Topical Sermons: Benefits & Dangers

Driving home: There is no gift of God either in nature or in grace which sinful man will not abuse to his harm or even to his ruin.

Examples of gluttony, lechery, and idolatry in art illustrate how sinful man abuses God's gifts in nature to his harm or ruin.

There is no gift of God either in nature and or in grace. There is no gift of God either in nature or in grace which sinful man will not abuse to his harm or even to his ruin. There is no gift of God either in nature or in grace which sinful man will not abuse to his harm or even to his ruin. For example, in the realm of nature there is the gift of food, and man will abuse it to his harm or his ruin by gluttony. There is the gift of sex, and man will abuse it to his harm or ruin by lechery, perversion, and adultery. Fornication, adultery, etc. There is the gift of art, the ability to appreciat...

2:43 - 4:08 Read in full sermon

Driving home: There is no gift of God either in nature or in grace which sinful man will not abuse to his harm or even to his ruin.

Examples of license (antinomianism) and legalism (works righteousness) illustrate how sinful man abuses God's gifts in grace.

are refined, lovely, cultured symbols. Minhmas are quite exhilarating to our friends, but they are nothing short, if biblically defined, of being crass idolaters. Now those are God's gifts of nature, and sinful man abuses them to his harm or his ruin, but likewise in the realm of grace. Man takes the provision of a free pard shell, adds to it the devil's logic, and comes up with a doctrine of license, or with antonomism. On the other end of the spectrum, he takes the głos that offers use, but on the other hand who gives out more by feeling that enough pang of grace or但on of grace is gleinal pr...

4:08 - 5:23 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Alas, it is an insult to the Holy Ghost that so much hot air is attributed to Him.

The practice of some old hard-shelled Baptists, who rejected homiletical principles in favor of trusting the Spirit alone, is used to illustrate homiletical antinomianism.

One, case in point, is many of the old hard-shelled Baptists. In their view,

8:49 - 8:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Give your people an appreciation of the unity and progression of biblical revelation through your preaching.

The analogy of a stage with actors and scenes imported from many parts of God's Word is used to define a topical sermon.

we now want to deal with the relative advantages and disadvantages of each species of sermon and this is why because we take seriously the reality of remaining sin that will abuse all of God's gifts and we do not desire to fight flesh with flesh but rather to deal with flesh by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit so now we're going to take up the topical sermon its benefits and dangers or relative advantages and disadvantages then we'll take up the textual and then the expository alright first of all then the benefits of the topical sermon remember the extended analogy a topical sermon is o...

14:52 - 16:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Give your people an appreciation of the unity and progression of biblical revelation through your preaching.

Topical preaching is described as 'systematic theology dressed up in the garb of homiletics' or 'adapted to the pulpit,' clarifying its nature.

the benefits of the topical sermon first of all to the hearers three distinct benefits number one it imparts to them a breadth of exposure it imparts to them a breadth of exposure to the total knowledge witness of scripture on a given subject it imparts to them a breadth of exposure to the total witness of scripture on a given subject now in a real sense topical preaching is systematic theology dressed up in the garb of homiletics or to change the image it is systematic theology adapted to the peculiar circumstances of the pulpit and the sanctuary in contrast to the lectern and the classroom y...

16:19 - 17:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Give your people an appreciation of the unity and progression of biblical revelation through your preaching.

Professor Murray's book is used as an example of how a topical approach can demonstrate the unity and progress of biblical revelation on ethics, from creation ordinances to New Testament epistles.

will be opened up in detail in subsequent lectures how you go about it will be opened up in detail will be opened up in subsequent lectures suffice it to say that it is a distinct benefit of topical preaching it is taking all the benefits of systematic theology and making them accessible to the man and the woman the boy and the girl in the pew but a second advantage to your hearers is this it provides them with a living demonstration of the unity and progress or progress of biblical revelation it provides them with a living demonstration of the unity and progress of biblical revelation when to...

17:45 - 19:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Give your people an appreciation of the unity and progression of biblical revelation through your preaching.

