INTRODUCTION TO

EXPOSITORY PREACHING

Class Outline

Definitions
Foundations
Characteristics
Methods
Pointers
INTRODUCTION TO
EXPOSITORY PREACHING

The Levites...instructed the people in

the Law while the people were
standing there. They read from the
Book of the Law of God, making it
clear and giving the meaning so that
the people could understand what
was being read.
- Neh 8:7-8
INTRODUCTION TO
EXPOSITORY PREACHING

Then all the people went away to eat

and drink, to send portions of food
and to celebrate with great joy,
because they now understood the
words that had been made known to
them.
- Neh 8:7-8
WHAT IS
EXPOSITORY
PREACHING?

Expository preaching is
the proclamation of God’s
word using Biblical context
as the main basis for
explanations.
WHAT IS
EXPOSITORY
PREACHING?

Compared with conventional

preaching, expository preaching
strives to focus and highlight the
context of the Bible more than
anything else. Exposition
involves factual data that leads
to Bible truths.
Characteristics

The foundation of expository

preaching is the Bible.

The focus of expository

preaching is exegesis.

The method of expository

preaching is explanation.
Example of Paul “preaching”
They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same
spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that
accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless,
God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were
scattered over the desert.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from

setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be
idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The
people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in
pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as
some of them did--and in one day twenty-three thousand of
them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them
did--and were killed by snakes. - 1 Cor 10:3-9
Elements of Exposition

 Information about the

Text/Verse
 Information about the writer
 Information about the
recipients or readers
 Conclusion or principle learned
Two Key Words

Explanation -
explaining/shedding light on
the verse

Principles - pointing out main

concepts, more than just
specific challenges
Advantages of Expository Preaching
For (you) the preacher:

 It keeps you sharp on the Bible

 It gives you greater confidence in
using the Bible as the true authority
 It makes sermon preparation more
interesting
 It gives more emphasis on the Bible
than the preacher
 You can teach more with less verses;
sermons become shorter but “meatier”
 The background research gives you
more material to preach with
 Advantages of Expository Preaching
For the audience:

It makes the sermon more interesting

It increases appreciation for God’s
word & encourages people to study the
Bible
It disarms the audience; less feel of
coercion
It equips people with solid principles
than they can apply when they are
alone
It creates at atmosphere of deeper
study & multiplies preachers
Elements of Expository Preaching

“The Central Idea of Text”

(CIT) is a simple
declarative sentence,
written in the past tense,
which says what the text
meant back then.
Elements of Expository
Preaching
“The Major Objective of the Text”
(MOT) is a broad description of
the primary purpose or intent of
the text. In expository preaching,
it is common to use one
launching passage for the rest of
the sermon.
Elements of Expository
Preaching
“The Major Objective of the
Sermon” (MOS) is a statement of
what the preacher hopes to
accomplish with this one
message, for this one
congregation. It should be a short
simple sentence.
Research Point of View
The focal point of most worship
services is the sermon…

Highly effective churches have

pioneered ways of maximizing
the impact of the sermon…
Research Point of View
The first lesson from the highly
effective churches is that people
have to be taught how to hear truth.
The first step in this process is often
challenging people’s views of
Scripture…

Dr. George Barna

Habits of Highly Effective Churches
Biblical Central Idea of
Text/s Text/s (CIT)

Main objective of
Text/s (MOT)

Main objective of
Sermon (MOS)

WRITING THE SERMON

Theme: Based on my MOS, what do I want to preach on? What is my
launching idea?
Title: How will I name this sermon?
Introduction and Conclusion: How will I start and end?
Body (Points/sub-points) : How will I develop my theme?

Polishing & Practicing

How to make the text apply
Key concept or
principle

General
Context of the Relevance for
passage today

Specific
Content of the passage Application

Biblical Text Sermon

Text
Results of conventional preaching
F
T
L
Personal Experiences
E Marriage/Family Dynamic,
O
World News/Secular Input, SERMON
X Church Needs, etc.)
C
Biblical Study
T
K
Results of expository preaching
Personal Experiences

F
T
L
E
Biblical Study SERMON O
X
C
T
K
Results...

1. Atmosphere of learning
2. Less Scripture abuse
3. Conviction of responsibility
4. Practice of self-confrontation
Pointers for leaders & preachers
1. Always study context

• Read a passage slowly

• Ask questions: what, who, why, how
• Keep a Bible dictionary handy
• Try to explain the context in a short
sentence
Pointers for leaders & preachers
2. Develop a Berean atmosphere

• Have themes & goals

• Lift up those who show interest
• Give “HW” during preaching
• Feed them new things
More Pointers
3. Highlight the text when
preaching/discipling

• Expect people to read with you

• Wait for people to turn
• Read with power & conviction
• Express personal interest
• Try out different versions
More Pointers
4. Expect a response

• Ask people what they think about the

text, not about what you said
• Focus on how they respond to the
Bible, not to your challenges
• Mention things from last message/s
INTRODUCTION TO
EXPOSITORY PREACHING

Class Outline

Definitions
Foundations
Characteristics
Methods
Pointers