An Introduction to Expository Preaching

THE PROCESS emphasising

by which
GOD’S WORD is COMMUNICATED to HIS PEOPLE The Role of Analysis
so as to
Example: Luke 2:39-40
AFFECT THEIR LIVES
How should a preacher expound a very short passage, such as Lk 2:39-40?
God’s Word comes to us through reading or listening to Scripture and its
exposition by His minister who reads or expounds it. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they
returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and
There are significant stages in this simple process: became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
1 The selection of the Scripture to be expounded.
Though a passage such as this may not seem promising material for a
(e.g. Should Romans be studied or Ephesians? – which will meet
sermon, we must believe that God has a message within it to be ‘exposed’.
the present needs of those who will be listening to the preacher or
It is the preacher’s responsibility to allow God to speak through this text.
reading the words of the writer?)
There are two parts to any Expository Preaching
2 The exegetical study of the passage (in preparation)– what was the • Preparation of Sermon Exegesis (in the study)
original intended meaning of the text? • Exposition (in the pulpit)
3 The exposition of the passage before the listeners or readers that
exposes the meaning of the passage and its relevance for today.
PART 1: Preparation for the Sermon
This includes. 1. Note the Kind of Writing - the GENRE
A. Exegesis of the passage – explaining the original meaning. 2. List the Units of Thought - the basic IDEAS
3. Observe the STRUCTURE of The Passage
B. Application of the message of the passage to the reader or • Its Shape (how different parts are related)
listener. 4. Analyse the CONTENT of the Passage
C. Communication of the total exposition (in delivery) • People involve
(e.g. should a narrative approach be adopted, or an • Actions
analytical approach?) • Ideas / Topics
5. Decide the over-all SUBJECT of the Passage
4 The implementation of this message by the reader or listener. 6. Identify the TEACHING about the over-all Subject
Each stage has its own mode of operation or method of communication, 7. Expose the original HEART-BEAT of the Passage
and so needs to be considered separately as well as in relation. All four (its core message)
stages involve the co-operation of the individual with the Holy Spirit. 8. Apply the Heart-Beat (The LESSON for us today)
A fuller version would include, where helpful (after 4 above):
2 9. Study of significant WORDS
10. Study of CONTEXT
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Step 1
Note the Kind of Literature - the GENRE When they had finished everything
(The Style / Form of Writing used by the writer) required by the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
Gospel Narrative to their own town of Nazareth.
Note: “Gospel“ because the writer includes interpretative remarks in the narrative The child grew and became strong,
that point to why the narrative is Good News!
filled with wisdom;
Step 2 and the favour of God was upon him.
List the Units of Thought – the IDEAS
(Each Sentence / Clause / Phrase that gives additional meaning) Step 3:2 Structure: Emphases
What STANDS OUT in this passage?
• When they had finished everything required (What did you notice first when you read it?)
• by the law of the Lord, Was it
• they returned to Galilee, • People?
• to their own town of Nazareth. • What was going on / the actions?
• The child grew • Ideas / principles?
• and became strong, Emphasis on the people involved could be shown as follows:
• filled with wisdom,
• and the favour of God was upon him. When they had finished everything required
Step 3 by the law of the
Lord,
Observe the STRUCTURE the passage they returned to Galilee,
• Its Shape – showing the relationship of different parts to their own town of Nazareth.
• Its Repetitions – suggesting special significance / emphasis The child grew and became strong,
filled with wisdom;
This involves finding all the ideas conveyed by the various clauses and and the favour of God was upon him.
phrases and seeing how they inter-relate.
SYNTAX: Notice how we have grouped the phrases that describe the
Step 3:1 Structure: Shape object or complement of each verb, or qualify a verb or noun. Thus:
We rewrite the passage diagrammatically - to show THE SHAPE of its • ‘everything’ qualifies (tells us something more about) what was
structure - using: ‘finished’.
• one line for each unit of thought • ‘to their own town..’ tells us which part of Galilee ‘they returned’ to.
• indention to relate each unit • ‘strong’ and ‘filled with wisdom’ tell us how ‘the child grew’.
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Step 4 Step 5
Analyse the CONTENT of the passage Find the OVER-ALL SUBJECT of the whole passage

