expository preaching: what is it? why is it important? @

Expository Preaching: What is it? Why is it important?

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Expository Preaching

“The first mark of a healthy church is expositional preaching. It is not only the first mark; it is far and away the most important of them all, because if you get this one right, all of the others should follow. This is the crucial mark.”

Mark Dever9 Marks of a Healthy Church, 39.

Expository Preaching

Most Definitions Include the Following: 1. Explaining the text and staying true to the main idea of the

text. 2. Allowing the structure of the sermon to flow from the

structure of the text. 3. Applying the text to the listener.

What is Expository Preaching?

“An expository sermon may be defined as a message whose structure and thought are derived from a biblical text, that covers the scope of the text, and that explains the features and context of the text in order to disclose the enduring principles for faithful thinking, living, and worship intended by the Spirit, who inspired the text.”

Bryan Chapell Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 31.


“Expository Preaching is the contemporization of the central proposition of a biblical text that is derived from proper methods of interpretation and declared through effective means of communication to inform minds, instruct hearts, and influence behavior toward godliness.”

Ramesh Richard Preparing Expository Sermons: A Seven-Step Method for Biblical Preaching, 19.


“A discourse that expounds a passage of Scripture, organizes it around a central theme and main divisions which issue forth from the given text, and then decisively applies its message to the listeners.”

Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons, 29.


“Expository Preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.”

Haddon Robinson Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages, 21.


“Expository preaching is that mode of Christian preaching that takes as its central purpose the presentation and application of the text of the Bible. All other issues and concerns are subordinated to the central task of presenting the biblical text. As the Word of God, the text of Scripture has the right to establish both the substance and the structure of the sermon.”

R. Albert Mohler He is Not Silent: Preaching in a PostModern World , 65.

Text Driven: The Main Idea of the Sermon Must Be the Main Idea of the Text

Hijacking is Illegal so don’t do it! Look at how you can hijack John 3:16. Main idea: tithing “We are most like God when we give.”

1. Love Gives2. Love Gives Generously3. Love Gives Sacrificially 4. Conclusion: If you want to love like God, you will give

generously and sacrificially…to your church.

Hijacking the Text Misunderstanding the Text

Laziness Sunday’s Coming: not enough time Properly interpreting Scripture


Properly interpreting Scripture James 2:14-26 “Faith without Works is Dead.” Student’s conclusion: a person is justified by works

and not faith alone. His worst line, “Salvation requires hard work.”


Hijacking the Text Misunderstanding the Text

Laziness Sunday’s Coming: not enough time Properly interpreting Scripture

Man-centered or God-centered


Man-centered or God-centered • Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are

surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,…


David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17

Title: Overcoming the Giants in Your Life L Little things make the difference so be faithful (1 Sam 17:20;

34-37)E Expect criticism and Evoke your past successes (Criticism: 1 Sam 17:28, 33; Past success (1 Sam 17:34-37)A Always be Yourself and do not wear someone else’s armor (1

Sam 17:38-39)D Declare that the Battle is the Lord’s and give him the glory (1 Sam 17:37, 45-47)

Text Driven: The Structure of the Sermon Should follow the Structure of the Text

Key Word Method is Limited Luke 5:4-11

Key Word Method: Luke 5:4-11Textual Idea: Luke wrote about the requirements for following Jesus call. Sermon idea: Today you can understand the requirements for following Jesus call. Transition/Key Word: Today from the text we will discuss three requirements of following Jesus call. Point 1: Following Jesus call requires obedience Point 2: Following Jesus call requires RecognitionPoint 3: Following Jesus call requires Devotion


Key Word Method is Limited Not three points and a poem

1 John 2:15-17

3 Points and a Poem: 1 John 2:15-1715 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

3 Points and a Poem: 1 John 2:15-17

1. Do not love Desires of the Flesh.2. Do not love the Desires of the Eyes.3. Do not love the Pride of Life.

Text Driven: 1 John 2:15-17• The first imperative in 1 John is 1 John 2:15, “Do not love the

world.” • How does this fit with John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…” • We must define world (cosmos).

1. Universe2. Planet earth3. All people on earth4. The system led by the Devil opposed to God.

Text Driven: 1 John 2:15-1715 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Text Driven: John 2:15-17

Main Idea: Do not love the world (sin).

The structure does not indicate major points from: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life which modify all that is in the world.

You could use these three to explain the world and for application.

See David Allen in Text Driven Preaching for more on this.


So what do we do…let the structure of the text drive the structure of the sermon. Deductive Method Inductive Method

Deductive Approach Main idea early Fits didactic passages (pastoral epistles) best Shorter Scripture length: paragraph or pericope Outline will be stronger as you generally rely more on original

languages. Verbs and independent clauses drive points whereas dependent clauses, prepositional phrases, and infinitives drive application.

Heb. 12:1-2Main verb: let us run

Three participle phrases: 1. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses2. Lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely3. Looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith

The original language work and the outline unfold this passage like a ripe banana. Deductive: Lead with the main idea: Running with Endurance, Running the Race By Faith etc.

Inductive Approach Main idea late Fits parables or Narratives well: Parables are shorter, but OT narratives are longer. Perhaps a chapter or

more. Outline and original language work may be more difficult and laborious

on longer passages. Usually scenes rather than points and one main idea of the passage. Plot: 1) exposition, 2) crisis, 3) resolution, and 4) conclusion 1) Setting, 2) Conflict, 3) climax, 4) resolution, and 5) new setting.

