The first theological point in
Matthew 3:1-6 is: Repent for He is coming. The second theological point could be: Evaluate your repentance, for He is coming. You now have points that are timeless in nature and reveal the immediate relevance for your audience. This phase of sermon development isn't designed to make the Bible relevant but to show its relevance.
We are now ready for the homiletical points. They are derived from the theological points. These homiletical points should reflect the timeless truths of the Word of God and be geared toward your specific audience. Try to keep the points brief and memorable. The first homiletical point for
Matthew 3:1-6 is: Change your way for He is coming; the second is: Weigh your change for He is coming.
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The importance of a good introduction cannot be overemphasized because of the necessity to gain the attention of your audience. Spurgeon wrote, "Their attention must be gained, or nothing can be done with them." How does the preacher gain the attention of the audience? Be creative!
Introductions should not be predictable. You might want to start the sermon with a personal story. People love stories. Another way to gain attention is by telling a joke. Always make sure the joke is appropriate and leads the people to the body of the sermon. Statistics are helpful. However, be careful that the statistics are relevant to the sermon and brief in content. Also, a major motif is alluring. This device is generally a story that you break into throughout the sermon. You introduce the story at the beginning of the sermon and give its second part during the body of the message and conclude the sermon with the culmination of the story.
Illustrations are a necessary component of preaching. What is an illustration and what should it accomplish? John Reed writes, "The American Heritage Dictionary gives three levels of definition for the word. These are the three: 1. Illustration is the act of clarifying or explaining. 2. Illustrations are the material used to clarify or explain. 3. Illustrations can be visual matter used to clarify or decorate a text."
Gentleman, a friendly reminder is not just to illustrate your sermons with manly examples from football, fishing and barbecuing. It is important to note that "when a pastor steps into the pulpit on Sunday morning, the odds make it likely that nearly three out of every four adults waiting to hear the sermon are women." Therefore illustrations from the realms of sewing, cooking, and family would be welcome.
Having good transitions in a sermon is like having a good transmission in a car that enables you to shift gears smoothly. The preacher doesn't want to have a herky-jerky message when he preaches. Cahill says transitions should do three things: First, transitions can provide closure for the proceeding point. Second, transitions show the logical connection between the main points. Third, transitions anticipate the content of the next section. A disciplined preacher will plan his transitions carefully.
A good conclusion to a sermon is as necessary to the message as a smooth landing to an airplane after it has reached its destination. There are multiple ways that a preacher can conclude his sermon. The important thing to remember is that a good conclusion will leave your audience with a sense of completion (no loose ends) and to know exactly what God now requires them to employ.
You may want to conclude the sermon with a restatement of your main points. This can help the listeners to recall what God requires of them. You may also use an appropriate poem or stanza from a hymn that sums up the message. Perhaps you may desire to leave them with a challenge. For instance, I challenge you to pray for 10 minutes each day or to read their Bible for 20 minutes a day. A good illustration that sums up the entire message would be helpful. The important thing is that you finish your sermon with an appropriate challenge or exhortation or encouragement.
May God help us to heed Paul's exhortation to Timothy when he wrote in
2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season."
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