Clarity of Form & Structure in Preaching, Part 1

Driving home: We dare not come from our closets in our studies and dump raw, formless globs of truth on the ears of our people.

Martin uses the metaphor of 'dumping raw, formless globs of truth' on hearers to vividly describe the negative impact of sermons lacking form and structure, emphasizing that people deserve more than unorganized truth.

Let us consider the importance of perspicuity in form and structure. The importance of this aspect of sermon preparation cannot, I say it cannot, be emphasized too strongly or with too much repetition. We dare not come from our closets in our studies and dump raw, formless globs of truth on the ears of our people. Now, if you're going to dump anything that's raw, formless, and globby, grant that it may be truth and not error.

7:33 - 8:12 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We dare not come from our closets in our studies and dump raw, formless globs of truth on the ears of our people.

Broadus's analogy compares the speaker to an architect who builds a structure (home, jail, factory, church) from raw materials according to a specific design, illustrating how the same sermon materials can be arranged differently to achieve distinct purposes and impressions.

In this respect, the speaker is an architect. Out of the gathered materials he is to build a structure and a structure suited to its specific design The same or nearly the same...

9:53 - 10:07 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins discussing the importance of perspicuity in form and structure, first for the preacher himself. He argues that it imparts freedom and force in detailed sermon…

Broadus's analogy compares the speaker's task to organizing an army, with divisions focused on one objective, highlighting how disposition and order are essential for effective discourse and power.

materials may be made into a home, a jail, a factory, or a church. All right? You can take the raw materials, brick, mortar, two-by-twelves, sheetrock, and nails, and you may make a home, a jail, a factory, a church. But how different the plan of the building according to its design, and how important that it be built with special reference to the design. In like manner, substantially the same materials may be brought into a story, a dialogue, an essay, or a speech, and several speeches on the same subject and embodying much the same thoughts may make a very different impression according to t...

10:07 - 11:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art pertaining to form and structure to experience freedom and force in the advanced stages of sermon preparation.

Dabney's analogy describes a 'heap of stone and timber' as an unsightly mass of rubbish, not an architectural structure, to illustrate how unorganized sermon materials lead to confusion and mental paralysis for the preacher.

will have this growing mass of materials lying all around you with a two-by-fours mixed up with a two-by-twelves and a pile of nails in the middle of it and some sheetrock there, and you just finally wanted to put your hand over your head and go on off and do something other than try to construct a jail, a church, a house, a barn, or something else. So if you are to have that mental freedom and that sense of the force of the discourse upon your own spirit in the more advanced stages of preparation, then there must be emerging in your own mind and most likely for most of us on paper some distin...

16:14 - 17:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art pertaining to form and structure to experience freedom and force in the advanced stages of sermon preparation.

Dabney's analogy of brilliant gems mixed together forming a 'dark and confused mass' rather than a mosaic picture, further illustrates how disorganization diminishes the beauty and clarity of even excellent content.

The surreal effect ofodiography and the the the this this displeasing to it. And he uses the same analogy. A heap of stone and timber is not an architectural structure, but an unsightly mass of rubbish. A mixture of brilliant gems is not a mosaic picture, but a quantity of pebbles. And the richer their colors, the more dark and confused is the mass. A mob of men is not an army. The atoms of this mighty universe, without an orderly connection, would only be a vast nebula of dust. Have not the poets, ancient and modern, found in chaos

17:07 - 18:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art pertaining to form and structure to experience freedom and force in the advanced stages of sermon preparation.

Dabney's analogy of a 'mob of men' versus an 'army' emphasizes that organization and order are what constitute true discourse and power, contrasting it with chaotic disarray.

The surreal effect ofodiography and the the the this this displeasing to it. And he uses the same analogy. A heap of stone and timber is not an architectural structure, but an unsightly mass of rubbish. A mixture of brilliant gems is not a mosaic picture, but a quantity of pebbles. And the richer their colors, the more dark and confused is the mass. A mob of men is not an army. The atoms of this mighty universe, without an orderly connection, would only be a vast nebula of dust. Have not the poets, ancient and modern, found in chaos

17:07 - 18:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art pertaining to form and structure to experience freedom and force in the advanced stages of sermon preparation.

Dabney's analogy of the universe's atoms without orderly connection forming a 'vast nebula of dust' highlights the repulsive nature of chaos and the necessity of order for intelligibility and beauty.

