Sermon Classifications: Descriptions & Legitimacy

Introduction to the Pastoral Theology Course Structure and Goals

0:03 Now, as we take up our first lecture in this unit of Pastoral Theology, I want to introduce the materials of today's lecture with a lengthy three-point introduction. And I believe this approach is the best way to ease you new students into the flow of this course and also to set the stage for the subject matter of this particular unit of our study. So those are my two goals in having this rather lengthy three-point introduction, is to ease the new students into the flow of the course, and then for all of us, old and new students, set the stage for the subject matter of this particular unit. So, by way of introduction, I wish first of all to give an explanation of the manner in which the Pastoral Theology course is taught or covered. The units are...

0:59 The units are taught in a consecutive and cyclical manner, and although only one class every four years will actually start at the beginning and end at the end, this is the way we handle it. To give you the visual conceptualization, we have eight units, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, are four years, each semester being a complete unit of PT, one, two, three, four, five, six, then seven and eight, up to...

1:31 Until now, it's been three years, and wherever you come in, you go to the end, and then pick up this part next time around. But over the past couple of years, I've had a file called Pastoral Theology, units seven and eight tentative, and it's growing all the time. As our graduates have interaction with me and they say, Pastor Martin, I went back through my Pastoral Theology notes, I couldn't find anything on the ethics and guidelines of how to treat guest speakers, found nothing in my Pastoral Theology about this and about that, and so I've been slipping little notes into the file and thoughts, and I really believe there's more than enough material, at least in seed form, for units seven and eight. So this is why none of you is auditing the course. In the past, we let the first-year students audit the course, because then they picked it up for credit in that extra year. But it looks like it's going to expand into the full eight units, and the main reason for teaching the course in this way has to do with the stewardship of my time and the structuring of the general academic schedule.

2:40 I never cease to be amazed at how Pastor Bob fits all the things together, given the limited number of staff that we have and the relatively broad curriculum that we have, and trying to fit in three more classes, I'm afraid, would drive the man into overbrook. So the main reason for teaching the course this way has to do with those two factors, the stewardship of my time and the framework of the academic schedule. Now, there are some distinct advantages and disadvantages to this arrangement. As I've viewed it over the years, the advantages, I believe, are basically two.

3:22 First of all, we are all made to think together at the same time about the same critical issue, issues relative to the work of the ministry. And this fact, we have found, often leads to a pattern of discussion and group interaction which proves unusually profitable, so that we're learning in the dynamics of this kind of coming together as an entire company of men, the truth of Proverbs 24.6, that in the multitude of counselors there is safety, and even worldlings have locked in to the benefits of what they call group dynamics. And there is tremendous benefit that comes when those of us who are gathered here in the providence of God from a diversity of backgrounds and influences are bending our minds and spirits in the same direction, on the same subjects, at the same time. And I have been personally delighted many, many times to see the insights that have come out of this. of the interaction that goes on, not only in the class when we're having discussion, but then as various men will tell me later on, you were discussing over the weekend or at subsequent periods some subject matter that was taken up and some very helpful perspectives were gleaned this way. So that's one of the main advantages.

4:48 It brings us once a week as a body of men to think at the same time about the same burning issues. And then the second point, the third advantage is that it gives me now a four-year period for additional reflection and assimilation and hopefully maturation of my own perspectives on the matters that are being dealt with. And it has resulted in rewriting sometimes a half, two-thirds, or even three-quarters of a lecture every three years. And I say sooner or later I'm going to get to the place where this is in some form where I don't need to keep doing that.

5:28 But I haven't yet gotten there. You can see the first two pages even of today's lecture is all fresh ink on new paper. So those are the advantages, but there are some disadvantages. There is an element of logical continuity and natural progression in this overall structure, and that progression is disrupted in this way, and that is a disadvantage, even though each particular semester is a unit in itself, and I've tried to divide the materials so that you don't find ragged edges from one semester to another.

6:05 There is a logical progression, as we'll see in a moment looking at the little sheet that I've passed out to you that has a synopsis of where we've been, and there's nothing we can do about that. And of course a second disadvantage is that I cannot assume a common background of the parallel theological and linguistics disciplines. If I had just first-year students dealing with unit number one, then I could assume that all you knew was the first few letters of the Greek alphabet when we started. And then as we moved along, I could assume your growing acquaintance with your languages and with your parallel biblical and theological disciplines.

6:49 So that is a disadvantage, but I try to teach in the light of the awareness of that fact and not assume too much. And that's how we try to neutralize that disadvantage. So in summary, let me say that conscious of the advantages, we'll seek to maximize them, and aware of the disadvantages, we'll try to neutralize or minimalize them wherever possible. In some cases, I may recommend if one of you comes to me and just feels you're totally lost in what we're dealing with because you were not here for some foundational principle already dealt with, I would say, I may recommend that you listen to a tape or two of some of the lectures that will help fill in the holes in your thinking. All right? Secondly, by way of introduction, I want to give a brief summarization, and that is a legitimate word. It's the verb summarize changed into a noun.

Summarization and Justification of Pastoral Theology Course Content

7:46 I looked it up to make sure. Figured there might be someone questioning me on it. A brief summarization and justification of the content of the previous year's units of this...

8:01 I'm sorry. A brief summarization and justification of the content of the entire course of pastoral theology. A brief summarization and justification of the content of the entire course in pastoral theology. Now, the summarization, if you'll take out your outline that I've passed out, and I hope some of you have yours with you.

8:27 If you don't, you've already seen the material and covered it. You'll notice pastoral theology, an outline of PT 1 and 2. Now, the way we've structured the overall course is, at present, there are three units. Unit 1, the essential ingredients of effective pastoral preaching, and that has three subheadings, the man himself, the sermon, content, and form, and then Roman numeral 3 will be the sermon, the act of preaching.

