader and (we
believe) more significant than that. The word “divide” is not east to translate.
We quote several authorities which, taken all together, will give us the true
meaning and significance of the statement:

Handling aright the word of truth (A. S. V.) Declaring the word of truth without
distortion (Conybeare and Howson) An approved workman who properly presents the
word of truth (Williams) Rightly administering the word of truth (Sadler) Cut
the word of truth straight (Robertson) Holding a straight course in the word (R.
V., margin) Rightly laying out the word (Ellicott) To manage rightly; treat
truthfully (Alford)

DIVIDE. The skillful application of parts or aspects of the truth adapted to
affect persons specially in need of instruction (New Standard Bible Dictionary).
The closing definition seems to be a correct summary of all the various shades
of meaning expressed by these scholars. The following pithy comments from some
other scholars are right in line with this main thought.

Giving to each person, occasion, or situation, what is needed―the appropriate
truth from His Word (Author not known).

What is intended here is not dividing Scripture from Scripture, but teaching
Scripture accurately (Vine).

Dividing the word is a metaphor taken from a father or steward cutting and
distributing bread among his children (Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary). The
latter would fit right in with the counsel of Jesus: Who then is the faithful
and thoughtful slave, whom his master put in charge of his household, to deal
out to the members of it their supplies at the proper time? Blessed [happy] is
that slave if, when his master comes back, he finds him so doing (Matthew
24:45-46, Williams).

Cutting, ploughing, road-building, distributing―all of these seem to be
involved. The idea is to go through the Word, without deviation and turning to
one side, setting forth what is found therein (whether palatable or not) as it
obviously fits the local and present situation; applying the truth in a
practical manner to the needs of the hearers, so that it may produce the results
for which it is designed. As a properly trained dietician knows how to prepare
and serve a balanced and nutritious meal, so the diligent and properly
enlightened minister is able to edify the Church as well as to instruct the
unbeliever.

How could the minister more aptly follow this advice than by a consecutive
treatment of the Word of God, chapter by chapter, and book by book? That
minister who has throughly prepared himself and is proficient in the realm of
exposition is going to be in a position to provide the “household of faith” with
that which is most needed and most beneficial at any given time in any place. He
will have the unreserved approval of divine authority stamped upon his ministry,
and will have no need for apologies or cause for embarrassment. The apostle’s
last word on the matter is:

Continue thou in the things which thou has learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known
the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

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; be instant, in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine . . . they shall turn away their ears from the truth . . .
make full proof of thy ministry (2 Timothy 3:14-17 – 2 Timothy 4:1-5). That is
final. The charge is based upon the intrinsic value of the Scriptures
themselves, and is followed with the frank acknowledgement that such preaching
will not always be popular, but nevertheless expedient and fruitful. The
Scriptures will, first of all, activate the heart and life of the minister
himself and then, as he expounds them to others, will have the same effect upon
those who heed the message. The heart and core of the whole passage, the charge
itself, is stated in three pertinent and powerful words: “Preach the word.”
Taken in the light of the context it could mean nothing less than expository
preaching. Many men are spoken of as preaching the Word because the content of
their sermons is quite orthodox and in keeping with divine truth (as all sermons
should be), but the challenge of the apostle can be literally carried out only
by employing the expositional method. The following brief article sums up the
matter most satisfactorily:

Three out of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament are labeled pastorals.
They are so called because Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, addressed
them to two of his younger friends, Timothy and Titus, who were pastors. In
these short but vital letters is found exceedingly valuable advice for pastors
all down the centuries. Among the admonitions given is a terse suggestion that
we “preach the word.” The original term used in the New Testament is karusso,
which means to cry out, herald, or exhort. It is as if the message so burned in
one’s heart that it must be expressed with passionate feeling and godly fervor.
This is the work of a pastor, but the pastor is to cry out the Word; that is,
his sermons are to be made up of Scripture, not about the Scripture, but the
very Word of God itself. At this point lies the secret of preaching
successfully. Godly men, with rare insight into the truth of God have declared
that expository preaching is the thing. If one desires the blessing of God to
come upon his congregation, his method of preaching must be to take the Word
itself and “expose” his people to it. Of necessity this must rule out many
beautifully turned and highly polished sermons which tickle the ears of the
listener. But if there is substituted instead the preaching of the Word of God,
it will accomplish God’s purpose.1 (1From The King’s Business.)

Peter also has some sound advice for us in this respect. “Feed the flock of God”
(1 Peter 5:2). The lambs must be nurtured on the “sincere [undiluted] milk of
the word” (1 Peter 2:2) until they mature into full-grown sheep. Only the
expositional method of preaching will develop a strong, healthy, and
well-nourished flock. After all, the only thing that has the authority and
guaranteed backing of God is His own Word. So shall my word be . . . it shall
accomplish . . . and it shall prosper (Isaiah 55:11). Is not my word . . . like
a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29). The word of God is
quick, and powerful {life-giving and wonder-working, and sharper than any
two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is the only thing that is
guaranteed to shatter Satanic opposition to His will. His Word is the divine
scalpel that pierces through the outer tissues of unbelief, exposing the heart
to the healing and disinfecting rays of God’s grace. His Word is the only thing
that can accomplish His Purpose in and for sinful men, and bring prosperity to
the soul. “The entrance of thy words giveth light” (Psalms 119:130).

It would appear that the apostle had the expositional method of preaching in
mind when he made his request to the Christians in Thessalonica: “Brethren, pray
for us, [not that we may be great preachers but] that the word of the Lord may
have free course and be glorified” (2 Thessalonians 3:1).


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 7: 02 - THE PROGRESS OF EXPOSITION
========================================================================

CHAPTER 2 THE PROGRESS OF EXPOSITION A. FROM PAUL TO PAPACY

THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT that the expositional method of preaching was used almost
exclusively in apostolic times. Jesus Christ was, of course, the peer of
expositors. However, Paul followed hard in His footsteps, as did the apostles
and leaders of the Early Church. There is abundant evidence in the Book of Acts
to show that exposition was the accepted method of imparting divine truth; and I
am sure that Timothy, Titus, Crescens, Luke, and John Mark, with many others of
their contemporaries, followed the example and advice of the apostle whom they
loved, and to whom they owed so much in the spiritual realm.

There does not seem to be a great deal of information left to us concerning the
method of preaching employed in the first three or four centuries, but the
scholars are pretty well agreed that the expositional type of ministry
prevailed, with a general adherence to the tenets of evangelical Christianity.

After preaching ceased to be what it was in the mouths of the Apostles, a
message, properly so called, it became an exposition of the Word of God, of the
apostolic writings, of their doctrine, and an application to the silent and
assembled flock, of all which had just been read (Herder). In the early church
exposition . . . was the rule, and discourses upon set topics and brief texts
were the exceptions (Kidder). The two renowned preachers of the early centuries
(Augustine and Chrysostom) left volumes of expository messages on Genesis,
Psalms, Matthew, John, the Pauline Epistles, and many other books of the Bible.
There can be no doubt that the expository method was predominant for at least
twelve centuries.

Textual preaching began in the beginning of the thirteenth century (Dr. J. W.
Alexander).

Expository preaching was used almost exclusively until the thirteenth century
(Dr. T. Harwood Pattison). In speaking of textual preaching, which has become so
increasingly prevalent in the latter centuries, Dr. Austin Phelps says: For the
first twelve Christian centuries there seems to have been no such prevailing
habit.

Just as the decline of the spiritual life of the Church was gradual so,
doubtless, was the departure from the apostolic method of preaching. As the
distinction between church and state diminished, and as ritualism, tradition and
superstition increased (bringing about the papal system which obtains today), so
the distinction between church and the world decreased. As the Bible ceased to
be recognized as the final authority in all matters pertaining to religion, and
more and more authority was claimed by the Pope and ecclesiasticism, the
apostolic polity of the church waned. Instead of following, without hesitation,
the Biblical order of preaching, and the precedent set by the apostles,
ministers began to adopt methods of their own devising, which would be designed
to acceptance by the congregations to which they ministered, but without the
authority and power of the Holy Spirit.

It could not have happened overnight, but it is highly significant that the
wholesale departure from expository to textual preaching was followed by the
spiritual eclipse known as the Dark Ages. To say there was no expository
preaching, or other good Biblical preaching, during those years would be utterly
unreasonable. Nevertheless, the preponderance of the weaker type of ministry
gave no opportunity for the expositional type to prevail. Erasmus seems to have
recognized this weakness, as evidenced in his counsel to ministerial students.
To get at the real meaning it is not enough to take four or five isolated words;
you must look where they came from, what was said, by whom it was said, to whom
it was said; at what time, on what occasion, in what words, what preceded, and
what follows.

There can be no doubt whatever that the departure from expositional preaching
played a very prominent part in promoting the spiritual blindness and darkness
of those centuries.

B. FROM LUTHER TO LETHARGY The converse is also true. The chief characteristic
of that period, which we call the Reformation, was the return to expositional
preaching. When the light of divine truth began to emerge from its long eclipse,
at the Reformation, there were few things more remarkable than the universal
return of evangelicals to the expository method (Alexander). The topical
preaching of Moody moved two continents for Christ; the textual sermons of
Spurgeon started movements which are still blessing humanity; but it was the
expositions of Luther that redeemed Christendom from the Dark Ages, and
instituted the Reformation (Dr. R. B. Jones).

It was a revival of Biblical preaching. Instead of long and often fabulous
stories about saints and martyrs, and accounts of miracles, . . . these men
preached the Bible. The question was not what the Pope said; and even the
Fathers, however highly esteemed, were not decisive authority—it was the Bible.
The preacher’s one great task was to set forth the doctrinal and moral teachings
of the Word of God. And the greater part of their preaching was expository. Once
more, after long centuries, people were reading the Scriptures in their own
tongue, and preachers . . . were carefully explaining to the people the
connected teachings of passage after passage, and book after book. For example,
Zwingli, . . . announced his intention to preach, not simply upon the church
lessons, but upon the whole Gospel of Matthew, chapter after chapter. Some
friends objected that it would be an innovation, and injurious; but he justly
said, “It is the old custom. Call to mind the homilies of Chrysostom on Matthew,
and of Augustine on John.” There was also at the basis of this expository
preaching by the Reformers a much more strict and reasonable exegesis than had
ever been common since the days of Chrysostom.

Such careful and continued exposition of the Bible, based in the main upon sound
exegesis, and pursued with loving zeal, could not fail of great results,
especially at a time when direct and exact knowledge of Scripture was a most
attractive and refreshing novelty (Dr. John A. Broadus).

New Testament preaching came into its own once again, with such renowned
expositors as Luther and Calvin setting the pace. Nevertheless, the prevalence
of expositional preaching was comparatively short-lived. History has been
repeating itself. The process has been slow, even as before, but the departure
has been just about as widespread as before. Along with it has come a multitude
of cults, and other Satanic, subversive influences. The departure has been far
more noticeable during the last two centuries, with a terrific slump since the
turn of the century in which we are living. This fact, undoubtedly, accounts for
the awful anemic condition of the Church universal; the widespread apostasy in
territories where the gospel has been preached (i.e., Germany—the homeland of
Luther); and the tremendous in-road of cults and false religions in all parts of
the world. The absence of expository preaching today is positively alarming.

We come down to our own times; in which, within our immediate knowledge, there
are not a dozen ministers who make the expounding of the Scriptures any part of
their stated pulpit exercises (Alexander). That statement was made possibly
eighty years ago. If that be true then, how much greater is this failure in our
present day? In the light of that deplorable fact, Alexander makes a passionate
plea, one which is most applicable to our own times.

I would urge that the expository method (understood as that which explains
extended passages of Scripture in course) be restored to that equal place which
it held in the primitive and reformed churches; for, first, this is obviously
the only natural and efficient way to do that which is the sole legitimate end
of preaching, to convey the whole message of God to the people.

About ten years ago a statement appeared in a book review which was an appraisal
of a book of expository messages.

Expository preaching is one of the most profitable forms of unfolding the truth
of God’s Word. It is far too little used by modern preachers.

Dr. A. T. Robertson, affectionately known as Dr. “Bob” by those who knew and
loved him, had something to say on the matter.

There is no doubt that teaching received tremendous emphasis in the work of the
early Christians. Jesus is the great Teacher of the ages and is usually
presented as teaching. In the Jewish “Houses of Learning” (Synagogues) teaching
was as prominent an element as worship. The official teachers passed away and
the modern Sunday School movement is an effort to restore the teaching function
in the churches. The true preacher should be a teacher also, but many preachers
are more evangelistic and hortatory than didactic. The best preachers combine
all these elements and build up the saints in the faith to which they have been
won.

There is no reason why the morning service in public worship should not be a
teaching service, and the evening service more evangelistic.

Dr. Bob was not a professor of homiletics, but he saw the weakness of a ministry
which gives no place to the expositional treatment of Scripture. A story is told
concerning his children. It seems that a son of his had reached that ripe,
pre-adolescent age, when he had all the answers. The girl, being a little
younger, was of an inquiring nature, naïve, and willing to be enlightened. The
fact that her father was both a seminary professor and pastor of a Baptist
church caused her some confusion of mind. Finally she asked her brother, “What
is the difference between a teacher and a preacher?”

“Pshaw! Don’t you know that?” he asked disdainfully.

“No,” she said, quite honestly, “what is the difference?” Being forced to make
an immediate distinction the brother was somewhat nonplussed. Bravely he came up
with this: “Well, a teacher is a man who helps you to learn something. A
preacher is a man who—ah—a man who gets up and goes Pow! Wow! Boom! Boom!”

Perhaps he said more than he knew.

It must be conceded that expository preaching has been too much neglected of
late years, and yet its primary importance must be perceived by everyone who
will reflect upon its special design to make the Word of God better understood
(Dr. D. P. Kidder).

Written in the last century that appeal is more urgently needed today than in
the day that it was uttered. Dr. H. Jeffs is most emphatic about the matter,
almost vituperative in his statements, but we believe he speaks with real
authority. The Bible is the preacher’s book and the preacher’s glory. Bible
exposition is the preacher’s main business. If he cannot or will not expound the
Bible, what right has he in any pulpit? He is a cumberer of the ground that
might be occupied by a fruit-bearing and soul-nourishing tree. If he does not
expound the Bible, what else is there for him to do? He may deliver addresses
out of his own head on any subject that occurs to him, and may do it well, but
why do it in the pulpit? Is it his own gospel, or has he a gospel that can just
as well be preached without the Bible as with it? He is presumably a preacher of
a Christian church, but there would have been no Christian church today if there
had been no Bible. So long as there remains the triple tragedy of sin,
suffering, and death, so long the Bible will speak to the heart of man, and
humanity that has once known the Bible, will turn away, after the novelty has
worn off, from every flashy substitute for the Bible that our modern Athenians
push as the latest thing in the spiritual market.

Finally, this word from a European of a former generation:

It is to be desired that this kind of preaching were more general. We would have
a consecutive exposition of the Word of God, and not a tissue of human
reasonings to which the text is accommodated. The discourses of the Fathers of
the Church were homilies. Homilies made in good taste, and by men capable of
making them, would be extremely useful. We take a passage of Scripture and
explain it in its connection; we unfold its interior sense; a multitude of ideas
enter, and come, as it were, in file; a number of duties are explained in few
words. It is a way of preaching more pithy, more scriptural, more Christian. We
thus teach the people how to read the Scriptures; we explain it to them; we show
the connection between ideas which at first seemed to have little relation to
each other. We also adhere more closely to the true Word of God. (Dutoit
Membrini). The word “homily” was synonymous with exposition.

Without a doubt we are forced to this necessary conclusion: There has been a
wholesale departure from the expository method in this generation which is most
deplorable. Certainly the earnest pleas of the well-informed leaders and divines
of former generations should come to our ears and hearts with renewed emphasis
and appeal, as we view the resultant spiritual decline so evident on every hand
in the ranks of Christendom.

Dr. W. Graham Scroggie emphatically declares that “When the pulpit returns to
scholarly, passionate, expository preaching, the pews will again be full.” It is
at least worth trying.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 8: 03 - THE APPRAISAL OF EXPOSITION
========================================================================

Chapter 3 THE APPRAISAL OF EXPOSITION

A. OBJECTIONS

THOUGH THE MAJORITY of homiletics professors, as well as preachers, extol the
expository method and deplore the lack of its use in the pulpit today, there
have been some definite objections raised to the extensive employment of
expositional preaching. It would be well to consider those objections which may
seem to indicate that exposition would be unwise under the conditions which
maintain today.

(1) Lack of labor-Many are prejudiced toward exposition because they consider it
to be a labor-saving device. That is, it becomes a substitute to fall back on in
an emergency. That may be due to the fact that the preacher has failed to give
adequate time to preparation, or, as Broadus puts it: On rainy Sundays, or on
week-nights, the preacher who has no sermon prepared, or wishes to save his
elaborate preparation for a more auspicious occasion, will frequently undertake
to “read a passage of Scripture and make a few remarks,” feeling that this
enterprise is attended by no risks because, as some quaint old preacher
expressed it, if he is “persecuted in one verse he can flee to another.” Hence
the people rather naturally conclude that whenever one takes a long text it is
an expedient to dispense with labor.

Dr. R. Ames Montgomery also expatiates on this point in a very positive manner:

There seems to be in the minds of some people the idea that expository preaching
is an indulgence that a preacher allows himself when the pressure of other
things has been encountered. Some lazy men have imagined that they make amends
for their neglect and self-indulgence in preparation by what they call
expository preaching. Selecting a passage of the Scriptures, they chatter away
for half an hour in anecdotal talks suggested by the passage selected. They may
try to dignify their action and ease their conscience by calling this expository
preaching. It is nothing of the kind. This gives a distorted idea of exposition,
which is naturally considered rather dry, but in no way justifies, though it
gives rise to, the prejudice. It may be acknowledged that expository preaching
is dry, if the preacher is dry. We are quite willing to concede that, but it
will also be true of other methods. This objection will be easily overcome if
the preacher will diligently set himself to excel in the realm of exposition.
The fact of the business is that, far from being a labor-saving device, it
involves for more laborious effort on the part of the preacher than any other
type, as we shall see later on.

(2) Lack of Bibles-Another objection is that the vast majority of most
congregations never carry Bibles to church (a lamentable fact), and thus are not
able to follow the trend of thought as it is being developed from the passage
under consideration. The probability is that the people either discontinued the
practice of carrying Bibles long to the worship service, or never cultivated it,
simply because they found no need for it. I heard of a woman who had the habit
of saying “ner nuthin” instead of “or anything.” One Sunday a modern and
up-to-date minister came to fill the pulpit. She brought her Bible along as
usual. After a few minutes she came to see that she would not need it so she
laid it on the pew. When the service was over she went to the minister with her
Bible under her arm, and greeted him with these words: “Well, that was some
sermon. Never did hear one like it before. You didn’t have no Scripture, ner no
text, ner no doctrine-ner nuthin.” That might be an accurate diagnosis of a
great deal of our present-day preaching. This objection constitutes both a
challenge and an opportunity. If it is true that this condition exists (and it
does), it is due to the fact that the people have never been educated to
appreciate the values of exposition. Therefore, when they have been taught to
love the fertility and relish the vitality of exposition we shall have overcome
the deficiency. There will come about a realization that the hour of worship is
not complete without the open Bible before them, which is a most desirable
result.

We have enjoyed the most exhilarating experience of beginning a pastorate with
possibly only one or two Bibles in the hands of the parishioners and, in a
comparatively short length of time, after announcing the chapter, having to wait
a few seconds for the rustling of the leaves to subside before continuing. What
a heavenly disturbance!

