The personality of the preacher, the circumstances of the congregation, and
the emphases of a particular sermon can cause the statement of the FCF to vary
greatly. A passage whose central focus is learning to trust in God's providence
may equally well address the need to lean on God in hard times, the responsibility
to teach others about God's abiding care, or the sin of doubting God's provision.
There is more than one proper way of wording a passage's FCF for statement in
a sermon. This is why preachers can preach remarkably different sermons on the
same passage that are all faithful to the text. A preacher must be able to demonstrate
that the text addresses the FCF as it is formulated for this particular sermon,
not that this sermon's phrasing of the FCF is the only way of reflecting on
this text. The truth of the text does not vary, but the significance of that
truth can vary greatly and be stated in many different ways that are appropriate
for difficult situations.
Advertisement
Since the FCF can vary greatly from text to text and from sermon to sermon preached
on the same text, a preacher needs to make sure the purpose of a sermon remains
evident in the passage. An FCF will remain faithful to a text and identify powerful
purposes in a sermon if a preacher uses these three successive questions to
develop the FCF:
1. What does
the text say?
2. What concern(s)
did the text address (in its context)?
3. What do listeners
spiritually share in common with those for (or about) whom it was written
or the one by whom it was written?
By identifying listeners' mutual condition with the biblical writer, subject,
and/or audience, we determine why the text was written, not just for biblical
times but also for our time. We should realize, however, that the Holy Spirit
does not introduce an FCF simply to inform us of a problem. Paul told Timothy
that God inspires all Scripture to equip us for his work (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
God expects us to act on the problems his Spirit reveals.
Application
Key
concept: Without the "so what?" we preach to a "who cares?"
No passage relates neutral commentary on our fallenness. No text communicates
facts for information alone. The Bible itself tells us that its message is intended
to instruct, reprove, and correct (see 2 Tim. 3:16; 4:2). God expects scriptural
truths to transform his people. Faithful preaching does the same. The preacher
who identifies a passage's FCF for a congregation automatically moves the people
to consider the Bible's solutions and instructions for contemporary life. Therefore,
biblical preaching that brings an FCF to the surface also recognizes the need
for application.
Memorable in my own homiletics training was the Air Force colonel turned seminary
professor who challenged students, no matter where they preached in future years,
to imagine him sitting at the back of the sanctuary. With a benign scowl the
professor growled, "In your mind's eye look at me whenever you have said your
concluding word. My arms are folded, my face holds a frown, and this question
hangs on my lips: 'So what? What do you want me to do or believe?' If you cannot
answer, you have not preached."