8:58 Then, unit 2 is the essential elements of effective pastoral oversight. And there we deal for two semesters with the whole matter of what it is to oversee the public or corporate life of the people of God, and what it is to oversee individually the sheep of God. And then unit number 3 is the essential elements of effective pastoral intercession. Since the work is to be carried on as a shepherd of God's flock, preaching and governing in dependence upon God and in the power of the Spirit, it is vital that we view that work in terms of the labor of intercession.

9:43 And then, what we will do hopefully in units 7 and 8 will take up miscellaneous concerns in the area of pastoral theology, and I've already suggested what some of those will be, the mechanics of accepting a call to an existing church, should you negotiate with pulpit committees, if so, how, and what principles ought to guide you. I believe I'm going to take up in some detail the matter of the role of women in the church, a very pressing issue that may need some practical treatment, the ethics of the treatment of guest speakers, some further materials on the peculiar problems and vulnerability of pastors' wives, and how you ought to be aware of those things and minister to them. Those will be some of the things that will go into the miscellaneous concerns. So, that's a brief summarization of what the course will involve and where you'll be going. Now, I want to give just a word on the justification for this emphasis. Some might question

10:50 why would we take of eight semesters two of them, I mean the first one deals with the man, then we deal with the sermon, its content and form, and that takes in no, I think that takes in three units no, two units and then the act of delivery that will complete the fourth semester and then only two semesters given to the work of oversight. The first four are given to the man and homiletics, and then two units to the work of oversight, and then this will be our catch-all for miscellaneous things. Well, the justification for that is, I believe, it does reflect the emphasis of Scripture with regard to the task of an elder laboring in the word and in doctrine. For example, 1 Timothy 4.16, Paul summarizes Timothy's great duties by saying, pay close attention or take heed to yourself, that's the man, and to the teaching, that's the public ministry of the word of God. So, the

12:08 dominant emphasis in Timothy's concern is to be himself and his teaching. And, of course, the parallel passage is Acts 20.28, take heed to yourselves and to all of the flock of God in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the flock of God, which, of course, takes in not only the teaching and public instruction, but also the government exercised as a part of shepherding. And then, of course, the two texts that are being opened up in some detail in the adult class in these days, Hebrews 13.7 and 17.

12:47 Those who had the rule over the Hebrews are described primarily as men who spoke the word of God, but who obviously spoke it out of the context of a life that gave credibility to the message. And remembering the issue of their life imitate their faith. So, that emphasis is clear, and verse 17, obey them that have the rule over you and submit. So, those who speak the word of God exercise rule, and therefore any treatment of pastoral theology must give some emphasis to rule that is more than just a token emphasis.

13:26 The emphasis, again, of Acts 6.4 in the seed form institution of the diaconate, as we regard that passage, the end in view was that the apostles might give themselves to deaconing or serving in prayer and in the ministry of the word. Hence, we deal at the end of this unit with, this semester, with a separate unit, the principles of effective pastoral intercession, for in that text, prayer is placed at least parallel to, if not in supremacy over. And that's debated.

14:10 But certainly, it's at least parallel to the ministry of the word. And then, Ephesians 4 and verse 11, Christ gives to his church pastors and teachers. And so the shepherds, with the compound words there, are to be conceived of in terms of their work of public and private teaching of the word of God. And then, of course, the text that lies at the foundation of the rationale for the academy, second Timothy 2.2, the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men. There's the man in his character who shall be able to teach others also. So their function is seen primarily as a function of public and private instruction in the word of God. So I trust, brethren, that you see in this attempt to justify what is not symmetrical in points of emphasis, a reflection of a sensitivity to the biblical emphases on what the work of the ministry is all about.

Sources and Authority for Homiletical Principles: Rhetoric and Homiletics

15:16 And I've tried continually to reflect that emphasis in the structuring of the course. All right? So having given you, first of all, a little explanation as to how the course is taught and why, and then a brief summary and justification of the content of the entire course, now we come thirdly in our introduction to an explanation and demonstration of the sources from which the materials for this part of our course are drawn. I want to give an explanation and demonstration on the blackboard of the sources from which the principles and conclusions that will arrive at in this particular unit are drawn and the authority on which they rest. Now, as applied to teaching and preaching, and I want to draw out the sources in these two areas, as applied to teaching and preaching in particular, which is the focus of this semester's study, and then only secondarily as applies to government and oversight, there is a constant interaction between the discipline of rhetoric and the discipline of homiletics.

16:42 So the sources from which I will glean the principles, that I will articulate, and then hopefully lay before you, and then apply in an actual demonstration of how they work in the construction of sermons, we are first of all in constant contact with the discipline or the science of rhetoric. Now, rhetoric is the science of effective oral communication. Some would broaden it to include written, but I believe in a classic sense, rhetoric should be limited to oral communication. And rhetoric is nothing more or less than the science of effective oral communication. And as a science, rhetoric derives its materials from the observation of human beings speaking and listening.

17:42 Particularly, that observation as it pertains to one man speaking to a group of people with a view to instructing them and moving them to action. Where then does the science get its raw materials? Well, it observes the phenomenon of human speaking and listening.

18:11 And anyone observing that phenomenon will notice that there are, in the pie of that entire complex of interaction, certain raw materials which constitute the substance of the communication. All right? A man is saying something about something. Those are the raw materials. Then it's evident that he is organizing them. He's presenting them in some kind of sequential arrangement. Beginning, perhaps, with an introduction, moving to an explanation, a summarization, and then what in classic rhetoric would be called a peroration, in which he seeks to hurl all of this material, upon the affections of the will of his hearers, to move them to action. Well, we observe the organization of the material. We

19:02 then observe the vocabulary, the verbal tools that are used to take the raw materials, thus organized, and make them understandable and discernible to the listener. And then we observe such things as pertain more to the actual act of speaking, the whole matter of the use of the voice, the volume that is used, the tone that is used. We observe such things as physical action in the act of speaking. Does the man look into the faces of his hearers? Does he look at the back wall? Does he look up into the heavens as though he were teaching angels? Such things as physical action, the eyes, the body, the pace of speaking. In other words, all of these factors enter in to any situation where an individual is addressing another group of individuals and the science of rhetoric reflects an attempt to observe this entire complex of factors always present when one person is addressing a group of persons.

