Determining a sermons subject is half done when a preacher has discerned what
the biblical writer was saying. We do not fully understand the subject until
we have also determined its purpose. It is too easy to preach on a doctrinal
topic or an exegetical insight without considering the spiritual burden of the
text for real people in the daily struggles of life. In doing so, preachers
relieve themselves of having to deal with the messiness and pain of human existence.
The greater intellectual and spiritual task is to discern the human concern
that caused the Holy Spirit to inspire this aspect of Scripture so that God
would be properly glorified by his people. Consideration of a passage's purpose
ultimately forces us to ask, Why are these concerns addressed? What caused this
account, these facts, or the recording of these ideas? What was the intent of
the author? For what purpose did the Holy Spirit include these words in Scripture?
Such questions force us to exegete the cause of a passage as well as its contents
and to connect both to the lives of the people God calls us to shepherd with
his truth.
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Until we have determined a passage's purpose, we are not ready to preach its
truths, even if we know many true facts about the text. Yet as obvious as this
advice is, it is frequently neglected. Preachers often think they are ready
to preach when they see a doctrinal subject reflected in a passage, though they
have not yet determined the text's specific purpose. For example, simply recognizing
that a passage contains features that support the doctrine of justification
by faith alone does not adequately prepare a pastor to preach. A sermon is not
just a systematics lesson. Why did the biblical writer bring up the subject
of justification at this point? What were the struggles, concerns, or frailties
of the persons to whom the text was originally addressed? Were the people claiming
salvation based on their accomplishments, were they doubting the sufficiency
of grace, or were they afraid of God's rejection because of some sin? We must
determine the purpose (or burden) of a passage before we really know the subject
of a sermon.5
We do not have to guess whether there is a purpose for a particular text. The
Bible assures us that every passage has a purpose, and it clearly tells us the
basic nature of this purpose. The apostle Paul writes, "All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim.
3:16-17). The Greek terms that Paul uses to express our need to be thoroughly
equipped convey the idea of bringing to completion. God intends for his Word
to "complete" us so that we can serve his good purposes.6
That is why the translators of the King James Version interpreted verse 17 of
the passage as "that the man of God may be perfect." God intends for
every portion of his Word (i.e., "all Scripture") to make us more like him so
that his glory is reflected in us.7