Thoughts on preaching by J. W. Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read 'Expository preaching'.
(i) is the most obvious and natural way of conveying to the hearers the import of the sacred volume;
(ii) has the sanction of primitive and ancient usage;
(iii) is adapted to secure the greatest amount of scriptural knowledge to both preacher and hearers;
(iv) is best fitted to communicate the knowledge of scriptural truth in its context;
(v) affords inducement and occasion to the preacher to declare the whole counsel of God;
(vi) admits of being made generally interesting to Christian assemblies;
(vii) has a direct tendency to correct, if not to preclude, the evils incident to the common textual mode of preaching.
Ok, this is seriously the best piece of writing I have read on expository preaching.
It outlines every reason why expository preaching should be practised (I can't think of any more reasons) and does so in a succinct way.
Whenever anyone asks me about expository preaching I'll refer them to this chapter. It really should be published on its own as a small booklet.
Particularly enjoyed the point that expository preaching is beneficial to the minister: 'It needs no argument, we trust, to sustain the position that every minister of the gospel should be mighty in the Scriptures; familiar with the whole text; versed in the best commentaries ; at home in every portion of both Testaments; and accustomed to grapple with the most perplexing difficulties. This is the appropriate and peculiar field of clerical study. It is obvious that the pulpit exercises of every diligent minister will give direction and colour to his private lucubrations. In order to success and usefulness in any species of discourse, the preacher must love his work, and must have it constantly before his mind. He must be possessed of enthusiasm which shall never suffer him to forget the impending task. His reading, his meditation, and even his casual trains of thought, must perpetually revert to the performances of the Sabbath...Now it must not be concealed that the popular and prevalent mode of sermonizing, however favourable it may be to professional zeal of this kind, and to the cultivation of mental habits, does by no means lead in any equal measure to the laborious study of the Scriptures.'
Expository preaching is not just beneficial to the listeners, it is beneficial to you as the preacher!
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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