20:17 So there is observation of these things. That's the first step in forming a science of rhetoric. Then the observation, leads to some evaluation. I am observing a certain thing, now I must evaluate. Is that contributing to or detracting from effective oral communication? For example, someone who is attempting to make a contribution to the science of rhetoric observes a certain man speaking in a given situation and then observes another man in another situation and he notices that in the one case the man engages the eyes of his listeners.

21:04 He's sensitive. If there's a distraction, he doesn't go on mumbling and saying his thing. He waits until he has the attention. Another man has his eyes glued upon his manuscript and the people can be falling asleep, yawning, picking their noses or their ears. He's utterly oblivious to it all. And in observing the two different men and how they relate to their listeners, the rhetorician says that an essential element of effective oral communication is generally the engagement of the speaker's eyes with the eyes of his listeners. See, what has he done? He has observed, now he has evaluated and then after evaluation will come conclusion and then out of all of that will come a pronouncement or an enunciation of the principles of effective

22:03 oral communication. Now, in a layman's way, there is the science of rhetoric. Now, what is it based upon? Well, obviously it's based upon not special revelation, but it rests down upon general revelation.

22:25 It does not scour his Bible in order to construct his science, but in terms of general revelation as he observes God's image bearers in the act of communication, he seeks to construct his science of rhetoric, i.e., effective oral communication. Now, that basically is the discipline of rhetoric.

Homiletics: The Science of Communicating God's Word

22:51 Now, I am not a professionally trained rhetorician. I've tried to read some in rhetoric, but more than that, I've tried to observe. I have tried in my own way and with the help of men who were classic students, or students of classic rhetoric, as many of the men I quote to you from time to time were, to weave into the texture of our treatment of the subject of preaching every valid contribution from the science of rhetoric. But now then, there is the discipline of homiletics. So, under this whole matter of seeking to lay hold of how we come to these principles, what is the basis of them, we have the discipline of rhetoric bringing its influence to bear, and then secondly, the discipline of homiletics. Now, for our purposes, we shall define homiletics as the science of effective communication of the Word of God. If rhetoric is the science of effective oral communication in general, homiletics is the science of effective communication of the Word of God in particular.

24:13 Now, since the preaching and teaching of the Word of God are activities done by a divine mandate, preach the Word, and since we believe 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17, all scriptures given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished, may be complete, thoroughly furnished unto every good work, then as a science, homiletics is ultimately dependent upon and subservient to the Word of God.

24:56 Homiletics does not call rhetoric its master, but its servant. And there is a very vital, vital point, brethren, to keep before us. But as is true in all other realms, there is no real conflict between a proper understanding of the voice of general revelation and a right understanding of the voice of special revelation. You men who are new here will learn after a very short time that one of the dominant emphases of this course is that there is no conflict between nature and grace.

25:38 In any realm of God's working in us, He's going to war with sin, not with nature. And that's true in preaching. So anything that is unnatural in terms of what God may do to us as creatures is not of God. So there is no conflict between nature and grace. Sin and grace, yes, but grace does not war with man as man, only with what is sinful in man. So if I can put it on the board this way. Here's rhetoric as a science.

26:22 And we come over here to homiletics as a science or an art. Okay? Homiletics. And what do we do?

Rhetoric as Servant to Homiletics: Challenging Axioms with Scripture

26:33 Well, we are prepared to bring into this realm the insights of the science of rhetoric. Because our homiletics, our effective communication of the Word of God, is always to be subservient to and ultimately answerable to the Word of God, we may find ourselves greatly altering some of the time-proven victims of rhetoric. And where rhetoric may come to us with insights in a number of areas, we may find that upon comparing one of the axioms of classic rhetoric with the clear teaching of the Word of God and with what I would call the quality control of the history of preaching, what God has owned over the centuries in the history of His Church in the way of preaching, we may take certain principles of rhetoric and greatly shave them down as we make them subservient to homiletics, the effective communication of the Word of God under the ultimate authority of the Word of God. For example, one of the axioms of classic rhetoric is that no discourse is an effective discourse that does not have a single-minded unity inherent in the substance of that discourse.

28:01 The classic rhetorician would say that he who would speak effectively must drive to one thing and one thing only. Well, you see, when we bring that axiom to the Word of God, we say, wait a minute. Did the Holy Ghost author 1 Corinthians or not?

28:21 Now, we know He's the author of Romans with its logical structure and its very closely woven threads of argument, but the Corinthian letter, now concerning, now concerning, now concerning, now concerning, now we can say the unity of discourse in the Corinthian letter, is to be found in Paul's pastoral concern for the miscellaneous problems at Corinth. But that really does not fit. There is no unity of discourse in the Corinthian letter. And if you're to engage in expository preaching, you cannot come to a passage and say, there is but one message in this passage.

28:59 Who are you? Who am I to tell God that in a given passage there is really just one dominant idea, and that alone, constitutes what ought to be extrapolated and brought into homiletical form and set before our people. Now, it's one thing to say, as I did a couple of weeks ago, the obvious dominant central message of the triumphal entry is Christ deliberately setting Himself forth as the Messianic King. Now, nothing wrong with that.

29:32 But for someone to come along and say, since that is the one central dominant message in the passage to preach anything else out of the passage is wrong, I say, who are you? Play God. So we spend another week on the secondary applications. And I think anyone who has been present would say it was unto edification, unto the glory of Christ, and unto the good of our souls.