The surreal effect ofodiography and the the the this this displeasing to it. And he uses the same analogy. A heap of stone and timber is not an architectural structure, but an unsightly mass of rubbish. A mixture of brilliant gems is not a mosaic picture, but a quantity of pebbles. And the richer their colors, the more dark and confused is the mass. A mob of men is not an army. The atoms of this mighty universe, without an orderly connection, would only be a vast nebula of dust. Have not the poets, ancient and modern, found in chaos

17:07 - 18:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art pertaining to form and structure to experience freedom and force in the advanced stages of sermon preparation.

Shedd's analogy of a miner working under a movable hurdle illustrates that while a sermonizer may modify his plan, he must always work under a pre-constructed scheme, never disturbing the main props, to maintain logical ability.

Whether in preparation or in delivery of sermons, a man's feelings will flow naturally and freely. or delivery, only when he has the stimulus, the support, and the satisfaction which come from conscious order. Listen to Shedd speaking on the same subject, page 186 of his Homiletics and Pastoral Theology. Although the sermonizer may modify his plan after he's begun to compose, he may not begin to compose without any plan. He is to construct the best scheme possible beforehand and to work under it as the minor works under his movable hurdle, never disturbing the outside or the main props, but fr...

20:34 - 21:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art pertaining to form and structure to experience freedom and force in the advanced stages of sermon preparation.

Martin shares his personal experience preparing a sermon on Luke 9:51-62, explaining how establishing the form and structure early allowed him to focus on the main thrust (cost of discipleship) and avoid getting sidetracked by fascinating but irrelevant exegetical details.

of the rhetorician and orator, the organizing power, will disappear. So, brethren, I cannot emphasize too much. If you would seek under God to know something of that freedom and force that ought to be your portion in the more advanced stages of the preparation, you must cultivate the art pertaining to form and to structure. Let me try to illustrate this from something that I hope will be quite relevant. Those of you who were present Sunday evening when I sought to expound on the subject of the sermon, I was not able to do so. I was not able to do so because I was not able to do so. I was not a...

21:53 - 22:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin continues discussing the importance for the preacher, asserting that perspicuity greatly assists freedom in actual sermon delivery. He explains that a clear structure…

Martin uses the analogy of a man unsure of his destination needing to keep his 'nose in his map' to illustrate how preachers lacking clear sermon structure are glued to their notes, unable to preach with freedom or engage their audience.

actual delivery of the sermon. A man unsure of where he's going must keep his nose in his map and cannot enjoy the luxury of drinking in the beauty of the landscape as he goes. Some of you have gone into strange places. Maybe you can remember the first time you came out of your little boondocky town into this metropolitan area, and you thought for sure you were going to have to hire a professional navigator ever to make it. All these roads coming this way and that way, and where you come from, everything's north, south, east, and west, and divided up into mile roads, and you just said, man, I ...

25:16 - 26:32 Read in full sermon

The point: If you want to know whether you understand your subject, try to divide it and arrange it; if you can't, it's because you don't understand.

Ryle's analogy of a wise general not mixing artillery, infantry, and cavalry in a confused mass illustrates the necessity of order and division in a sermon for effective impact.

I need hardly say that this is a very vexed question. There's a morbid dread of first, second, and third in many quarters. The stream of fashion runs strongly against divisions, and I must frankly confess that a lively, undivided sermon is much better than one divided in a dull, stupid, or illogical way. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that can preach sermons which strike and stick without divisions, by all means, let him hold on to his way and persevere. But let him not despise his neighbor who divides his sermons. All I can say is, if we would be simple, there must be or...

31:22 - 32:21 Read in full sermon

The point: If you want to know whether you understand your subject, try to divide it and arrange it; if you can't, it's because you don't understand.

Ryle's analogy of a host serving an entire meal (soup, fish, meat, dessert) in one huge dish illustrates how a lack of order in presenting sermon points diminishes the overall experience and effectiveness.

I need hardly say that this is a very vexed question. There's a morbid dread of first, second, and third in many quarters. The stream of fashion runs strongly against divisions, and I must frankly confess that a lively, undivided sermon is much better than one divided in a dull, stupid, or illogical way. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that can preach sermons which strike and stick without divisions, by all means, let him hold on to his way and persevere. But let him not despise his neighbor who divides his sermons. All I can say is, if we would be simple, there must be or...

