Top Quotes and Takeaways From Expositional Preaching

As part of A Year of Books on Preaching, I’m posting a review a month of a preaching book, and then a list of quotes and takeaways.

I posted a review of Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today earlier this week. Here are some of the top quotes and takeaways from his book.

Top Ten Quotes

Biblical exposition does the heavy lifting of building up a church. (Kindle Locations 118-119)

Expositional preaching is empowered preaching that rightfully submits the shape and emphasis of the sermon to the shape and emphasis of a biblical text. (Kindle Locations 138-139)

Too many of us unconsciously believe that a well-studied understanding of our cultural context, rather than the Bible, is the key to preaching with power. (Kindle Locations 178-179)

The possible applications must never overshadow the primary point of the text. (Kindle Location 257)

We are not free to do what we want with the Bible. It is sovereign. It must win. Always. (Kindle Locations 332-333)

Many of us suffer from an addiction to practicality and the notion that we can predetermine what our people need to hear. (Kindle Locations 407-408)

The best preachers are usually the best listeners. (Kindle Location 524)

The gospel, at least for Jesus, is found everywhere in the Bible. It is what holds the Bible together, and it should inform how we approach it. (Kindle Locations 677-678)

The people are the point! And if those who specifically desire to preach the Word do not possess a heart for the people of the world, they should not be allowed to stand regularly behind the preaching lectern. So, if you want to become a biblical expositor, know this: a prerequisite for preaching is a growing and godly passion for people. (Kindle Locations 992-994)

The great ones are the clear ones. Preachers cannot be too simple. We need clarity. (Kindle Location 1098)

Takeaways

• The purpose of exposition is to to humble the sinner, exalt the Savior, and promote holiness.

Contextualization

• Contextualization is about communicating the gospel’s message in ways that are understandable and appropriate to the listener’s context.
• Guard against spending more time meditating on contextualization than you do on the text.

Exegesis

• All preaching must begin with exegesis.
• Discipline yourself to focus on the message to the original readers first, not to your listeners.
• Study the historical and literary context.
• Find the melodic line of the book: the overall message of the book.
• Discern the structure and emphasis of the text.

Theological Reflection

• Prayerfully relate the text to God’s plan of redemption.
• The work of theological reflection can only be done through prayer.
• Use the tools of both biblical and systematic theology to reflect on how the point of the text draws you to the gospel.

Today

• Love your people.
• Aim to speak to a diverse audience without unduly alienating them.
• Follow the organization of the biblical text and its purpose.
• Determine the intention that the author had for his readers.
• Aim for a change of heart.
• Do not grab a secondary or tertiary application until you have driven home the point that is primary.

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