29:54 So you see, we must never allow the axioms of rhetoric as a science to bring us to a view of homiletics that will bring us in conflict with the Word of God. So that's the point that I'm making. So, we take rhetoric in as a servant and are prepared to use its insights based upon general revelation. We recognize that just as in the general Christian life there are certain patterns that seem to be an observable phenomenon in general revelation which are really an expression of how sin has so dominated man as he lives that in the dynamics of grace you just don't operate. A few weeks ago we were in the section earlier in Mark 10 where Jesus said, you know, it's a matter of common observation, in that sense, quote, general revelation, that among the Gentiles the great ones are the ones who exercise authority down upon others. He said, now that's evident. But he said, not so shall it be among you.

31:02 Greatness comes by service, and primacy by being slave of all. Now see, there's a case where, general revelation, if you bring that over into the realm of the church and say, well it's evident that the people who lead are those who can push and shove and trample over others and maintain their posture by the sheer pressure of their up position. Now that's the way then we're gonna rule. No, no, Christ said, not so shall it be among you.

31:33 Well likewise, there may be certain things that have woven themselves into the texture of rhetoric as a science that men who themselves being spiritually blind and not illuminated by scriptures have failed to distinguish between what was indeed nature as God intended it to be and nature as impinged upon by sin. So we've got to be aware of that and be discerning and constantly bringing in this area, as in all areas, every thought captive to the obedience of God. of Christ. But I'd like to see us get back to the place where the word rhetoric is not a knee-jerk word. See, in our day, most people, rhetoric equals artificial, strained, and histrionic communication. Well, that's one reason why in the reprinting of Dabney's work, the original title was changed. The original title was Sacred Rhetoric. And I like the bringing together of

Confirmation of Rhetorical Principles by Scripture and History of Preaching

32:42 those two words, Sacred Rhetoric. But now it's called Dabney on Preaching. Why? Because the very word rhetoric causes people in our day to come apart at the seams. Shedd's work, Homiletical and Pastoral Theology, was composed or written when he was professor of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theology at Auburn Theological Seminary. Sacred Rhetoric. So it was a term used in the past, and I'd like to see us resurrect it. So I hope now you can see the relationship of these two things. Now, some of the dictums of rhetoric are explicitly confirmed in the scripture. And when we find those, then we were really on safe ground. When you've got both general revelation and special revelation saying the same thing, then anyone is a fool who dares to question that particular principle that is now a dominant

33:43 homiletics. For example, the rhetorician observes that if a man does not enunciate clearly and project his voice sufficiently, he will not be an effective public speaker. Well, special revelation tells us that, and even draws upon general revelation to establish it. 1 Corinthians 14, verses 7 and 8, is an example. And maybe one example will be worth more than 300 more of my words. 1 Corinthians chapter 14, when Paul says, Paul is dealing with the abuse and regulation of these various revelatory gifts in the church of Corinth. Notice what he says. Here's an observation made from general revelation.

34:27 Verse 7, even things without life giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war? Now, here is an observation from general revelation. All of the soldiers are in their tents, and the bugler goes out and he starts bugling. And one guy grabs his helmet and his rifle and runs out to present himself at arms. Another guy grabs his mess kit and heads for the mess tent. I mean, it's confusion. What happened? Well, the bugler wasn't bugling right. He wasn't sounding distinct notes. And because he wasn't sounding distinct notes, there was a confusion about the music. And he was not sounding distinct notes. He was not sounding distinct notes.

35:17 Paul said that's a matter of general revelation. And now he makes the application, so also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, which not only involves speaking in a known language, but speaking that known language in such a way that the verbal symbols can be distinguished one from another and can be clearly heard by the average listener. So here you have general revelation, special revelation, and then you have the application. And now he makes the application so also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, which not only involves speaking in a known language, but speaking that known language in such a way that the special revelation coming together so that when we get to the matter particularly of the use of the voice in the act of preaching, and I thump out against mumbling into your teeth, I get very dogmatic about the use of the voice. Why? Because I got general revelation on the one hand saying go get him, and special revelation on the other hand saying go get him. So in those areas, I'm prepared to be excessively, almost nauseatingly dogmatic.

36:18 Now, on some of the others, you have to be a little more tentative, especially when you're not trained in rhetoric, as I'm not trained in rhetoric, and nor have I had much in the way of any, quote, professional training in the area of homiletics. I've tried to read widely and work in this area, but it means, brethren, that in coming to a biblical view of the whole business of preaching, we've got to understand that these two things are constantly interacting and be determined that we will give the proper place of supremacy to special revelation which it demands. So, the axioms that I will set before you are going to be derived from these two sources, with special revelation having the upper hand, and then also the quality control upon our conclusions will be the history of preaching. And I've put this outside and separate from the Word of God, but it is no little factor. We believe the Spirit of God to be the Autited It all four aspects of the Word of God. The Celestial Spirit of God, the Jamie Spirit of God, the suburbs of Rare, theран ego, themy, the function of the human nature, many канал's stripped private clear of the knots that periodically enter the Roz yg grille from thiscondial and worship of God's has been present in the church through the centuries according to the promise of Christ, that God has been gifting His church to accomplish His purposes in and through the church, and we need to observe what kind of preaching ministry, what have been the characteristics of the actual sermons and sermonic disciplines which the Spirit of God has owned in periods

37:46 of great blessing and spiritual health in the church of Christ over the centuries. And that's no little factor in giving us a sense of quality control upon our conclusions. For example, to put it in the concrete, there are those who say the only way to produce a spiritually vibrant, well-grounded, intelligent, God-honoring congregation is to engage in consecutive expository preaching. Preaching week in, week out, year in, year out, every time you stand before your people.

38:24 That the preaching of individual texts, the preaching of themes, will not produce a stable, God-honoring, useful, holy congregation. Well, there's only one problem with that axiom. It just ain't true.

38:43 And the history of preaching demonstrates it. What was going on in London for 30 years? It was having its impact. It was having its impact upon the entire Christian world there at the Metropolitan Tabernacle.

