Homiletics

The term homiletics comes from the word

homily, which basically means “a sermon.”
Homiletics is the art of preparing sermons
and preaching. Those who study homiletics
seek to improve their skill at communicating
the gospel and other biblical topics. The
discipline of homiletics falls under the
umbrella of pastoral or practical theology.
 Cont..
Historically, homiletics has integrated biblical
teaching and rhetoric (the art of speaking
persuasively or for effect). However,
theologian Karl Barth insisted that preaching
has a different purpose from rhetoric;
preaching does not rely on stylistic devices or
tools of persuasion, so homiletic and
rhetorical studies must be separate
 Cont..
Paul described his preaching as
“not with wise and persuasive
words, but with a demonstration
of the Spirit’s power” (1
Corinthians 2:4). Many take this to
be Paul’s preference for plain,
non-rhetorical discourse.
 Cont..
Paul used rhetorical questions,
asking, “How, then, can they call
on the one they have not believed
in? And how can they believe in
the one of whom they have not
heard? And how can they hear
without someone preaching to
them?” (Romans 10:14).
 Cont..
Applying the tools of
rhetoric and a deep
knowledge of the Bible are
helpful to biblical
preaching
 Cont..
Someone called to preach would do
well “to fan into flame the gift of God,
which is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6), and
homiletics is useful in that pursuit. It is
a worthy study, but, at the same time,
we must not forget that God can work
through anyone, with or without
formal training, to communicate
Christ in everyday situations.
 Cont..
As all pastors know, preparing a sermon is
hard work. According to research compiled
by Thom S. Rainer in 2012, pastors spend
plenty of time in sermon preparation each
week: 69 percent of pastors surveyed spend
over 8 hours a week preparing their
sermons. Only 8 percent spend less than 5
hours a week.
 Cont .
Different pastors have different methods
for preparing their sermons, and there is
no single process that will be best for
everyone, but there are some good steps
that can aid the formulating of a biblical
sermon. Before we consider some of those
steps, here’s some groundwork that has to
be laid:
 Pray
Pray. The power of a sermon does not lie in
educational background, oratorical skill, or
rhetorical prowess; the power is in the
Word of God and in the Holy Spirit: “My
message and my preaching were not with
wise and persuasive words, but with a
demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1
Corinthians 2:4). Pray for yourself; pray for
your congregation, remembering their
needs and particular concerns
 Commit yourself to the
authority of the Word
. The content of preaching should be
the Word of God. One of Paul’s last
instructions to Timothy was simply
“Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Preaching the Bible is a high calling,
and your messages should be
Christocentric and thoroughly biblical
(1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2).
 Plan to start early
Plan to start early. Don’t
procrastinate. Get started on next
Sunday’s sermon as early in the
week as possible. The truths you
present to others need time to
percolate in your own heart and
mind first. Devote enough time to
develop the sermon properly.
 Step 1
1) Read the passage
prayerfully and humbly and
allow it to speak to your
own heart.
 Step 1

2) Read the passage again,

taking notes on
impressions that it gives
you. Write down the
overall theme or lesson of
the passage.
 Step 3
3) Research the background,
setting, and context of the passage.
To whom was it written? What was
the occasion of the writing? What
leads up to and follows the
passage, and how does that affect
one’s understanding of the
passage?
 Step 4
4) Read the passage again,
outlining it into main points and
sub-points. Double-check to see
that you’re being true to the text.
Exegesis is the goal, not eisegesis.
 EXEGESIS
Exegesis is the exposition or explanation of a
text based on a careful, objective analysis.
The word exegesis literally means “to lead
out of.” That means that the interpreter is
led to his conclusions by following the text.
 EISEGESIS
eisegesis, which is the interpretation
of a passage based on a subjective,
non-analytical reading. The word
eisegesis literally means “to lead
into,” which means the interpreter
injects his own ideas into the text,
making it mean whatever he wants.
 Step 5
5) Using a concordance or
cyclopedic reference, cross-
reference the themes developed
in the passage with other parts of
Scripture.
 Read again
6) Read the passage again, using a
word-study help or Hebrew and
Greek dictionary to bring out
further meaning in the original
language.
 Rehasal
7) Flesh out your outline with
details of how you will
communicate the meaning of
each section of the passage. Do
this with your audience in mind.
How do I best relate God’s truth to
this group of people? How does
this passage impact their lives?
 Commentaries
8) Consult various commentaries
and sermons to see what other
students of the Bible have said
about the passage. What insights do
they have? Is there something you
can glean from their work that will
enhance your sermon?
 Examples
9) Add illustrations or
examples that will resonate
with your audience and
clarify the meaning of
various points of the
sermon.
 Revise and Outline
10) Revise and polish your outline,
paying special attention to logical
flow, transitions between points,
focus on the theme, and overall
clarity. Cut out anything that does
not contribute to the overall purpose
of your sermon.
 Practice
12) Practice. And continue to
pray. Pray for clarity, for intensity,
for honesty, for practicality, and
for wisdom (James 1:5). Pray for
God to be glorified and for the
Lord Jesus to be magnified.