(3) Lack of knowledge-Right along this same line is another objection, that
there is such a widespread ignorance of Bible truth and interest in the same. A
modern congregation is not disposed to show any depth of appreciation for
exposition. Again, we are forced to acknowledge the correctness of the
indictment. At the same time, this lack of knowledge is largely due to the fact
that the pulpit has failed to instruct the people and thereby stimulate such an
interest and desire for Biblical knowledge and understanding. Once more it would
seem that such a condition provokes a challenge and an opportunity. Do not say
that it cannot be done until you have given it a fair trial, over an extended
period of time. The fact is it can be done. Dr. Jones is right when he says:

I believe that it can be truthfully said that expository preaching, if wisely
done and persistently practiced, will engender such a regard for the Bible in
the hearts of the people that they will not be satisfied with any other kind of
preaching.

Dr. Phelps tells of a minister in Brooklyn who specialized in expository
preaching with very satisfactory results:

He had trained his inventive power to act in devising methods of making the
Bible interesting. He had at command an inexhaustible fund of Biblical
information. In his sermons he would career over an entire Biblical chapter with
such exhilarating comment, that, in the result, he carried the audience with him
to the end of an hour without a moment of weariness. He made exegetical learning
kindle with oratorical fire.

(4) Lack of variety-A further objection, which is shared by many ministers, is
that exposition is greatly lacking in variety of content. The lack of real
foundation for this objection will be seen in the next chapter. This is a
restless, streamlined age in which we live. There is a tendency to want
everything (even sermons) to be condensed, processed, vitaminized, and issued in
sugar-coated capsules, along with a glass of lukewarm water. The constant
reference to the same book of the Bible each Sunday becomes monotonous, and the
necessity of having to concentrate is annoying. It is much more convenient and
entertaining if the preacher will merely announce a text as a point of
embarkation, and then go on a human interest cruise with something fresh and
up-to-date; a resume of the news, a book review, or just a relation of
incidents, humorous and otherwise. This preference is the fruitage of a diluted
and threadbare pulpit ministry. When an appetite for real Biblical preaching is
created, the people will look forward to the next chapter or portion with
earnest expectation. They will read in advance and with enthusiasm the Scripture
which is to be treated the following Sunday, anticipating the rich treasures
which are to be unfolded at the next service. A great deal of disloyalty will be
eliminated in this way also, because the people will feel that they are going to
suffer much loss if they miss a single message in the series.

Some have thought that the well-organized Sunday school has dispensed with the
need for expositional preaching, but that is not the case. The Sunday school
teacher, even at his best, never presumes to be able to substitute for the
expositor, but seeks only to whet the appetite for a heart-warming exposition of
the Word in the worship service. Your Sunday school teachers will be your most
appreciative listeners. Perhaps the reason that so many leave the church after
Sunday school is because they feel that the lesson is superior to the sermon,
due to the fact that the teacher stayed with the Scriptures, while the minister
merely meandered.

It is extremely doubtful if any concrete objection can be offered to discredit
the value and excellence of exposition, if administered under the direction and
inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

If “variety is the spice of life” then the expository method, particularly
consecutive exposition, will rescue our pulpit menu from the monotonous cycle of
soup to hash, and will provide a well-seasoned and well-balanced meal at every
sitting.

B. VIRTUES The virtues or advantages of expositional preaching, standing out in
stark contrast to the objections, we shall treat in the following manner:

(1) Revelation-The Bible is simply a written revelation of God Himself, given to
men for the purpose of enlightening their minds concerning His loving purposes
and eternal plans for them. Thus preaching is seen to be the divinely appointed
means whereby God would work through those whom He has commissioned to be His
ministers, in order to impart that truth to men everywhere. Therefore, the
expositional method is, obviously, the most proficient way of unfolding this
divinely revealed message to men. Dr. Kidder quotes Thomas Jackson as saying:
The most useful kind of preaching, we think, is the expository, giving the just
meaning of God’s own Word, and applying it to the consciences of the people, so
as to convince them of sin, to bring them to the Saviour, and to enforce
Christian duty in all its branches, because God’s Word has an authority above
every other. The testimony of Dr. Dabney concerning the eloquent Randolph is
also interesting in this connection.

I once asked a sensible, plain man, who was familiar with the popular oratory of
Randolph, what was its charm with the common people. He did not mention, as I
expected he would, his magic voice, his classic grace, the purity of his
English, his intense passion, the energy of this will, his pungent wit, his
sarcasm, or the inimitable aptitude of his illustrations. But he answered, “It
is because Mr. Randolph was so instructive; he taught the people so much which
they had not known before.” The author has always felt that unless someone in
the congregation had learned something about the Bible or Christian experience
which he had not known before that the sermon had done very little, if any,
lasting good. The possibility of such a failure is greatly diminished, if not
excluded, by expository preaching.

(2) Precedent-It has already been pointed out that those whom we esteem as the
outstanding examples and the peers of pulpit excellence, both in Biblical and
also in ecclesiastical history for sixteen centuries, at least, were almost
exclusively confined to this method.

It is hardly possible, or even probable, that we should excel or even compare
favorably with them by use of the same method, much less by the use of some
inferior method. As Dr. Pattison says:

Revivals of religion have been marked by an increased reverence for the precise
words of God, while the great masters of topical preaching have sometimes
mourned that their sermons rarely led to conversions.

If it should be questioned that these truths are applicable to this present day;
we would set forth this acknowledgement which appeared in a religious journal
recently:

After ten years of topical, textual, and general preaching, I have spent the
last three years in expository preaching entirely, with these results: More
souls have been saved, more improvements have been made to church properties,
and more money has been given to missionary causes than in any similar period in
the church’s history; and it was God working through His Word that did it all!1
(1Article entitled “Preach the Word” by Ernest Raurk, in Watchmen Examiner.)

Surely we shall not go wrong in following the precedent of those who have had
such successful and fruitful ministries, by following the expository method.

(3) Enlargement-personal-There is always a tendency to follow the path of least
resistance, choosing that which appeals most strongly to us, and the preparation
of sermons is no exception to this rule. Textual and topical preaching has a
tendency to cater to this weakness.

Scholl says of exposition: This kind of preaching includes naturally and without
effort, a greater variety in teaching, and is thus better adapted to the various
wants of souls. It is opposed to that uniformity in the choice of subjects, and
the exclusive tendencies to which preachers are too much inclined. On the other
hand the expositor will be obliged to explore hitherto unknown territory and
enter new paths which had hitherto held no appeal for him at all. His mind will
be enlightened and his spirit edified, regardless of whether or not he ever
makes sermonic use of his findings. His own understanding of divine revelation
will be enlarged, with the result that both he and others will profit thereby.
Dr. William Evans rightly remarks: No preacher can adopt the expository method
of proclaiming truth without himself being very greatly indoctrinated and
enriched by the study of the Word.

Then, too, new avenues of thought will be opened up, and before he has finished
one series of messages another one, totally different, will already be
formulating in his mind. Both the expositor and the congregation will come to
have a better grasp of the Word as a whole, and will come to maturity together.
That is one reason why the expositor never wears out. It also follows that the
man who gives first place to exposition will be far more Biblical in all the
rest of his preaching.

Dr. Jeff D. Ray’s testimony is worthy of consideration:

After more than fifty years of studying this preaching task, and after some
thirty years of teaching the business of sermon making, I am fully convinced
that expository preaching is the ideal method-that it is the method most
profitable, both to the preacher and to the people. I hope no one will shy off
from it when I frankly admit that it is the most difficult method.

(4) Enlargement-congregational-Instead of disconnected, disjointed, fragmentary
truths, seemingly unrelated the one to the other, and without unified
significance, the expositor will be able to tie everything together, so that one
will complement the other and be mutually enlightening to the congregation.

“No . . . scripture is of any private [separate] interpretation” but is a part
of a unified system of doctrine. So it is that the expositor will be able to
develop a congregation into a body of interpreters who will learn to compare
Scripture with Scripture, making their own personal discoveries to their delight
and edification. Quoting again from Evans and Scholl, respectively: No
congregation can sit long under a ministry of this kind without being deeply
instructed in the Scriptures. Thus the preacher and his audience will be kept
Biblical.

It is more suited to give the knowledge of Holy Scriptures, both as a whole and
in its details to inspire a taste to meditation in this divine Word, and to
teach those who study it, to read it with understanding, with reflection, and
always with a direct and personal application.

It has already been pointed out that, as a result of Paul’s having “reasoned
with them out of the scriptures” the Bereans “received the word with all
readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were
so.” That being true of unbelievers, how much more likely it will be that such a
yearning for truth shall be cultivated in the hearts of Christians, with a
similar searching of the Scriptures for themselves!

Dr. Francis Wayland was particularly impressed with the favorable effects of
exposition upon the congregation in this respect, and wrote extensively on it.
We believe that a rather extended quotation will be of real value at this point.
That minister has nobly accomplished his labor who has been the means of
rendering his people earnest, devout and intelligent students of the Scriptures.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Why is it that expository preaching has so entirely died out among us? (1863)
When ministers had comparatively little theological education, such preaching
was very common. It was entirely destitute of theological learning, but it was
simple and devout, and in most cases threw some light upon the subject, and at
any rate, generally induced the hearers to examine it for themselves. Now, when
eight or ten years are spent in the study of language, and in preparation for
the ministry, we very rarely hear anything of the kind. Can it be that after all
this study men are unwilling to trust themselves to explain and enforce a
paragraph of the Word of God? Or is it supposed that this kind of preaching is
beneath the dignity of the pulpit, and is to be resigned to Sabbath schools and
Bible classes? Let every minister ask himself whether he has not been deficient
in this respect. The benefits of expository preaching are manifold: In the first
place the particular passage, with its connections, the scope of the thought,
with the special force of its individual expressions, are laid open to the mind
of the hearer. It will henceforth be a bright spot, which will shine with a
clear light in all his subsequent readings. From one such passage he will derive
a more distinct knowledge of duty, from another he will seek sustaining grace in
affliction; and thus his Bible will be studded with gems which he probably would
otherwise never have discovered. How many of our congregations have had their
Bibles thus enriched by the exposition of the minister of Christ? By thus
becoming familiar with the manner in which the minister unfolds the Word of God,
the hearer learns to do it himself. He finds that there is an important meaning
in every paragraph, and he has faith to believe that he can discover that
meaning if he will. The Bible ceases to be to him a book of riddles, or of
broken, disconnected sentences, but a book which he is confident God meant him
to understand. He prays for the aid of the Holy Spirit; . . . with the earnest
desire to know the whole will of God that he may do it. Is it not worth the
effort of a lifetime to produce such an effect as this on immortal souls-souls
for whom Christ died? Compare with it the reputation for rhetorical skill, the
praise of fine writing, the thanks of gay disciples “in language soft as
adulation breathes," for the intellectual treat which they have enjoyed, and how
contemptible do they all appear! It is the will of God that we should “Feed the
church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood”; and does it not
become us to “be about our Father’s business’? This remark by Wayland reminds me
of something my wife said not too long after we were married. She said that when
she came to a passage or a chapter in her devotional reading of the Bible, which
at some time or other I had used for an expository sermon, while she followed
with her Bible open, it yielded more light and blessing than other daily
readings.

(5) Diplomacy-If there is need for diplomacy in the ministry it is certainly not
out of place in the sermon. We sometimes major on majors to the exclusion of
minors. Expositional preaching will help to avoid this. Those things of
seemingly less importance are not utterly unimportant. The expositor will give
due recognition to them in their rightful place, as he comes to them.

There are also occasions when the minister must deal with matters which are
rather delicate, sometimes very personal; there again the expositor will have
the advantage. For example, if some member has no missionary vision, and perhaps
has raised objections because the minister has emphasized the foreign mission
program of the church; to preach a topical sermon on the subject would appear as
an affront, a retaliation, or a personal thrust. If, however, even soon after a
personal discussion of the matter, the expositor should come, in a series of
sermons on Romans, to the tenth chapter, it would appear perfectly natural and
logical. Instead of offense and possibly hostility, there would more likely be
conviction and apprehension.

Then if a divorce should occur in the church membership and, in a series of
sermons on the Book of Mark, the expositor comes to deal with chapter ten, there
will be no apparent emphasis for the specific benefit of a single individual.

Many an embarrassing experience can be avoided, and much truth imparted to the
assistance of the people, by following the expositional method.

(6) Balance-Dr. W. Graham Scroggie affirms that “The preacher’s job is
exposition1 (1The Sunday School Times, Philadelphia, Pa., March, 1951), bringing
out of the Scripture what is in it; and certainly not imposition, putting into
it what is not there.” “It is much easier to pound the Bible than to expound it,
but not so profitable.” The expositor preaches what he finds. It is sometimes
startling what he does find when he gets into the heart of a passage. It is also
surprising what he does not find. Many times he delves into a passage with a
theme in mind, only to discover that the main burden of that particular passage
is entirely different from his preconceived theme. The honest expositor will
always change his theme, he will never connect that passage with something which
he had previously formulated in his mind. He need not discard his theme. If it
is worth while there will be a passage of Scripture somewhere that will be
suited to it.

Dr. E. P. Barrows has written: The expositor’s office is to ascertain and unfold
the true meaning of the inspired writers, without adding to it, subtracting from
it, or changing it in any way; . . . the true expositor, taking the very words
of Scripture, seeks not to force upon them a meaning in harmony with his
preconceived opinions, but to take from them the very ideas the writer intended
to express.

Sometimes texts and statements are taken up merely to endorse a sermonic
concoction which has already crystalized in the mind of the preacher before he
ever got near the Bible.

I am thinking of a man who wanted to release a tirade against athletics. He
already had his sermon, material aplenty and piping hot, but he needed a text
(in order to be orthodox) so he turned to 2 Peter 2:13 : “Spots [I think he
pronounced it sports] they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own
deceivings while they feast with you.” Thus he “accommodated” a text to throw a
blanket condemnation on all forms of sports. Doubtless there are objectionable
features to many kinds of sports, and allowing for the fact that he may have had
reason for his antagonism, it was still a gross misinterpretation of the Word of
God.

Perhaps a proper treatment of 1 Corinthians 9:19-27 would have been beneficial,
having a balancing effect upon both preacher and hearer, without doing any
injustice to the Scriptures. Certainly expositional preaching will go a long way
toward maintaining a proper balance in all matters of interpretation.

(7) Steadfastness-This last virtue has always been of great importance and most
desirable, but never more than today. There has never been a time when there
were more religious voices in the world than today, each one, like the “barker”
at a carnival, trying to outdo the other.

Expositional preaching will serve as an antidote to the poisons of doctrinal
confusion and instability.

Dr. Evans reminds us that: The work of the preacher is to make men first see
things, then feel them, then act upon them. If the first result is not gained,
the others, of course, will fail; while often, if the first is gained, the other
two will go along with it.

It is most remarkable how much consideration Paul gives to the matter of
instructing the younger ministers concerning the need of indoctrinating their
people so as to prevent their being led astray by false teachers and doctrines.
Here are some examples setting forth both the disease and the antidote. The
disease: “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits” (1
Timothy 4:1). The antidote: “Give attendance to reading [publicly], to
exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13). The disease: There are those who
“strive . . . about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers” (2
Timothy 2:14), they indulge in “profane and vain babblings” (2 Timothy 2:16) and
“foolish and unlearned questions” which “do gender strifes” (2 Timothy 2:23),
and thus they “oppose themselves” (2 Timothy 2:25) and fall into “the snare of
the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:26). The
antidote: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing [apportioning] the word of truth” (2 Timothy
2:15). The disease: “The time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; . . . they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be
turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). The antidote: “Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). The disease: After listing a host of deficiencies
the apostle ends with this indictment: “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn
away. . . . But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:4-5, 2 Timothy 3:13). The antidote: “All scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect
[mature] thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The
disease: “There are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers. . . . Whose
mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they
ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. . . . Jewish fables, and commandments of
men, that turn from the truth. . . . They profess that they know God; but in
works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate” (Titus 1:10-11, Titus 1:14-16). The antidote: “Holding forth the
faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both
to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. . . . Wherefore rebuke them sharply,
that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:9, Titus 1:13).

Then there are admonitions to Timothy of a personal nature which fit right into
this line of thought.

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing
this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee (1 Timothy 4:16).

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and
love which is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 1:13). But continue thou in the things
which thou has learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which
are able to make thee wise unto salvation [daily salvation from all
entanglements] through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:14-15). A
strict adherence to the Word of God will keep the minister doctrinally
well-balanced and constantly in touch with God. In this way he shall be able to
keep his people in line with the truth and direct their feet into the paths of
righteousness. They in turn will learn to “search the scriptures” and develop a
personal discernment which will enable them to see and avoid the pitfalls
themselves. It is in this way that the commission of the apostle is carried out.
The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou
to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). No
other type of preaching is as well adapted to carry out what Paul is advocating
to these young ministers as that of exposition. You will find that the false
cults and spurious religions, as well as the fanaticists, will make very few
inroads into the membership of that church which has been used to an
expositional ministry. It will be seen by this survey that the virtues of
exposition are multitudinous, while the objections are hardly worthy of
consideration.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 9: 04 - THE EXPEDIENCY OF EXPOSITION
========================================================================

PART TWO A PLAN FOR EXPOSITORY PREACHING

CHAPTER 4 THE EXPEDIENCY OF EXPOSITION

A. DISTINCTION

IT IS DOUBTFUL if the standard threefold classification of sermons-topical,
textual, and expository-can be improved upon. Some have thought that the
biographical sermon should be classed separately, but it also will fall into one
of these three classes of sermons, according to the type. For instance, a
biographical sermon on a character like Jabez would be classified as a textual
sermon, since all that is said of him is found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. A
biographical sermon on Naaman the leper (2 Kings 5) would fall in the expository
column. Biographical sermons on characters like Moses, David, Peter, and Paul
would have to be topical, if they were at all comprehensive, because material
would have to be selected from so many different chapters and books of the
Bible. To clarify in our minds the distinction between these three types of
sermons we offer some very simplified examples. The topical sermon is the
development of a theme which usually covers a good deal of territory, and may
involve a number of aspects of doctrinal truth. Verses or statements from any
book of the Bible, spoken of as “proof texts,” are woven into the outline in an
orderly manner, in the development of the main theme which is suggested by the
topic. A simple topical sermon on “The New Birth” might be carried out as
follows: THE NEW BIRTH 1.The reason for it a. Spiritual death b. Eternal
condemnation 2.The necessity for it a. Human inability b. Divine reality 3.The
outcome of it a. New inward life b. New outward life

Statements from both the Old Testament and the New Testament would be
incorporated under each sub-heading to give scriptural evidence and support to
the facts being preached. In a textual sermon the preacher confines himself to
one or two verses of Scripture, or possibly to just one sentence in a verse.
This brief portion is enlarged upon and given rather exhaustive treatment. One
might take Matthew 1:21 : “And thou shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call
his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Taking the very
words of Scripture for a topic, “He shall save,” it could be outlined this way:

HE SHALL SAVE 1.The significance of the name a. A providential name b. A
superior name 2.The agency of redemption a. It is personal b. It is individual
3.The certainty of salvation a. It is positive b. It is practical In a textual
sermon no other Scripture is necessary, although an occasional quotation from
somewhere else in the Bible might lend particular emphasis to the matter under
consideration. In distinction to both the topical and textual sermon, the
expository sermon is a treatment of a single extended passage of Scripture; a
lengthy paragraph, a chapter or more than a chapter, or even a whole book of the
Bible. The preacher will be confined in his treatment to the passage in hand,
but will be very unlikely to attempt anything like an exhaustive treatment of
the passage. Examples of expository sermons of various kinds will be shown later
on so we will not present one at this point. This should suffice to clarify our
minds on the matter of general sermon classification. Not many ministers today
are doing any one of the three types of preaching correctly. As a matter of fact
the vast majority of pulpit discourses today could not properly be classified in
any one of the three groupings. Topical preaching is quite popular, but most of
it has very little Bible content, and is not analytical or conclusive. Textual
preaching is also very popular, but it, too, is not effective because of a lack
of real interpretation of Bible truth. Some verse of Scripture is quoted which
suggest an idea; that idea is incorporated in a subject, and the subject is then
used as a point of departure for a thirty-minute demonstration of sermonic
globe-trotting. Again, a phrase or a clause is used as a topic, which is
repeated half a dozen times or more during the discourse, with two or three
lengthy illustrations (which may or may not be related) packed in between the
repetitions. All of this type of thing has been accurately classified by one
minister of my acquaintance as “Bull-frog preaching-a croak and a jump.”

