Sermon Worksheet

SERMON WORKSHEET

Text: (HCSB) 5  Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6  who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7  Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8  He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. 9  For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10  so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11  and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Author of the book:

Context Investigation

Numerous resources are available to assist you with discovering the contextual issues in a biblical text. These resources include Bible dictionaries, handbooks, surveys, theology texts, and commentaries. It is often helpful to select one excellent commentary set and then supplement it with individual commentaries as necessary. When studying a text, a collection of four to five good commentaries is the irreducible minimum. With these resources in hand, the interpreter can begin tackling the contextual issues in a text. In chapter 8, we identified the contextual questions to ask of every biblical text. The investigation stage is the time to ask and answer those questions. We will continue to use as our example. The contextual notes for this text might look like these.

2—Who?

Author: Paul (There was unanimous consensus in the early church that Paul wrote this letter).

Actors: N/A (This text is not a historical narrative.)

Audience: Church at Philippi

2—When?

Time:

AD 60-63: Paul wrote the letter during his first imprisonment in Rome. (The references "imperial guard" [] and the "saints in Caesar's household" [4:22] both suggest Rome.)

Option 2: Paul wrote the letter during his two-year captivity in Caesarea. (However, the items listed above are not consistent with his Caesarean captivity.)

Option 3: Paul wrote the letter from Ephesus. (This option is a minority position and does not meet the test of Option 1 or 2.)

NOTE: We believe that Rome is the best option as the location.

Political Climate:

Nero was Caesar from AD 54-68.

Nero was noted for being tyrannical and paranoid. Ancient records suggest he killed his mother and stepbrother and killed Christians as punishment for burning Rome (historians lay that at Nero's feet).

Facing assassination, Nero committed suicide at the age of 31. Rome's relationship with the Jews and Christians was tenuous during this time.

Religious Climate:

In Rome: While the Jews were allowed to practice their religion in Israel (specifically within the Temple area), Christianity was outlawed in the Roman Empire. In order to avoid a death sentence in Jerusalem, Paul used his right as a Roman citizen to appeal his legal case to Caesar. During his imprisonment (), Paul was able to receive guests and continue his ministry, primarily through his writing. A number of people in Nero's household had been converted to Christianity, ostensibly through Paul. Although it cannot be proved, many scholars believe that Paul was beheaded during the latter reign of Nero, after a fourth missionary journey and second Roman imprisonment, presumably during the persecution that followed the burning of Rome in AD 64.

In Philippi: The city of Philippi appeared to have a very small Jewish population, as they did not have enough Jewish men to have a synagogue (since 10 men were required) at the time that Paul arrived (). Some devout women worshipped by the river, where on his second missionary journey Paul saw Lydia converted. Paul was unjustly beaten and imprisoned in Philippi (where as a Roman citizen he was entitled to due process). The Philippian jailer and his family were converted during that event.

2—Where?

City:

Philippi was named for Philip II of Macedon, who was the father of Alexander the Great.

Philippi became a part of the Roman Empire in the second century BC.

Philippi gained fame as a result of perhaps the most famous Roman battle, which pitted the forces of Antony and Octavian against Brutus and Cassius. Antony and Octavian were victorious, and their victory ended the republic and initiated the Empire.

As a Roman colony, Philippi had all of the rights and privileges as Rome itself.

Region:

Philippi was located near the end of the Via Egnatia between Thessalonica and the coastal region of Neapolis.

This region was well known for its gold and silver mines.

Country:

Philippi was located in the Roman province of Macedonia along the Via Egnatia, a pivotal trade route between Rome and the East.

When Paul was trying to head to the East with the gospel, he was prevented by the Holy Spirit in a vision, where a man from Macedonia called to Paul for help ().

On his second missionary journey, once he arrived in Macedonia, Paul visited Philippi first.

Philippi is the first city in Europe to hear the gospel from Paul.

2—Why?

Co-equal deity of God the Son with God the Father

"form [morphe] of God"; "The idea is that, before the Incarnation, from all eternity past, Jesus preexisted in the divine form of God, equal with God the Father in every way. By His very nature and innate being, Jesus Christ is, always has been, and will forever be fully divine."