Martin recounts his own sermon series, 'Here We Stand,' where he traced Christ's kingship from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation, illustrating how topical preaching can show the unity and development of a doctrine.

as opposed to systematic theology in which we may take our witnesses from all over the Word of God and then seek to bring them into their various categories well this is a great benefit to our people in giving to them by way of living demonstration an example of the unity as well as the progression of Biblical revelation now when I was bringing what was really a preachment of systematic theology some years ago in a series called the Here We Stand a series that's now being chopped up some and featured in the next flyer in the Trinity Pulpit I often used the Biblical Theology model or phrase fra...

20:41 - 22:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be bullied by 'pseudo sophistication' against using proof texts in preaching, ensuring they are rightly applied.

Jesus' use of terse statements from Deuteronomy to defeat the devil is given as a strong biblical precedent for the validity and power of proof-texting.

and in the apostles Jesus proof text the devil out of his presence it is written and he extracted terse statements out of the book of Deuteronomy and to the devil put his tail between his legs and ran off he couldn't stand Jesus proof texting him because he said in these texts there is epitomized the will of God for me and I'm committed to the will of God and not to your suggestions Satan we find our Lord doing it in his discourses in some of his most intense polemical circumstances have ye never read if then David called him Lord how then is he David's son he proof texting took a text out of ...

26:28 - 27:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be bullied by 'pseudo sophistication' against using proof texts in preaching, ensuring they are rightly applied.

Martin quotes A.T. Pearson's 'The Divine Art of Preaching' to show that other authors recognize the advantages of topical preaching, despite Pearson's questionable theology on 'effectual calling'.

he just proof text him with a section out of the book of Joel now he was properly using it but he wasn't nervous about having to prove to the whole world and there is an anti-proof text mentality abroad today a kind of what I call pseudo sophistication don't you be bullied into that make sure that the soldier you call forward to shoot the gun is the right soldier holding the right gun and then you let him shoot and there is tremendous power in preaching that is peppered with proof texts there's something unique to the authority of God's own word quoted in the hearing of men and that's one of t...

27:56 - 29:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Be systematic theologians before becoming trusted expositors, as grounding in the whole of Scripture is essential for handling its parts.

Martin shares his personal experience as a young Christian using a concordance to study 'repentance' and 'disciple,' which checked his native imbalances and led to sound biblical convictions, illustrating a benefit of topical study.

widely and then as you think comprehensively now that's tremendously beneficial to you and to me as preachers the more our minds can be stretched to think comprehensively and to read widely the better we will be as God's servants so that's a great advantage number two topical preaching acts as a check upon native imbalances of thought and statement topical preaching acts as a check upon native imbalances of thought and statement each of us brings to almost any subject of scripture the molding influence of our past associations our exposure to that given subject and our religious influences cer...

33:32 - 34:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Be systematic theologians before becoming trusted expositors, as grounding in the whole of Scripture is essential for handling its parts.

Martin recounts preaching a topical sermon on lessons from the space shuttle disaster, demonstrating how topical preaching allows a preacher to address issues gripping his people and himself.

organizing skills may be topical preaching will force you to hone those skills and since organization is one of the most vital factors of effective i'll use the term effective sacred rhetoric anything that forces you to hone your organizational skills ought to be welcomed and then the fourth advantage to the preacher is this topical preaching gives the preacher liberty to address issues which have gripped him in his pastoral awareness of the needs of his people topical preaching gives the preacher liberty to address issues issues which have gripped him in his pastoral interaction with his peop...

39:23 - 40:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Be aware of the dangers of excessive topical preaching, particularly the risk of hearers developing a distorted view of the Bible.

The series by Pastor Nichols, addressing the molding influences on the post-war generation, is used as an example of topical preaching arising from a preacher's personal struggles and pastoral awareness of his congregation's needs.

words say on this whole complex of events and our reaction to it and because my own mind and spirit were gripped with that and i knew the mind of the congregation was gripped with it in a matter of some hours i put together materials which from what billy has said they're proven to be the best seller in all the history of the trinity pulpit and i meet people wherever i go saying lord wonderfully and profoundly used that sermon in their lives back a couple of years ago pastor nichols as most of you know who came out of a life of hippiedom and was a typical product of the post war generation was...

40:52 - 42:21 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see brethren in preaching we are not only conveying substance but we are also conveying a method of reading and understanding the Bible.

