What’s the Subject of this Text for Bible Sermons?

“All right, I’m going to give you a short text, and I want you to tell me what its subject is.” (I don’t know how many times I’ve said those words when working with a group of ministers.) “The text is Psalm One. Here’s how it reads in the NIV.”

1 Blessed is the man
     who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
    or stand in the way of sinners
    or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
    and whose leaf does not wither.
    Whatever he does prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.
 

After a minute or two of silence, hands start going up.

“I think the subject is The Man Blessed by God.”

“Person Blessed,” says another. “It could be a man or a woman.

“Okay, The Person Blessed by God,” agrees the pastor with the original idea.

“I concur.”

“Me too.”

Another pastor somewhat hesitantly says, “I think it should be The Way of the Righteous. Look at verse 6, “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous.”

“Okay,” I say, “The Way of the Righteous or The Person Blessed by God. Any other ideas?”

Everyone seems satisfied.

I tell them that either one works for me. They’re both good answers. “Which do you think your congregation would rather hear a sermon on … The Way of The Righteous or The Person Blessed by God?”

The Person Blessed by God wins by a wide margin!

Develop your sermon outline or sermon series accordingly. Have sermon ideas you want me to evaluate? Email me today

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The Text & Topic of Your Church Sermon Differ

A large foundation underwrites a yearly program that helps promising pastors in a number of areas.  I have regularly had the privilege of being a guest instructor during the week they work on preaching.

Prior to that time, each participant sends in a taped sample of his or her church sermon, which the leaders watch ahead of time and the ministers later view as a group.  This could be intimidating except for the fact that as peers they are looking for the “unique excellence” this person has.  With this as the bottom-line, the experience is always quite affirming.

My evaluation is to be made on content.  And when I meet one-on-one, the comment I find myself making most frequently is, “I had trouble figuring out what your church sermon subject was.”

This isn’t because I’m a poor listener.  I’m paying close attention to see if I can ascertain what the overall topic is.  Sometimes the answer is obvious.  Far more often, however, the message goes in a number of different directions.

Don’t misunderstand.  I knew what the person’s scripture text was.  But a text and a sermon subject are different.  I may be told that a given message was based on Psalm 1, but that doesn’t necessarily help me in terms of knowing the preacher’s subject.

My suggestion is that very early on in the sermon preparation process a speaker needs to get a handle on the subject being addressed.  Create a helpful sermon outline if you have to, but make sure you answer this question: “What I am talking about is ______________________.”  If you don’t know what fills in that blank, it’s for sure your listeners won’t either!

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