THE JOHN MACARTHUR CW 5 oa Zs Le Za PREACHING How to PREACH BIBLICALLY JOHN MACARTHUR and THE Master's SEMINARY FACULTYTHE JOHN MacARTHUR Daators Lbhary PREACHING How to PREACH BIBLICALLY JOHN MaAacARTHUR and THE MasTER’s SEMINARY FAacuLTYPREACHING: HOW TO PREACH BIBLICALLY Copyright © 2005 by John Macarthur. Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher, except for brief excerpts quoted in critical reviews. All Scripture quotations in this book, except those noted otherwise, are from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1977 by the Lockman Foundation and used by permission. Those indicated NIV are from ‘The Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Those indicated KJV are from the King James Version. Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Macarthur, John 1939— : Preaching: how to preach biblically / Adapted from Rediscovering expository preaching / John MacArthur, general editor, and The Master's Seminary Faculty + Richard L. Mayhue, associate editor; Robert L. Thomas, associate editor. p. om. Includes bibliographical referenc ISBN-10; 1-4185-0004-6 ISBN-13: 978-1-4185-0004-7 1. Preaching 2, Bible—Homiletical use. 1, Mayhue, Richard L., 1944— TI, Thomas, Robert L., 1928- IIL. Title. BV4211.2.M16 1992 251—de20 9210804 cr and index. Printed in the United States of America 34567 —11 1009 08 07 06Contents Preface... Introduction Part [. PROVING THE PRIORITY OF EXPOSITORY PREACHING 1, Rediscovering Expository Preaching. . 3 Richard L. Maybue 2. The Mandate of Biblical Inerrancy: Expository Preaching............_17 Jobn MacArthur 3. The History of Expository Preaching ...)...00cc0cscccceeceeee 27 James F. Stitzinger Part II. PREPARING THE EXPOSITOR 4, The Priority of Prayer and Expository Preaching ................- 47 James B. Rosscup 5, The Man of God and Expository Preaching Jobn MacArthur 6. The Spirit of God and Expository Preaching ... 78 Jobn MacArthur Part III. PROCESSING AND PRINCIPLIZING THE BIBLICAL TEXT 7. Hermeneutics and Expository Preaching... 93 James E, Rosscup 8, Exegesis and Expository Preaching .. Robert L. Thomas 9. Grammatical Analysis and Expository Preaching ........0:+..00+00. 120 George J. Zemek 10. Study Tools for Expository Preaching ............... James F. Stitzinger 11. A Study Method for Expository Preaching ... Jobn MacArthur se 136. Part [V. PULLING THE ExpostTory MesSaGe TOGETHER 12. Central Ideas, Outlines, and Titles aeerennen: seteseeeeeeeeeeres 185 Donald G. McDougall 13. Introductions, Illustrations, and Conclusions .......... acne OO Richard L. Maybue14. Thematic, Theological, Historical, and Biographical Expository MeSSages. oo. .ccccccseessessesssessssseesesseessesseessestesiiesessneesesvee 20 Irvin A. Busenitz 15. Expository Preaching from Old Testament Narrative .....0.0..0.000.+ 226 David C. Deuel 16. Moving from Exegesis t0 Exposition .........:.5cceeecscseereeeeeress 230 Jobn MacArthur Part V. PREACHING THE EXPOSITION 17. Bible Translations and Expository Preaching ..............+: eseeeeeee 249 Robert L, Thomas 18. Delivering the Exposition . John MacArthur 19. Frequently Asked Questions about Expository Preaching. ... Jobn MacArthur Epilogue: The Listener's Responsibilities Jee eaT Additional Reading ............ ses 293 Appendix A: John MacArthur's ‘Preaching Notes (1 Tim. 6:11-14) ....., 295 Appendix B: Preaching Is an Adventure! Endnotes ...... Subject Index ss The Master's Seminary Contributors .............--Preface In keeping with the purposes of The Master's Seminary, this volume aims to motivate and equip this and the next generation of Christian leade: in providing wholesome spiritual nourishment for God's people from His Word. These materials combine, in a highly condensed form, all aspects of ‘The Master's Seminary program, which is designed to shape men of God to proclaim the Word of God effectively, so that nonbelievers can be evangel- ized and believers can be equipped to do the work of ministry. The writers have targeted both the seasoned preacher and the student of preaching/teaching. It has also been written to help serious laymen in their ministry of the Word. We envision the book as a potential textbook in homiletics at the Bible college and seminary levels. Pastors without seminary training can profit from this volume too, as can veteran pastors who, like us, are continually seeking a higher level of expository excellence. This is not intended as an unabridged treatment of biblical exposition. No single chapter exhausts its subject. Rather, the comprehensive scope of the work, dealing as it does with theological, exegetical, and homiletical aspects of preaching, is its intended strength. The flow of the book moves from biblical foundations for preaching through a detailed process of devel- oping an exposition and then to the actual delivery of an expository mes- sage, The discussions build a bridge from the study disciplines a pastor learned in seminary to the sermon he preaches in a local church. This volume suggests how to progress purposefully from one phase to the next in readying oneself to minister to God's people. More specifically, the fourfold aim is 1. To clarify the need for and meaning of expository preaching, that is, to answer the question, “What is expository preaching?" 