"equality (isos) with God"; "In the word isos teaches that Jesus is God's equal."

Council of Nicaea (AD 325):homoousios; Christ exists as God "from all eternity," and He is "of one substance with the Father."

Incarnation of Jesus:

"form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men"; "Although He continued to fully exist as God, during His incarnation He refused to hold on to His divine rights and prerogatives."

"He emptied himself of all of its prerogatives… completely of every vestige of advantage and privilege, refusing to assert any divine right on His own behalf."

hamoiomati anthropon; "refers to that which is made to be like something else, not just in appearance but in reality. Jesus was not a clone, a disguised alien, or merely some reasonable facsimile of a man. He became exactly like all other human beings, having all the attributes of humanity, a genuine man among men."

"Paul writes that the one who was in the form of God and was God's equal from all eternity took the form of a man at a particular moment in history. He took upon himself the nature of a servant; he was made in human likeness" (cf. ).

"The witness of the New Testament is that God indeed became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament promised that he would come, and the New Testament testifies that he came. The New Testament records a varied and complementary witness to the God who took on humanity, the Word who became flesh" (). A quintessential quartet stands out in what they teach concerning both the deity and humanity of Jesus. The texts are ; ; ; ; and .

Substitutionary, atoning death of Jesus on the cross:

"In His stepping downward, Jesus was willing to suffer humiliation and degradation even to becoming obedient to the point of death… The Father did not force death upon the Son. It was the Father's will, but it was the Son's will always to perfectly obey the Father. He had a free choice. Had He not had a choice, He could not have been obedient."

"Jesus submitted even to death on a cross. There were many ways by which He could have been killed. He could have been beheaded, such as John the Baptist was, or stoned or hanged. But He was destined not for just any kind of death but for death on a cross."

"In God's infinite wisdom, death on a cross was the only way of redemption for fallen, sinful, and condemned mankind."

"The cross is the central figure of the New Testament… the cross of Christ is in a real sense the central theme of the Old Testament… The cross stands as the focal point of the Christian faith."

"This is what Jesus Christ came to do. He came to remove our sin, bearing it in his own person. Sin separates men from God, but Jesus removes that sin. He was made sin for us… The second reason for Christ's death is that he died to satisfy divine justice. The justice of God calls for the punishment of sin, and the punishment of sin is death. Jesus paid that penalty by dying in our place, satisfying divine justice and leaving nothing for us but God's heaven."

"Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born to die. Unlike any other person who has ever lived, he came into this world for the expressed purpose of dying on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world."

"According to Paul, what happens in the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ on the cross is a grand exhibition of God's righteousness in which whoever comes to God by faith in Jesus is justified, and more importantly, he is justified justly."

Eternal Exaltation of Jesus:

"The humble, incarnate Savior has been exalted as the almighty and sovereign Lord. Because of that, believers have the assurance that their redemption is certain and that their place in heaven is secured forever. He is also to be obeyed as divine Lord, and honored and worshiped throughout all time and eternity."

"highly exalted": "God lifted up His beloved Son in the most magnificent way possible. It involved four steps upward: His resurrection, His ascension, His coronation, and His intercession."

"name above every name": "Whoever is Lord is over everyone else—and that is precisely the point in so titling the Savior—has absolute supremacy and the right to be obeyed as divine Master."

"Jesus is God's Messiah. He is God's Son. He is the Son of man. He is our prophet, priest, and king, the Alpha and Omega, the door, the Beloved, and many other names. But the title 'Lord' is above them all. It is at the name of Jesus Christ as lord that every knee shall bow."

"The future has a name: Jesus of Nazareth. Like all doctrines of the faith, eschatology is an outworking of Christology. God's final purpose with his creation is to 'bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him'" ().

While not every text may require the same level of in-depth word study or theological analysis as , many will. The simple truth is that exegesis takes time. Remember that the goal of exegesis, and ultimately of hermeneutics, is to let the text speak for itself. We want to discover the author's MIT. Before we conclude our exegesis of , let us reflect on our journey to this point.