The metaphor of the Bible as a box of jigsaw puzzle pieces, which only the preacher can assemble, illustrates a distorted view hearers might develop from excessive topical preaching.

like a box full of jigsaw puzzles placed at random in the box to test the skill of the one who puts them together to test the skill of the one who puts them together namely the preacher. Now it would be terrible if your people looked upon the Bible as a box full of jigsaw puzzle pieces and only the skilled hand of the preacher can put them together into a picture that they can see.

43:44 - 44:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Be mindful that topical preaching can leave people ignorant of many facets of biblical revelation if not balanced.

God's Word is compared to a mountain range with foothills, moderate hills, and towering peaks, illustrating that not all truths are of the same 'vastness or weightiness,' and topical preaching might neglect the 'foothills'.

But not all truths are of the same vastness or weightiness to illustrate God's word is like a mountain range. You have foothills you have moderate hills and mountains and then you have mountains and then you have mountains and then you have mountains and then you have mountains and then you have mountains and then you have mountains and then you have mountains like Mount McKinley's and in the range of God's truth there is that diversity. But the scripture says man is not to live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. And if a man engages in an imbalanced amount...

48:00 - 49:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Beware of the voice of the sluggard, which may tempt you to major in topical preaching as an excuse for laziness and shallowness in study.

The example of a preacher with an abusive father having an aversion to the 'rod' in Proverbs illustrates how personal experience can lead to imbalanced organization of topical material.

Secondly, the tendency to organize material in an imbalanced way. There are certain facets of any large topic of the Word of God concerning which you have more personal felt affinity than others. But your personal felt affinity may not, be a reflection of the balance given to that subject in the Word of God. For example, for some of you who had the experience of having a father who literally beat you, I don't mean spank you judiciously, wisely, and in a manner commensurate with the teaching of the Word of God, but actually beat you in a cruel and unmerciful way. Now, if you're teaching a serie...

51:06 - 52:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Beware of the voice of the sluggard, which may tempt you to major in topical preaching as an excuse for laziness and shallowness in study.

A grotesque illustration of a preacher making a minor subject (women in pantsuits) into a major one, based on a butchering of Old Testament passages, highlights the danger of elevating trivial issues.

May I give you a grotesque illustration? A man who would abuse God's people by preaching on a Sunday morning why God hates women in pantsuits.

54:34 - 54:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Four dangers for the preacher are discussed: majoring on personal interests/prejudices, organizing material in an imbalanced way, becoming lazy and shallow in study, and making…

Martin quotes Dabney on the preacher's province, warning against descending into secular details or trifling matters, reinforcing the danger of making minor subjects major in topical preaching.

You've got this great big mountain of false guilt thrown on the back of a woman because she wears a pantsuit. Well, that's not far from the mark of what men have done and some places continue to do. And that may recognize, that danger in his day when on the bottom of page 63 speaking on this very subject he said, Nor should the preacher under pretense of definiteness encumber his sermons with secular details of the means for executing a duty which has been established. He may be assured that the attempt to do this now I'm on 64 will lead him at once out of his province. He will enjoin on mecha...

55:07 - 56:25 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin rejects legalistic (avoiding topical preaching entirely) and antinomian (preaching as led, ignoring dangers) responses to the dangers. He concludes that the answer is a…

The legalistic response to alcohol (total abstinence) is used as an analogy to illustrate the legalistic approach to topical preaching (don't preach topically due to dangers).

Well the legalists says don't preach topically it is so fraught with dangers leave it alone. Do people destroy themselves with alcohol? Do drunkards become the blight of families? Then demon alcohol out of the church!

57:10 - 57:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Preach some topical sermons to leverage their advantages, but do so with moderation, watching and praying against potential evils.

The antinomian response to alcohol (keeping booze on hand because 'free in Christ') is used as an analogy to illustrate the antinomian approach to topical preaching (preach as led, ignoring dangers).

That's the person who says, regardless of my chemical tendency to obsession with alcohol, regardless of my psychological predisposition to escapism that will abuse alcohol, I'll always keep some booze on hand because I'm free in Christ. That's antinomianism. That's failure to be watchful. That's failure to pluck out right eyes and cut off right hands.

58:02 - 58:28 Read in full sermon