2. To verify the theological and historical demand for expository preach- ing, that is, to answer the question, “Way insist on expository preaching?” 3. To specify the essential elements and steps involved in preparation for and participation in expository preaching, that is, to answer the question, “How does one go about expository preaching?” 4. To exemplify the reality of expository preaching, that is, to answer the question, “Who have been or who are promoters and prac- litioners of expository preaching?” Our president, John MacArthur, known worldwide as a gifted exposi- tor, has contributed a significant portion of this book. His colleagues onviii Preface The Master’s Seminary faculty, with an average of more than thirty years’ experience in preaching and in the seminary training of preachers, also have contributed from the treasury of their areas of expertise. The reader will quickly appreciate their united affirmations on exposition that emerge amidst a variety of individual expressions and methodological preferences. Their unanimity regarding Bible exposition centers in the priority of faithfully, accurately, and effectively imparting the content of the authorita- tive and inerrant biblical text. Yet the reader will see differences in their emphases on how this is done best. One prefers preaching without notes, while another advocates the use of notes or even a full manuscript. One sees the need for almost all sermon outlines to match the sequence of the text, with another allowing more flexibility for use of nonsequential outlines. One emphasizes the importance of presenting a solution to each difficult interpretive problem; another leans toward telling an audience frankly when sermon preparation has not yielded a conclusive answer. One stresses the importance of not neglecting the overriding message of Old Testament narrative sections, but another features the cautious use of Old Testament narrative characters as illustrations in sermonizing. These are samples of the methodological variety that the careful reader will detect. This volume does not insist on a single, mechanical approach to preaching but rather fo- cuses attention on essential dynamic elements of Bible exposition for any age; in other words, primary concentration is on the Scriptures and the central place of Christ in declaring their meaning. The reader will also note a diversity in the “levels” of treatment of the different topics. At one extreme are the chapters whase documentation is copious, and at the other are those in which documentation is minimal. This dliversity is, to some extent, a consequence of the nature of the subject and, to a lesser degree, the choice of each contributor. Each has handled his phase of exposition in the manner he deemed wisest. The book outlines four broad phases that follow the actual progression of the preaching experience. They include; (1) the godliness of the man who comes to study the Word of Gad, (2) the ability of the godly man in studying Scripture exegetically, (3) the skill of the godly man in merging all his study materials into a message form that is true to the text and relevantly applies Scripture to his own generation, and (4) the dynamics of the godly man in proclaiming his exposition in a spiritually convincing and compelling way. ‘An Appendix contains an example of John MacArthur's notes from his exegetical study and his subsequent preaching manuscript. To maximize the benefit of this unique feature, readers may write: Word of Grace Minis- tries, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412, or call 1-800-55-GRACE to. order a CD of the message Dr. MacArthur delivered from these preaching notes. Then, in addition to comparing his exegetical notes with his preaching, notes, readers can hear the way he actually preached the message. Ask forPreface ix tape GC 54-47, “The Man of God.” In chapter 5, “The Man of God and Expository Preaching,” readers can also see how the same material has become a published essay. For further help, request the four-message album, “Insight into a Pastor's Heart: Convictions and Observations about Preachers and Preaching,” taken from chapel services at The Master's Seminary. In the Additional Reading section at the end of the volume, we avoided listing scores of books on preaching that are no longer in print or do not make a significant contribution; instead, we selected several of the best available and affordable volumes on preaching, The inclusion of a work in this list is not intended as an endorsement of everything in that work