The next step is to ask: what (or who) is the passage all about? Having identified the various elements of the CONTENT, we must now
decide what is the Over-all Subject of the passage.
Step 4:1 Content: People
Is it about a person, a group of people, an event or topic? Various answers
About WHOM does this passage speak?
might be investigated. We need to find the subject that embraces all the
The People In This Passage elements of the narrative. So we can ask ourselves:
• Mary and Joseph (“they“)
• Jesus (“the child“) Is the passage about:
• God a) Returning home?
b) Growing up?
c) Spiritual blessing?
Step 4:2 Content: Action
Or is it about:
What is HAPPENING?
a) Mary & Joseph?
Activities and Events b) The child (Jesus)?
• Doing what the Law required c) God?
• Returning home from Jerusalem
$$ • A child growing When we examine each of the above suggestions in turn we find that none
of them alone concerns the whole passage.
Step 4:3 Content: Ideas
Can some of the topics be grouped together under an umbrella theme
What are the MAIN TOPICS? that will concern the whole narrative? The answer lies with the
The Main Topics suggestions in the second group – Mary & Joseph, the child (Jesus), and
• The Law’s requirements God. What relationship do they have to one another? What links them all
together? There is one word that comes to mind. – Family!
• Returning home
$$ • A child’s development
• God’s blessing All three parties are put together
= The Family of Jesus
Note: There may be considerable overlap in these answers.
The questions are there to help us observe as much as possible
of what the text is saying-
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Step 6
Identify the TEACHING about the Over-All Subject
Select related teaching only
Part 2: Expounding in the Pulpit
(Not all the teaching to be found in the passage!) •EXPLAIN what the Passage is about:
11. Its Ideas / Actions
What does this tell us about the overall subject – 12. The•People involved
The Family of Jesus?
• Identify the
• over-all SUBJECT of the Passage
• text‘s TEACHING about this Subject*
• Expound the
Teaching about the Family of Jesus • HEART-BEAT of the passage
• Focus on the
• They lived according to God’s Law • Teaching about the over-all Subject to now
• APPLY the
• They put God’s business before their own business
• EXHORT• your listeners to put this into practice
• As a result God blessed them. • * Fuller version would include:
• • EXEGESIS of difficult parts of the Passage
Step 7
•
Check the CONTEXT of the Passage

Step 8 • Explain what the Passage is about

Expose the HEART-BEAT of the Passage  Its Ideas / Actions
(its core message)  The People involved
• Identify the over-all SUBJECT of the Passage
In your own words what is the central message of the passage
- its “heart-beat“? As before (PREPARATION: Step 3)

The HEART-BEAT Fuller Exegesis of the Passage

Making obedience to God‘s law a family priority
precedes God‘s blessing Step 3
Expound the TEACHING of the text

Step 9 Exegete Verse 39 Background and Context

Apply the “heart-beat”
(the lesson of this passage for us today) What did the Law of the Lord require of them?
• That Mary purify herself by offering two sacrifices in the
Application Temple
We too must put God’s business before our own.
~ with relevant family examples ~
Etc.
 • That Mary make a payment for the birth of her first-born (a Exegete verse 40b Meaning of Words: grace
reminder of Israel’s redemption from Egypt) How did God respond to this family?
8
His favour (grace) was upon the child.
“Lev 12 required that a Jewish woman who gave birth to a son 9
should forty days after the birth and offer for the purposes of ritual Step 4
purification two sacrifices in the temple.
Focus on the HEART-BEAT of the passage:
In the case of a firstborn son there was also a requirement that he be
acknowledged as belonging to the Lord in a special way (Exod 13:2, 12, Step 5
15). In fact the child had to be redeemed by the payment of a fee of five Apply the Teaching
shekels (Num 18:15–16). Step 5 Exposition
So what is the secret of a home that is blessed by God?
Though this payment could be made anywhere in the land, the ideal was to
present the child at the temple (Neh 10:35–36). And when this was done, It is a home where,
the purification and presentation would be done together. • attention is paid to God’s Word and
• God’s commands are put first
To use two turtledoves or young pigeons for the sacrifice instead of the o despite poverty and
usual lamb and one turtledove or pigeon was actually a concession for o despite pressure of work
poor folk (Lev 12:8)”.[1]
To see the importance of right family priorities, compare two OT families:
[1]Nolland, John, Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 35a: Luke 1:1-9:20, (Dallas, Texas: Word
Eli’s and Hannah’s (1 Sam 2)
Books, Publisher) 1998.
Step 6
Exegete Verse 39 Background and Exhort your listeners to put this teaching into practice.
Context Bring home
What was their business at home? • the reality,
Joseph was a carpenter, and probably had by now a backlog of orders to • the significance, and
complete and was missing the income they represented! • the urgency of the message of these verses
• Don’t make excuses for neglecting God’s Word in your family
Exegete verse 40a Meaning of Words: wisdom • Be ready to respond to His Word by putting what God wants of
What was the effect of the parents’ obedience upon their child? us before our own agenda.
• God really does bless those who put Him first
He developed physically, and mentally / spiritually (in wisdom) • We so easily neglect His Word for our own affairs
• When our children are grown up, it is too late to set a good
example