38:59 Was that a second-rate influence with a second-rate church? No. I think history has vindicated it was first-rate. But there was a man who had very strong convictions against consecutive expository preaching, who was a topical and textual preacher, often extracting a topic out of the text, many times really coming to grips with the text itself.

39:26 And breaking it down into its component parts. So you see, when you come across a writer in homiletics that starts making these pronouncements that run into the face of the history of preaching, be careful, beware of the experts who act as though the sun of truth has been setting in the West until it arose upon the east of their own fair pate. God's been saying something and doing something for many years, and we need to be sensitive to it. Now, the same is true when we come to the matter of pastoral government or oversight.

40:02 There are certain principles when we watch people leading other people. In general revelation, we see where there is effective leadership, certain observable principles are involved in that effective leadership. Men can observe a situation where people are being efficiently and effectively led by leaders. And they observe.

40:28 And they notice, for example, that where there is effective leadership, there is long-term perspective and planning. The leaders know where they're attempting to lead people. They're not just keeping them together, hoarded like animals in a corral day by day, getting up every morning scratching their heads saying, what shall we do with the herd today?" There is an overall goal.

40:54 By October, we want to have these big nations change. We want to have them rightцияists. We want to have the FL which is also being perceived as a professional yet 45 percent foreign African. We want to have these cattle fattened up and ready to be shipped off to Chicago and get slaughtered.

41:05 If I can stick with the herd concept, all right? But there is an overall goal. And so, likewise, in the matter of effective pastoral oversight, there are some principles that are observable in the realm of general revelation. But, of course, here, even more than with reference to homiletics, we have the explicit directives of Scripture which tell the overseers and leaders how they are to shepherd and lead the people of God.

41:38 And here we have more explicit biblical data in hand which actually tells us how we are to do this. But in that realm, we will also be dependent upon general as well as special revelation. Revelation, but again, special revelation holding the upper and supreme hand. All right?

Introduction to Sermon Classifications: Topical, Textual, Expository

42:02 Well, that takes care of our lengthy introduction. And I've consumed about 45 minutes. I think this will be a good place to break. And then we'll start in with the materials for this particular semester.

42:16 And that's large capital B in your little synopsis. Specific guidelines applicable to the different species of sermon. And we'll start in there and hopefully get through a description of the various species and then a justification or validation of the usefulness of all three species that we will describe. So let's take a look to the different species of sermons.

42:45 In our last semester, we looked at seven general axioms that must be present in all preaching if it's to be called biblical. But now, in this semester, we will be concerned with specific guidelines applicable to the different species of sermons. And in so doing, we will first of all give a description of the various species. We'll give a description of the various species, what they are and the legitimacy of each kind.

43:23 And then secondly, we'll consider the benefits and dangers. The dangers of each species of sermon.

43:31 That's not today, that's for next lecture. And then the constituent elements of each species of sermons. Now, as one reads the various writers on homiletics, he encounters a variety of divisions and descriptions on this matter. And without wearying you with these things, suffice it to say that we shall work with what is the predominant and traditional division by which we can determine the nature of the sermons.

43:58 By which homileticians have sought to classify sermons, namely the topical, the textual, and the expository.

44:11 Now, why do I concede to the predominant and traditional divisions? Not because I may personally feel that those are the best terms to use, but there is a seniority of theological terminology that we must respect in both systematic and pastoral theology. Not because I may personally feel that those are the best terms to use, but there is a seniority of theological terminology that we must respect in both systematic and pastoral theology. Uninspired words and terms have emerged as the common currency of those disciplines.

44:40 And as a general rule, you ought to work with that terminology unless it is perpetuating a positive inaccuracy. It may not be the best term, but unless it's perpetuating error, you ought to work with it for the simple reason, if you don't, when you come across it in your reading, it will be an unknown commodity.

45:04 It will be an unknown commodity. I don't want you to pick up books on homiletics and come across the traditional terms, topical, textual, and expository sermons, and not know what they're talking about. I feel it would be irresponsible for me to do so. And so we will work, then, with that traditional and predominant division of the specific kinds of sermons.

Description of Topical/Subject Sermons

45:28 And in laying out what they are, I'm going to use an extended analogy, an extended analogy right through my description of the three kinds of sermons, and it will be the extended analogy of a stage in a theater and a play or plays that may be acted out upon that stage, and I hope you'll see the benefit of that extended analogy as we work our way through. All right, under, then, the specific description of the various kinds or species of sermons, first of all, the topical or seminal. Subject sermons, as you will find them called in some of the old writers. Topical or subject sermons.

46:12 Now, in a topical or subject sermon, a biblical doctrine, duty, or theme, a biblical doctrine, duty, or theme is expounded and applied without being connected to, one, major text of scripture. Without being connected to, or limited by, one major text of scripture. If the subject is drawn from a text, the text, having given birth to the theme, serves no further major purpose in the treatment of that subject. If the subject is drawn from a text, the text, having given birth to the theme, serves no further major purpose in the treatment of that subject. Now, to use our extended analogy, a text or biblical subject or theme sets the stage and the backdrop.

47:32 But the various scenes and the actors are drawn from all over the wide range of biblical materials. For example, Mark Sarver's recent message on the independence of God. He had no one text as the launching pad for his sermon. The sermon was not organized around one text.

47:57 Rather, it was organized around a theme, namely the independence of God. So the stage and the backdrop were set by the announcement of that theme, and the actors were texts of Scripture brought from all over the world. Now, the range of biblical revelation organized in a reasonable and logical way to set forth what is meant by the independence of God and the implications of that for the religious life and experience of the people of God. Now, that was a topical or subject sermon.

48:37 Now, if the topic is too massive for one complete treatment, there may be several or many installments. Always, the stage being the broad biblical concern and the backdrop, but the actors and actresses drawn from the full range of biblical witness, and they then come to us as a serial play.