but reflects the faculty's favorable impressions of its general thrust. Conversely, the exclusion of a title does not necessarily reflect negatively on that work. We encourage the reader to make the listed works his first acquisitions to supplement the material presented here. Extensive literature related to sermon preparation and preaching is documented in endnotes. For the reader who chooses to pursue these sources, they can be a gold mine for further study. Those who prefer may, of course, read just the body of the text. The Index of Authors will be useful in locating all the references to a particular writer. John MacArthur and The Master's Seminary faculty pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be pleased to use Preaching: How to Preach Biblically to encourage fellow expositors and to groom a new generation of expositors who will preach with the same passion the apostles had for God and His Word, Richard L, Maybue Robert L. ThomasRediscovering Expository Preaching Richard L. Mayhue Biblical preaching’s authenticity is significantly tarnished by contem- porary communicators who are more concerned with personal rele- vance than with God’s revelation. Scripture unmistakably requires a proclamation focused on God's will and mankind's obligation to obey. ‘With men wholly committed to God's Word, the expository pattern commends itself as preaching that is true to the Bible. Exposition pre- supposes an exegetical process to extract the God-intended meaning of Scripture and an explanation of that meaning in a contemporary way. The biblical essence and apostolic spirit of expository preaching need to be recaptured in the training and preaching of men who are freshly committed to “preaching the Word.” The Master's Seminary joins with others! in accepting the urgent re- sponsibility for transmitting the Pauline legacy to “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2). This volume signals an effort to instill in twenty-first-century preachers a pattern of biblical preaching inherited from their predecessors.? Every generation shares the kind of dire circumstances that Amos prophe- sied for Israel: “ ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord Gop, / ‘When I will send a famine on the land, / Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, / But rather for hearing the words of the Lorp’” (Amos 8:11). The last several centuries have proved this need again. REVIEWING RECENT TRENDS In an explanation of Hebrews 8:10, the Puritan commentator Wi Gouge (1575-1653) remarked, inisters are her to imitate God, and, to their best endeavour, to struct people in the mysteries of godliness, and to teach them what to believe and practice, and then to stir them up in act and deed, to do what they are instructed to do. Their labour otherwise is likely to be in4 Proving the Priority of Expository Preaching vain. Neglect of this course is a main cause that men fall into as many errors as they do in these days.* To this editorial by Gouge, Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) added a word about nineteenth-century England: I may add that this last remark has gained more force in our times; it is among uninstructed flocks that the wolves of p>pery make havoc; sound teaching is the best protection from the heresies which ravage right and left among us.* John Broadus (1827-1895) decried the death of good preaching in America too, and G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) noted, The supreme work of the Christian minister is the work of preaching This is a day in which one of our great perils is that of doing a thousand little things to the neglect of the one thing, which is preaching® The following typical laments evidence that little improvement had been made by the mid-twentieth century: Except for the growing worldliness of its members, the pulpit is the church's weak spot? But the glory of the Christian pulpit is a borrowed glow. . . . To an alarming extent the glory is departing from the pulpit of the twentieth century... . The Word of God has been denied the throne and given a subordinate place. ‘Yet it remains true that “whatever be the marks of the contempo- rary pulpit, the centrality of Biblical preaching is not one of them." Ina tradition that focuses on the centrality of the written Word, few subjects are more important than the interpretation and proclamation of that Word. Everyone stresses the necessity of a solid exegesis of the text, but few are adept at providing such an exegesis and preaching effec- tively from it.” By the mid-1980s a national Congress on Biblical Exposition (COBE) convened to urge a return to true biblical exposition.'! COBE’s recurring theme demanded that the American church must return to true biblical preaching or else the Western world would continue its descent toward a valueless culture, Commenting on the uniqueness of America in contempo- rary culture, Os Guiness noted with concern that “in all my studies I have yet to see a Western society where the church pews are so full and the sermons so empty.”