One time I engaged a man of some repute in a conversation about preaching. I
asked him what type of sermon he used most extensively, giving the familiar
threefold classification. He just laughed and said he didn’t know what kind he
did. He said his professor advised the students to develop their own style, so
he just preached; he would not know how to classify his sermons. He had sat in
homiletics classes for possibly four or five years, and had been a pastor for
many years, and now is quite prominent. He preached correct doctrine fervently,
but it seems to me that a man with training and experience should be able to
classify his sermons, even though they would not be reckoned as masterpieces in
the realm of sermonic art.

Dr. Ray discerns the deficiencies and limitations of present-day preaching and
analyzes it in his inimitable way.

Seventy-five years ago {eighty-five now}, John A. Broadus said, “How small a
proportion of the sermons heard weekly throughout the world are really good!”
Although we present-day preachers have had much better opportunities, the good
man’s rather severe judgment applies to us even more than to the preachers of
his day. Most of the men in the ministry today are good men, but most of them
are not first-rate preachers. The tragedy of it is that most of them do not seem
to realize that preparing and delivering sermons is the main business of the
preacher. The result is that they spend more time and give more nervous energy
and hard work to secondary things than they do to the major task. They are
setting hens on porcelain eggs. (Italics ours.)

Speaking from an octogenarian standpoint Dr. Ray offers this personal testimony
concerning the value of expository preaching:

I know that genuine expository preaching is almost as rare as the once
multitudinous buffalo on our Texas prairies. If you ask me why, I can tell you.
I found it not in a book nor by observation of other preachers. I found it out
by personal, practical experience. When I am to make a sermon, I have found it
an easy job, quickly performed, to deduce a topic from a text and make a
rhetorical outline of that topic and dress it up in platitudinous
superficialities and palm it off as a message from the Word of God. But I have
found it difficult, laborious, and time-consuming to dig out an adequate
interpretation of a passage of Scripture and co-ordinate the results of that
patient digging in an effective, logic outline. Because I have allowed so many
little “higglety-pigglety,” inconsequential enterprises to break in on my time,
I have felt it necessary to follow the line of least resistance and thus have I,
and doubtless thus have you, formed the habit of preparing mainly topical
sermons. I am an “old dog” now and they tell me that it is hard to teach an
antiquated canine a new trick, but I say to you solemnly that if I could call
back fifty years, I should make it a life’s ambition to be a real expositor of
the Word rather than a rhetorical declaimer on topics and mottoes. His ability
to discern and his own humble confession, along with a ripe and varied
experience, all lend a great deal of weight to his final prediction: The man
with a passion for exposition and a gift for attractively and forcefully
expounding the Word of God is the coming preacher.

Dr. Faris D. Whitesell is emphatic in his affirmation concerning the relative
value of the expositional method. This is the favorite method of scriptural
preaching for most Biblical preachers. It sticks closest to the Bible, submits
more completely to the authority of the Bible, and most highly honors the Word
of God.

Above all other methods, it takes the Bible as it is, and seeks to find and
apply the true grammatical-historical-contextual meaning.

Expository preaching is at its best when a preacher is expounding a book of the
Bible, section by section, in his best homiletical style. And, since the
expository preacher will wish to hold himself on the straight track of God’s
revealed truth, he will often, perhaps usually, take a longer passage than a
single verse. The key idea to remember about expository preaching is that it is
explanatory. Herrick Johnson says: “But explanatory discussion has its chief
crown and glory in what is technically known as expository preaching. This
preaching is based upon a somewhat extended section of Scripture. But while the
chief business of expository preaching is explanation, it is always explanation
in order to persuasion. It is not mere commentary.” The ideal explanatory
discussion is that which so exhibits God’s truth by narration, description,
exemplification or exposition, that it not only makes the meaning absolutely
clear, but also shows a distinct and dominating purpose to reach the will and
move it Godward. In going into the matter of what an expository sermon actually
is, it might be well to point out some things which it is not. Negatively stated
then, an expository sermon is not:

1. It is not a running commentary. Some men “run” through a passage or chapter,
commenting on each verse, each sentence, or even separate words, thinking that
by so doing they are giving an exposition. It is far from it. We suggest an
example of such, using for a “text” that well-known nursery rhyme about Jack
Horner.

Little Jack Horner sat in the corner, Eating his Christmas pie;

He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum, And said, “What a good boy am I!”
The subject of our discourse is, “A virtuous young man.” The young man whose
name figures so prominently in the text is, without a doubt, one of the most
virtuous characters of yesterday. Let us note some of these virtues.

“Little Jack Horner.” That word “little” of course refers to his physical
stature, not to his character. Many small people are big characters. Then too,
many are stunted and immature through no fault of their own. They are victims of
circumstances. Yet, perhaps, like this young man, they have overcome their
handicap and have become great characters. We should always be kindly disposed
to the “little fellows”; they may be giants in disguise.

“Sat.” Now there is a significant word. He sat-he didn’t stand. He was humble.
He was of a retiring nature, not always vaunting himself. A commendable
characteristic indeed. We should seek to cultivate it.

“In a corner.” This speaks of influence. He would never be a stumbling block to
others, so he stayed “in a corner.”

“His.” It was his own pie. Now I think it is reasonable to suppose that it had
been given to him. After all, it was Christmastime. He would rather starve than
see another in need. No doubt this pie was a gift and he knew how to appreciate
it.

“Christmas.” How we all love Christmas! Even we older folk look forward to it,
though perhaps with some apprehension, so far as the bills are concerned. Now
note please: he was at home at Christmastime. Ah, yes, he was not
commercializing or carousing-he was at home. Observing the season quietly, even
soberly. Let that sink home to every mind.

“He stuck in his thumb.” Note the word “stuck.” (Be careful you don’t get
stuck.) Seriously, that word speaks of initiative. In other words, to speak
plainly, he went to work on that pie. No urging, no coaxing, he stuck his thumb
in. How we do need initiative!

“His thumb.” Not his fingers, mind you, but his thumb. He was always the perfect
gentleman. We need to avoid being indelicate at all times.

“And pulled out a plum.” The emphasis is evidently on the article rather than on
the noun. It says a plum. Here we have temperance. He was not greedy, he took
just one plum at a time.

“And said.” Note how little he had to say. Better to say less and do more.

“What a good boy am I!” At first glance this might appear boastful, but a deeper
study of it will reveal truths not at first apparent. This young man had real
sterling character. He was humble, retiring, unselfish, temperate, exemplary.
There was refinement and nobility there. No, he was not boasting. Rather, is he
not saying, as it were: ‘This is the way of true goodness. Is not this the goal
toward which we should all be moving?” Oh, how we need young men like Jack
Horner, in our political life, our civic life, our social life, yea, even in our
religious life! I might add, in closing, that the original, “And said, ‘What a
good boy am I!’” might be translated and paraphrased thus: “And he continued
{progressive} to soliloquize with himself, saying, ‘What an excellent boy {i.e.,
expositor} am I!’” Selah.

2. It is not a Bible reading. There may be a place for that, if a man is merely
conducting a brief opening devotional, but it definitely cannot be classified as
an expository sermon. The reading of a chapter with a pious insertion at various
intervals is not preaching.

3. It is not a Bible Study. There is a time for a systematic, sectional study of
a book of the Bible, when theological and doctrinal truths are imparted, as in
the ministerial classroom (though on the congregational level), but that is not
expository preaching either.

What, then, is expositional preaching?

Dr. G. Campbell Morgan defines preaching in general:

Preaching is the declaration of the grace of God to human need on the authority
of the Throne of God; and it demands on the part of those who hear that they
show obedience to the thing declared.

Because he was an outstanding expositor, I am inclined to believe that Dr.
Morgan had expository preaching in mind, at least more than any other method,
when he said that.

Dr. F. B. Meyer has a much more extensive definition, which applied most
directly to the expositional method. The consecutive treatment of some book or
extended portion of Scripture on which the preacher has concentrated head and
heart, brain and brawn, over which he has thought and wept and prayed, until it
has yielded up its inner secret, and the spirit of it has passed into his
spirit. . . . It is not an artifice or a trick; it is probably the possession of
a man’s nature by the Spirit which hides in true and sacred words, as sparks lie
hid in flint. . . . The highest point of sermon utterance is when a preacher is
“possessed,” and certainly, in the judgment of the writer, such possession comes
oftenest and easiest to a man who has lived, slept, walked and eaten in
fellowship with a passage for the best part of a week.

This, of course, includes both preparation and delivery as well as the sermon
itself. The product is an expository sermon.

Dr. Ray asks the question, “What is exposition?” and then gives this answer: In
preaching, exposition is the detailed interpretation, logical amplification, and
practical application of a passage of Scripture. For my own understanding I
would suggest something like this:

Exposition is the technique of developing and presenting extended passages of
Scripture in a practical manner, designed to produce a favorable reaction from
the congregation.

Definitions are of little value unless they create an understanding, but I
believe the reader will now have a pretty fair idea of what we have in mind when
we use the term expository preaching. As Dr. Whitesell aptly says:

We do not find agreement among writers on homiletics as to the nature of
expository preaching. They do agree that there are some things which it is not.
It is not merely rambling comment, nor exegesis, nor analysis, nor pure
explanation. It is more than all or any of these. It utilizes all of the
fundamental homiletical processes and presents a complete sermon.

Whether or not you are in full agreement with the author’s conception of what
expository preaching really is, we believe that you will conclude that this type
of preaching is highly beneficial and most desirable in the pulpits today.

Dr. Pattison summarizes it all in one short, powerful sentence: When we proceed
to the exposition of a complete passage of Scripture we pass to a much higher
kind of preaching.

B. DIVERSITY

It has been stated previously that there are some who feel that the expository
method does not allow sufficient room for variety; that there is far too much
repetition, too much sameness. That is not true; in fact, the exact opposite is
true. By the treatment of different books in the Bible, as well as many separate
extended passages, the preacher will be constantly entering new areas and making
new discoveries in fresh territory hitherto untouched. Consequently there will
be far less likelihood of repetition. A Minister who was in the process of
changing pastorates made this significant remark to a ministerial friend who had
occupied another pulpit in that same city for a number of years: “I have been
here for five years and it is time for me to move. I am a topical preacher, and
all the best topics are exhausted in five or six years. You are an expository
preacher and you can stay on here indefinitely.”

Robert Murray McCheyne was noted for his expository ability. Dr. Andrew A. Bonar
says of him:

It was his wish to arrive nearer the primitive mode of expounding Scripture in
his sermons. Hence, when one asked him if he was never afraid of running short
of sermons some day, he replied, “No; I am just an interpreter of Scripture in
my sermons; and when the Bible runs dry, then I shall.” And I the same spirit he
carefully avoided the too common mode of accommodating texts-fastening a
doctrine on the words, not drawing it from the obvious connection of the
passage. He endeavored at all times to preach the mind of the Spirit in a
passage; for he feared that to do otherwise would be to grieve the Spirit who
had written it. As to the reaction to his preaching, on the part of his
parishioners, Mr. Bonar testifies as follows: But on common Sabbaths (regular
days of meeting) also, many soon began to journey long distances to attend St.
Peter’s-many from country parishes, who would return home with their hearts
burning, as they talked of what they had heard that day.

There is unlimited variety and diversity for the expositor, even when he is
giving a consecutive treatment of a whole book of the Bible in course. As to the
matter of preaching miscellaneous chapters or passages there will easily be
found several for any purpose or occasion. For instance, suppose we make a
rather general classification of sermons like this: historical, biographical,
revival, evangelistic, consecration, missionary, stewardship, prayer, doctrinal.
Most sermons would fall into one of these groups, with the possible exception of
sermons for special occasions such as Christmas, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and
so on. Of course there is overlapping there, because a historical sermon might
be any one of the others. Nevertheless, this general distinction will serve to
illustrate what we have in mind concerning variety.

Historical. For rich preaching on historical passages one can immediately turn
to the Book of Genesis. There is plenty of this kind of material in Genesis for
a series of sermons which would cover from eight to eighteen months of
continuous exposition. Likewise the Books of Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings,
Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther in the Old Testament lend themselves very
readily to historical exposition. Then in the New Testament, the Book of Acts is
one of the most fertile, inspiring, delightful, and fruitful fields for a series
of expository messages, which will take perhaps seven or eight months, or even
more, to complete. The preacher who cannot make those historical chapters in
Acts live and pulsate with spiritual life and power might well look into his own
experience and condition before God. There are many historical portions to be
found in other books of the Bible which are considered primarily doctrinal and
ethical in their approach. It will take a very long time to exhaust the
historical chapters of the Bible.

Biographical. There is also abundance of material in the realm of biographical
exposition. Such Old Testament characters as Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph,
Moses, and David are among the first to come to mind, among the noble and
triumphant. Then, to present the other side of the picture, one might use Cain,
Esau, Haman, Ahab, Jezebel and Athaliah. Men of weak character are epitomized in
Lot, Samson, Balaam, and Eli. In the New Testament there is John the Baptist,
Peter, Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, Philip, Paul and many others who are
outstanding, each in his own right. Demas, Alexander, Diotrophes and others
represent the undesirable characteristics. In some cases, such as Naaman the
leper, the biography will likely be confined to one sermon on one chapter. In
other cases the preacher will take just one experience in the life of a man,
such as David’s gracious attitude toward Mephibosheth in II Samuel 9. On the
other hand it may seem propitious to preach a whole series of biographical
sermons on characters like Joseph, Moses, or Paul. The author has two such
sermons on Gideon, and four on Balaam.

Revival. When the matter of revival requires a concerted emphasis, one can find
a good many chapters which are appropriate for that purpose. Probably one of the
first to come to mind in this connection is II Chronicles 7. It is customary to
deal with the fourteenth verse as a textual sermon (2 Chronicles 7:14), and it
is ideal. However, though the fourteenth verse is the core of the chapter, the
whole passage is rich with suggestive material. It is very well to show how we
can have revival, as that one verse portrays; but these are days when we also
need to emphasize what we may expect if we do not have revival, which will
surely be the case (and is) when we fail to meet the requirements. In verses 19
and 20 (2 Chronicles 7:19-20) God says: “But if ye turn away, and forsake my
statutes and commandments. . . . Then will I pluck them up by the roots. . . .”
In II Chronicles 34 we have the account of a “limited” revival under Josiah. It
was great as far as it went, but it did not go far enough. It was limited
because the people did not go all out for God.

Nehemiah 8, Isaiah 1, Psalms 51 and 126 are all suggestive for revival
challenges.

Evangelistic. It is doubtful if there is a book in the Bible which cannot
produce a chapter or passage adaptable to an evangelistic message. When it comes
to evangelism it is a question of which chapter to use when. First of all let us
note the distinction between revival and evangelism. Many seem to not see much
difference, and there are those who think the two are identical. This is not the
case. Revival always precedes evangelism. It may be true occasionally that an
evangelistic emphasis will kindle a revival fire, but only as that fire burns in
the hearts of the believers will evangelism prosper. The two are almost
inseparable, but when revival breaks out in the hearts of God’s people,
evangelism will be the inevitable result. When cold, dead Christians are stirred
up to new life, vigor, and enthusiasm for God, they will then be in a condition
to evangelize the lost. Revival preaching is designed to rouse the Church from
her stupor and bring her back into right relationship with God, while
evangelistic preaching is designed to present God’s way and provision of
salvation for lost sinners, that they might be born again. Billy Graham says:
“Revival concerns the people of God; evangelism, the unconverted.” The
evangelistic message is designed to bring about “repentance toward God, and
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” on the part of the ungodly. In this
connection we immediately think of such chapters as Genesis 3 and 4; Exodus 12
and 14; Joshua 2; I Kings 18; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53 and 55; Daniel 5; John 3 and
4; Luke 15; Acts 9 and 10; and a whole host of others.

Consecration. The call to personal consecration of life is something which
demands constant consideration. There are many angles to it, and many phases to
be set forth, but thinking of it in a general way, and with the idea of
challenging the people to yield to God on this score, we could use such passages
as Exodus 32, Isaiah 6, Luke 9, I Corinthians 6, II Corinthians 6, Ephesians 6,
and Romans 12. I think there is hardly a book in the Bible which will not
provide a passage which will be well adapted to such a challenge.

Missionary. It has been well said that the Bible is a missionary textbook, so
there will be no scarcity of material on this vital theme either. For the
purpose of instruction, as well as a graphic appeal, certain chapters stand out
as though designed for that purpose specifically and exclusively. I am thinking
of Genesis 12, Numbers 32, Isaiah 6, the Book of Jonah, Matthew 28, John 21,
Acts 13, and Romans 10, which are all superb. Personal soul-winning would fall
in this category also, as that is missions in detail. The many interviews of
Jesus, as in the case of Nicodemus in John 3; the Samaritan woman in John 4;
Philip and the eunuch, Acts 8; Peter and Cornelius, Acts 10; the conversion of
Paul, Acts 9, and of the Philippians jailer, Acts 16, are all abounding with
richness for such a purpose.

Stewardship. When we speak of stewardship we are inclined to place the major
emphasis upon the matter of returning to God the material things of life. In
this we are not bound down to “The tithe is the Lord’s,” or “Bring ye all the
tithes into the store house.” Why not preach an expository sermon on Leviticus
27, or Malachi 3? Some other prominent chapters setting forth this particular
truth are Exodus 36, Luke 16 (first part), I Corinthians 16, and II Corinthians
8. From the negative standpoint such characters as Achan, Gehazi, Judas, Ananias
and Sapphira; positively such people as Abraham, Jacob, Araunah, Mary, Lydia,
Barnabas, and Epaphroditus are all very applicable and may be treated from the
expository standpoint.

Prayer. The whole concept of prayer is interminable, and must receive generous
and constant attention. Here again we are at no loss for extended passages to
use in expository messages. I think we should all agree that John 17 is a real
classic in this realm. Then there is Matthew 6, and the two successive parables
in Luke 18 go well together. They might be treated in one message or separately,
but in succession. The prayer of Solomon, on the occasion of the dedication of
the Temple (II Chron. 6) is a striking example among these of the Old Testament.
Paul’s prayer for the Christians at Ephesus (Ephesians 3:13-21), which of course
includes all saints of all ages, is one of the gems of intercession in the New
Testament. There is an abundance of material for expository addresses in this
most vital ministry of intercession and heart-communion with God.

Devotional. When it comes to devotional messages to comfort, strengthen, edify
and inspire the saints, I suppose we would turn, by common consent, to the
Psalms. One could give a brief series of devotional messages from the Psalms
annually without exhausting this grand canyon of heart-warming, spiritual
treasures in five or six years. Of course some of the Psalms are very difficult
to treat in the expository fashion, because they do not all have a continuity of
thought. There are times when the Psalmist just jots down precious thoughts as
they come to him without consideration of connection. Nevertheless, there are
those Psalms which seem to be made to order. Take for instance that beautiful
trilogy of Psalms 22-24; Psalm 22 pictures the “Good Shepherd” of John 10 giving
His life for the sheep; Psalm 23 portrays the “Great Shepherd” of Hebrews 13
risen, ascended, and interceding for His sheep; Psalm 24 presents the “Chief
Shepherd” of I Peter 5 coming again in glory to take his sheep home to be with
Himself. Psalms 34, 37, and 121 are all outstandingly comforting and uplifting.
The book of Psalms is an almost inexhaustible well of living water for
devotional exposition.