In stage one of the exegetical process, we inspected the text and focused our attention on its content. We began by determining the genre of the text. Genre is important because it may yield valuable interpretive clues. Next, we outlined the text, using a genre-specific outline. Outlines help us discover the main ideas that are being developed by the author. Finally, we took the time to analyze the author's language usage in order to identify the key words and concepts he addressed, whether explicitly, implicitly, or through figurative language.

In stage two of the exegetical process, we inquired about the text and focused our attention on its context. We identified the specific contextual elements that must be examined and provided a series of questions to be asked about each one. The answers to these questions provide us with a solid understanding of the context in which the author and his readers lived. We use these questions to guide our research in the third stage of the process.

In stage three of the exegetical process, we investigated the text itself, answering the questions we raised through our study of the text's content and context. Here, we discovered the meaning of the key words and researched the contextual areas as well. The process of exegesis, informed as it is by the principles of hermeneutics, requires a close inspection of the text. This inspection provides the information necessary to discover the author's MIT. Determining the author's MIT and its implications for the contemporary audience is the final stage of the exegetical process. We will examine this stage in chapter 10.

Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 106-114.

Historical Context:

Behind the Text

While we might be tempted to ignore everything associated with higher criticism, one primary lesson for hermeneutics and exegesis can be learned from this methodology—history does matter. German higher criticism emphasized the importance of the unique cultural, historical, geographical, and religious contexts behind every biblical text. Context is one of the key elements for determining the purpose of a biblical text, and understanding the purpose of a text is one of the keys to determining the author's intended meaning. Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 26.

Literary context:

In Front of the Text

Genre is significant in interpretation. Proponents of methodologies that place the locus of meaning in front of the text recognize the importance of the shape of Scripture. They understand that rhetorical elements are at work in every biblical text. While we would disagree with their interpretations, we will discover in chapters 5 and 6 that the author's choice of genre informs our interpretation of biblical texts. Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 28.

Immediate context:

In the Text

The author of any text, including any biblical text, has semantic authority over the text. In other words, he is in charge of determining what words to use while writing and how to construct them into sentences, paragraphs, and discourses. Since meaning is unchanging and reproducible, interpreters may discover the author's intended meaning within the text with a high degree of validity.

Six attributes define this approach to the locus of meaning. First, it maintains a high view of the inspiration and inerrancy of the Scripture. It acknowledges that God is the source of truth and has spoken to man in an understandable way. Second, it accepts the validity of seeking the author's intended meaning. It presupposes that God enabled men to record His truth in a way that could be interpreted and applied to the lives of people. Third, it acknowledges that discourse analysis is crucial for discovering the author's intended meaning. As we will see, the biblical authors communicated their messages using different styles and structures of language.

Fourth, the approach of locating meaning within the text recognizes the importance of context for interpretation. As we will discover in chapter 8, understanding the context in which a text was written is pivotal for proper interpretation. Fifth, this approach makes a legitimate distinction between meaning (what the author intended to say to his original audience) and significance (the implications of biblical propositions for contemporary readers). Sixth, it affirms that meaning can be discovered and communicated to others with a high level of validity. As a result, pastor-teachers can preach the word with confidence and authority.

Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 29.

Purpose of the book – (Reason for writing):

WHAT THE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT

by

Henrietta C. Mears

Henrietta C Mears, What the Bible is All About, (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1998), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "WHAT THE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT".

MIT- (Main idea of the text):

Wayne McDill believes that the main idea of the text should be written as a past-tense sentence. Wording the MIT in the past-tense helps the interpreter remain focused on the meaning of the text rather than its significance at this point. We must identify first what the text meant when it was written. Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 115.

As you attempt to identify the MIT, several textual clues may help you.

First, attempt to discover if the MIT is stated overtly. Often, especially in the Epistles, the author clearly states the MIT. For instance, consider . Paul clearly states the MIT in verses 17 and 24 when he writes, "You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts… Put on the new man, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth." This text then prescribes the steps necessary to accomplish this.

Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 115.

Second, in the event the author's MIT is not stated overtly, look for the repetition of key words. When the author repeats the same words or cognates, he is emphasizing their importance. The MIT may be linked to that repetition. In , Paul mentions prayer five times. Clearly, he is emphasizing its significance within the context of spiritual warfare. Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 115.