31:22 - 32:21 Read in full sermon

The point: If you want to know whether you understand your subject, try to divide it and arrange it; if you can't, it's because you don't understand.

Ryle's analogy of sermon points following one another 'in beautiful regularity, like regiments, marching before the queen on a review day' emphasizes the aesthetic and organizational ideal for sermon structure.

Such a host would hardly be thought to serve his dinner well. Just so I say it is with sermons. By all means, let there be order. Order, whether you bring out your firstly, secondly, or thirdly, or not. Order, whether your divisions are concealed or expressed. Order, so carefully arranged that your points and ideas shall follow one another in beautiful regularity, like regiments, marching before the queen on a review day in Windsor Park. And there a good Englishman gives you a good bit of counsel. And then he goes on to say that's why he admires Spurgeon. And in his day, apparently, it was not...

32:31 - 33:27 Read in full sermon

The point: If you want to know whether you understand your subject, try to divide it and arrange it; if you can't, it's because you don't understand.

Ryle's anecdote of David not asking about the sword of Goliath's origin but recognizing its effectiveness, illustrates that preachers should learn from successful methods (like Spurgeon's divisions) regardless of fashion or perceived dignity.

successful preachers, you'll always find order and often division. I'm not a bit ashamed to say that I often read the sermons of Mr. Spurgeon. I like to gather hints about preaching from all quarters. David did not ask about the sword of Goliath. Who made it? Who polished it? What blacksmith forged it? He said, there is nothing like it, for he had once used it to cut off the owner's head. Mr. Spurgeon can preach most ably, and he proves it by keeping his enormous congregation together. We ought always to examine and analyze sermons which don't draw people together. Now, when you read Mr. Spurg...

33:27 - 34:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Never grudge the labor which clear thinking and methodical construction demand, as these are duties you owe to your hearers.

The story of Dr. Joseph Parker advising a young minister that he was 'trying to get something out of his head instead of something into mine' illustrates the crucial distinction between a preacher's internal struggle and the need for clarity for the hearer.

some symmetry about it, built to an orderly plan and showing evidence of carefully chiseled thought, is likely to have far more thrust and grip and attack upon the hearer's minds than any amorphous collection of fine ideas. There is a story of a young minister, oops, that crazy watch of mine, there is a story of a young minister who, concerned about the apparent failure of his preacher, consulted Dr. Joseph Parker in the vestry of the city temple. Parker was a famous preacher in his day. His sermons, he complained, were encountering only apathy. Could Dr. Parker frankly tell the young man what...

39:14 - 40:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Never grudge the labor which clear thinking and methodical construction demand, as these are duties you owe to your hearers.

Martin uses the metaphor of a 'trumpet giving an uncertain sound' (from 1 Corinthians 14:8) to illustrate that if preaching lacks perspicuity, hearers won't know how to respond, like a soldier unsure if he's hearing mess call or call to arms.

Distinction is crucial. Wrestle with your subject in the study that there may be clarity in the pulpit. For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? If the soldier doesn't know whether he's hearing mess call or call to arms, he doesn't know whether to grab his mess kit or his rifle. And if our preaching, through lack of perspicuity of form and structure, does not have that intelligibility about it that ought to mark our sermons, then let us not be surprised if there is no grip upon the conscience of our people, and in a sense there is no delight in liste...

40:38 - 41:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Never grudge the labor which clear thinking and methodical construction demand, as these are duties you owe to your hearers.

Spurgeon's analogy of an empty well appearing deep versus a water-filled well showing brightness illustrates that 'deep' preachers are often just confused, while true depth, when clear, is intelligible and illuminating.

You just, you feel so awkward and you feel all this inward pain and, well, that's not what preaching is for, to set up a sympathy of common pain. I mean, the idea is you're there to send home truth to the mind and ultimately to the conscience. And under the blessing of the Spirit of God, to the affections and wills of men. And now Spurgeon, addressing himself to the subject, says on page 209 of his lectures to his students, Brethren, we should cultivate a clear style. When a man does not make me understand what he means, it's because he himself does not know what he means. An average hearer wh...

42:26 - 43:26 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is not enough to be so plain that you can be understood. You must speak so that you cannot be misunderstood.