Doctrinal. If it be thought that we must forsake the expository method in order
to indoctrinate the Church, that too is a mistake. There will always be a
chapter or a passage appropriate for every doctrine, if it is a Biblical
doctrine. Many traditions and unscriptural doctrines will be ruled out in this
way also. We suggest a few leading doctrines just for example. The
incarnation-John 1; Philippians 2 The crucifixion-John 19; all the Gospels;
Psalm 22 The resurrection-Luke 24; I Corinthians 15; Philippians 3
Repentance-Matthew 3; Luke 13 Regeneration-Ephesians 2 The New Birth-John 3
Justifications-Romans 3 Eternal Punishment-Mark 9; Luke 16; Revelation 20
Baptism-Matthew 3; Romans 6 The Lord’s Supper-Matthew 26; I Corinthians 11

We have suggested only choice portions for each doctrine. Doubtless your mind
has already envisioned other passages in each case which would be admirably
suited to a doctrinal dissertation. The Book of Romans is, of course, the cream
of them all. It runs the gamut of Christian doctrine from first to last and
never fails to thrill the hearts of God’s people, as well as to instruct the
sinner, when covered consecutively in a series of expositions.

It is doubtful if there could ever arise a situation or an occasion when the
preacher would necessarily have to forsake the expository method in order to
meet it, and do it naturally and adroitly.

If you are launching a building program, 2 Kings 6:1-7 and both chapters of
Haggai are superb. The whole book of Nehemiah is also excellent for a series at
such a time. The commencement sermon: Psalm 1; I Kings 18; Daniel 1 and 6; II
Timothy 4. An ordination sermon: Jeremiah 1; Ezekiel 2 and 3 (together); Daniel
1; John 15.

Funerals: Many Psalms, such as 116; John 11 and 14; I Corinthians 15; I
Thessalonians 4.

Christmas: Luke 1 and 2; Matthew 1 and 2; Isaiah 7.

Mother’s Day: II Chronicles 22 (a wicked mother); Genesis 27 (an indulgent
mother); I Samuel 1 (a triumphant mother); II Timothy 1 (an ideal mother).

Thanksgiving: Many of the Psalms; Matthew 11; Luke 17.

Obviously this is not intended to be exhaustive but suggestive. It is sufficient
to indicate that one need never forsake the expository method for lack of an
extended passage to properly fit the need or occasion. There will be times when
a topical or textual sermon will be both desirable and essential, but not due to
the fact that there is nothing available in the expositional realm.

Exposition is adapted to all ages. Young people and children will be alert to
grasp Bible truths if it is presented in an understandable manner. Mr. Herder
says: In my view the exposition of Scripture is the highest and best kind of
preaching, especially in our times; and in particular, I regard it as the best
and safest mode for young persons.

You will recall the statement (quoted in the prologue by a very capable
contemporary:

I give expositions of Bible books morning and evening to my congregation. I find
it feeds the flock, grips young people, sustains interest.

I recall two experiences along this line. One Sunday morning I remarked to my
wife that this was one time that I would be preaching over the heads of the
young people, but I felt it was necessary. I was attempting to treat I John 4
taking as a subject, “The Analysis of Love.” After the service an eleven-year
old girl who had listened intently said, “Mother, that is the sweetest message
the pastor has brought since he has been here.” Is it necessary for me to say
that those were sweet words in the pastor’s ear?

Another time we were using the Book of Amos. We had taken too much material, but
it had captivated the pastor’s heart and he just couldn’t stop. (You know what I
mean.) He did not have his watch on the pulpit either, (a practice which he has
cultivated since). It was embarrassing to discover that the sermons lasted
fifty-five minutes. Nevertheless, that patient congregation was not restless and
did not yawn. It was a real shock when a mother quoted her thirteen-year old son
as saying, “It would have been all right with me if he had gone on for another
hour.”

Allow me to say that I do not impose on my congregations like that any more. The
only reason I was excused then was because it was expository.

Dr. Jones paraphrases: “And now abideth topical, textual, and expository
sermons, these three; but the greatest of these is expository.”


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 10: 05 - THE TECHNIQUE OF EXPOSITION
========================================================================

CHAPTER 5 THE TECHNIQUE OF EXPOSITION

A. PREPARATION IN CONSIDERATION of the matter of preparation it is well to keep
in mind that it is a twofold process. First, there must be the preparation of
the messenger and then the message, and they must always be in that order. The
usefulness of the latter will depend entirely upon the completeness of the
former. Let the messenger be prepared of the Lord and then God will enable the
messenger to prepare a message for the people. Dr. Griffith Thomas has well
said: The call of the present time on theological students, and on the younger
clergy in particular, is to give special attention to preaching. Both in
theological colleges and in parochial work, we must make preparation for
preaching a prominent feature and factor of our clerical life. We must give the
best we can in matter and manner. We must work as hard as we can in order to
produce the best results. No time, no strength, no thought, no effort, can be
too much to devote to this duty. Even if this means the surrender of parochial
organizations, the result in the long run will not be harmful, but advantageous.
It may be that we need to do less in order to do more. The unlearned (who often
prefer to remain in that category) frequently take the position that training
and preparation are not necessary. They feel that all they need to do is to open
the yarning cavity which leads to the esophagus and a great stream of sermonic
utterance will automatically emerge. Such men are inclined to glory in their
ignorance, justify laziness, and are usually very critical of any man who seeks
to have his ministry enhanced by making adequate preparation. They are
constantly misinterpreting and abusing Psalms 81:10, the last part of which
reads: “Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.” Taken in its context, with
nothing more than the first part of the verse, which reads, “I am the Lord thy
God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt,” it obviously means that the
wonder-working God who worked such a marvelous deliverance from Egypt is still
abundantly able to provide for His children. When His people will wait before
Him, as the little bird in the nest awaits the worm, with wide-open mouth, they
may rest assured that He will fill it with the nutritions of divine truth, hence
they shall be filled. When the minister has so waited upon the Lord for such
fullness, he then masticates and digests the Spirit-revealed truth and prepares
to give it to others in a manner that will be conducive to their reception. The
minister is under such a holy and imperative obligation and, under the guidance
of God, must ever seek to present this truth with clarity and emphasis, in a
systematic and thorough manner. This can only be accomplished with careful and
studious preparation. In this matter of sermon preparation there is no
substitute for work-spade work-hard work-laborious work. This is even more true
of exposition than of any other method. Let those who seek to excel in the realm
of exposition recognize to begin with that there is no short cut or easy road to
success. It is easier to “get by” with any other type of sermon, if there is a
tendency to avoid hard work. Dr. W. B. Riley was well qualified to speak with
authority on this matter, and he said:

It is my candid judgment that the average sermon has cost the preacher entirely
too little mental endeavor. Among the reasons that there are not more great
preachers is the fact that there are no few painstaking students. Good preaching
is only and ever the product of great study.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon also had a word to say in this connection: Your pulpit
preparations are your first business, and if you neglect these, you will bring
no credit upon yourself of your office. Bees are making honey from morning till
night, and we should be always gathering stores for our people. I have no belief
in that ministry which ignores laborious preparation.

Let us give heed to the words of Solomon, that sagacious and eloquent “Preacher”
of the Old Testament: My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my
commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply
thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest
up thy voice for understanding; if thou sleekest her as silver, and searchest
for her as hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and
find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5). As the prospector pursues his
precipitous course in search of the precious ore, and the diver scours the ocean
floor in search of treasure, so must the minister delve into the Scriptures for
that knowledge which edifies and enriches.

Blessed {happy} is the man . . . {whose} delight is in the law of the Lord; and
in his law doth he meditate day and night (Psalms 1:1; Psalms 1:2). This book of
the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day
and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written
therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have
good success (Joshua 1:8)

Such excellent advice is probably more applicable to the minister than to anyone
else and, if followed sincerely and conscientiously, carries with it the promise
of real success. It works most admirably in the realm of exposition.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5). That minister who
will take time to call upon God expectantly, and will faithfully await His
response, will not be disappointed.

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and they word was unto me the joy and
rejoicing of mine heart (Jeremiah 15:16). The timid, retiring, and persecuted
prophet found his own heart stirred when God’s Word was absorbed into his very
being. He was so thrilled that his depression was turned into rejoicing.

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But
his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was
weary with forbearing, and I could not stay (Jeremiah 20:9).

Again, under stress and strain of persecution, with his life in jeopardy, he
determined that he would preach no more. Nevertheless, by virtue of the fact
that he was literally saturated with the Word, it was like a consuming fire that
simply had to find release. He could not contain himself. It was not the result
of a sudden inspiration, or an overnight exhilaration, but the outcome of a
constant and continual porting over divine truth until it has taken possession
of him.

It is only after hours of concentrated perusal of the Word that you are overcome
by a holy enthusiasm, and are then in a position to impart it to others in such
a way as to create within them a similar longing and desire for living truth.
The Bereans “searched the scriptures daily” to examine what was actually there.
That is the main business and objective of the minister. Having found what is
there we are under obligation to impart it as it is, in its purity, and its
unity, in its entirety, with simplicity of understanding. Jesus counseled us to
“Search the scriptures; for . . . they are they which testify of me” (John
5:39).

All of this takes time, a great deal of time. We were advised never to undertake
to preach a new sermon (one which had not been previously prepared and used)
until we had spent at least six hours in preparation. That is a very
conservative limitation, particularly in the realm of exposition. When preparing
his analysis of the books of the Bible, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan read a book
through fifty times consecutively before putting pen to paper. His volumes of
pure, chapter-by-chapter exposition (of which, in our opinion, there are none
better) give evidence of long hours of diligent toil, concentrated meditation,
grueling research, and mental alacrity. He said that he always gave the morning
hours to his work, never reading a newspaper until after one o’clock. It paid
great dividends. A seminary professor was endowed with a fertile imagination. A
student once approached him and elaborated most extravagantly upon this talent,
stating that he felt that he would be a success also, if only he had an
imagination comparable to that of the professor. When he had thoroughly
exhausted himself, the professor replied, “Son, it’s about five per cent
imagination, and ninety-five percent perspiration.” So it is. W. J. Dawson once
said, “Half the bad theology in the world is due to suppressed perspiration.”
Mr. Spurgeon correctly remarks:

Estimated by their solid contents rather than their superficial area, many
sermons are very poor specimens of godly discourse. . . . Verbiage is too often
the fig-leaf which does duty as a covering for theological ignorance. A minister
once left his notes, quite inadvertently, on the pulpit, and was about to leave
the church. A young man, noticing the oversight, brought the notes to him. As he
glanced at the paper he detected some smudges on the closely written sheet. Upon
questioning the minister as to the source of the blots, he received this terse
reply, “Sweat and tears.” They are inseparable and essential. Someone has
rightly advised: “Prepare your message as though everything depended upon
yourself. Then set it aside and pray as though everything depended upon God.”
That is excellent advice. God does not, cannot, will not, and never has blessed
laziness. He will undertake in a very real way in a providential emergency, but
presumption will result in the embarrassment and failure. It seems fitting that
we introduce, at this juncture, an extended quotation from Dr. Broadus:

We turn now to the case of continuous exposition. Here, as has been intimated,
the first thing to be done is to make a careful study beforehand of the entire
book, or other portion of Scripture to which the series is to be devoted. To
view every book as a whole, to grasp its entire contents, and then trace in
detail the progress of its narrative or argument, is a method of Scripture study
far too little practiced. One of the benefits of expository preaching is that it
compels the preacher to study in this way. We may say, in general, that no man
will succeed in expository preaching unless he delights in exegetical study of
the Bible, unless he loves to search out the exact meaning of its sentences,
phrases, words. In order to do this, a knowledge of the original language of
Scripture is of course exceedingly desirable, but it is by no means
indispensable. Andrew Fuller, who dealt largely and successfully in this method
of preaching, had substantially no knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, and his
writings were devoted not to commentary, but to didactic and polemic theology.
Yet he loved to study the very words of Scripture. In all his works it is
manifest that he did not content himself with gathering the general meaning of a
passage, but was exceedingly anxious to know its exact meaning.

One of the most eloquent Baptist ministers of America, in the earlier part of
this century, was never so happy, so charming, as in expository sermons. He,
too, was unacquainted with Greek and Hebrew, and was not liberally supplied with
commentaries; but he loved, above all things to ponder and to talk about the
meaning of God’s Word. {The author here alludes to his kinsman, the celebrated
Andrew Broadus, Sr., of Caroline County, Virginia, who, though a man of
remarkable gifts and much sought after, preferred, all his life, a country
pastorate.-D.}

There appears to have been a change in this respect which is to be lamented. We
have a great multiplication of commentaries, and an immense amount of more or
less real study of the Scriptures in the Sunday schools; we have many more
ministers than formerly who know something of the original languages; but there
is reason to fear that the close, thoughtful, lovingly patient study of the
Bible is less common among the ministry now than it once was. As to conversation
about the meaning of this or that passage, such as once abounded when preachers
were thrown together, it has gone out of fashion. A man who should raise such a
question now among a group of ministers, sojourning together during the session
of some association or convention, would be almost stared at.

We come now to consider the preparation of the message itself. I suppose that
the classic expression of all time relative to this vital matter of preparation
is found in the homiletic treatment by Griffith Thomas: “We must think ourselves
empty: read ourselves full: write ourselves clear: and pray ourselves keen.”
That is indeed a concise, but complete schedule, and we should consider each
phrase separately and minutely.

“We must think ourselves empty.” That certainly comes first. We cannot do much
original thinking if our minds are taken up with ideas and thoughts from other
sources. Let our own mental resources be exhausted before turning to other
sources. (I have found that this usually does not consume too much valuable
time.) It pays to stay with the text until you have squeezed from it the very
last drop of juice that you possibly can, before turning to any other library of
information. Of course that does not exclude the various versions and
translations, or lexicons. By the time that you have fully exhausted your own
personal store of original thinking you will have a fairly good foundation for
your message. In speaking of his own procedure Dr. Morgan said: For years I have
made it a very careful and studied rule never to look at a commentary on a text,
until I have spent time on the text alone. Get down and sweat over the text
yourself. That is my method. . . . The text is the sermon, and to that the
preacher gives himself in serious thought. It may be that is one of the most
difficult things to do, but the habit once acquired, becomes one of the joys of
life-real, personal, unbiased thinking. It is so easy, especially when one has
built up a library, to look at the text, and then turn around and put the hand
on a book. It is a real peril. There must be firsthand thinking, actual work,
critical work on the text.

“Read ourselves full.” Having completed your own original explorations in the
text you will turn to the commentaries, expositions, word studies, and sermons
by the leading scholars of the centuries. In many cases you will find that you
have already drawn from the text a great deal of that which others have had
revealed to them. In some cases you will seem to have unearthed rich nuggets of
truth which have apparently been undiscovered by others. This will encourage you
to be more diligent than ever in seeking first for original findings. On the
other hand, you will also find that you have been on the wrong track in some
cases, and have passed over some very significant truths which will add a
richness to your message. Many errors can be avoided this way, and much useful
material will be gathered along the way, for present as well as for later use.
Finally, you will cull out what appears to be extraneous or inappropriate for
this particular occasion, and use that which is fitting and applicable.

“Write ourselves clear.” I am sure that most of us have fallen short at this
point. I suspect that very few ministers write out in full both sermons each
week. However, though we may not make a practice of doing that; or even if we
never make a practice of writing out a sermon in full; it is well to constantly
write out sentences and paragraphs. It will train our minds to think
systematically, clearly; it will develop our vocabulary; it will cultivate
clarity of speech and fullness of expression, as well as simplicity of
explanation. The more we write the better we shall speak, though we may not say
a great deal that we put on paper. It is almost as necessary to say the thing in
the right way as to say the right thing. Writing will go a long way toward
efficiency in this respect. Sometime it will be well worth while to write out
sermons after they have been preached, even though you have no aspirations in
the realm of publication. The author has written a lot of things which have not
been published. It is just as well that some of them were not.

“Pray ourselves keen.” This is rightly stated last, but not because it is least.
While there will be a prayerful attitude all the way through, that the Spirit of
God shall overshadow all of our preparatory activities, there must be that final
turning of the whole thing over to God. Mind and heart must always be
co-ordinated. When we feel that we have a firsthand grasp of the truth contained
in the passage under consideration. We need to get on our knees and ask God to
put fire into the facts. The slogan of one Christian institution is “Knowledge
on Fire.” We must pray that God will make the truth which He has revealed to our
minds a living thing in our hearts, and a reality in our own experience, for
only then can we hope to preach convincingly and powerfully. To carry on traffic
in unfelt truth is a dangerous and unprofitable undertaking.

Having done all in our power to make adequate preparation of both the messenger
and the message, we turn directly to God and ask Him to prepare the hearts of
those who shall hear it; and to help us to deliver it in such a way as a enable
the Holy Spirit to bring about results, which will obviously serve to glorify
God in the lives of all concerned. The combination of these four distinctive and
guiding principles will assure the kind of success which God desires for us, and
guarantee satisfactory results. The minister who is diligent in these matters,
faithfully committing all into the hands of God for His approval, endorsement,
and endowment of divine grace to present the finished product to the people as
he shall direct, will be able to testify with the Psalmist: My heart was hot
within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue
(Psalms 39:3).

B. PROCESS

Analysis, exegesis, interpretation, and illustration are all combined in
expositional preaching. A correct analysis of the content of the passage,
setting forth the main theme in orderly and systematic fashion, is most helpful
to both the preacher and the audience. The message will be more efficiently
delivered, and more easily understood and remembered if it is properly analyzed.
The detailed unfolding of certain statements and expressions in the passage will
be essential to a proper understanding of the whole. Likewise, the summarizing
of certain doctrinal tenets of the faith will also be vital to the objective of
the message. Difficult and major points need to be illustrated simply, in order
to make the discourse understandable to all present. The presentation of the
whole is your exposition. In the realm of art the mallet, the chisel, the
pounding, the chipping, the smoothing, the polishing, the arranging of the
pedestal, must all be completed before the sculpture is ready to be unveiled.
The mortar and pestle, the meticulous measuring and weighing of ingredients must
all take place before the chemist can compound the health-producing medicament.
Likewise, in the realm of exposition there must be the combining of knowledge
and technique to produce the life-giving message of truth by the Holy Spirit,
through mortal mind and lips. The exposition may be a comparatively short
paragraph, or just a segment of a lengthy narrative; it may be the complete
section; it may include the entire chapter, involving more than one complete
unit; or it may be a whole book of the Bible, as the occasion seems to demand.
For instance, one might take the entire thirty-six verses of the third chapter
of John, dealing with the new birth in a very comprehensive manner. Following
the discourse of Jesus with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) is the testimony of John the
Baptist (John 3:22-30) and, finally the testimony of the author of the fourth
Gospel himself (John 3:31-36). Each section enforces, emphasizes, and enlarges
upon the testimony of Jesus himself relative to the new birth.

If one were to treat the narrative biographically, dealing with Nicodemus as a
character, then verses 1-21 would be a complete text. (Allusion might be made to
John 7:50-52 and John 19:38-39, but not necessarily so.)

Verses 14-18 (John 3:14-18) comprise a paragraph which is complete in itself for
a separate discourse along the line of “Life Eternal” or some such theme,
without any reference to Nicodemus as a character (though the interview would
have to be mentioned) or the new birth as a distinct doctrine. In the fourth
chapter of John, you might arrange a message on “The Outcast,” or “A Woman of
Samaria,” or some such topic, covering the first forty-three verses
biographically (John 4:1-43), as a complete unit. In doing so it would probably
be best to omit the paragraph covering verses John 4:31-48. That paragraph could
be treated at a different time as a missionary sermon, or some phase of
soul-winning, or perhaps at thanksgiving season, since that is the harvest time.
In treating a chapter like 1 Corinthians 13, there is almost the necessity of
covering it in its entirety. To do otherwise would seem to mutilate it. It is a
gem of such perfection that it defies dissection, and demands a platinum setting
all its own. In fact, one hesitates to expound it at all, lest it should become
soiled in our unworthy hands. There seems to be an apology due before attempting
it, and a feeling of inadequacy when it is over. If ever a preacher addresses a
congregation disadvantageously it is at such a time. Let us beware lest we
“butcher” such spiritual masterpieces.

