Engaging exposition requires the preacher of God’s Word to develop a comprehensive and structured method for moving from his study notes and research to the completed sermon. John Stott says, “the golden rule for sermon outlines is that each text must be allowed to supply its own structure.”* An effective teacher of the Word of God recognizes the wisdom of honoring the substance and structure of the text. What he says should be faithful … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (18): Getting At The Main Idea of the Message (MIM)
The main idea of the message (MIM) is the heart and soul of your sermon. The MIM is derived from the MIT and channeled through the Purpose Bridge.
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 question, of yourself rather than of the biblical author.
The Main Idea of the Message
Theme: What am I talking about?
Complement: What am I saying … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (17): The Bridge From Study To Sermon
This is where you transition from the study to the message, from the past world of the biblical period to the present world of the here and now. To ignore this dimension in the hermeneutical/homiletical process can be fatal to what happens when you stand up to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ. Basically, you are to fulfill the assignment of a divinely called translator. Your job is to translate the precious and eternal truth … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (16): Getting at the Main Idea of the Text (MIT)
The main idea of a text (step 3) naturally derives from our studying of the Scriptures (step 1) and our structuring of the Scriptures (step 2). Having prayed over the entire process, we have: 1) tracked and identified the key verbs and parsed them; 2) looked for key words needing definition; 3) identified repetition of words and phrases; 4) located the seams in the text, which inform us as to the proper division of the … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (15): Developing the Main Idea of the Text
By way of summary, we have noted the following as essential components of steps one (studying) and two (structuring) of the hermeneutical process:
1. Study the book as a Whole.
Consider the questions of date, authorship, recipients, and purpose (general matters of introduction.)
Develop an outline of the entire book (study Bibles and commentaries will be helpful.)
Examine the relationship of the passage under consideration in both its near and far context.
2. Establish the Best Textual Base Possible.
Use the … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (14): Identifying the Main Idea of the Text
Our exegetical model requires the interpreter to inspect, inquire, and investigate every biblical text. When this is done, it is time to identify the author’s main idea of the text (MIT). This is the fourth and final stage of the exegesis process.
Much has been written about the importance of stating the main idea of the text, or what some call the textual idea, in a clear and concise manner. Wayne McDill believes that the main … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (13): Issues Concerning Context
The inspection stage of exegesis moves toward completion once we have identified the genre and developed a genre-specific outline. These two elements are required to properly examine the content of a text.
The next stage can be called the inquiry stage. “Inquire” means to ask a question. In this stage, our attention shifts from observing the content of a text to inquiring about its context. Understanding the author’s context is important for understanding his content. Consequently, … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (12): Analysis of Poetry
The development of a thematic outline will help you discover the author’s MIT when you encounter Poetry in the Scriptures. It is essential to consider rhyme and meter and the use of figurative language when interpreting Poetry.
Poetry Type and Pattern
There are a variety of poetic styles in the Scriptures. Determining the type and pattern of a poem is one of the most challenging aspects of studying poetry, especially for young interpreters. For instance, Psalm 4 … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (11): Analysis of Epistles
The Epistle is the one of the predominant types of prose found in the New Testament. Epistolary literature is propositional in nature and requires a careful analysis of both its linguistic and literary contexts.
Interpreters must remember several things as they outline Epistles. First, the author’s MIT is not found in individual words or even sentences—it is found in studying the whole discourse as it relates to the parts (e.g. whole discourse, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase, … [Read More]
Engaging Exposition (10): The Importance of Structuring the Text
Once we have determined the genre of a biblical text, it is essential to analyze the structure of the text. The second step of the inspection process is the development of a teaching outline. Today, some pastor-teachers minimize or neglect this aspect of exegesis altogether. We remain convinced, however, that the practice of outlining remains one of the key components for discovering the author’s main idea of the text (MIT). Remember, the author wrote with … [Read More]