? John MacArthur's review of preaching patterns in the late eighties led him to observe,Rediscovering Expository Preaching 5 Specifically, evangelical preaching ought to reflect our conviction that God's Word is infallible and inerrant. Too often it does not. In fact, there isa discernible trend in contemporary evangelicalism atvay from biblical preaching and a drift toward an experience-centered, pragmatic, topical approach in the pulpit.'* In the nineties an irresistible urge for a focus in the pulpit on the relevant seemingly existed, with a resultant inattention to God's revelation. Siegfried Meuer alerted Christians in the 1960s to the same “contemporary danger.” He likened the direction of his day to the earlier trends of Harry Emerson Fosdick, who wrote in the twenties, “The sermon is uninteresting because it has no connection with the real interests of the people. . . . The sermon must tackle a real problem.”"* Meuer noted that Fosdick opened the flood- gate for philosophy and psychology to inundate the modern pulpit with unbelief. Fosdick's philosophy sounds alarmingly similar to the advice given in a recent publication on relevant contemporary preaching: Unchurched people today are the ultimate consumers. We may not like it, but for every sermon we preach, they're asking, "Am I interested in that subject or nov” If they aren't, it doesn't matter how effective our delivery is; their minds will check out! The implied conclusion is that pastors must preach what people want to hear rather than what God wants proclaimed. Such counsel sounds the alarm of 2 Timothy 4:3, which warns: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.” ‘What is the necessary response? ‘The generation of preachers facing all the spiritual opportunities and satanic obstacles of this new millennium must rediscover and reaffirm expository preaching. We agree with Walter Kaiser's appraisal; Regardless of what new directives and emphases are periodically of- fered, that which is needed above everything else to make the Church more viable, authentic, and effective, is a new declaration of the Scrip- tures with a new purpose, passion, and power.” REVISITING SCRIPTURE. When warnings about a drift away from biblical preaching sound, the only reasonable response is to return to the scriptural roots of preaching and reaffirm its essential nature. A reexamination of the heritage of proclamation13 Introductions, Ilhustrations, and Conclusions Richard L, Maybue The three “undervalued” components of expository sermon prepara- tion include introductions, illustrations, and conclusions. Due to the complexities of pastoral ministry in general and message preparation particularly, pastors tend to let these three slide, The congregation, in contrast, eagerly looks forward to how its pastor will handle these elements of the message. This discussion, which intends to equip the preacher for a new level of expository excellence, is built around purposes, sources, variations, guidelines, and preparation tips for these three parts of an exposition, The relationship of seasonings and sauces to gourmet cooking parallels the role of introductions, illustrations, and conclusions in preaching. The main meal, or the message, should never be eclipsed by secondary features, nonetheless, these garnishings can dramatically enhance the flavor/interest level of a meal/message well prepared in other respects. None of these three elements can replace the Holy Spirit's work of im- pacting people with the power of God's Word. However, to ignore or mini- mize these proven features of good communication makes a preacher negligent in exercising his human responsibility to be as effective as possible. You can usually tell how a pastor's week went by his introduction, illustrations, and conclusion; hectic times tend to crowd out or minimize his time spent on them, Whether they are deemed unimportant to the communication process, excessively time consuming in proportion to their perceived value, or unappealing hard work, slighting them can measurably lessen the potential impact of a message from a purely human perspective. Robinson reminds us, “Introductions and conclusions have significance in a sermon out of proportion to their length.’' Avoid the deception of un- derrating their importance. If a preacher fails to gain his audience's attention with a captivating introduction, he has probably lost them for the rest of the message. If his main points are not clarified or made memorable with quality illustrations,Introductions, Illustrations, and Conclusions 201 then the effect of his message can be short-lived. If he bypasses concluding his remarks with a review or exhortation, the purpose of the message will probably not be achieved. The ensuing discussion describes