I heard an excellent 30-minute sermon last week based on Hebrews 12:1–2. That’s the familiar text about running the race set before us. The message broke into three natural parts:
- Laying aside hindrances
- Running with perseverance
- Fixing our eyes on Jesus
Each point was covered well, and the applications were both creative and practical. If I were to offer a criticism, I would say it was almost too good! By that I mean it was so rich in content that about 20 minutes into it, I had almost received more than I could absorb.
To the speaker’s credit, I never lost interest. The pacing was good, and the illustrations were timely and powerful. But the truth be told, I was still processing “laying aside hindrances” and missed some of the “running with perseverance” section. The same thing happened when the message transitioned from point two to point three.
On the positive side, I’ve found myself thinking about this text and sermon for several days now! In all truth, this was one of the finest sermons I’ve listened to in years. I just wish it had been a three-part series with each point having a full sermon devoted to it.
All told, it made me even more conscious of working toward one well-developed point per presentation. “What’s my subject” and “What’s the response I’m calling for”—the two questions I come back to time and again—are worth re-emphasizing over and over. At least I’m convinced!
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Please click here to visit David Mains’ Sermon-Coach.com website.
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