Spurgeon humorously describes 'deep preachers' as like dry wells containing 'decaying leaves, a few stones and perhaps a dead cat or two,' emphasizing that lack of clarity often masks emptiness rather than profundity.

in it, you will see its brightness. I believe that many, quote, deep preachers are simply so because they're like dry wells with nothing whatever in them except decaying leaves, a few stones and perhaps a few stones. And if you look down into a well, if it be empty, perhaps a dead cat or two. This is what his preacher boys got Friday afternoon. If there be living water in your preaching, it may be very deep, but the light of truth will give clearness to it. It is not enough to be so plain that you can be understood. You must speak so that you cannot be misunderstood. And then Spurgeon goes on ...

43:26 - 44:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Preach with such clarity in form and structure that your people can intellectually retain the substance of the sermon and meditate upon it.

Spurgeon's childhood story of mixing tea, mustard, and rice in a basket after chasing hounds illustrates the necessity of 'packing up' sermon subjects in 'good, stout parcels' (divisions) to prevent a muddled, unpalatable mess for the hearers.

Spurgeon says on page 131, Let the good matter which you give your people be very clearly arranged. There's a great deal in that. It's possible to heap up a vast mass of good things all in a muddle. Ever since the day I was sent to shop with a basket and purchased a pound of tea, a quarter of a pound of mustard, and three pounds of rice, and on my way home saw a pack of hounds and felt it necessary to follow them over hedge and ditch, as I always did when I was a boy, and found when I reached home that all the goods were amalgamated, tea, mustard, and rice, into one awful mess.

59:30 - 60:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Preach with such clarity in form and structure that your people can intellectually retain the substance of the sermon and meditate upon it.

Spurgeon's analogy of 'Mr. Bright Sky's terrier whose head and tail were both alike' humorously describes muddled sermons that lack clear beginning or end, making them unintelligible.

I have understood the necessity of packing up my subject in good, stout parcels, bound round with the thread of my discourse, and this makes me keep to first and foremost. Firstly, secondly, and thirdly, however unfashionable that method may now be, people will not drink your mustardy tea, nor will they enjoy muddled-up sermons in which you cannot tell head from tail because they have neither, but are like Mr. Bright Sky's terrier whose head and tail were both alike. Put the truth before men in a logical, orderly manner so that they can easily remember it, and then, they will the more readily ...

60:11 - 60:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the third main point: the price of attaining perspicuity of form and structure. He unequivocally states that the price is 'toil, more toil, and incessant toil,'…

Martin compares the preacher's labor in finding sermon form to an architect drawing multiple sketches, discarding them until one reflects the client's intention, illustrating the iterative and often frustrating process of sermon construction.

And you will labor with that question. And you will take up different approaches. And you'll do like the architect who draws a sketch and then another and then another and another. And he's not satisfied that that sketch reflects the intention of the person who has secured his services.

65:28 - 65:45 Read in full sermon

Driving home: This is the most grueling part of the preparation of a sermon. The most grueling part. Not the most blessed, the most joyful, the most grueling part of the preparation of a sermon.

Lloyd-Jones uses the analogies of a potter fashioning clay and a blacksmith making horseshoes to illustrate the intense, repetitive, and often difficult labor required to mold sermon material into its proper form, involving repeated effort and refinement.

And then he goes on to take up common objections to this particular teaching and then he concludes by saying, the preparation of sermons involves sweat and labor. It can be extremely difficult at times to get all this matter that you found in the scriptures into this particular form. It is like the potter fashioning something out of the clay or the blacksmith making shoes for a horse. You have to keep on putting the material into the fire and on to the anvil and hit it again and again with the hammer.

70:17 - 70:52 Read in full sermon

Driving home: This is the most grueling part of the preparation of a sermon. The most grueling part. Not the most blessed, the most joyful, the most grueling part of the preparation of a sermon.

Lloyd-Jones describes the feeling of finally succeeding in sermon construction as 'an act of creation,' giving a 'dim understanding of what the scripture means when we are told that God looked at the world that he had created and saw that it was good,' highlighting the profound satisfaction of the arduous labor.

It can be at times most difficult, most exhausting, most trying. But at the same time I can assure you that when you finally succeeded you will experience one of the most glorious feelings that ever comes to a man on the face of this earth. To borrow the title of a book by author Kessler you will be conscious of having performed an act of creation and you will have some dim understanding of what the scripture means when we are told that God looked at the world that he had created and saw that it was good.

71:58 - 72:30 Read in full sermon