4. Personal Transparency
The preacher is most effective when the sermon’s truth has gripped him. He not only needs to know the subject, but he needs to believe it.
As a result, the sermon will seep down into his life and get a hold of him. This brings about conviction, repentance, and change. It is healthy and helpful to model this as a pastor.
I should also say that taken to its extreme this could lend itself to a public personal show every week. This would become a distraction and problem.
Be gripped by the truth and then show how it grips you; in so doing, don’t make it about you.
5. Acknowledged Tension
Since you are preaching propositionally, there is going to be some type of opposition to the truth. “Husbands must love and lead their wives.” There is the truth right out of Ephesians 5.
Now don’t just tell people why to do it and that they need to do it; actually tell them what type of opposition there is to doing it. Expose the idols that get in the way. Show that a love for self and stuff will always suffocate a love for God and others. Tease it out and put it on display.
I like how Matt Chandler repeatedly does this in his preaching. He says things like: “What are the obstacles to obeying this truth?”
Another aspect of acknowledging tension is to tease out the difficulty of the passage. For example, we are called to forgive one another. What about those who will not confess or repent? How do we handle that? How does 70 times 7 play out?
Tease it out. Your people are already thinking it; you should have thought of it, so go ahead and work it out.
Remember, you are a shepherd.
Conclusion:
These are things you can do right away, and they will bring immediate impact.
As I look back on sermons that have seemed to have the most traction, they have most often been the ones when I have faithfully unfolded the passage, gotten out of the way, and let these 5 friends loose.
Give it a try; I guarantee it will work. If not, then I’ll give you a full refund.