49:04 Not so much as a play in three acts, but a serial play in which each unit is complete in itself, but awaits the subsequent units for its fuller and more complete completion. And more expanded development.

49:22 For example, those of you who were here when Pastor Nichols was preaching through Colossians 1, he came to the subject of Christian maturity toward the end of chapter 1, and he brought a series of ten topical sermons on the theme, Christian maturity.

49:39 Now, he couldn't bring it all in one message. It was that theme introduced by the text in Colossians that formed the springboard. That's all. But having done that, the text in Colossians was no more a major factor in the opening up of that subject or theme.

49:57 Now, you find this in many of the old Puritan works. For example, Brooks, the mute Christian under the rod. He uses Psalm 39.9 as the basic text to introduce the theme, and having done so, then the whole of the biblical witness is brought to bear upon the subject of an afflicted Christian.

50:18 Owen's classic treatment on mortification. He takes Romans 8.13 and exegetes it to do what? To set the stage in the backdrop.

50:27 And having done that, then Romans 8.13 is no longer a major factor in the subject of mortification. The whole witness of Scripture is brought to bear upon the theme thus introduced. So that's the topical or subject sermon.

Description of Textual Sermons

50:45 In some cases, it may be that in your pastoral interaction there's a pressing situation that may raise a question or a field of inquiry that will cause you to bring a subject before your people and seek to treat it in a biblical, orderly, and structured way. For example, a number of years ago, when we began to draw people from all kinds of backgrounds, we began to try to live harmoniously, we found that as December drew near, there was a lot of people and there was a lot of discussion about the whole matter of Christmas.

51:26 And some people had very strong convictions that the whole thing ought to be sent to the pit and others that it ought to be canonized and others ranged in between. And I saw we had potential for some real friction in the assembly, so I took the subject, Christmas, shall we or shall we not celebrate it? And I announced the subject and used that subject as an opportunity to teach the principle of Christmas. The principles of Christian liberty in relationship to that very burning issue that threatened our unity as a church.

52:02 And you may find yourself doing that a number of times throughout your ministry. For any who would object and say that such kinds of sermons are not worthy of the name, my answer is that position is ridiculous. We find our Lord continually giving topical sermons. The disciples, the disciples are arguing about who's going to be number one, so the Lord gives a topical sermon on humility.

52:32 Apparently there was a lot of discussion about some recent current events referred to in Luke 13, 3. And our Lord says, do you think those sinners who perished were worse than all the other sinners, those upon whom the tower fell? I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. There He used some current events to introduce the subject of the necessity of repentance to avoid the judgment of God.

53:04 We see it in the apostolic ministries or those parts of their ministry that are recorded for us and also in the history of the church. But now let's move on to textual sermons. In a textual sermon, a specific verse or group of connected verses is opened up, and applied, without going outside of the text for any major component of the sermon. In a textual sermon, a specific verse or group of verses is opened up, a group of connected verses, I'm sorry, is opened up and applied without going outside of the text for any major component of the sermon.

54:06 Now to go to our extended analogy. In the textual sermon, not only does the text set the stage and the backdrop, but all of the actors and actresses and their activity on the stage are drawn from that text.

54:26 Now you may occasionally have a spotlight highlight one of the actors from somewhere outside the text, just as the spotlight shining from up above the stage may highlight an actor who is giving a soliloquy at a given point. You may bring other passages in, but you bring them in only so far as is necessary or judicious to highlight the substance of that text itself. And that basically is what constitutes a textual sermon.

55:05 And generally speaking, it is a one-act, when you've expounded that text, then the play is over. It's a one-act play. It doesn't lead to something else. It is not dependent upon something else.

55:21 It is a unit in itself. The best recent example of that we had was communion service last week. Or, yeah, last week. The sermon on Galatians 1, 3 to 5.

55:36 The purpose of the death of Christ. Now that happened to be in a series of sermons, sermons on that theme, but it was a good model of a textual sermon in which no major component was brought in from the outside, but rather the meaning of the key words of the text was opened up and it was those three verses which formed the raw materials and substance of the entire sermon. That's a textual sermon. And then, by expository sermon, what do we mean?

Description of Expository Sermons

56:15 Well, most of the old writers, though some of the more recent writers using the language more in a more limited sense say anything that is not expository is not preaching, but it confuses things. Expository sermons were one time called lectures. And if you're reading any of the older Scottish divines, the 19th century divines, they called that the lecture. And by that they meant consecutive expository teaching and preaching.

56:43 So this term is used to describe the consecutive exposition and application of an entire book,

56:54 chapter, or larger grouping of Scripture. This term is used to describe the consecutive exposition and application of an entire book, chapter, or larger grouping of Scripture.

57:10 For our purposes, it will refer to the consecutive, explication of large segments and whole books of the Bible.

57:24 To go back to our extended analogy, here the text sets the stage and the backdrop, and all the actors are drawn from the text, but now it is an extended serial-type play in which the book, the chapter, the large segment determines each installment, each serial, in each part of the serial of the entire fabric. Each individual segment is in a true sense complete, but the whole is not complete until all the parts have been given. That's one of the greatest demands of consecutive expository preaching. Because there is that element of truth that comes to us from the science of rhetoric, that effective communication, must have unity of discourse, and each discourse must go somewhere and be driving at something. And to be true to that principle, which is a part of general revelation, and I believe a valid insight of general revelation, while at the same time not distorting what is actually there in the Word of God itself. As we're preaching through, I'm presently preaching through the Gospel of Mark, I've said this is one of my struggles.

58:51 The Holy Spirit, inspired Mark, to split up the incident of the cursed fig tree. Now, if I were writing it, I wouldn't have done it that way. I'd have had the fig tree cursed, and then the results, because it would have been easier to preach it. And I'd have written it so it was easier for the preacher.

