As a lifelong listener to sermons and classes, I think I have an idea of what makes a speaker effective at impressing the image of God into the hearts of the hearers. Compiling the study, arranging the sermon, and executing an effective lesson requires so much more than an “idea.”
I am almost embarrassed to share the sermon I preached on August 24. Back in 2018 or so, I recorded the preparation time I took for a sermon, and it was 21 hours. The sermon ran far too long, and I realized I needed to either reallocate or take additional prep time just to narrow down the scope. I have done better at narrowing the scope of the lesson since then, but the lack of preparation time (I require a certain head space to be able to sit and work through something of this magnitude) got me again. The sermon suffered in terms of content (I lost sight of the core focus of the passage), as well as length.
That being said, I have good friends who are willing to listen to what I present and offer feedback. I appreciate those who are grateful to be fed anything from the word, and I am grateful to those who are willing to offer feedback on the evidence of my own study, thought processes, and presentation. I wish to share some of the feedback with you, so you can see the kind of people I have in my corner, pushing me on to be better. Sometimes it may even be a reminder to stick to what I am already studied and confident in. So, here you are.
From a Friend:
I’m very thankful that you took the chance to preach yesterday. I must say your homiletics (organization) is much, much improved over your last sermon! So many things were stronger that it made for better delivery (a good road map means more confident driving). I think textual lessons are so much easier to organize than topical lessons. This was certainly the case here.
Last time we sat in the living room and watched the tape. This time it’s in print. It’s like video coaching at TNSS!
It was a 45-minute lesson (39m25s to 1h24m45s)
Identifiable outline. This is your biggest improvement over previous lessons. Keep working on this. Every subpoint must support the major points above it (this was not always obvious).
Obvious effort to stay within the Lukan corpus. Excellent attempt.
Consider using an inductive approach to your points (start specific and work through the generality). It seems like each time you move to a new point or introduce a new passage, you start talking or reading we have to listen very hard to hear everything because we don’t know where you’re going, why you’re saying what you’re saying, and where this fits in the structure of the lesson. By the end of what you’ve said, we get it, but we might wish that you would now start over because we know what we’re listening for. Sometimes it is useful for you to telegraph to us where you’re going.
You apologized for yourself and your delivery many too many times. It erodes confidence.
Get your hand out of your pocket!
Use a real, paper Bible. Print your notes. It makes you look underprepared and like “a kid” to go up with gadgets (typing in to get a reference or worrying about a screen blanking out). When you fumble, people will dismissively write this off as “if he’d used paper, he wouldn’t have had this issue.” You’re inviting, unnecessarily, people to categorically disregard you. Finally, “this sermon brought to you by Ruger.” Don’t advertise in front of the congregation!
Your introductory segment wasn’t bad in terms of content, but it wasn’t mapped out as well as the body of your lesson. There were many more “umms” and “uhhs” in this section.
If you will copy-and-paste your Scriptures into your notes, you will 1) always have the text of them (even if you miss the reference); 2) usually have good access to them without fumbling with devices. Always triple-check your references (this bit you a few times in this presentation). “Did I write the right verse down” is not reassuring (though I know the feeling!).
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim…”
· You failed to develop this into anything meaningful. There are several points to make out of this, most significantly 1) this is a work of the Spirit. Just like 4:1, Jesus is led by the Spirit; 2) the Spirit chrio-ed Jesus, messiahifying him, identifying this as messianic work and necessarily foundationed on OT contexts (which you did not develop); 3) proclamation is a teaching function.
· This is a passage about Jesus and you made it about us (and often about “them”). Better to keep it about Jesus and bring the lens back around to us in a point-by-point and summary application.
“…good news to the poor.”
· Why bring up Matthew’s “poor in spirit”?
· In your presentation, poverty itself comes across as virtuous. I think you were right in your observation that – to their value system – weath = blessings and, conversely, poverty = curses. Jesus affirms that God does not operate in that value system.
· Is there a greater (or at least “other”) value to be identified among this community (“the poor”) than just their poverty? Is poverty a spiritual virtue?
“He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives…”
· Literal or figurative? How do you hold poverty to be figurative, but captivity to be figurative?