Third, in the absence of an overt declaration or the repetition of key words, look for a dominant theme or image to reveal the author's MIT. This strategy is an excellent one for dealing with historical narratives and parables, and even with Psalms. In , for instance, we see Jesus recruiting workers for a short-term mission of proclamation. Jesus responds to a number of interesting excuses during the recruitment process. As you study this discourse, there is neither an overtly stated exegetical idea nor the repetition of key words. Rather, this theme recurs throughout it: The concerns of life may hinder one's journey of faith. This theme is Luke's MIT in this discourse.

Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 116.

Word studies:

Content Investigation

It is imperative to have some good resources to help you discover the Greek (or Hebrew) words in a text. A good interlinear Bible, keyed with the Greek vocabulary, or a helpful electronic site or software can help you with this study. Once we have identified the key words in the content of a text, the first step in the investigation stage is to gain an understanding of their meanings. Here is what the notes might look like on a challenging text like .

Verses 5-6

attitude: phrōneitē (imperative/2P); "to think," "to mind," "to be of an opinion," "frame of mind." Note: command to have a certain mind-set.

existing: huparchōne (pres/part/sing); "to begin," "to come into existence," "to exist," "to be." Note: to be in a state of continuing existence.

form: morphē (simple noun); "form," "the image by which a person or thing is seen." Note: This word seems to relate to essence vs. a simple external appearance (same word in v. 7—"form of slave").

something … advantage: harpagmos (simple noun); "robbery," "eager seizure," "a thing retained with an eager grasp or eagerly claimed." Note: Jesus did not eagerly seize upon his own rights and position within the Trinity.

consider: hēgēsato (ind/aor/mid); "to take the lead"; "to preside, govern, rule"; "to consider or esteem." Note: Jesus did not attempt to supersede the authority of His Father in regards to the incarnation.

equality: isos (adj); "equal," "like," "on an equality." Note: Although Jesus is equal in essence within the Trinity, He embraced a functional subordination.

Verse 7

emptied: ekenōsen; (aor/ind/act); "to empty, evacuate"; "to divest oneself of one's prerogatives"; "to abase oneself." Note: Jesus responded to the will of His Father. He "Himself" (see below) laid aside the free exercise of His divine rights to participate in the incarnation.

Himself: heauton; (pronoun); "himself." Note: This was an action by Jesus.

slave: doulos (noun); "slave" or "servant." Note: Jesus' incarnation was a redemptive act of service; His ministry was an act of service. When one is omnipresent, one's delimitation to time and space is the equivalent of slavery to a body.

likeness of men: homōiomati anthrōpōn (nouns); "resembling men." Note: Jesus looked like any other male human being; He embraced of a real human nature and body.

external form: schēma (noun); "external show," "guise," "appearance." Note: Jesus was human in every way from the physical perspective. This word is contrasted with "form" in verse 6.

Verse 8

humbled: etapeinosen (ind/aor/act); "to humble, abase"; "to humble oneself." Note: This word, joined with "heauton" (see on previous page), reveals that just as Jesus "emptied" Himself of His divine prerogatives, so too did He "humble" Himself to the greatest degree, even to the point of death on a cross.

obedient: hupēkoos (adj); "to obey," "to render submissive acceptance," "to be submissive." Note: Jesus demonstrated his humility through obedience. One must be willing to come under the full authority of another to obey them.

death: thanatos (noun); "to die," "to be dead." Note: Jesus was completely, humanly dead after His crucifixion. There is no room for swoon theory here.

cross: stauros (noun); "a stake"; "a cross"; "by implication, the punishment of the cross; crucifixion." Note: Jesus died in a specific way—Roman crucifixion.