Now let us give some attention to some guides to the preparation of expository
discourses. As has already been stated, the ideal pulpit ministry is the
consecutive exposition of a book of the Bible, chapter by chapter (or section by
section) Sunday after Sunday. In the first place, the people will know what is
in store for them the next Lord’s Day, and many of them will read ahead, and be
somewhat prepared at least for the message. The preacher does not have to be
casting about in his mind, trying to reach a conclusion as to what he should
preach next. It is not a question of simply finding something to preach, but
which one shall I preach? Only those who are in the ministry can fully
appreciate the difficulty of reaching a decision regarding the next sermon. This
difficulty is eliminated by following the consecutive procedure. Then, if
occasion demands, and the Spirit of the Lord makes it apparent that something
else is imperative, one can turn aside for a Sunday and resume the series the
following week. That will do no injury if it happens just occasionally, which is
probable. Of course, one cannot always follow the consecutive plan fifty-two
Sundays in the year; we doubt the wisdom of doing so, unless specifically led of
the Lord in that way. Nevertheless, it is well to do so frequently, and as often
as possible. The more you do it the greater will be the demand for it. The
people will come to love it and want it always. However, regardless of the
procedure followed, the Lord will have some means by which He will guide His
servant to the right Scripture at the right time. Much helpful advice is given
on the matter of the selection of a text, in some of the volumes of general
homiletics. When treating a book of the Bible consecutively, it is well to read
the whole book through consecutively to begin with. If it is a very long book
read at least the first main section of it carefully, to get a sort of
bird’s-eye view of the whole. Then read through meditatively the first chapter
or section which you are going to expound, in its entirety, in order to get a
grasp of the entire content, at least in a general sense, also to notice the
most obvious divisions. Then go back and proceed slowly, verse by verse,
sentence by sentence, word by word; “line upon line; here a little, and there a
little.” As the light begins to gleam through an opening here and there jot down
brief notes and possible applications. Other statements may come to mind
occasionally, from other places in the Bible, so you will make comparisons and
possibly put down some references, to enforce a particular point of interest or
importance. Another Scripture may help to illustrate or unravel the truth at
hand. As a rule, it is best to stick to the passage and preach the other one
some other time.

Having worked your way through that passage in the Authorized Version, which is
good policy because you will use it in the pulpit (if you wish to cultivate the
practice of bringing Bibles to the worship service on the part of your people),
you will then turn to other versions and translations. Doubtless some phrases or
statements did not yield much fruit from the first gathering. It may be that
things discovered toward the end of the passage will throw some new light on
earlier statements, as you go back for the second reading in another version.
Also, different renderings and root meanings of certain words; or a more
accurate selection of words and tense derived from other sources; or a firsthand
study of the Hebrew or Greek; all will have a tendency to open up new avenues of
thought and bring to the surface truths hitherto unseen. “The entrance of thy
words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalms 119:130) is
very true in the matter of sermon preparation. Continued study of the text
itself will constantly yield more light upon all matters of divine revelation.

Eventually you will process the chapter with a view to analysis particularly. By
this time you are familiar with the content, and are ready to formulate a topic
in keeping with the theme of the passage. The logical divisions will be noted
and arranged with appropriate headings. Sometimes this all seems to fall
together almost automatically, but there are times when it takes extended and
arduous thinking to get your material systematically arranged. All of this may
result in new findings in the matter of interpretation, in a doctrinal and
practical unfolding of the truth. It may be that the analysis will remain
incomplete until you have done practically all the research in realms apart from
the Bible itself. It is best to get the analysis first however.

Having exhausted all other sources of information you are ready for the
commentaries and expositions of the scholars. How it delights the heart, and how
glad you are that you exhausted your own thinking first, when you discover that
the Spirit of God has unveiled to you a great deal of that which you find in the
writings of others! Nevertheless, there will always be matters which were more
or less enigmatical to you, or which you have overlooked, that have been made
clear to others. We all have a tendency to study from that viewpoint which
especially appeals to us (our “bent”) or as someone has said, “our own peculiar
style of awkwardness.” For that reason we all make original discoveries and
profit by the discoveries of others. When all of these rays of light, which have
been seen by the eye of a God-given emphasis, are put into the spectrum of
divine illumination, we shall have a panorama of the entire territory.

Then there must follow the deletion and elimination of all material which is
extraneous to, or out of line with, the theme for this occasion, even though it
be rich and desirable. It will keep, and will be of inestimable value at another
time, in connection with another theme, for another occasion. It should be filed
away for future reference. Many a good sermon will be salted away for future
use, as a result of this research, and will thereby become a most valuable
by-product of the original, later becoming its own original.

During this process it is very likely that some illustrations will have come to
mind, either Biblical or otherwise, or have been found in the writings of
others. Certain matters which seem to require simplifying, by use of
illustration, will send you in search of an everyday occurrence, or a poem, or
perhaps a verse of a hymn.

There are dangers to be avoided. There is a tendency, especially in the early
days of pulpit ministry, to want to preach everything at once. We become
enamored with these new revelations (rightly so) and want to pass on all of them
immediately, that others may share in the blessing. You can defeat your purpose
by giving too much at once. There is such a thing as spiritual dyspepsia. There
have been times that I have failed to enjoy a good meal simply because the host
overdid it. There was just too much good, rich food on the table at one time. A
minister can make the same mistake. Too much new, rich truth at one time can
create bewilderment. It is better to confine yourself at the beginning to that
which will unfold the particular truth which you feel needs the emphasis. If you
are uncertain about something, leave it severely alone. It is better to ignore
it than to hash it up and be embarrassed later, when you find how badly you have
blundered.

Beware of too much illustration. That is one of the greatest weaknesses of all
present-day preaching, and needs to be carefully avoided in the realm of
expositional preaching. The very nature of the expository method precludes the
abundant use of illustrations or quotations. You have your material before you,
and only where explanations are difficult do you need illustrations. Use them
sparingly, and sometimes not at all. If that truth has gripped your own heart,
you will be able to impart it so that it will do the same for the people. In
biographical or narrative exposition there is little need for illustrative
material. Doctrinal and devotional sermons will require more in the nature of
illustration.

C. PRESENTATION

We come now to the matter of the outline. It is of far greater importance than
some preachers think it is. Of course a man with a very analytical mind might
think he had a sermon when he had nothing but an outline, but more often it is
the other way. A man may have a lot of good material and not have it properly
organized. Consequently, his presentation is poor. Truth systematically
presented will always be far more effective than truth heterogeneously
presented.

First of all, remember that the outline must always be deduced from the passage
in hand, never the converse. Never arrange an outline and then endeavor to make
the passage fit the outline. The outline is not an objective in itself, but is
just an aid to the objective, which is to present the teaching of the passage in
relation to the subject. It is better to have a poor outline which is strictly
in line with the text, than to have an artistic outline which necessitates a
distortion of the text or a disproportion of truth. An outline is not just a
survey. Sometimes a man will go through a passage and jot down some ideas,
thinking that he then has an outline. All he has is some suggestive material,
which should then be outlined and arranged in an orderly fashion for
presentation.

There are a few principles which will assist in the matter of outlining or
analysis. First of all, decide on a topic. You may change the wording of it more
than once before you have just what you want, but you should at least have the
substance of your topic before arranging your outline. The topic, which of
course incorporates your theme, must come first. Even though you are not
entirely satisfied with the wording, put down something that will summarize the
main line of truth which you are going to develop. The selection of the topic
will be determined by the central theme of the entire passage. You need to be
careful not to select a topic which includes only a portion of the passage, or a
part of your message. It must be completely inclusive, and the shorter the
better. For instance, if you should be treating the familiar narrative in Luke
15, known as the story of the prodigal son, and emphasizing the need for
repentance, your topic might be “About Turn.” If you took for a topic the words,
“He Came to Himself,’ it would be only partially covering the story. The former
includes the latter and involves all the rest. When you have your topic, at
least in substance, you will work out your divisions. The passage will always
have a natural division, which will depend, to a large extent, upon the theme or
particular emphasis which you have in mind at that time. The same chapter might
be treated at different times, once as a biographical and later on as a
doctrinal sermon. In each case the topics and the divisions would be quite
different. Sometimes you will have possibly eight or ten verses in one division,
and only one or two verses in another, depending upon the importance of the
content or the continuity of thought therein.

There can be no hard and fast rule advanced which would apply to all sermons in
connection with the number of divisions or subdivisions. I believe it is
generally conceded that main divisions should be from two to five. If you go
beyond five, there is a danger of becoming tedious or wearisome, and there is
probably a lack of unity. Solomon said, “A threefold cord is not quickly
broken.” Through personal experience and the study of written sermons I have
concluded that the ideal arrangement for a sermon outline is one with three
major divisions and two subdivisions under each main division. There will always
be exceptions to that, but, for the most part, we believe that arrangement will
be most beneficial to both preacher and hearer. Each main division will be a
further unfolding of the main theme, as stated in the topic, and each
subdivision will be a further unfolding of the truth stated in the heading of
that particular division.

Continuity is the primary advantage of the outline, so be careful to make every
point line up with your subject, which is set forth in your topic. This cannot
be emphasized too much, because the whole value of your outline depends upon it.
Unless every part of your outline will dovetail together with every other part,
and mesh like the gears in the transmission of a car, there will be confusion, a
lack of progress, and the probability of a crash.

Originality is also most desirable and highly beneficial. Compose your own
outline, do not borrow it. You may be able to find a much nicer looking outline
in the Pulpit Commentary or a volume of sermons, but your own will be much more
effective, simply because it is your own composition, and you know that it will
work. There are several reasons for that. First of all, having created it you
have a reason for every part of it; it has a vital connection with the text.
Every heading is meaningful because it is the product of the passage itself.
There is such a definite and vital connection between the heading and the text
that a single glance is sufficient to refresh your mind concerning a whole
segment of divine truth. It can readily be seen by this that, in order to
originate a good outline, you must necessarily be thoroughly familiar with the
passage in hand, and that requires thorough study and research. It works to
advantage both ways. A good outline will keep the preacher from wandering and
also enable the listeners to retain the message a great deal longer. In this
connection it should be stated that alliteration can be most helpful. Words
beginning with the same letter or having a similar sound, whether there be
contrasts or comparisons expressed, will flow smoothly and have a tendency to
fasten the spoken facts in the minds of the listeners. Of course this can be
carried to extremes. Once someone related to me an outline on the prodigal son;
it went about like this, as I recall: THE PRODIGAL SON 1.His madness a. He
wanted his tin b. He Surrendered to sin c. He gave up his kin 2.His badness a.
He went to the dogs b. He ate with the hogs c. He hocked all his togs 3.His
gladness a. He was given the seal b. He ate up the veal c. He danced a reel

Some might even dare to preach on a thing like that, but the man who has the
audacity to do so should be asked to surrender his credentials. The outline is
to the sermon what the skeleton is to the body, so let us ever keep in mind that
the pulpit is not a museum but an art gallery. The outline must be clothed with
the message. To remember an outline is of little value, but to recollect a
message by virtue of a well-planned outline is of inestimable and eternal value.

Having formulated an outline in keeping with your topic, and having then
arranged your material under the various headings, consideration should be given
to the manner in which you will present it.

First, your introduction. It should be well thought out and definitely planned,
but brief. A wearisome introduction can ruin an otherwise good message. The
connection with the context should be made clear, sometimes including what is to
come perhaps in a later message, as well as what has gone before, in order to
give the true setting. Every “therefore” and “wherefore” involves at least a
word of explanation concerning what has been said or written previously. Dr. B.
H. Carroll has textual preaching in mind, but his advice is excellent in the
expositional realm also, when he says:

Whenever you take a text there is always a better sermon in it, according to its
true meaning, than any sermon you can preach away from it. Every preacher is
under obligation when he selects a text to give its primary meaning and then its
contextual meaning. Then he may deduce from the principles involved a new line
of thought. But his new theme must be a logical development from the primary and
contextual meaning. He should never take a text and preach a sermon without
telling what it means primarily and in its context. The introduction, showing
the contextual connection, should be particularly brief in consecutive
exposition, where the series is being developed with a continuity of thought
under a particular theme. Nevertheless, the situation, the locality, the
circumstances or conditions prevailing at the time; all of these should be
pointed out clearly, if the passage requires it, before launching into the main
discussion. Even in your introduction it is well to direct the thinking of your
congregation toward the main idea that you intend to put across, so that thought
will be predominant in their minds throughout the entire discourse. With the
core of the main theme implanted in the minds of the people, in its true
connection, you are ready to proceed with the discussion. Blending it all
together as one complete unit you will move smoothly and organically from one
division to another, as from score to score in a piece of music, building up to
a grand finale and climax. Preach what you know and what inspires your own
heart, and leave the rest. Give prominence to that which is vital, and do not
become bogged down with needless details; there is real danger of becoming
snagged on some matter of lesser importance, thus wasting precious time that
should be utilized in presenting corporate nothing which has no direct bearing
upon your main theme.

Never avoid those matters which may seem to be objectionable to some, or which
present difficulties, but preach what is there without fear or favor. It is the
Word of God and needs no apology. Preach “the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth” as it is set forth in your text. Carry your listeners
along with you, passing quickly from one level to another, ever upward, until
you have them waiting with bated breath for the final climax.

Then bring the message to a definite conclusion. That is just as important,
perhaps even more so, than the introduction. Have a properly planned stopping
place. Know just how, when, and where you are going to stop, and then-STOP!
There may be no Biblical basis for it but, “Blessed is that preacher that
knoweth when he is through, and then stops” is an excellent homiletical
beatitude. So many otherwise good messages have been ruined because the preacher
either did not know when stop, or ignored the stop sign. A professor gave his
students three good principles by which to govern their delivery: 1. Stand up.
2. Speak up. 3. Shut up. Be sure to plan your conclusion and stick to it. When
you get so enthusiastic that you feel you cannot stop, remember that the people
may be feeling that they cannot sit. The whole value of your message could be
ruined by prolonging your conclusion. No one has ever been offended, no one has
ever become dilatory about church attendance, no one has ever become
inattentive, because the sermon was too short. We are not arguing for
sermonettes (they produce only Christianettes), and we are convinced that at
times the expositor can afford to have a longer message than usual, but be most
careful not to impose on the most patient and appreciative people in the
world-your congregation.

Then, too, be sure that your conclusion really concludes the message, don’t just
dribble off. Bring the message to an end in such a manner that the people feel
that nothing more needs to be said. This is it, now all that remains to be done
is to put into practice what has been taught. In connection with your
conclusion, is your final application. This, too, should be well planned and
should blend into your conclusion. In one sense it is a part of or perhaps
becomes your conclusion. While there will be applications all through the
message, there is one final application of the primary truth which is set forth
in your topic. It is not sufficient merely to show what God desires or requires
of those who would receive His approval, or even how He makes these things to
become operative; but we must show how these things apply to each individual
life in a practical outworking in daily experience. People must be made to feel
that this particular matter is of supreme importance at the moment, and that God
is expecting everyone to act upon it here and now, fully yielding to His claims
and expectations in this matter. The application must be personal, it must be
practical, it must be pertinent.

I recall hearing a very good sermon on the threefold temptation of Jesus, some
years ago. It was well prepared and ably delivered. The conclusion was
excellent, showing that the end never justifies the means. To illustrate, the
preacher cited an instance in South America, which was well chosen and very
appropriate. Since I happened to be familiar with the conditions existing in
that church I could see how well that message fitted the local situation. The
preacher had very adroitly brought the truth to bear upon the need and I
anticipated his application. He had them “on ice” and there could be no escaping
the truth and the necessity of their yielding to it. He had done the job so
efficiently that no one could reasonably take offense, no matter how personal
the application. My appreciation of his discernment (he had not been there long)
and his courage was continually mounting. However, to my surprise and
disappointment, he left them stranded in South America. Doubtless the people
felt that the principle worked fine in the southern atmosphere and should be
adhered to down there, but they were definitely not made to feel that they were
flagrantly defying that same principle in their own lives and in their church.
They should have been made to feel that the principle demanded immediate
conformity on their part, and they could not expect the blessing of God upon
their church until they did something about it. He had a conclusion without an
application, which is a tragedy. “Whatsoever he saith unto you”-conclusion; “do
it”-application.

There are many things which need to be simplified and clarified and this can be
done only by use of an illustration. By use of commonplace things spiritual
matters difficult to understand will be made understandable and capable of
apprehension. Jesus often took the common things of everyday life to illustrate
and thus simplify the deep things which so often mystified his listeners. The
door, the vine, the branch, the salt, the light, the bread, the water, and many
more. Family relationships, agriculture, mechanics, natural science, botany,
astronomy, sociology, and various other arts and sciences all contribute
splendid illustrative material to give mental pictures of truths that are
designed to activate the heart and life. It is well to remember that primarily
we are not teaching facts but people. The real test of good preaching is whether
or not the people learned anything from the message.

It has already been stated that illustrations should be used sparingly.
Present-day preaching is lopsided due to the fact that there is in it such a
preponderance of illustrative material. Most modern sermons are from eighty to
ninety per cent illustration. Some of them are nothing more than a topic and a
collection of illustrations. They do not edify, and have no lasting value.

Expository preaching will require fewer illustrations than others. In some cases
you will not use any. That may sound farfetched, but I have seen the most rapt
attention at times when there are nothing but pure exposition. It is doubtful if
more than twenty-five or thirty per cent of the time should ever be given to
illustrations, and usually less than that. Of course that means very thorough
preparation and careful description on the part of the preacher.

Above all else there should be the strict avoidance of wearisome details. We
have listened to some illustrations that were so long and drawn out that we
anticipated both the story and the point before the preacher was half through.
That is boring. We could not help but feel (whether justly or not) that all this
needless detail was just padding to substitute for a lack of real preparation.
Condense as much as possible, and hasten on just as quickly as you can to the
truth which you are seeking to present. It is true that illustrations are
windows which let the light in, but do not make a religious greenhouse out of
the pulpit. It then becomes fragile and lacks solidarity. Hothouse plants cannot
stand the weather on the outside. Our people need to be “rooted and grounded in
love” and in the truth of God, that they shall be “no more children, tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,” and perverted by “the
wiles of the devil.” They need to “grow up into him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15). Stories, no matter how fitting or how
well told, will never bring that to pass. Be sure that the stories really
illustrate. We have heard most interesting and inspiring incidents related which
had no bearing upon the subject matter at all, and did not have any connection
with the truth just stated. The preacher had just come across it, or it was
fresh in his mind, and he used it. No matter how inspiring or though-provoking
it may be, if the account is irrelevant, it is useless. The same is also true of
poetry. As a rule it is not best to start a message with an illustration,
particularly an exposition, but there are times when this can be done quite
effectively. The converse is true concerning the conclusion. One of the very
best ways to conclude a message is with a fitting and gripping illustration.

There is also the matter of recollection. Sometimes it is difficult to bring to
mind the right thing at the right time. Though you have not forgotten it you may
not be able to recollect it at the precise moment that it is needed. The use of
notes, for this purpose, is something else which needs careful consideration,
because it can greatly enhance or detract from the value of the message. There
is great need for a proper balance here. We know of a man who can give the
entire Scripture passage from memory, and then proceed to deliver a well-planned
and powerful message without the sign of a note before him. I wish that it were
possible for me to do so, but my mind is not so constructed. We know of another
man, one of the nation’s most prominent preachers, who takes his sermon almost
verbatim into the pulpit with him. However, unless you happened to be sitting in
the choir (or were as curious as I am) you would not be likely to know it. His
use of notes is so dexterous as to be of no disadvantage to him, nor is it
obnoxious to his congregation.

These two men are not representative, they are exceptions. Most men who preach
without any notes at all will have a tendency to wander, or to get the cart
before the horse. It is difficult for the average man to carry a continuous
analytical discourse through a period of thirty minutes or more without notes,
unless it happens to be one which he has used often enough to develop thorough
familiarity with the message. Likewise, if a man has a manuscript before him he
will almost certainly become married to his notes, and lose the attention of his
people. There is nothing more provoking than a prolonged pause, while the
preacher juts out his chin and gazes through his bifocals, trying to find his
place.

