Congregations can understand and sympathize with the sheer weight of this task. Often, however, what is missed by Christian laypeople is the mental labor of sermon preparation from which faithful sermons emerge. The Christian minister is overwhelmed with decisions during this time that he may not be prepared for through theological education alone. And an honest minister might wonder if he is doing this part of his job correctly. In this lecture on preparing a sermon, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones considers some of the mechanics of sermon preparation such as topical preaching, expository preaching, and tips for covering the whole counsel of God’s word. Working under the framework of Christian liberty and the freedom of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Lloyd-Jones talks about the pros and cons of other topics such as preaching through a catechism, the mechanics of sermon series, evangelistic opportunities through the church calendar, and holiday sermons.
Up Next in Sermons: Preaching and Preachers
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Shape of the Sermon
The shape of the sermon should reflect the goal of any sermon. The shape is to show the original context, the meaning of a passage, and apply it to life today. In this sermon titled “Shape of the Sermon,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses outlines, the main points of a sermon, the place and import...
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Illustrations, Eloquence, and Humor i...
In this sermon titled “Illustrations, Eloquence, and Humour,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the preacher’s need for freedom in the pulpit. On one hand, some preachers are bound to a manuscript and never make eye contact with his people. On the other, the preacher is unprepared and forgets what...
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What to Avoid in Preaching
These things creep into the preaching ministry and detract the man from his work. In this sermon titled “What to Avoid,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his lectures on preaching and preachers and begins with a few observations on radio preaching. As this grew in popularity during his day, the r...