Required reading
Lectures to my students by Charles Spurgeon (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 5 (Sermons - their matter).
My summary
Now Spurgeon gives us advice on the content of our sermons.
He advises us that sermons should:
(i) have real teaching in them;
(ii) be congruous to the text;
(iii) be weighty and full of really important teaching;
(iv) give clear testimony to all the doctrines which constitute or lie around the gospel;
(v) not ever hover around the mere angles of truth;
(vi) not be overloaded with too much matter;
(vii) be well arranged;
(viii) be clear and unmistakable;
(ix) be as fresh as possible;
(x) grow and advance;
(xi) use the subject in hand with energy and effect;
(xii) preach Christ.
What grabbed me
I appreciated Spurgeon's advice on overemphasising doctrines that are not primary: ' Do not make minor doctrines main points. Do not paint the details of the background of the gospel picture with the same heavy brush as the great objects in the foreground of it. For instance, the great problems of sublapsarianism and supralapsarianism, the trenchant debates concerning eternal filiation, the earnest dispute concerning the double procession, and the pre or post millenarian schemes, however important some may deem them, are practically of very little concern to that godly widow woman, with seven children to support by her needle, who wants far more to hear of the loving-kindness of the God of providence than of these mysteries profound; if you preach to her on the faithfulness of God to his people, she will be cheered and helped in the battle of life; but difficult questions will perplex her or send her to sleep. She is, however, the type of hundreds of those who most require your care. Our great master theme is the good news from heaven; the tidings of mercy through the atoning death of Jesus, mercy to the chief of sinners upon their believing in Jesus.'
Much of Scripture is very plain and very applicable: that should be our focus.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 6 (On the choice of a text).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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