59:09 But God wasn't too concerned about whether it would be easy on the preacher. You see? And on the other hand, could it be, and this is what I'm wrestling with, could it be that the very incident that occurs between the cursing of the fig tree and the discovery of it is not only a matter of the chronology, cursing it on the way into the temple, and seeing the withering of it on a subsequent occasion, was it the way back or the next day, is the clue to the meaning of the whole incident. That the temple incident may be the key to unlock the cursed tree.

59:45 I said, Lord, is that why you did that? I don't know yet.

59:49 I don't want you to go thinking about that and forget anything else I say. But those are some of the questions you wrestle with, you see, and you want to be true to the word of God the way it comes to us in its own native setting, in consecutive expository preaching. And it has, as we shall see subsequently, some very real difficulties to have it still be preaching and not a mere running commentary upon the text that comes from nowhere and goes nowhere. To make it preaching, there must be elements of the unity of discourse.

Legitimacy of All Three Sermon Species

60:23 And yet, we must be true to the text of Scripture, and this is a great labor that God has laid upon us. So I hope that extended analogy will be helpful to you as you try to sort out the differences and the similarities between the topical, the textual, and the expository sermon. Now, having described the three major species of sermons, let me just address briefly the legitimacy of each species. I've already said something about the legitimacy of the topical or subject.

60:56 But I want to address the subject more directly now. One cannot help but be amazed and at times amused at the unwarranted pontificating which occurs on this subject. For example, Shedd, who was obviously well-trained in classic rhetoric,

61:19 is bold enough to write as follows on page 128.

61:25 It is for this reason that we lay down the position that the topical, the topical sermon is the model species for the sermonizer. If he constructs a textual sermon, he ought to make it as topical as possible. And then he explains what he means. He must aim to pervade it with but one leading idea.

61:49 Unity of discourse, you see. To embody it, to embody in it but one doctrine and to make it teach but one lesson. Make it a topical sermon. Make the text teach but one lesson.

62:03 I thought I was to let the text teach as many lessons as are its dominant lessons. Unless I say it contains four major lessons. However, for our purposes today, we shall simply highlight one. Fine.

62:21 But to make it teach but one lesson? That sounds forced and artificial to me. In constructing an expository sermon also, the preacher should make the same endeavor. And although he must, in this instance, be less successful, he may facilitate his aim by selecting for exposition only such passages of Scripture as have but one general drift and convey but one general sentiment.

62:49 Now, are you going to preach the whole counsel of God selecting only such passages as lend themselves very quickly to this dictum of rhetoric? You see, he's allowed rhetoric to take too much...

63:02 to take too much room in what he says here. But because he was a good and godly man, he contradicts himself later on so we'll bail him out before we're done today. All right? But let him bail himself out or show you how he bailed himself out.

63:16 On the other hand, you know Spurgeon's very strong convictions against consecutive expository preaching. And I have to laugh here because the guys who say nothing is preaching except consecutive expository preaching, ain't nobody ever heard about them in their own generation as preachers. Ain't nobody going to hear about them in another generation except if they read what they writ. But ain't nobody ever going to remember them for what they said and what they did in the pulpit.

63:45 And long after they've come and gone and pontificated that the only true preaching is consecutive expository preaching, Spurgeon lives on blessing multitudes in all kinds of languages all around the world with his textual and his topical sermons. So, you come back, you come back to the quality control on some of these things. But, here's what Spurgeon said on page 94 on the choice of the text. I'm asked whether it's a good thing to announce arrangements and publish lists of projected sermons.

64:15 I answer, every man in his own order. I'm not a judge for others. I dare not attempt such a thing for myself. And I should signally fail if I were to venture upon it.

64:26 Precedents are much against my opinion. At the head of them, the sets of discourses by Matthew Henry, John Newton, and a host of others, still I can only speak my own personal impressions and leave each man to be a law unto himself. And then he goes on to say many eminent divines have preached a series of sermons on subjects or preaching through books. But he says, I'm obliged to owe a great deal of my strength to variety rather than profundity.

64:54 It is questionable whether the great majority of list preachers had far, had not far better burned their programs if they would succeed. I have a very lively or rather deadly recollection of a certain series of discourses on the Hebrews which made a deep impression on my mind of a most undesirable kind. I wish frequently that the Hebrews had kept the epistle for themselves.

65:21 For it sadly bored one poor Gentile lad.

65:27 By the time the seventh or eighth discourse had been delivered, only the very good people could stand up. These, of course, declared they had never heard more valuable expositions. But to those of a more carnal judgment, it appeared that each sermon increased in dullness. Paul in that epistle exhorts us to suffer the word of exhortation.

65:50 And so we did.

65:53 Are all courses of sermons like this? Perhaps not. And yet I fear the exceptions are few. For as Eden said of that wonderful expositor Joseph Carlyle, Joseph Carlyle, or Carole, I'm sorry, that he commenced his famous lectures upon Job with 800 hearers and closed the book with only eight.

66:12 And then he goes on in typical Spurgeonic way. So Spurgeon felt very, very strong. And you know how he felt about getting that particular text. It bordered almost on mystical and direct revelation.

66:26 And he speaks of if you must wait until within an hour of the service, wait until God gives you that text, which is his word for you at that time. So you see a lot of pontificating on both ends of the spectrum with regard to the various species of sermons. Well, what should we say to all of this? Well, I say without any embarrassment or reservation that all three species are legitimate vehicles of conveying the truth of God if, if they meet the criteria of the fundamental action of the Holy Spirit.

Benefits of Calculated Variety in Sermon Species

67:05 And that is the fact that the Holy Spirit is the one who is the one who is applicable to all sermons. And those are the seven axioms that we studied last semester. And you can at least read them and make yourself acquainted with them. If, in a topical or subject sermon, the proclamation, explanation, and application of scriptural truths is the beginning, middle, and end of the preaching, then that's true preaching.