Verse 9-11

for this reason: dio (conj); "wherefore," "therefore." Note: This transitional clue provides the rational for the exaltation of Jesus in verses 9-11; it is specifically because of His humility/obedience to the sovereign plan of the Father in redemption.

highly exalted: huperupsōsen (aor/ind/act); "to exalt supremely." Note: God the Father has given Jesus a position above everything and everyone else that exists anywhere in God's creation (excluding the Trinity).

name: onoma (noun); "name," "proper name of a person," "specificity." Note: God has declared that there is no greater name in all of creation than Jesus. We note that some believe the name given is "Lord."

so that: hina (conj); "that," "in order that," "so that." Note: This clause demonstrates the result of the action of God giving Jesus the name above all names. One day, by virtue of that name, and the person and position it represents, all people will bow.

knee should bow: gonu; kampsē (noun; aor/sub/act); "knee"; "to bend, bow"; "to inflect (the knee)." Note: These words described the classic meaning of bowing before a sovereign or superior.

tongue … confess: glossa; exomologēsētai (noun; aor/sub/mid); "tongue," "agree," "bind oneself," "promise," "to confess or profess openly." Note: Just as knees will bow automatically, so, too, will tongues openly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. They will do this to the ultimate glory of the Father, who accomplished his redemptive plan through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Lord: kurios (noun); "lord," "master"; "owner," "possessor"; "potentate," "sovereign," "deity." Note: Jesus is sovereign king over all of creation.

Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 103-106.

HOMILETICAL WORKSHEET

Aim of the Message

[ ] Encourage When the preacher is using the encourage objective he is seeking to help people with troubles, problems and difficulties. “God Is Looking and Listening” is an example of a sermon

[ ] Evangelistic When the preacher is using this objective he is seeking the salvation of sinners. “Christ in Exodus” is an example of a sermon with the evangelistic objective

[ ] Informational

[ ] Ethical When the preacher is using the ethical objective he is seeking to strengthen the conduct of Christians. “The Ten Commandments” is an example of a sermon

[ ] Pastoral

[ ] Persuasive

[ ] Theological or Doctrinal When the preacher is using the doctrinal objective he is seeking to help the hearers know God better through a proper understanding of the facts and teachings of the Bible. “Is There Hope for Forgiveness?” is an example of a doctrinal sermon

[ ] Consecrative When the preacher is using the consecrative objective he is seeking to enlist Christians in God’s service. “Excuses” is an example of a sermon

[ ] Devotional When the preacher is using the devotional objective he is seeking to encourage Christians to love and worship God. The sermon “When You Can’t Help But Sing” is an example of a sermon

Type of Message

[ ] Topical

[ ] Textual

[ ] Narrative

[ ] Exegetical

Series:

[ ] Thematic

[ ] Book

[ ] Single Sermon

MIS-(Main Idea of Sermon) or MIM-(Main Idea of the Message):

Getting at the Main Idea of the Message (Mim)

The MIM is the heart and soul of your sermon. The MIM is derived from the MIT and channeled through the Purpose Bridge. It is then contemporized in the main idea of the message. The MIM takes you into the homiletical aspects of the sermon preparation process. This step is crucial to the success of your message. Stott notes, "For the sermon, as a living word from God to his people, should make its impact on them then and there. They will not remember the details. We should not expect them to do so. But they should remember the dominant thought, because all the sermon's details have been marshaled to help them grasp its message and feel its power." In On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, we encounter a frequently quoted statement: "The subject [MIM] answers the question, what is the sermon about? … Whether a sermon has two points or ten points, it must have one point, it must be about something." John Killinger adds, "The first thing in making a sermon, the sine quo non, is the idea. There can be no sermon that was not first preceded by an idea or a theme." Finally, in a famous and much quoted statement, J. H. Jowett claims, "I have a conviction that no sermon is ready for preaching, not ready for writing out, until we can express its theme in a short, pregnant sentence as clear as crystal. I find the getting of that sentence is the hardest, the most exacting, and the most fruitful labour in my study."

The teaching process is thoroughly integrated. Our study (step 1) and structure (step 2) influence the main idea of the text (step 3). The MIT influences the purpose of the message (step 4). From the purpose of the message, we can now articulate the MIM (step 5).

Just as the text has a singular theme/complement, your teaching must have a singular theme/complement as well. For the MIM, you ask the key questions, of yourself rather than of the biblical author.

When we consider the Theme of the MIM, we ask this question: What am I talking about? Then when we consider its Complement, we ask this question: What am I saying about what I am talking about? Six guidelines guide us in honing in on the MIM.

Develop the MIM with your audience in mind.

State the MIM in the most memorable sentence possible.