See Steven Mathewson The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative

Inductive Approach: Parable Matt. 18:21-35 Scenes: 1) King settling accounts (23-27); 2) Servant not forgiving

(28-30); 3) Master summoning the wicked servant (31-34). Key verse (35): “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one

of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Forgiven to forgive. The key to forgiveness is not to focus on what others have done

to us but to focus on what Christ has done for us. Perhaps omit verse 35 in the initial reading to save the punch line

and deliver it with the same force the telling of Jesus would have had.

Inductive Approach: OT Narrative Judges 4-5

• Setting or exposition: Sisera’s 900 chariots oppress Israel while Deborah judges.

• Conflict or crisis: God told Barak to go fight and he ultimately goes to fight.

• Climax: battle and pursuit of Sisera• Resolution: Jael killing Sisera• New setting or conclusion: God subdued Jabin and the Song of

Deborah and Barak proclaims victory to nearby kings.

Inductive Approach: OT Narrative Judges 4-5

• What is your Title: “Hammer Time” (4:21) “Star Wars” (5:20) “God is Great, Water is Good, and Jael is Crazy.” …so many fun things you can do.

• Who is the hero? Deborah, Barak, Jael? • What is the main idea?

Inductive Approach: OT Narrative Judges 4-5• Who is the hero? – God. 4:23, “God subdued”

• What is the main idea? – Chapter 5 to the kings and proclaims in verse 31, ““So may all

your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.”

– “Those who oppose God will end up disillusioned and destroyed while those who have faith in God will end up victorious and justified.”

• Setting (1-3); Scene 1 Deborah (4-10); Scene 2 The Battle (11-17); Scene 3 The Pursuit (18-22); Conclusion (23) and song in chapter 5.

Expository Preaching: What is it?

1. Explaining the text and staying true to the main idea of the text.

2. Allowing the structure of the sermon to flow from the structure of the text.

3. Applying the text to the listener.

Why is Expository Preaching Important?

We have looked at, “Expository Preaching: What is it?” Now we turn to Expository Preaching: Why is it Important?”

Why is Expository Preaching Important?

The Authority of Scripture 2 Tim. 3:1-17 teaches the theological principle of inspiration

and authority of Scripture. 2 Tim. 4:1-2 provided the application, “Preach the Word.”

Our words will never have the authority or power that God’s Word has.

Authority of Scripture

“The old thunderbolts rust in the attic while the minister tries to lead his people through the morass of relativities and proximate possibilities.”

Fred Craddock, As One Without Authority, 13.

Authority of Scripture “Any study of church history, and particularly any study of the great periods of revival or reawakening, demonstrates above everything else just this one fact: that the Christian Church during all such periods has spoken with authority. The great characteristics of all revivals has been the authority of the preacher. There seemed to be something new, extra, and irresistible in what he declared on behalf of God.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Authority, 10.

• Neh. 8:8, “8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”

• Ezekiel 37:3-6, “3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”

• Luke 24:27, “27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Verse 32, “32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

• Acts 17:2-3, “2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

Romans 10:14-17, “14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Authority of Scripture

Spiritual Power or Human Wisdom 1 Cor. 2:1-5 “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not

come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Are you relying on your creativity and wisdom or the power of God’s Word and the Spirit?

• Heb. 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

• Isaiah 55:11 indicates God’s Word will not return void.

• Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

The Power of God’s Word

• Carries the authority of Scripture. Minimizes the weakness of youth or inexperience. It reflects the preacher’s ministry of the Word and desire to deliver God’s message.

• Leads to biblical thinking and living, which deters errant theological positions from infiltrating the church.

• Preaching through books brings balance to content of preaching: Scripture determines what expositors preach next. Avoids every message being on the preacher’s interest.

• Walking through books undermines members claims that the preacher is aiming a message at them.

Practical Benefits of Expository Preaching

• You do not need Scripture to come up with such instruction. It turns preaching into the Dr. Phil show.

• You will likely repeat the passages that interest you most, unintentionally giving them more weight than Scripture as a whole does. This effectively creates a canon within the canon.

• You run the risk of reading into certain passages the issue that you want to address and thus, misinterpreting Scripture.

• People admire the preacher’s creativity and look to him for answers rather than looking to Scripture or learning how to read and understand the Bible better.

• Ultimately, it’s not what we are called to do.

The Problem with Man-Centered, Therapeutic Preaching:

• Am I coming to the text with a presupposed sermon idea or sermon structure?

• Have I expressed the main idea of the text in clear and contemporary terms?

• Could someone else reading this text easily come to the same main idea? If not, why?

• Have I challenged the audience with God’s truth and made proper application of those truths to the audience?

• “Do you, as a preacher, endeavor to bend your thought to the Scripture, or do you use the Scriptures to support your thought?” Haddon Robinson, Biblical Preaching, 22.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Closing Thought

“The expositor is not an explorer who returns to tell tales of the journey but a guide who leads the people into the text, teaching the arts of Bible Study and interpretation even as he demonstrates the same.”

R. Albert Mohler, He is Not Silent, 66.

Expository Preaching: What is it? Why is it important?

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expository preaching: what is it? why is it important? @

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