67:29 If it is that which is needed, if there is perspicuity of form and structure, application, to the conscience, illuminating devices, simplicity, and plainness of speech for an appropriate length of time, then whether it's topical, textual, or expository in the consecutive sense, it is a legitimate means of conveying the truth of God. However, however, a man will naturally find himself more comfortable with one kind of preaching more than another. And we must not allow our natural temperament and disposition to dictate how we will most edify our people. A man locked into a series of expositions on a given book who can plod right on to the next paragraph with the church falling apart at the seams all around him through internal strife and not break off and bring a series of sermons dealing with that present congregational crisis, I doubt he belongs in the ministry.

68:41 On the other hand, the person who because his bent of mind and temperament are such that he feels antsy when he's stuck anywhere for any length of time who never takes up a book longer than Philemon, there's something wrong with him. So we must under God seek to develop a facility in all of these kinds of sermons because some of them serve ends that are not served by the others as we shall see when we come next week God willing to deal with the relative strengths and weaknesses the advantages and disadvantages of each kind of sermon. Now Shed, I told you, bails himself out later on when he says this, having briefly sketched the characteristics of the three species of sermons which I have done, the question naturally arises to what is it that is the most important to what is it that is the most important to what is it that is to what extent is each to be employed by the preacher? The first general answer to this question is that all the species should be employed by every sermonizer without exception.

69:52 No matter what the turn or temper of his mind may be, he should build upon each and every one of these patterns. If he is highly oratorical and is bent in spirit, let him by no means neglect the expository sermon. See, he corrects what he overstated earlier in his book. If his mental temperament is phlegmatic and his mental process is naturally cool and unimpassioned, let him by no means neglect the topical sermon.

70:21 What he is saying is the man who is more dull and laid back by concentrating all of his powers upon a topical sermon, hopefully some fire will be built in his soul that will explode in his preaching as he feels the intense burning heat and light of a given truth upon which his mind is concentrating. It is too generally the case that the preacher follows his tendency and preaches uniformly one kind of sermons. A more severe dealing with his own powers and a wiser regard for the needs of his people would lead to more variety in sermonizing. At times, the mind of the congregation needs the more stirring and impressive influence of a topical discourse to urge it up to action. At others, it requires the instruction and indoctrination of less rhetorical and more didactic expositions of Scripture. And I can't improve on those words of Shed so that there is legitimacy to each kind, each species of sermon. And I would say, finally, that I would urge to some calculated variety in the use of the various species as being beneficial to oneself and to one's congregation.

71:50 I would urge some calculated variety in the use of the various sermons as beneficial to oneself and one's congregation. As you preach topical or thematic or subject sermons, textual, individual textual sermons and expository sermons, you will cultivate in your people an appreciation for all legitimate means of conveying divine truth. And the result will be they are not so locked into the one which you like most and to which they get most accustomed that they can't appreciate the diversity of gifts that God has given to His Church. And suppose the Lord takes you out of the picture and the next man, his real strength is, say your real strength was textual and his real strength is consecutive expository and they cultivated no taste for that under your ministry. We want our people to have maximum edification from all of God's servants and particularly in terms of the ministries to which they are exposed. It would be a horrible thing to think that a congregation was nurtured up under our ministry that had a very narrow appreciation for the labors of God's servants and that that narrow appreciation

73:19 in great measure was the fruit of our own unwillingness to use all three species of sermons. A second advantage in calculated variety is that our people are kept fresh as well as ourselves by a variety of sermonic approach.

73:42 You can get lazy even in consecutive expository preaching because your mind is only wrestling with the subjects that are introduced by the text. But there are some weighty truths that our people need to appreciate in terms of the discipline of systematic theology that is the total witness of God concerning that truth and our minds need to be stretched as we grapple with those vast and tremendously weighty truths and there's nothing like approaching a topical sermon or a series of topical sermons on one of the great themes of scripture to stretch your mind. It may not be quite the same tedious labor that you will find in consecutive expository preaching but in many ways it will be much more mind-stretching and spiritually edifying to your people. So not only do we cultivate an appreciation in our people for all the legitimate means of conveying the truth we and they are kept fresh by a variety of sermonic approach and then thirdly some of our people are so constituted that they profit more from one species than they do another and this is very very interesting in a lengthy pastorate.

75:04 You will find those people that they really I mean they appreciate your ministry no matter what you're doing as long as you're opening up the word and as long as you continue to walk before them with credibility but there are certain ones over the years you'll notice that when you get on a topical sermon or a series of topical sermons dealing with practical issues they go into orbit. They're so made and their felt needs are such that you're really scratching them right smack dead center when you get on a practical topical series and you know they and I'm sure they don't even realize it but the very way they give you encouragement it's sort of a subtle suggestion that maybe you ought to do more of this because I mean this is you know that preaching through Mark is all right Pastor but you know when you get on that practical that's you know and they're because it's been of unusual help to them they just got a heart that's big and they want the whole congregation to be blessed as they are but the wrong assumption is that everyone's made the same way they are and that everyone has the same reaction see so when you finish that series that in their eyes has made you sort of second cousin to the angel Gabriel and then you get back into a consecutive expository series some of the people from whom you haven't had much warm response for two or three months suddenly they're falling all over you with appreciation you know it's so good

76:33 so good to get back into well they're not being insincere they're just reflecting this principle Jack Spratt could eat no fat his wife could eat no lean so betwixt them both they licked the platter clean so the way God's put people together there is this diversity now recognizing that you don't want to gather around you people of only one kind of mental caste one kind of mental furniture and psychological and whatever else enters into the the chemistry of the mystery of human personality and mind that makes people have these diversities of affinity you don't want to gather just one kind of person around you because you will be cheated your people will be cheated and the church will not really be reflecting what it ought to reflect namely the wonderful breadth and diversity of the new humanity in Christ and you'll get a certain type of person and others after a while will just feel uncomfortable and they may not be able to quite put their finger on it and so I would urge you brethren to labor at the development of skill and efficiency in the use of all three species of sermons for your benefit and for the benefit of your people okay