State it positively, not negatively, if possible.

State it in the active voice, not the passive voice.

State it in words or phrases which are precise, concrete, and familiar to your listeners.

State it so that the truth is readily seen as relevant to your audience and their needs.

A good MIM has six characteristics.

It is derived from the main idea of the text. The MIT determines the MIM.

It is what the preacher will be talking about in his message.

It is a carefully worded statement.

It is geared to the audience.

It has a subject and a complement.

It is a complete sentence that is memorable.

Now let us voice a warning in closing this chapter. Identifying the MIT/MIM does not give one license or permission to ignore the supporting ideas of the text. The supporting ideas must be allowed to undergird the main idea. Allen Ross addresses this point well:

Too many so-called expositors simply make the one central idea the substance of their message. The narrative may be read or retold, but the sermon is essentially their central expository idea—it is explained, illustrated, and applied without further recourse to the text. This approach is not valid exegetical exposition. In exegetical exposition, the substance of the exposition must be clearly derived from the text so that the central idea unfolds in the analysis of the passage and so that all parts of the passage may be interpreted to show their contribution to the theological idea.

Faithful exposition will honor the whole text, big ideas and little ideas. This kind of exposition will allow the whole as well as the parts to fulfill their divinely inspired assignment. Key points will support the main point, and minor points will support the key points. Text-driven preaching will be our guide and compass for every step of the way.

Daniel Akin, William Curtis, Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 137-139.

Meeks in wordsearch - Ronald T. Meeks, Ph.D.

© 2012 Ronald T. Meeks. Database © 2012 WORDsearch Corp. Ronald T. Meeks, Meeks' Preaching Notes (Austin, TX: WORDSearch, 2012), WORDsearch CROSS e-book,

ETS. The ETS is the essence of the text in a sentence. This is a summarization of a key idea of the text in a simple sentence stated in past tense. This insures that the one idea of the sermon is rooted in the biblical text.

ESS. The ESS is the essence of the sermon in a sentence. This is a summarization of the one idea of the sermon in a simple sentence. This statement is essentially a restatement of the ETS, but expressed in the present tense.

OSS. The OSS is the objective of the sermon in a sentence. This is a statement of what the preacher wants the hearers to do in response to the sermon.

PQ. The PQ is the probing question. In the preparation of the one idea sermon, the preacher selects one question which will be used in the development of the sermon idea. There are seven possible probing questions. Each of these questions will point the sermon in a different direction. The three most frequently asked questions are “what,” “why,” and “how.” The other four questions are helpful, but are used less often. Several probing questions may be tried to see which suits a particular need best, but only one will be chosen. The question may be determined by the needs of the people, the goal of the sermon, or the natural unfolding of the text. The seven possible probing questions are:

1. What? (The answer is information.) Probing the ESS with “what” would introduce a sequence of meanings, truths, facts, implications, definitions, particulars, characteristics, inclusions, or exclusions.

2. Why? (The answer is motivations or reasons.) Probing the ESS with “why” would introduce reasons or objectives for the main divisions.

3. How? (The answer is instruction.) Interrogating the ESS with “how” would introduce a sequence of ways.

4. Who? or Whom? (The answer reflects personalities.) Inquiry with these forms of interrogatives yields answers of persons to be enumerated, identified, classified, or included.

5. Which? (The answer is alternatives or choices.) Asking this question suggests a series of choices, objects, or alternatives.

6. When? (The answer is times or conditions.) Using this phrase as a probing question suggests times, phases, or conditions.

7. Where? (The answer is places or sources.) Asking this question introduces a sequence of places or sources.

Thesis: (write thesis using ets, ess, oss, & pq from above)

UW. The UW is the unifying word. It is a plural noun or plural noun form of a verb which is used to tie together the points (or major divisions) of the sermon.

Passage Outline:

[ ] Present Tense

[ ] Alliterated

I.

a.

b.

Life Application:

Illustration:

II.

a.

b.

Life Application:

Illustration:

III.

a.

b.

Life Application:

Illustration:

IV.

a.

b.

Life Application:

Illustration:

Notes:

Introduction:

Conclusion:

Quotes:

Subject: