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How To Outline A Sermon - Articles | Preachit.org

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How To Outline A Sermon

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INTRODUCTION:
 
Every sermon needs an introduction. A good introduction will make or break your sermon. My homiletics teacher always said it this way, “Start a fire, then build a bridge.”
 
A good introduction will:
  1. Tell your listeners what you intend to preach about.
  2. Set the mood, tone, and atmosphere of the sermon.
  3. Grab the congregation’s attention and make them eager to hear more.
  4. Catch the basics of the sermon without giving anything away.
  5. Give the listeners a sense of tension and create anticipation. 
A good introduction will not:
  1. Apologize for the content or nature of the sermon.
  2. Mislead people on the topic of the sermon.
  3. Be long and wordy. A long and wordy intro will quickly lose the interest of your listeners.
SERMON BODY:
 
Exposition:  This part of the sermon explains what the scripture is saying:
  1. Most scripture text’s will have a story behind them. Bible stories are some of the most amazing stories that you will ever read. Even Hollywood producers use the stories of the bible. You need to know and understand everything about the story in your text.
  2. Don’t take the scripture out of context, but pull the congregation into the story of the text by sharing and illustrating the actual bible story. Make the story come alive.
  3. After you have pulled them into the story, relate the story to them: It may seem challenging to relate an ancient text, to a postmodern world but it can be done. For instance, you can gain a lot of insight into a story by studying the meanings of names.
  4. The bible says that these stories happened unto them for our examples, and were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (1 Cor. 1:11)  Every story in the bible relates to our generation…that is how God designed His word to work.
This is what I call building the bridge…as the man of God, you are building a bridge between Gods word and the congregations world.
 
How To Apply What You Are Preaching:
  1. Give specific examples or illustrations of how to apply concepts to everyday life.
  2. Your examples should be related to your main thought to avoid any confusion.
  3. Your listeners should have a spiritual epiphany here, the scripture should “come alive” and be very clear.
Here is a good way to use the exposition:
  1. All of your thoughts need to be related, and all of them need to support your main point.
  2. All of your main points should be stated in the present tense.
  3. You should keep your points on the same path in the same direction, and do not go off on unimportant tangents. In other words each of the main points should point to the original subject, sub points can point back to the main points.
  4. Your main points should be repeated throughout the sermon (not too much), and should be made with clarity.
Illustrations:
 
Illustrations are used to help the listeners understand the scripture, and to help them remember and apply your sermon to their lives. A few good illustrations can really be the difference between an average sermon and a great sermon, just remember not to build your sermon on illustrations.
 
Here is a good way to use an illustration:
  1. A good illustration should take your thoughts and turn them into attainable realities in the minds of the listeners.
  2. It should illuminate the truth of the word of God that you are seeking to communicate, and give all of the glory to God without boasting in ourselves.
  3. It should assist in persuasion without being offensive to non-Christians. If you are too strong it may turn people away from God. We need to be gentle but firm when converting non-believers.
  4. People should be able to identify with your illustration. Humour goes a long way in accomplishing this.
  5. It should be interesting, and thought provoking, not long, drawn out, and boring.
  6. It may use creative literary devices such as similes, metaphors and personification.
  7. It may contain any idea that is meaningful to the contemporary world, while still being in line with the Word of God.
  8. You may use PowerPoint, photos, video, testimonies, plays/drama, or any other creative idea. 
Keep Jesus Christ at the center of every sermon!
 
Paul admonished us to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified! All throughout your sermon, you should be pointing people towards Christ. It is only through His Name and His Blood that anybody can be saved.
 
CONCLUSION: (altar call)
  1. Every evangelistic sermon should point people to the altar. It is at the altar where they are impacted and changed by the Spirit of God.
  2. Your conclusion should cause people to think and re-evaluate their relationship with God.
  3. Sometimes a good illustration that brings your main point home will cause people to really examine their hearts.
  4. It is the preachers duty to point people to Christ. It is the preachers duty to ensure that the sermon is not just a lot of words that make people feel good. Jesus is all about saving people from sin and changing lives.
  5. Conviction is great, condemnation is wrong 
Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:4;
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
 
  • This is the time for the demonstration of the Holy Spirit.
  • This is the time for God to do His work.
  • This is the time that the Grace of God is applied.
 
Let the Holy Spirit lead you in every sermon and every altar call.