how to avoid. these common pitfalls. INTRODUCTIONS? By definition, “to introduce” means to acquaint or to bring into play for the first time. The introduction is to a sermon as an opening kickoff and. tun-back are to a football game, as the initial volleys of gunfire are to a battle, or as a departure from a harbor is to an ocean voyage. It is a time for everyone to acclimate to what follows the initial situation and to gain a sense of direction. Someone has said that the introduction to a sermon may be likened tothe prelude to a poem, the preface to a book, the portico toa building, or the preamble to the statement of a case in court. The prelude intro- duces us to a poem, suggests its method and meaning or message. The preface to a book also does that. . . . An introduction, then, must introduce. Purposes The element of ethos, that is, the preacher's perceived credibility in the mind of his audience, can be markedly influenced by the kind and quality of his introduction.‘ This is especially true in cases where listeners have no previous acquaintance with their preacher. As the adage goes, “First impressions are lasting impressions.” The initial impact of the introduction may even shape the final effect of a message. Listed below are some of the major reasons why introductions are important and what a preacher can accomplish with them. Not every intro- duction will necessarily incorporate every reason. The setting, the relation- ship of the preacher to the audience, and the kind of message determine the appropriate combination of these purposes. Overall, the introduction will put the preacher and his hearers mentally in step with each other: 1, Capture and redirect the audience's attention to focus on the preacher and his message. 2. Enhance the audience's goodwill toward the preacher. . Create audience interest in and anticipation of the body of a mes- sage. 4. Demonstrate the biblical importance of a message. 5, Answer every listener's unspoken question, “Why should I listen to this message?” we202 Pullling the Expository Message Together 6. Orient listeners to the preacher's wavelength. f 7. Make the preacher's intended course of discussion clear to his audi: ence so that they can follow along and not get lost on the preaching journey. Variations Only a preacher's imagination and creativity limit the kinds of effecti introductions. The introduction used, however, should be tailored to fit a. speaker's relationship to his audience, the occasion for the message, the intended outcome of the sermon. 4 Consider the following examples of effective kinds of introduction’ These suggestions assume that the expositor reads continually for fresh ideas and insights into both the biblical text and life itself. 1. Current statistics which highlight a contemporary problem to be. addressed in the message. | Historical illustrations that serve to acquaint listeners with the mes- sage theme. 3. Humor. 4, Current events that relate to the message. 5. Careful reading of the biblical text from which the message comes, 6. Real-life stort 7 7. 8. . Biographical illustrations. . Striking quotations. 9. Rhetorical questions directed to the audience. 10. Personal experiences of the preacher. 11. References to current, well-known books. 12. Life-related problems for which biblical solutions will be forthcoming. 13. Contemporary Confusion over biblical teaching to which 1 preacher will bring correction and clarity. 14, Highly interesting personal correspondence. 15. Appropriate prayer. 16. Fictional stories. 17. Modern-day parables. 18. Personal testimony. 19. Hymns related to the message. 20. Asking an audience for their response to a hypothetical situati Guidelines Every introduction should have a clear purpose—both to the prea and the congregation. It should never be hastily prepared or indiscriminately tacked on to a message. Use these factors to evaluate the appropriatent and effectiveness of your introduction:PREACHING wero) ae RAM (ori te 3 1 a SALLY SO rarer er eon Me Tce TEC cl een ee a erga er ets ed Sree RNceam oan rman enT eee ar eC TOMRnT NR Seen PCED A Rolo CR REL el LBL Ca ae ese CURL PE COMO CoE LaC TC Melo a1 eR Catlin ae CCC nha Pe eee een cn screen eenmeae on merce TL VCC ICCA e Se) yao] MELISS Ce CoD necYTONL UPA Ln Ie PESOS CDSS CSE MOL ca —Dk. STEVEN J. LAWSON, Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship Baptist Chi Mane Preaching: How to Preach Biblically presents in one volume the essentia of biblical preaching. This book is a comprehensive introduction to the science and art of creating sermons, ranging as it does from the biblical foundations of preaching all the way to the actual delivery of a sermon. en ce eae a sna Goes eee AOC aera e em eee mR Rta are oct g Frito til PRE m aang s for students, and it will provide mi PS RSS pe cere oe ee toTh ae (Me eee one who seeks a higher level of expository excellence. NSM ect eal tg oe er