There should at least be a skeleton outline, with a few phrases here and there,
a pungent statement, an epigram, a quotation, or a note to recall an
illustration. The writer has found that one side of half a regular size
letterhead is quite sufficient, as a rule. Occasionally there is need for a few
extra words on the back. Poems can be on a separate piece of paper, if you do
not quote from memory. If you memorize, all you need is the title. The ideal
arrangement is to have a full length manuscript in the file to be consulted
beforehand, and a condensed skeleton to take into the pulpit. Even then we
should not be bound to those things that we have, brief or otherwise, but leave
our minds open for fresh thoughts which will come from God, sometimes on the
spur of the moment, and most frequently when we have made thorough and careful
preparation.

Much care should be exercised in the use of notes, however brief, so that people
will not be conscious of their use. Not that there is any lack of virtue in the
use of notes, but an awareness of it is distracting. I was greatly encouraged
one time, after having conducted services in a neighboring church for a week. A
competent attorney, himself a public speaker and Bible teacher of ability, said,
“One thing I appreciated about your preaching was the fact that you do not use
any notes.” He was amazed when I told him that I had used notes for all but two
of the sermons, and said, “Well, I watched carefully, but I could not detect
it.”

It is not accidental. It is the result of much careful endeavor to develop a
technique that will in no way distract or detract from the concentration of the
people upon the truth of God which is being presented. In other words we must
avoid bringing the workshop into the pulpit.

Finally we might consider the use of the proposition. You will wonder why that
should be left to the last, because it obviously belongs at the first of this
discussion, in the order of things. There is a great deal of difference of
opinion on the use of the proposition. Some feel that it is indispensable, that
a sermon is crippled without it. Others see no need for it. Not too much has
been said on the matter by the specialists. Doubtless many have been using the
proposition without particular consideration of it as such, or of its
significance. Dr. Whitesell has this to say about it: The proposition is the
gist of the sermon, the sermon condensed into one sentence, the spinal column
running through the message. It is the thing you wish to prove, and becomes the
core of the whole message. It is the thing the lawyer states when he begins his
plea before a jury; it is the thing the legislator states when he begins to
plead for the passage of a favorite measure. It should be stated as an
affirmation, or as a question, in one sentence. . . . If a preacher has a good
proposition and keeps to it, his message will have unity, progress, clarity,
weight, and punch; but if he lacks a proposition, he will flounder and get
nowshere. Dr. Charles W. Koller says that the difference between the subject and
the proposition is this: the subject is what you are going to talk about, the
proposition is what you are going to say about it. The proposition is the sermon
in a nutshell.

What the “lead” is to the journalist the proposition is to the preacher. Good
journalism calls for a pithy, catchy, condensed headline, followed by a concise
summary of the whole story, and then the detailed account. The headline is to
create sufficient curiosity to catch the reader’s attention; the “lead” is to
develop enough interest in the story to make the reader want to know all of the
facts in the case. So it is with the proposition. It whets the appetite of the
hearers, so that they will want to follow on to discover how these things can be
deduced, how they can be substantiated, and what is the significance of the
ultimate conclusion. The proposition will usually come immediately after the
topic, but it may follow the introduction, depending upon the content or length
of the introduction. In one sense it should be incorporated in the introduction.

It may seem that there is a host of constituent elements in a sermon; but most
preachers have these various parts to their sermons, whether or not they have
given it special consideration, or diagnosed and pigeonholed each part. There
must be a blending of these elements into a smoothly flowing stream of spiritual
truth that will charm the audience into humble and sincere obedience to the
divine purpose.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 11: 06 - THE OUTGROWTH OF EXPOSITION
========================================================================

Chapter 6 THE OUTGROWTH OF EXPOSITION A. PRACTICAL CLINIC

I HAVE MADE arrangements to visit the expositor’s study without his knowledge. I
feel that we may be able to learn more of how actually to go about the
preparation of an expository sermon that way than in any other. The expositor
tries to stay away from his books on Monday, so we shall slip into the study on
Tuesday morning and be there when he comes in. We can just keep out of sight and
peep over his shoulder when he goes to work. He is at present engaged in a
series of messages on the Gospel of Matthew. He is not sticking to any
particular theme, but taking each chapter separately as he comes to it. The
first two chapters have already been covered so he will be working on the third
chapter for the next Lord’s Day. He has already read it though and feels
impressed to treat it from a biographical standpoint. Something of the greatness
of this man known as John has gripped his own heart, and he feels that his
people will be inspired and edified by a pictorial exposition of this
outstanding character. Three topics come to his mind in quick order so he jots
them down. “John the Baptist,” “A New Testament Prophet,” “The Forerunner.” Now
we follow the expositor as he goes through the chapter, studiously, verse by
verse, putting down such thoughts as come to his mind as he goes along.

1. “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea.”

Humility―nothing pretentious about his pulpit. No publicity or notoriety.

2.“And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” An unpopular
message but greatly needed. Not enough of it today. Same message as Jesus
preached. Both suffered for it.

3. “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice
of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight.”

Divine appointment―predicted by Isaiah. Real authority. (Check Malachi.)

4. “And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle
about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”

Humility again―unpretentious garb and meager fare. Contrast to Pharisees and
religious leaders who were capitalizing and living luxuriously.

5. “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round
about Jordan.”

Strangely enough they flocked to hear him. Sincerity and a real message always
attract. If we are faithful, God will see that we get a hearing.

6. “And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

Real results follow. Confessing―not denying or excusing their sins.

7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he
said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?”

Scorching denunciation. Vituperative preaching of the first order.

8.“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” No false professions for
him. Outward evidence of heart repentance is vital.

9. “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I
say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham.”

Human ancestry and relationships have no significance in the spiritual realm.
Experience with God is a matter of heart.

10. “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every
tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Warning. Axe, trees, fire, etc.,―?

11. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after
me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”

12. “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and
gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.” Just two destinations.

13. “Than cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.”
Unexpected procedure.

14. “But John forbad him. Saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest
thou to me?”

More humility. John’s reticence understandable. Jesus had no sin of which to
repent.

15. “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.” _______?

16.“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and,
lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God, descending
like a dove, and lighting upon him.” The approval of the Spirit upon the Son,
John, and the ordinance.

17. “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased.”

Approval of the Father. Trinity revealed. Deity of Jesus established.

Now the expositor goes back to start his analysis. He considers the three topics
and decides to use “The Forerunner,” It is more unique than the others and may
have a tendency to arouse curiosity. Now then, what has he discovered about the
forerunner? What shall be said about him? What sort of man is he? Ah, his
person. What seem to be some of his chief characteristics? He is a man of
courage. This is seen in the fact that he disregarded conventionalities (Matthew
3:1, Matthew 1:1). He defied and condemned false religion (Matthew 3:7-10). He
defied all human authority in his demand for genuine repentance. Courage is an
outstanding virtue of the forerunner. He is also a humble man. His pulpit
(Matthew 1:1). Just a voice, not the head (Matthew 3:2). His attire and fare
(Matthew 3:4). Self-deprecation (Matthew 3:11). Reticence concerning the
administering of the ordinance (Matthew 3:13-14). Humility is another very
outstanding virtue of the forerunner. It was these two characteristics which
Jesus pointed out in His commendation of the forerunner (Matthew 11).

Since he was a divinely appointed prophet of God we must consider his preaching.
That was his main business. First of all the content of his message. “Repent
ye,.” Just one consuming, burning passion―to provoke genuine, evident repentance
as the prerequisite for baptism. Then, the character of his preaching. (1) it is
a message with a biblical foundation and authority. John postulated his
utterances upon the predictions of the prophet Isaiah (Matthew 3:3). (2) His
preaching was pointed, pungent, and personal, and it got the desired results,
though it also caused offense (Matthew 3:6). The forerunner (as the name
implies) had one main objective and purpose―the introduction and exaltation of
Another, greater than he in every respect. He was constantly magnifying the
Christ and minimizing himself. He points out that his is a divinely appointed
office (Matthew 3:3), and has the approval of Christ Himself (Matthew 3:13). At
the same time John was always exemplifying Christ. The forerunner was even
mistaken for the Christ (John 1:20). He compares most favorably with Jesus in
his message, his firmness, his humility, and his utter unselfishness. The
expositor debates the advisability of using a proposition. After some
considerable thought he devises one, which he may or may not use. It was because
of his intense devotion, his indomitable spirit, his unswerving loyalty, and his
similitude to the Son of God that Jesus was constrained to pronounce John the
Baptist the most exemplary man of the hour.

Now the expositor turns to other books in his library. Versions and translations
yield a helpful sidelight here and there. Volumes of Greek word studies are also
helpful. It was noticed that some verses in the chapter did not yield any choice
thoughts for preaching. Verses ten and fifteen are still not at all clear in his
mind, even after consulting other translations. As the expositor makes thorough
research in the commentaries and expositions of the scholars, he finds that
there is evidently a question in the minds of the interpreters as to the exact
meaning of those statements, and quite a variation of opinion among the
scholars. Some new light has come, but he wisely concludes to pass over those
matters in this biographical sermon. There will be another time for that, when
he has had time to let it sink in and has gleaned more knowledge and a better
understanding of that portion of truth. Verses eleven and twelve also present
difficulties and involve some rather intricate exegesis, so he decides to omit
those also, with perhaps brief reference to the fact that the Holy Spirit is the
agent of regeneration. Some other time he will preach a sermon on repentance or
regeneration and go into that in detail. This is a biographical sermon, he has
plenty of material, and he is particularly concerned with the forerunner
himself.

After considering the passage in Mark 6, he decides not to introduce that
either. It will serve better as a separate treatment of contrasted personalities
at another time. However, the passage in Matthew 11 seems fitting for inclusion
this time.

Now the expositor must arrange his material analytically and in a condensed
manner for use in the pulpit, so he ends up with this: THE FORERUNNER
(Introduction and proposition) 1.His person a. Humility

Matthew 3:1. Pulpit. Matthew 3:3. Voice, not head.Matthew 3:4. Garb and diet.
Matthew 3:11. self-deprecation and exaltation of Jesus. Matthew 3:13-14.
Reticence re baptism. b. Courage Defied religionists and ecclesiastical
authority. Denounced sin and demanded renunciation.

2.His preaching a. Content Repentance. Not just a doctrine, but a demand.

Fruits must be seen as evidence of reality of it. It must have a practical
reaction. b. Character Source-the Old Testament Scriptures. Result- Confession
and baptism (Matthew 3:5-6).

3.His purpose a. Magnifying Christ Office predicted-Matthew 3:3. Malachi 3.
Office approved-Matthew 3:13 b. Exemplifying Christ Mistaken for the Messiah.
John 1:20. Compares favorably with Jesus in message, firmness, humility,
Unselfishness, devotion. Matthew 11. (Illustration) From what point will the
expositor make his application? Certainly we are not overburdened with humility
today, so that needs to be emphasized. We are living in trying times which test
the souls of men. We need to be courageous in the conflict with sin. That
suggests a great challenge. The world is floundering in the quagmire of human
reasoning and homophilosophy, so we need a Biblical foundation for our faith and
testimony. That would not be inappropriate. Any one of these would be well
fitted for a final conclusion and application. However, there is one thing that
particularly appeals to the expositor at this time and seems to more or less
incorporate the others. That is the similitude of the forerunner to Jesus
Himself. We are His followers; we should be like Him; the world expects us to be
like Him; yet how unlike Him we are. John was so like Him as to be mistaken for
him. Yes, that will be the final application.

We have been peering over the expositor’s shoulder all week. This is a Saturday
morning, and he has just condensed his notes for pulpit use. Now he turns to his
files for a good closing illustration concerning this Christlikeness. He recalls
a clipping which tells of a white trader going to a village in Africa in search
of ivory. This layman was a genuine Christian and, finding that the people had
an understanding of the English language, he began to tell them about a Man who
could help them in their need. Without mentioning a name he began to describe
Jesus to them. Soon their faces lighted up and one of them said, “I know whom
you are talking about-our missionary.”

Tears well up in the eyes of the expositor and he drops to his knees. It is time
for us to leave the expositor alone-with his God.

It is time for us to get to our own desks; hungry hearts are waiting to be fed,
and we must not, we dare not, disappoint them on Sunday morning.

* * * * * * * *

Notice that all the various parts of the sermon are included in the brief
analysis. The expositor will state his topic, go right on with his few words of
introduction, tying it to the previous chapter and message, and pointing out the
necessity of the place of the forerunner at this point, and then set forth his
proposition. From that he will go straight to his first main heading, to show
what kind of man the forerunner was, and thence right through the main body of
discussion to the conclusion. The conclusion and application will be merged into
one in this case.

B. ANALYTICAL EXHIBIT

Probably the best way to try to portray to the reader, in a practical and
understandable manner, the principles previously stated is to offer some
specimens of skeleton outlines and expository analysis. These are not chosen
because of their literary excellence, or because they are superior in this
realm, but rather because of their simplicity and adaptability. Nevertheless,
they are representative and exemplary, each one according to its use and
purpose. They are practical in that they have been tried and tested and have
been used with satisfactory results. Where not otherwise indicated they are my
own product, devised over a period of years. We shall consider first of all
single expositions of Scripture portions. A two-point exposition. Scripture:
Genesis 35:1-15.

"UNDER THE OAK"

1. The oak of compromise (Genesis 35:4.) 2. The oak of consecration (Genesis
35:8.)

Two trees seem to figure prominently in this passage. The first seven verses set
forth a picture of compromise. The preceding chapter relates the vile and
disastrous results of this compromise. Then comes the call back to Bethel and
the decision to go. Bethel was where Jacob had left God. God never leaves us, He
just declines to go when we leave, so we must go back to the point where we left
Him. The symbols of carnality and backsliding are buried in a conspicuous place,
where they could be easily recovered, in case they did not go through with it.
“Make no provision for the flesh.” The last eight verses speak of consecration.
They return to Bethel. It is well to commemorate and mark clearly the resting
place of a godly and devout person, such as Deborah. No subheadings are
suggested, but anywhere from two to five under each main heading would be
appropriate if so desired. A three-point exposition. Scripture: John 21:1-25.

LEADERSHIP 1. Human leadership (John 21:1-5) a. The frailty of it b. The
fruitlessness of it 2. Divine leadership (John 21:6-11) a. Demands obedience b.
Procures abundance 3. Spirit-filled leadership (John 21:12-25) a. Humble b.
Sacrificial This one from the pen of Dr. Griffith Thomas is very clear.
Scripture: Psalms 16:1-11 THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER 1. Its commencement (Psalms
16:1-4) 2. Its course (Psalms 16:5-8) 3. Its culmination (vv. 9-11) A four-point
exposition. Scripture: Ezekiel 2:1-10 - Ezekiel 3:1-5 and Ezekiel 24:15-27
(Biographical). THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHRISTIAN 1. Filled with the Spirit of
God a. All activities useless without this fullness b. All success may be
attributed to this fullness 2. Filled with a knowledge of His will a. Direct
from God b. Indirectly through the Word of God 3. Filled with holy boldness a.
To meet rebellion against himself b. To meet rebellion against God 4. Filled
with a spirit of understanding a. To meet the people in their need b. To make
the sacrifice of loyalty The last point in the message is based on the passage
in chapter 24. It also serves as a conclusion from which the final application
is made. There is not a clean-cut division of the verses as in other cases, so
we have made no effort to specify.

Here is another similar example. Scripture: 1 Chronicles 21:1-30 (Cf. 2 Samuel
24) THE PRIDE OF LIFE 1. The transgression of pride (1 Chronicles 21:1-7) a.
Inflated by success b. Impervious to counsel 2. The confession of pride (1
Chronicles 21:8-13) a. The sincerity of his confession b. the wisdom of his
confession 3. The retribution of pride (1 Chronicles 21:14-17) a. Inevitable b.
Indispensable 4. The abolition of pride (1 Chronicles 21:18-27) a. Worship b.
Sacrifice

Dr. J. O. Williams, who is excellent in analysis, has a message on one of the
Psalms which is suggestive. Scripture: Psalms 111:1-10 PRAISE FOR THE WORKS OF
GOD 1. God’s works are great (v. 2.) 2. God’s works are glorious (v. 3.) 3.
God’s works are genuine (v. 7.) 4. God’s works are gracious (v. 9.) A five-point
exposition. (This arrangement is adapted from a sermon by Dr. Vance Havner
entitled “Where Are You at Calvary?”) Scripture: Matthew 27:35-56 WERE YOU
THERE?

1. The executioners 2. The head-waggers 3. The religionists

4. The people 5. The penitents A three-point exposition with a pivot verse.
Verse 10 is the pivot verse: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a
right spirit within me.” The whole Psalm is developed around that statement.
Scripture: Psalms 51:1-19 THE REVIVAL PRAYER 1. The burden of his prayer (Psalms
51:1-9) 2. The wisdom of his prayer (Psalms 51:11-12) 3. The purpose of his
prayer (Psalms 51:13-19) A four-point exposition with a pivot verse. Verse 6 is
the pivot verse, and the whole passage is developed around the question, “Shall
Your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?” Scripture: Numbers 32:1-32 THE
BURNING QUESTION 1. The occasion for it a. Lethargy b. Selfishness 2. The reason
for it a. Discouragement b. Detriment 3. The Sacrifice involved in it a. No
compromise b. No reservation 4. The challenge contained in it a. Inescapable b.
Irresistible A whole book of the Bible as a single exposition. One may wish to
cover, in a comprehensive manner, a whole book of the bible. This of course
would have to be confined pretty largely to the shorter books, to be proficient.
Take for example the Book of Jonah. It might be treated like this: A MAN ON THE
RUN 1. Running away from God (Chap. 1) 2. Running to God (Chap. 2) 3. Running
with God (Chap. 3) 4. Running ahead of God (Chap. 4) ―Origin unknown The Book of
Philippians lends itself to a similar treatment.

1. Joy in captivity (Chap. 1) 2. Joy in humility (Chap. 2) 3. Joy in adversity
(Chap. 3) 4. Joy in anxiety (Chap. 4) The author has preached a series of four
expositions on Philippians, using this arrangement. It would be a lot of ground
to cover in one message, but it could be done. The Book of Ruth would not be so
difficult, being chiefly narrative rather than so much doctrine.

Finally we move into the realm of consecutive exposition. This is the crown
jewel of expositional excellence. Sometimes the expositor will wish to treat a
book of the Bible under a definite and specific theme, with a continuity of
thought all the way through. Dr. Jones has such a treatment of I Corinthians. A
PURIFIED CHURCH 1. The possession of the Church: the power of God (1 Corinthians
1:1-9).

2. The peril of the Church: A divided Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10-16).

3. The proclamation of the church: Christ, the power and wisdom of God (1
Corinthians 1:17-31―1 Corinthians 2:1-16).

4. The purpose of the Church: Building for fire (1 Corinthians 3:1-23).

5. The pleasure of the Church: Fools for Christ’s sake (1 Corinthians 4:1-21).

6. The pollution of the Church: sores in the Christian body (1 Corinthians
5:1-13―1 Corinthians 6:1-20).

7. The peculiarity of the Church: Separation unto Christ (1 Corinthians 7:1-40―1
Corinthians 8:1-13).

8. The problems of the Church: The world, the flesh, and the devil (1
Corinthians 9:1-27―1 Corinthians 10:1-33―1 Corinthians 11:1-34―1 Corinthians
12:1-31).

9. The prerequisite of the Church: Unfailing love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

10. The privilege of the Church: Identification with Christ (1 Corinthians
14:1-40―1 Corinthians 15:1-58―1 Corinthians 16:1-24).

It is our opinion that this series was prepared with a view to using it at the
morning hour in a two weeks’ campaign. Some of the messages cover a great deal
of territory, and would be a little difficult to handle in one session, notably
8 and 10. It might be better, if not crowded for time, to extend the series to
twelve or more messages. This could easily be done, and right in line with the
theme and order of analysis. The expositor might wish to give a series of
messages, preaching consecutively through I Corinthians, but with no particular
theme in mind, and following no definite line of thought. This would be in the
same category as separate expositions except that it would be confined to the
same book until complete. Dr. K. O. White has a series on I Corinthians like
that. He has some good topics (particularly 10 and 15) though they are quite
unrelated.

1. Christ―the power and wisdom of God 2. The only message 3. The Church’s one
foundation 4. Humiliation that leads to glory 5. The leaven of immorality 6.
Dishonoring God in your body 7. The glory of a Christian home 8. My personal
responsibility 9. That I might by all means save some 10. When temptation takes
you 11. Understanding and appreciating the Lord’s Supper 12. What is your
spiritual gift?

13. The more excellent way 14. An uncertain sound 15. Death defied and defeated
16. The great door and the many adversaries

Another example of exposition of a book of the Bible under a theme, is that of I
Peter, treating it in the light of human suffering. The thought of suffering is
quite predominant in this epistle. THE SUFFERINGS OF THE SAINTS 1. Rejoicing in
the face of suffering (1 Peter 1:1-9).

2. Holiness―the product of suffering (1 Peter 1:10-25).

3. Growth―the outcome of suffering (1 Peter 2:1-10).

4. Submission―the strength of suffering (1 Peter 2:11-25).

5. Subjection―the beauty of suffering (1 Peter 3:1-22).

6. Victory―the value of suffering (1 Peter 4:1-11).

7. Participation―the satisfaction of suffering (1 Peter 4:12-19).

8. Perfection―the end of suffering (1 Peter 5:1-11).

Each message is complete in itself, but is very definitely and closely linked to
the theme, as well as to each of the other messages. The third message in the
series is developed as follows, and is typical.

GROWTH―THE OUTCOME OF SUFFERING

1. Nourishment a. Sterilizing b. Appetizing 2. Construction a. Living stones b.
A spiritual house

3. Exercise a. Our constitution requires it b. Our commission demands it

Again, it might be preferable to treat a whole book of the Bible consecutively,
chapter by chapter, with a theme, but not with a continuity of thought. That is,
each message would be a unit, but not necessarily connected with the other
messages in a progression of thought. Take the Book of Acts. THE NEW TESTAMENT
CHURCH IN ACTION 1. The mobilization of the Church 2. The regimentation of the
Church 3. The aggression of the Church 4. The crises of the Church 5. The power
of the Church 6. The fellowship of the Church 7. The expansion of the Church 8.
The triumphs of the Church 9. The universality of the Church 10. The development
of the Church 11. The strength of the Church 12. the extension of the Church 13.
The perseverance of the Church

Topics covering the first half of the book are sufficient for this purpose, but
the whole book is covered in the same manner. It can be seen at once that, while
there is progress, there is no particular connection of the messages the one to
the other, but only to the theme. It will also be noticed that chapter 7 has
been omitted in this series. It can be left out altogether in such a historical
series of expositions. It can be treated separately at some other time, when the
expositor feels the need of pressing home the impotency of the Church. Or it
might be included in the series, with topics something like these: “The heritage
of the Church” or “The indictment of the Church.” The author deemed it wise to
omit it.

Dr. J. C. Macaulay has a splendid series of expositions on the Book of Acts,
with no general theme but consecutive treatment. He does divide the book into
four parts.

Part 1―Pentecost . . . and after Part 2―The expansion begins Part 3―Into all the
world Part 4―The march on Rome The first section covers the first seven
chapters, but the author does not take a whole chapter at a time. His topics in
that division are as follows:

1. The unfinished work of Christ 2. Times and seasons 3. Pentecost―phenomena and
essence 4. The manifesto of a new age 5. The spiritual and social order of
Pentecost 6. Pentecost in demonstration 7. Peter explains 8. A tilt with the
hierarchy 9. The ghost of Achan 10. Apostolic certainties 11. Growing pains 12.
Faithful unto death

While there is a relation of thought to the heading of the division, the
messages are not linked together. Dr. Macaulay is a master of analysis, and
holds almost exclusively to the threefold division. The following samples are
superb:

Scripture: Acts 5:1-21 THE GHOST OF ACHAN 1. The sin that threatened the Church
2. The severity that saved the Church 3. The sanctity that glorified the Church
Scripture: Acts 11:19-30; Acts 12:25 AS FAR AS ANTIOCH 1. The origin of a
Gentile church 2. The ordering of a Gentile church 3. The offering of a Gentile
church Scripture: Acts 16:11-34 THE ASSAULT ON EUROPE 1. A beachhead secured 2.
A counterattack instigated 3. An offensive launched Scripture: Acts 22:17-22
PAUL RECALLS AN ARGUMENT 1. How Paul perceived the will of God 2. How Paul
protested the will of God 3. How Paul pursued the will of god

Another example of consecutive exposition with a theme, but no continuity of
thought revealed in the various topics, is on the Gospel of Mark. The theme for
the series is: THE SERVANT OF ALL 1. The Servant appears (Mark 1:1-20) 2. The
Servant at work (Mark 1:21-45) 3. The Servant in conflict (Mark 2:1-27) 4. The
Servant has opposition (Mark 3:1-35) 5. The Servant instructs (Mark 4:1-34) 6.
The Servant is master (Mark 4:35-40―Mark 5:1-43) 7. The Servant meets unbelief
(Mark 6:1-56) 8. The Servant extends mercy (Mark 7:1-37) 9. The Servant treats
blindness (Mark 8:1-26) 10. The Servant seeks confession (Mark 8:27-38―Mark
9:1-13) The topics for the other half of the book follow the theme, but there is
no particular relation of one to the other. Each exposition is arranged similar
to number six.

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41―Mark 5:1-43 THE SERVANT IS MASTER 1. He is master in the
natural realm (Mark 4:35-41) a. Tempest b. Terror 2. He is master in the
spiritual realm (Mark 5:1-20) a. Slavery b. Emancipation 3. He is master in the
physical realm (Mark 5:21-43) a. Disease b. Decease

Many more examples could be added to these, but there is the danger that
multiplication might lead to confusion. All of the principles and objectives
previously advocated are involved in these specimens, and can be seen in working
order. These exhibitions of analysis should be sufficient to guide the one who
elects to follow the expositional course in any manner which he desires to
pursue.

It would be wise for one who is rather inexperienced and not yet proficient in
the sermonic realm to select a book of the Bible which does not present too many
difficulties, probably in the historical or narrative classification; and one
which is not even mentioned in this volume. Then begin an original series,
following one of the suggested methods of treatment. If not ready for that, pick
out a chapter here and there and produce some separate expositions first; some
of these separate expositions may eventually develop into a series, and finally
a full coverage of some book of the Bible. Do not be discouraged. I feel that I
have produced far more failures than sensations.

C.THE FINISHED PRODUCT The complete sermon is offered purely as an example,
without consideration of the matter of personal interest. It is complete in
itself, but could very easily be included in a series of biographical sermons on
David, or in a series of historical expositions on I Samuel.

It will be noted that there are three subheadings under the second major
division of the sermon. The second subheading could be incorporated in the
first, but the subject matter seemed significant enough to be worthy of separate
treatment.

While the message is directed toward the edification of believers, it will also
be observed that there is an evangelistic note included, sufficient enough to
enlighten the sinner, but not to detract from the main purpose, so far as the
people of God are concerned.

Many sidelights and colloquial embellishments might be included in the oral
delivery of the message, which one does not set down on paper. Scripture:

1 Samuel 30:1-24.

1. And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third
day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag,
and burned it with fire;

2. And had taken the women captive, that were therein: they slew not any, either
great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

3. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire;
and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

4. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept,
until they had no more power to weep.

5. And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and
Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him,
because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for
his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

7. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me
hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

8. And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop?
Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely
overtake them, and without fail recover all.

9. So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the
brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.

10. But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind,
which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

11. And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave
him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water.

12. And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins:
and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread,
nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

13. And David said unto him, to whom belongest thou? And whence art thou? And he
said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me,
because three days ago I fell sick.

14. We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast
which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with
fire.

15. And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he
said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into
the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

16. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all
the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that
they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

17. And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next
day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which
rode upon camels, and fled.

18. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David
rescued his two wives.

19. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons
nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David
recovered all.

20. And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those
other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.

21. And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could
not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they
went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when
David came near to the people, he saluted them.

22. Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with
David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of
the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children,
that they may lead them away, and depart.

23. Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord
hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came
against us into our hand.

24. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? But as his part is that goeth
down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall
part alike.

QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY In these days, when the spirit of mass production has
permeated even our religious life, it is well to remind ourselves that God is
still for more concerned about the quality of the product than the amount
produced. This passage of Scripture reveals most vividly the fact that David,
known as the man after God’s own heart, had that quality of character which is
acceptable to God. However, in order to fully appreciate the experience related
in this account it is necessary to have a panoramic view of the four preceding
chapters. There we find David, his life in daily jeopardy, fleeing from the
wrath of Saul, the king of Israel, whose heart was foolishly inflamed with
jealous rage over David’s military success and consequent popularity. On two
different occasions David had opportunity to slay his pursuer and be free from
his constant menace. On both occasions his better judgment and godly principle
withheld his hand from slaying the king, saying, “Who can stretch forth his hand
against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” (1 Samuel 26:9). Certainly, Saul
was not behaving as the Lord’s anointed should, but David wisely left him in the
hands of the Lord to do with him as He saw fit.

Following this second sparing of Saul’s life David experienced a lapse of faith.
Instead of looking directly to God for protection and deliverance, as he had
been doing all along, he and his men affiliated themselves with the army of the
Philistines, the belligerent enemies of God’s people Israel. Soon after this the
Philistines prepared to make war against Israel, and David, having aroused the
suspicions of the Philistine leaders, was sent back with his men to Ziklag,
where they had left their families and possessions. Thus David was
providentially saved from being placed in the position of having to fight
against his own countrymen. Upon their return to Ziklag, David and his followers
were dismayed to find the town razed and the inhabitants either captured or
destroyed.

QUALITY OVERCOMES

Quality overcomes under the most adverse circumstances. It is only in the face
of the most severe trial and difficulty that it becomes manifest whether or not
one has quality; that quality which overcomes anywhere and under all
circumstances. That person who has come to depend upon accomplishments,
attainments, and experiences of the past, will never stand the test when faced
with calamity and disaster. Our burdens frequently appear heavier than the
burdens of others, our trials more intense, and our difficulties greater than
anyone else has ever been called upon to face. At such times we should do well
to give attention to this portion of Scripture and endeavor to visualize the
situation as David and his followers found it, upon their return to Ziklag. I am
confident that our problems will fade into insignificance in comparison.

Try to picture in your imagination something of the horrors of that experience.
Suppose you were to go away from your home for a visit and then return only to
find, without any warning or apprehension whatsoever, that the entire community
was reduced to a heap of smoking ruins; your possessions stolen or demolished;
and all your loved ones and friends slain or taken into captivity by the enemy,
with the likelihood of enduring untold suffering. Could anything be more
heartbreaking or discouraging? Do you think that you would overcome if you found
yourself placed in such a situation? It was in just such a place of despair that
this man after God’s own heart found himself, and he justified his reputation.
He did not throw up his hands in despair, as we are to prone to do, but he
revealed the sterling quality of character with which he was endowed, and which
gave him the prominence that is rightfully his because he “encouraged himself in
the Lord his God.” Thus he overcame in the midst of his afflictions.

Quality overcomes under the fiercest opposition. First, there was opposition
from Satan himself. While this is not specifically stated, we know it was so.
When the sons of Belial are busy, you may be sure that their spiritual pater
will be on hand to back them up. Then too, those of us who have made any attempt
whatsoever to live for God have long since discovered that Satan never allows an
opportunity like this to slip by without taking advantage of it. It is always at
times when we are harassed and distressed that he makes his most vicious
attacks. I can almost hear him as he whispers in David’s ear (like an angel of
light and a paragon of righteousness) how foolish he was to affiliate himself
with the Philistines, instead of trusting God to protect him and keep him. Of
course he fails to mention the fact that the idea of going to Philistia
originated with Satan himself. This is another day. Now he nobly defends God and
points out to David that he is simply reaping the fruits of his own unbelief,
and that this calamity has come upon him and his men because he failed to trust
God back there. Oh yes, Satan will even resort to the truth at a time like that!
How zealous he is for God and His righteousness, if by so doing he can bring
about a discouragement which will lead to despair. The worst of it was that
David undoubtedly was blaming himself for the mistake, though it was too late to
rectify it, and he felt that this thing probably would have been averted if he
had trusted the Lord for protection, instead of resorting to compromise measures
of his own devising.

All of this, on top of the grief which already filled his heart, would add
greatly to his burden. There is nothing more undermining to the morale, when
undergoing severe trial, than a sense of self-condemnation In addition to that,
there was opposition from his own followers. “And David was greatly distressed;
{which is not to be wondered at} for the people spake of stoning him” (1 Samuel
30:6). Humanly speaking, the only source of consolation, sympathy, and
encouragement which might have been available to him at such a time, and for
which he would most naturally look, was denied him. His own beloved comrades,
with whom he had fought valiantly in days past, turned against him; placed the
whole blame upon his shoulders, and suggested taking his life as a recompense
for the misery which had come upon them-as though that could assuage for the
sorrow, which engulfed the heart of their noble leader equally as much as their
own! It seems passing strange that God’s leaders should experience opposition
from those who profess to be one in heart and purpose with them in the service
of the Lord, but such is the case, nevertheless. In fact it appears that most of
the opposition comes from those within the ranks, rather than from the ungodly,
as might be expected.

Many an otherwise successful servant of the Lord has gone down in defeat and
failure, because those who should have stood by him, and prayed for him, and put
the kindly hand upon his shoulder, have talked “of stoning him” instead. In some
cases it did not stop with suggestion. Oh, there were no brickbats
involved-nothing so crude (or even so merciful) as that. Stones of slander,
criticism, misrepresentation and gossip have broken not his body, but his
spirit. Not having that quality of character which David had, he went under,
stoned to death by his friends. Sorrow and hardship should unify God’s people,
not divide them. A man who had never learned to lean upon God in the hour of
need, and who did not have that quality of character which directs one to the
only sure Source of perfect consolation and encouragement, and would have gone
down in ignominious defeat at such a time. Not so with this man; he did the only
thing that one can rightly do at such a time, the thing which every one of us
should do, and the thing which he had been accustomed to do with few
exceptions-“David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” What else was there
to do? All other means of encouragement had fled; he had nothing left but God.
As ever before, he discovered that he needed nothing more. God had to allow this
to come to pass that the true character of the man might be brought to light,
thus enabling him to redeem himself, both in his own eyes and in the eyes of the
people; and also that his confidence in God might once again be restored.
Because David had that quality of character which overcomes under the most
difficult and trying circumstances, and in the face of the fiercest opposition,
he stood the test. In this connection I think of a woman who was once an active
and fruitful leader in her church. Then her husband lost his health and became a
semi-invalid. Since most of the responsibility of sustaining the home fell upon
her shoulders, she reluctantly gave up her work in the church. Unable to leave
her husband alone even for a short time, she cooks, cans, and sews for a
livelihood. It is only on rare occasions that she is ever privileged to attend a
church service any more.

Nevertheless, she is cheerful and radiant, and never fails to cause those who
come into her presence to feel refreshed and blessed. Those who have had the
honor of being her pastor through the years have learned that there is one home
where no criticism, no complaint, no tale of woe, or word of gossip will be
heard. She is generous, warmhearted, sympathetic, always concerned about her
church and her pastor, and always assuring him of her prayers on his behalf. She
has quality.

It is easy enough to be pleasant When life flows by like a song, But the man
worth while is the one who will smile, When everything goes dead wrong. For the
test of the heart is trouble, And it always comes with the years, And the smile
that is worth the praises of earth, Is the smile that shines through tears.

QUALITY IS VICTORIOUS

Because it causes us to seek God’s will. Having encouraged himself, and also his
men, in the Lord, David must necessarily reach a decision regarding an immediate
course of procedure. Something must be done, if possible, to rectify the
situation. The first impulse, of course, would be to follow after the destroyers
without a moment’s hesitation, with the idea of dealing out a just retribution
commensurate with the offense; at the same time rescuing their loved ones if
they were still alive.

However, because he possessed that quality which is always victorious, David
curbed his impatience and “enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after
this troop? Shall I overtake them?” It took a lot of grace to do that, but it
was of much greater importance to David to know that he was doing the will of
God than it was to carry out his own desires. Very often the thing which seems
most logical and is most desirable to us is not the thing which the Lord would
have us to do. To be assured of victory we must be certain that we are
proceeding according to His direct will and purpose for us. When we have taken
time to discover what that purpose is, even though it be exactly opposite to
what we desired or thought best and likely, it will eventually turn out to be
the best thing we could possibly have done. His way is often undesirable, even
repulsive to us, but it always turns out to be the best way. Too often we have
been defeated when we should have been victorious because we did not take time
to wait upon the Lord, and to discover what His purposes were in regard to the
undertaking. How blessed and how assuring to start off with the divine promise,
“Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all”!

Because it causes us to seek God’s strength. Though David had no way of
estimating the strength of the enemy captors, I suspect that it seemed a huge
undertaking to put them to flight with a mere six hundred men. Nevertheless, the
lives of their loved ones at stake, they were ready to face any odds. At the
same time, when they discovered that it would be necessary to leave one-third of
their force behind, it must have made the task seem almost foolhardy, if not
impossible. Yet God had promised them certain victory and ultimate success; so
it was not a time to be seeking reinforcements or assistance from other
quarters, but to proceed according to schedule and leave the rest with God. If
the victory is with the Lord then the matter of numbers is of little
consequence.

I am confident that the reduction of man power was providential, besides being a
sensible plan of action. With such slender resources at their command, David and
his men would be forced to realize and acknowledge that, apart from providential
intervention and support, they would have been powerless to obtain a victory
over the foe. It is by such methods that God teaches us that victory comes “Not
by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.” God had told them to pursue; it was
their business to press forward and leave the results with Him.

Too frequently God is robbed of His glory by our unwillingness to ascribe to Him
all the credit and the praise. It is so easy to allow ourselves to believe that
we contributed at least something toward the final victory, and fail to testify
to the fact that apart from His sustaining grace there could have been no
victory at all. In order to protect us from this pitfall God frequently finds it
necessary to send us into the fray inadequately equipped, humanly speaking, that
we shall thus be obliged to recognize the source of our strength and medium of
triumph in the conflicts of life. Many times we deprive ourselves of the victory
which might have been ours; either because we failed to manifest that quality
which makes us conscious of our weakness, causing us to rely strictly and
entirely upon His strength in time of need; or, because we were reluctant to
ascribe to Him that which was rightfully His on account of former victories.

Because it causes us to seek God’s viewpoint. To visualize things from the lofty
ramparts of heaven, and thus have the mind of God concerning all conditions and
circumstances, means that we shall be continually victorious all the way. To
view matters from God’s standpoint is also a sure cure for selfishness. We cease
to desire victory simply as a matter of self-gratification. Our vision for the
needy souls of earth is enlarged; self dies out in a burning anxiety for others;
and, whether we are aware of it or not, we find that in ministering to the needs
of others we actually contribute to our own complete and immediate success. As
David and his men were hot on the track of the enemy, some of his followers
discovered a poor heathen slave, sick and at the point of death, having been
deserted by his master in his time of need and left to perish like a dog. Such
is the reward of those who are the servants of unrighteousness. In such an hour
we might have excused David had he refrained from taking time out to minister to
the needs of this unfortunate man.

Rationalized thinking might reason like this: He is about dead anyway, it is
unlikely that we can save his life; he is an uncircumcised heathen and doubtless
is just getting what is coming to him. We are not responsible for his
predicament and he has no claims on us. Our business is urgent; every moment
counts; so why waste time on one who would probably not appreciate is anyway,
and thus risk failure in this great enterprise in which we are engaged? Such is
the logic of hell. It is robbing the Church of blessing today.

Looking at the situation entirely from God’s viewpoint, David saw here an
opportunity to witness to the fact that Jehovah, the only true and living God,
was a God of mercy, no respecter of persons, and ready and willing to save to
the uttermost any who would come to Him in faith. Consequently, putting his own
feelings and purposes in the background, he stopped to extend the helping hand
to one in dire need. This was a further test of virtue, though unknown to David.
Little did he realize that, in stopping to help that poor wretch, he was
actually hastening the fruition of his own desires. Because he had the mind of
God, thus looking away from his own needs and desires upon the needs of another;
because he revealed a loving compassion for one who was hopeless and helpless;
through this act of love the thing that lay most heavily upon his heart, the
thing which meant more than life itself, was brought within his immediate grasp.
In saving this poor man he saved himself, because it resulted in the immediate
discovery of the enemy camp.

How could David know that his act of mercy was to have any bearing upon his own
project? How could he know that giving bread and water, raisins and figs, to
this outcast would bring him information which would result in speedy victory?
Obviously he could not, but failure here to see the situation from God’s
standpoint would have cost him the victory, at least for the time being. In our
anxiety to accomplish our own purposes, be they ever so righteous and noble, we
may fail to enjoy the victory, not because of any lack of effort on our part,
but rather because we do not possess that quality which causes us to seek the
mind of God. We overlook some seemingly insignificant act of service, not
realizing that it is the very door to success in that greater thing which we
have set out to do. I fear that we have lost many a rich and choice blessing
because we would not stop to do the little thing, for that undesirable one, in
the name of the Lord and for His glory.

Upon discovering that David was not going to punish him for his part in the
destruction of Ziklag, this Egyptian slave agreed to show David that Amalekite
camp, with the understanding that he would not turn him over to his former
master to destroy him when his usefulness came to an end. It reminds us of the
words of George Keith, in his immortal hymn: The soul that on Jesus hath leaned
for repose, I will not-I will not desert to its foes; That soul, though all hell
should endeavor to shake, I’ll never-no, never-no, never forsake!

QUALITY IS REWARDED

Materially. God’s promise to David, when He advised him to pursue the Amalekites
was, “Thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” This
promise was fulfilled much more speedily than they had probably anticipated.
Following the brief delay occasioned by ministering to the Egyptian slave, they
came upon the Amalekites in the midst of a great celebration. “Eating and
drinking, and dancing” is a picture of this voluptuous, frivolous, and indulgent
generation. A just recompense was meted out to that slave’s unscrupulous master
and his companions, just at the moment when they least expected it and there is
One coming who will stamp out unrighteousness and reward the proud dictators of
this world according to their works. May God speed the day! Who knows but what
we may be living in “the twilight” of this adulterous and sinful age? Not only
did David mete a just retribution to the enemies, but he showed the world at
large that it does not pay to tamper with God’s people, although God may see fit
to use the enemy’s breach of conduct as a means of bringing His people into
line. What was still more important to David and his men was the fact that they
made a complete recovery of their loved ones and possessions. Following the
victory we read that “David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away.”
I was not surprised to read that. In fact it had to be there. Not that God had
to give deliverance but, having promised victory and recovery, those words had
to be there. It could not be otherwise. Not one promise of His has ever failed,
though we may have failed to enjoy it because we did not have the quality which
He could reward. But that is not all. “David took all the flocks and the herds,
. . . and said, This is David’s spoil.” God is never satisfied with a mere
literal fulfillment of His promises, but always does the “abundantly above” for
those who prove that they have quality. Because they evidenced that
characteristic which is priceless in the sight of God, they were rewarded beyond
all their expectations. The greater the exercise of that quality, the greater
the blessing that shall follow.

Oh, we never can know what the Lord will bestow, Of the blessings for which we
have prayed, Till our body and soul He doth fully control, And our all on the
altar is laid.

Eternally. As much as we enjoy and appreciate the blessings of earth there is
something more vitally important than that. After all, those blessings which God
graciously pours upon us down here are for time only. Nevertheless, there is to
be a time of reward over yonder. It, too, will be for those who have quality.
There is a great principle stated in this passage which will govern the eternal
rewards later on. There are always those who see no need for maintaining too
high a standard. Success goes to their heads, and they forfeit the blessings of
victory through selfishness. Although they had shared in this great conquest and
victory, there were some who would have denied a share of the spoils to those
who had stayed with the stuff at the brook Besor. Doubtless it was those same
sons of Belial who had instigated the traitorous plot to stone David previously.
David rose to the occasion and put them to shame, exposing their selfishness and
inconsistency. “Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath
given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us
into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? But as his part is
that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff:
they shall part alike.”

There is stated a divine principle which governs our relationship with God and
serves as a basis upon which He deals with us. As in the material things so it
is in the spiritual and eternal matters. To those who show like quality as this
man after God’s own heart, He will grant His richest blessings, both here and
hereafter. God has something wonderful in store for those who have sterling
quality. Does your heart yearn for that quality of character which enables one
to overcome under the most trying circumstances; to be victorious in any
God-impelled venture regardless of the odds and the difficulties; and which is
rewarded graciously and abundantly, beyond all His promises and all your
expectations? There could be only one answer to that question. But you say,
“What is that quality of which you speak? What is that which has such influence
with God? How may I attain unto it? The story is told of a minister who was
wonderfully successful in his evangelistic efforts, and had been literally
hundreds come to Christ under his ministry. Toward the close of his life he
dreamed one night that he was dying. It was not a fearful experience; he had no
fear of death, and the prospects of seeing his Saviour were enough to compensate
for what he was leaving. In the course of his dream it seemed he was standing
before the judgment seat of Christ, along with many other saints. Often he had
sung, “Will there be any stars in my crown?” with the thought that stars would
represent souls won to Christ. Now he watched as the crowns were being
distributed. Some were just plain gold bands; others had gems, some few and some
many. So far he had not seen one that appeared to be commensurate with the
success which he had enjoyed. At last an angel approached with a crown simply
loaded with precious gems and, thinking that this surely must be his, he stepped
forward to receive it. To his surprise the angel stepped to one side and was
about to pass him. In dismay the minister looked up and asked for whom that
crown might be. The angel smiled and said, “This crown is for that little old
lady who used to sit on the front pew and pray, while you preached.” There you
have it.

“As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that
tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” That makes room for me and for
you. I am glad it is that way. Many things I cannot be and do, but I can be
faithful. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” will be the welcoming
word. That quality which enables you to overcome, to be constantly victorious,
and abundantly rewarded, both here and hereafter, is faithfulness. You can be
faithful if you will. That determination to do the thing that God has given you
to do (by His grace and enabling), in the place where He wants you to do it, and
in the manner in which He wants you do it, is the quality which obtains God’s
favor and His righest blessings. No matter how small or insignificant your task
may seem (as compared with that of others), or how meager the results appear, if
you will be faithful even unto death, God will honor you and His commendation
shall rest upon you.

“They shall part alike.” Too much emphasis cannot be placed upon that last word.
Not only shall they who stay faithfully by the stuff-a rather dull and
uninteresting responsibility perhaps-share, but “they shall part alike.” Their
reward shall be fully equal to that of those who fought valiantly and
conspicuously upon the battlefield. Is there one who has never come to the great
David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and received pardon at His
hand? You are like that poor Egyptian. You are at the end of your resources, and
you need Him who is at once the Bread of life and the Water of life. Receive Him
as such and then will follow the raisins and the figs. Then will come the
opportunity to serve Him, and you, too, will be among that number who “shall
part alike.” You, too, will have your reward of faithfulness, after you have
found forgiveness at His hand.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 12: 07 - ADDENDA - SUGGESTED PARALLEL READING
========================================================================

ADDENDA SUGGESTED PARALLEL READING From 1910 to 1940 there have been, to our
knowledge, only five books written dealing exclusively with expository
preaching. They are: The Art of Exposition by Harry Jeffs, 1910 Expository
Preaching, Plans and Methods by F.B. Meyer, 1910 How to Prepare an Expository
Sermon by Harold E. Knott, 1930 Expository Preaching by Ames Montgomery, 1939
Expository Preaching by Jefferson D. Ray, 1940 The volume entitled Preaching by
G. Campbell Morgan, published in 1937, is not specifically expository preaching,
though he doubtless had that in mind when he wrote it, because of the fact that
he excelled in that realm.

All of these works have points of value, though most of them are out of print.
We think that Dr. Meyer’s work is the best, though his examples do not measure
up to the high quality of the rest of the book. They do not properly exemplify.
Nevertheless, we would urge every preacher to read it, if it can be procured.
Those who wish to make a thorough study of the “proposition” will find a very
extensive discussion of that in The Theory of Preaching by Austin Phelps. He
gives about eighty-three pages to that one phase of preaching. Dr. Whitesell
also has a good word to say on the matter in Evangelistic Preaching and the Old
Testament.

Those who feel the need of some excellent instruction regarding the use of
illustrations, as well as the selection of topics, should read The Art of
Illustrating Sermons by Dawson C. Byran.

Some other volumes which we consider exceedingly helpful in the realm of
homiletics are:

Preaching from the Bible by Andrew W. Blackwood The Work of the Ministry by W.
H. Griffith Thomas The Preacher and His Preaching by W. B. Riley The Art of
Biblical Preaching by Faris D. Whitesell


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 13: 08 - SUGGESTED REFERENCE WORKS
========================================================================

SUGGESTED REFERENCE WORKS In the previously mentioned questionnaire we asked for
titles of volumes and names of authors whose works had been found helpful or
beneficial in an expositional ministry. It was not surprising to find that there
was general agreement that the consecutive expositions of G. Campbell Morgan
ranked first. The works of Dr. H. A. Ironside came next. Other authors were:

Alexander Maclaren

A.T. Robertson W. H. Griffith Thomas

Bishop Ryle

H. J. Ockenga F. W. Krummacher

Alexander Whyte

F. B. Meyer

Handley Moule

C. H. McIntosh William R. Newell Alfred Edersheim

A. W. Pink The author has found Alfred Edersheim’s Bible History, recently
reprinted by Eerdmans, covering Genesis to II Chronicles, of inestimable value
in preaching from that portion of the Bible. Volumes by J. C. Macaulay on
several New Testament books are helpful. William G. Coltman has given us some
volumes of consecutive expositions which are excellent. Greek word studies on
several books by Kenneth S. Wuest are most fruitful and thought-provoking.
Commentaries on the whole Bible will vary in usefulness according to taste.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 14: 09 - BIBLIOGRAPHY
========================================================================

BIBLIOGRAPHY Alexander, J. W., Thoughts on Preaching, New York: Scribners, 1860.

Black, James, D.D., The Mystery of Preaching, New York 10: Revell, 1924, 1935.

Blackwood, Andrew W., Preaching from the Bible, New York 11: Abingdon-Cokesbury,
1941 Blackwood, Andrew W., The Preparation of Sermons, New York 11:
Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1938.

Bonar, Andrew A., The Biography of Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Grand Rapids 2,
Michigan: Zondervan (Reprint), 1950.

Brastow, Louis, The Work of the Preacher, Boston 8: Pilgrim Press, 1914.

Breed, David R., Preparing to Preach, New York: George H. Doran, 1911. Try
Harper Brothers.

Broadus, John A., The Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, New York: George H.
Doran, 1870. Out of business.

Broadus, John A., The History Preaching, New York: A. C. Armstrong & Son, 1876.

Brooks, Phillips, Lectures on Preaching, New York 10: E. P. Dutton and Company,
1877.

Burrell, David J., The Sermon―Its Construction and Delivery, New York 10:
Revell, 1913.

Bryan, Dawson C., The Art of Illustrating Sermons, New York 11:
Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1938.

Coltman, William G., The Cathedral of Christian Truth, Findlay, Ohio:
Fundamental Truth Publishers, 1944.

Chappell, Clovis G., Anointed to Preach, New York 11: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1951.

Dabney, Robert Lewis, Lectures on Sacred Rhetoric, Richmond 9, Virginia:
Presbyterian Committee of Publication, 1870.

Dargan, Edwin Charles, The Art of Preaching in the Light of Its History,
Nashville 3, Tennessee: Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention,
1922.

Evans, William, How to Prepare Sermons and Gospel Addresses, Chicago 10: Bible
Institute Colportage Association, 1913, now Moody Press.

Evans, William, The Book Method of Bible Study, Chicago: Bible Institute
Colportage Association, 1915, now Moody Press.

Hall, John, God’s Word Through Preaching, New York 16: Dodd and Mead, 1875.

Jeffs, H., The Art of Exposition, Boston 8: Pilgrim Press, 1910.

Jones, Bob, Jr., How to Improve Your Preaching, New York 10: F. H. Revell, 1945.

Jowett, John Henry, The Preacher—His Life and Work, New York: George H. Doran,
1912. Out of business.

Kerr, Hugh Thompson, Preaching in the Early Church, New York 10: Revell, 1942.

Kidder, D. P., A Treatise on Homiletics, New York: Hunt and Eaton, 1864. Out of
business.

Knott, Harold E., How to Prepare an Expository Sermon, Cincinnati 10, Ohio: The
Standard Press, 1930.

Lenski, R. C. H., The Sermon—Its Homiletical Construction, Columbus 15, Ohio:
Lutheran Book Concern, 1927.

Macaulay, J. C., A Devotional Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Grand
Rapids 3, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1946.

McCartney, C. E., Preaching Without Notes, New York 11: Abingdon-Cokesbury,
1946.

Meyer, F. B., Expository Preaching, Plans and Methods, New York: George H.
Doran, 1910.

Montgomery, R. Ames, Expository Preaching, New York 10: Revell, 1939.

Morgan, G. Campbell, Preaching, New York 10: Revell, 1937.

Pattison, T. Harwood, The Making of the Sermon, Philadelphia 3: Judson Press,
1898.

Petry, Ray C., No Uncertain Sound, Philadelphia 7: The Westminister Press, 1948.

Phelps, Austin, The Theory of Preaching, New York 17: Scribner’s, 1890.

Pierson, Arthur T., Knowing the Scriptures, New York: Gospel Publishing House,
1910. Out of business.

Ray, Jeff D., Expository Preaching, Grand Rapids 2, Michigan: Zondervan, 1940.

Riley, W. B., The Preacher and His Preaching, Wheaton, Illinois: Sword of the
Lord, 1948.

Roach, C. C., Preaching Values in the Bible, Louisville 1, Kentucky: Cloister
Press, 1946.

Robertson, A. T., Studies in the Epistle of James, New York: George H. Doran,
1915. Out of business.

Smith, Wilbur M., Profitable Bible Study, Boston 16: W. A. Wilde, 1939.

Spurgeon, C. H., Lectures to My Students, London: Passmore and Alabaster, 1877.
Out of business.

Taylor, W. M., The Ministry of the Word, Randolph and Company, 1876. Out of
business.

Thomas, W. H. Griffith, The Work of the Ministry, London, E. C. 4, Hodder and
Stoughton, 1910. Out of print.

Torrey, R. A., What the Bible Teaches, New York 10: Revell, 1898.

Vinet, A., The Theory of Preaching, New York: Ivison and Phinney, 1855. Out of
business.

Wayland, Francis, Letters on the Ministry of the Gospel, Boston: Gould and
Lincoln, 1863. Out of business.

Whitesell, Faris D., Evangelistic Preaching and the Old Testament, Chicago 10:
Moody Press, 1947.

Whitesell, Faris D., The Art of Biblical Preaching, Grand Rapids 2, Michigan:
Zondervan, 1950.

White, Douglas M., A Man on the Run, Grand Rapids 2, Michigan: Zondervan, 1940.

White, Douglas M., The Sufferings of the Saints, Chicago 10: Moody Press, 1947.

Wuest, Kenneth S., Mark in the Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids 3, Michigan:
William B. Eerdmans, 1950.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 15: 10 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
========================================================================

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to express appreciation to the following
publishers for permission to quote from current copyrighted material:

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids 3, Michigan.

Macaulay, J. C., A Devotional Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles.

Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois.

Whitesell, F. D., Evangelistic Preaching and the Old Testament.

Fleming H. Revell Company, New York, N. Y.

Montgomery, R. Ames, Expository Preaching.

Morgan, G. Campbell, Preaching. The Sword of the Lord Publishers, Wheaton,
Illinois.

Riley, W. B., The Preacher and His Preaching.

Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids 2, Michigan.

Ray, Jefferson D., Expository Preaching.

Whitesell, F. D., The Art of Biblical Preaching.

Grateful acknowledgement is also due to the following libraries for giving the
author access to many volumes difficult to find: The Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary, Forth Worth, Texas. The Columbia Theological Seminary
(Presbyterian), Decatur, Ga. The Congregational Library, 14 Beacon Street,
Boston, Mass. The author is indebted to Dr. G. Earl Guinn for many helpful
suggestions and sympathetic interest in shaping up the manuscript. Many ideas
and suggestions have come to us from sources too numerous to mention. Failure to
give credit where credit is due is either an unintentional oversight or a lack
of information, and indulgence for same is requested.

Quotations from the works of the following authors (some books are out of print)
may be found in this volume on the pages listed: {The e-Sword format does not
have page numbering, therefore no page numbers are being supplied}.

Alexander, J. W., Thoughts on Preaching Bonar, Andrew A., Robert Murray M’Cheyne
(Reprinted by Zondervan) Broadus, John A., The History of Preaching Broadus,
John A., The Preparation and Delivery of Sermons Carroll, B. H., An
Interpretation of the English Bible Dabney, Robert Lewis, Lectures on Sacred
Rhetoric Evans, William, How to Prepare Sermons and Gospel Addresses Jeffs, H.,
The Art of Biblical Preaching Jones, R. B., A Paper on Expository Preaching
Kidder, D. P., A Treatise on Homiletics

Quoting Herder, Quoting Membrini,

Quoting Scholl, Macaulay, J. C., A Devotional Commentary on the Acts of the
Apostles Meyer, F. B., Expository Preaching, Plans and Methods Montgomery, R.
Ames, Expository Preaching Morgan, G. Campbell, Preaching Pattison, T. Harwood,
The Making of the Sermon Phelps, Austin, The Theory of Preaching Ray, Jeff D.,
Expository Preaching Riley, W. B., The Preacher and His Preaching Robertson, A.
T., Studies in the Epistle of James Spurgeon, C. H., Lectures to My Students,
(Reprinted by Zondervan) Thomas, W. H. Griffith, The Work of the Ministry
Wayland, Francis, Letters on the Ministry of the Gospel Williams, Dr. J. O., The
Quarterly Review Whitesell, F. D., The Art of Biblical Preaching Whitesell, F.
D., Evangelistic Preaching and the Old Testament

Quoting Barrows White, Douglas M., A Man on the Run White, Douglas M., The
Sufferings of the Saints


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 16: 11 - INDEX OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
========================================================================

INDEX OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

Leviticus 27:30

Acts 17:1-3

Joshua 1:8

Acts 28:23

1 Samuel 26:9

1 Corinthians 1:21

1 Samuel 30:1-24

2 Thessalonians 3:1

Nehemiah 8:1-8

1 Timothy 4:1

Nehemiah 9:3

1 Timothy 4:13

Psalms 1:1-2

1 Timothy 4:16

Psalms 119:130

2 Timothy 1:13

Proverbs 2:1-5

2 Timothy 2:2

Isaiah 55:11

2 Timothy 2:14-26

Jeremiah 15:16

2 Timothy 2:15

Jeremiah 20:9

2 Timothy 3:1-5

Jeremiah 23:29

2 Timothy 3:13

Malachi 3:10

2 Timothy 3:14-15

Matthew 1:21 Matthew 24:45-46

2 Timothy 4:3-4

Mark 1:21-22

Titus 1:3

Mark 2:1-2

Titus 1:9-16

Mark 4:34

Hebrews 4:12

Luke 4:16-22

James 1:5

Luke 24:25-27

1 Peter 2:2

John 5:39

1 Peter 5:2

Acts 8:35

2 Peter 2:13


========================================================================
Source: https://sermonindex.net/books/white-douglas-m-he-expounded-guide-to-expository-preaching/
========================================================================