When Is a Sermon Ready to Be Written?

Expository preaching demands a thorough study of the text of Scripture you have selected for your sermon. At some point, however, you will have to stop studying the text and start writing the sermon. After all, Sunday is coming. I have no doubt that if you have preached very much at all you have had an experience like this one. You begin to write your sermon only to discover you need to go back and study some more. Most of the struggles that come in the writing out of the sermon are the result of beginning the process prematurely. So, when is a sermon ready to be written? A sermon is ready to be written out when you can write out a sermon summary that includes the following:

1. The essence of the sermon in a sentence. Haddon Robinson calls this sentence the big idea. If you cannot communicate the essence of your sermon in one sentence you aren't ready to write the sermon.

2. The fallen condition focus. This is a term coined by Bryan Chapell. The fallen condition focus answers the question, "Why does anyone need to hear this sermon?" Humans, in our fallen condition, need the truth of God's Word. What is it about fallen man that makes him need the specific truth you will present in your sermon?

3. The sermon outline. Every sermon needs organization. People need to be able to follow you as you work your way through the text of Scripture. How will you organize your sermon so that it can be communicated in a logical, coherent way that is both faithful to Scripture and easy to follow?

4. The connection to Christ. Christian preachers are gospel preachers. We preach Christ and Him crucified. That doesn't mean we only preach the cross and evangelistic messages. It does mean, however, that every passage passage of Scripture will in some way connect to the person and work of Christ. This is especially important to remember when preaching from the Old Testament. If the passage has no immediately obvious connection to Christ, consider if it may predict, prepare for, reflect, or be the result of the person and work of Christ. If you could preach your sermon in a synagogue or mosque without offending anyone you aren't ready to write it out.

5. The objectives for the sermon. What is it you hope to accomplish with this particular sermon? How should the listeners think after hearing this sermon? How should the listeners feel after hearing this sermon? How should the listeners act after hearing this sermon? If you don't have a target, you won't hit it.

How can you write a sermon if you don't even know what it is about? How will you convince people to listen if you haven't considered why they need to listen? How will you present the material in your sermon in a logical, coherent way if you haven't planned how you will do so? How will you preach a Christian sermon if you have no idea how it connects to the person and work of Christ? How will you accomplish biblical objectives with your sermon if you haven't even considered what those objectives are?

I fill out a sermon summary sheet before I attempt to write out any sermon. I would suggest you consider doing the same. If you'd like a copy of the one I use, just leave me a comment. If you will continue in study, prayer, and meditation until you have identified these five things, I think you will find you'll have a lot less trouble writing out your sermon.