The Preacher's Physical Action, Part 1

In this part of the sermon: Martin establishes the legitimacy of physical action by demonstrating its natural and biblical connection to inner thought and emotion, citing numerous examples from Genesis, 2…

Martin recounts seeing a film depicting David's dance before the Lord, noting the actor's masculine portrayal and contrasting it with effeminate ballet, to emphasize that David's joy produced an appropriate, distinctly masculine bodily expression.

danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was girded with a linen ephod, so David in all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. Now here there was this intimate relationship between David's state of soul described as joy, and a bodily expression that did not stop short of dancing. And I don't know where it was, but on one occasion, I think it was a couple of years ago, I saw just a portion of a

6:27 - 7:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The Bible describes man as man acts when he's acting consistent with his created humanity. That there is an intimate relationship between physical action and the state of the mind and soul which produces it.

He uses the example of a child instinctively pouting when disappointed or expressing exuberance when excited to illustrate the natural, untaught connection between inner states and physical actions, which adults often lose.

become natural. A little child. If reasons be sought for the faultlessness of a child's manner, they are to be found in its guilelessness and reality, the transparency of its whole nature, and in its freedom from acquired habits, in the elasticity and vigor of its muscular system, and last but not least, in its lack of self-consciousness. And you observe little children. They've broken their favorite little toy as in worth their

21:47 - 22:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He further validates the legitimacy of physical action through unprejudiced observation of common human behavior, especially in children, and by quoting experts like Blakey…

Broadus's examples of pointing to a door, placing a finger on lips, or a beckoning hand are used to show how gestures can be more forceful and expressive than words alone.

There's a familiar story of the dispute between Cicero and Rossius, an actor famous for pantomime, as to which could express a thought more eloquently, the one by words or the other by signs. In many cases, a gesture is much more expressive than any number of words. How truly language must be regarded as a hindrance to thought, though the necessary instrument of it we shall clearly perceive on remembering the words. Now, notice his observation. The freedom and variety of action exhibited by children when talking to each other shows that it is perfectly natural, the one by words or the other by...

24:23 - 24:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He further validates the legitimacy of physical action through unprejudiced observation of common human behavior, especially in children, and by quoting experts like Blakey…

Martin shares a personal anecdote about his granddaughter's shrug of the shoulders to convey 'I don't know,' illustrating how a simple gesture can communicate volumes without words.

Surprise. A shrug of the shoulders would lose much by an attempt to translate it into words. And my little granddaughter is a master of that. Justly, where's your dolly?

25:47 - 25:58 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He further validates the legitimacy of physical action through unprejudiced observation of common human behavior, especially in children, and by quoting experts like Blakey…

He cites historical anecdotes about Cicero's eloquence extending to his fingertips and Garrick's ability to produce effect with a mere elbow movement, to underscore the power of physical action in communication, even for renowned orators and actors.

It was said of Cicero that there was an eloquence even to the tips of his fingers. And of Garrick, that was the famous English actor who said he would give, I forgot how many pounds or how many guineas.

26:47 - 26:59 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are not animated enough, examine if you are feeling deeply enough what you are saying. Let your hands and whole humanity speak truth.

Spurgeon's metaphor of a gazelle on the mountains is used to illustrate the ideal of unstudied, natural grace in gestures, where art is banished and movement is free.

Unstudied gestures to which you never turned your thoughts for a moment are the very best. And the highest result of art is to banish art and leave the man as free to be graceful as the gazelle. Upon the mountains.

45:52 - 46:10 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Let him throw himself into his topic without taking care for gesture. And gesture will take care of itself.

The analogy of a newborn doe learning to walk, initially awkward but eventually natural, is used to explain the process of achieving naturalness in physical action in preaching.

Did you ever see pictures of a little doe after it's born and just beginning to learn to walk? Very awkward and stilted. Until walking and running become as natural as breathing. Well, that's what he's saying.

46:12 - 46:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I felt like a man should feel who had just sold his virtue in a whorehouse. I felt filthy, unclean. I wanted to run and hide and never open my mouth again.

Martin shares a powerful personal story from his youth as a student pastor, where he deliberately planned a vocal and physical action for an Easter sermon, resulting in a profound feeling of 'filthiness' and a lifelong commitment against premeditated gestures.

Now brethren, may I give my own testimony that I only did this one time in my life and that's all it took and I shall never forget it as long as I live.

51:12 - 51:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to rid yourself of all distracting, incongruous, non-edifying physical mannerisms.

The analogy of a preacher with a 'fly crawling down the back of their shirt' is used to vividly describe the distraction caused by nervous shoulder twitches.

People that all the while they're preaching twiddle their hands or pick the side of their finger or do some other distracting. And in that way people's eyes are impeding what their ears are getting. Well, if you have some distracting physical gesture such as twiddling the hands the fidgets twitching of the shoulders some men have a terrible habit all the while they're preaching. You'd think they had a a fly crawling down the back of their shirt.

54:09 - 54:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to rid yourself of all distracting, incongruous, non-edifying physical mannerisms.

The example of a preacher pleading for people to come to Christ with closed fists is used to illustrate incongruous actions where the physical gesture contradicts the message.

A man, this pleading with people to come to Christ with closed fists that's incongruous. He's speaking the freeness of God's mercy and he's got his chest constricted and his fist in.

54:58 - 55:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third general principle, stated negatively, is to rid oneself of all distracting, incongruous, non-edifying physical mannerisms such as nervous gestures, incongruent actions…

Spurgeon's example of a man urging people to seek heaven while pointing downwards is used to highlight incongruous actions that undermine the message.

Or a Spurgeon so typical Spurgeonic he spoke of the man who was urging people to seek the city which is above and while he is speaking of the glories of heaven he's pointing down in the other direction. Incongruous actions where the action is not appropriate to the word. And then of course there are grotesque actions and Spurgeon again speaks to this in his second lecture on posture, gesture, etc. Actions that are grotesque they are totally out of character with the overall seriousness and solemnity of pulpit themes or there are strained actions

55:12 - 55:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third general principle, stated negatively, is to rid oneself of all distracting, incongruous, non-edifying physical mannerisms such as nervous gestures, incongruent actions…

The example of an 18-year-old visiting preacher addressing a congregation as 'my beloved' is used to illustrate strained, excessive, and incongruous actions or words that do not fit the speaker or context.

It's in gestures what it is in words when an 18 year old visiting preacher stands up and in the presence of men old enough to be his grandfather addresses a congregation where he's a visiting preacher and says my beloved you know you just say hey kid it doesn't fit in your mouth it's just incongruous and it's strained it's excessive. Well in terms of this matter of our goal it should be negatively speaking to rid us of the of all distracting physical actions. Now some men may speak with such profound richness of thought

56:04 - 56:47 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third general principle, stated negatively, is to rid oneself of all distracting, incongruous, non-edifying physical mannerisms such as nervous gestures, incongruent actions…

Martin quotes Homer's description of Ulysses, who spoke powerfully without gesture, to show that while words can be effective alone, appropriate gestures would enhance the message even further.

force of vocal power and vividness of imagery as to neutralize their oddities of physical action. But don't assume that you have all these qualities and that you can get away without cutting off these incongruous incongruous actions these nervous actions these grotesque actions which will underscore your true usefulness. Spurgeon quotes Homer writing on Ulysses on page 273 and this is what was said Homer would appear to have considered the entire absence of gesture to be no detriment

56:47 - 57:32 Read in full sermon