· “…share your riches with the poor. And if we do not do those things, then we are unrepentant, not changing, we’re not bearing fruit, and God will cut us down.” Before making such an incendiary statement, define your terms a little more. This sounds like “if you don’t redistribute your wealth into society (like a Democrat/socialist), then God will cut you down.” I don’t think that’s what you meant, but the words got out from under you.
· Consider those who are seeking justice (who have experienced miscarriage of justice), could this be for them? Would this be like the words of hope Jesus relayed to John the Baptist in prison?
· If you don’t know what “Legion” means, specifically, then don’t bring it up.
“…and recovering of sight to the blind…”
· Don’t draw attention to your time management issues.
· The Pharisees weren’t the only teachers of the people, they were one sect of teachers.
· Again, you explore only the spiritualized, figurative interpretation of this text. However, you read Luke 7:22f, wherein John the Baptist takes it literally.
“…to set at liberty those who are oppressed…”
· “Usurious debts.” Excellent terminology. I’ve never heard the adjective form of “usury.” I wonder how many other people missed the term because it’s rather archaic. Maybe that’s just me.
· Again, pushing for a consideration of the literal fulfilment of this passage (or, at least, a primary literal fulfillment), remember that in the kingdom – the way it was supposed to be – usury was specifically outlawed. If, as you will develop in your next point, the “year of the Lord’s favor” is the time when everything is set to justice and made right, then this would be part of the national reset within in the Kingdom.
“…to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
· Everything set right, restored the way it’s supposed to be – yes! This is the gospel of the Kingdom. Work this back into the previous points!
· As you developed this point, did you actually look for “restoration” or “restorative justice” in Luke or did you just “settle” for finding things that are “favorable”?
· The Year of Jubilee is not the 49th year, it’s the 50th year (Leviticus 25:10).
· Your thoughts on from “forgiven more, loves more” (Luke 7:47) led to some interesting thoughts. It’s always safer, clearer to “say what the Bible says.” In your attempt to reword things, you found yourself searching for words. There’s no demerit in saying what the text says: “but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20).
You’re Never Too Far Gone (Manasseh)
· Don’t apologize for your time and having a final point. If the point is worth making, take the time to make it. If it’s not worth making, embrace the edit and move on. Commentary on the process is not necessary. It makes people conscious of the time and creates an adversarial system that you’re begging them for time.
· Better to have summarized the II Chronicles passage (reading only a few, selected verses for emphasis). You read more from that text than any other text in your lesson and it was only a supporting point; at this point, your lesson became developmentally unbalanced. The point was good, but the over-detail and structure became an issue. For example, I didn’t need to hear anything about the fish gate to get the spiritual lesson.
Conclusion and Invitation:
· We share the blessings (physical, I assume) and call people to repentance.
· Perhaps instead of making this text first about ourselves, we should consider it to be about Jesus. Does this change our conclusion and invitation?
· Bring your conclusion back to the beginning or to the primary text (Luke 4). It was fulfilled in their hearing, how can it remain fulfilled in ours? What does this text teach us about God? How can the textual elements be brought back into the conclusion?
From another Friend:
I wanted to bring four simple thoughts for your edification & encouragement:
1. God is proud of you!!! He loves His spokesmen. Uplifting.
2. God’s word will never return void. (Is. 55) Even with our lifelong imperfections and fumbling, God’s Word is more powerful than its presenter. Humbling.
3. My one helpful comment regarding the sermon/prep — Have one central, succinct objective and build everything around that. You are so smart and, as you mentioned, have so much to share, but not everything is always supportive of your purpose.
4. I have a personal question because I love you and I care for you… You mentioned “kicking” and “hard on” and so forth… I want to ask, is that out of a frustration with the self OR a desire to improve for God? I ask this because I, along with the other brothers preaching, were humbled. So many were hard on themselves after, and the teacher said something to the effect of: We are often frustrated with our insufficiencies based on selfishness and pride instead of overjoyed that God used us and has and will keep working on us when we speak. I’m not sure I am clearly saying what I want to say, but I also want to make sure we are being graceful with ourselves and not depending on ourselves to speak/work, but God, because it REALLY takes the pressure off.
I love you! I’m proud of you!
Dustin and Sara Gonzales 
Leave a comment