908
THE KING’S BUSINESS
2. By His resurrection, 23-32 3. By the outpouring o f the Spirit, 33-35. Note Peter’s use o f prophecy, quotation, exposition, testimony. The effect o f the sermon is striking, 36- 40. Three thousand were converted by this one sermon. It takes three thousand ser mons nowadays to convert one person. What a change! No Holy Ghost power; you see. Those ten days waiting Were not lost time. “Wait on the Lord.” Who ever saw such a following in one day? 2 . The first Christian assembly and community, 2 : 41 - 47 . W e have seen the effects o f the outpour- (T o be
ing o f the Holy Ghost on the apostles and on the crowds, now we see those effects in the first Christian community. (a ) There is the glad acceptance o f the Spirit filled apostles as the spiritual guides. The Holy Spirit bound the believers not only together, but to the apostles. They left the doctrines o f the scribes and Phar isees, and, instead, accepted the teachings o f the - apostles. What a tremendous change! (b ) There is a cheerful acceptance of, and delight in the divine ordinances—bap tism and communion. (c ) There was victorious joy, praise, and testimony; unity and abounding love.
O
1
% F O R T H E SERMOTSI, B I B L E R E A D I N G , G O S P E L A D D R E S S J - JOMILET ICAL J-JELPS
£
Ï
THE THEME
T HE wise choice and proper wording of the theme o f a sermon is a matter of no small moment. The attractiveness o f the title o f a book is sometimes the great est factor in its sale. While this should not be so in the case o f a sermon, yet, it must be admitted that a wisely-chosen theme has much to do with the interestingness b f a sermon. A few general suggestions may here be made bearing on the subject. I. By Way of Suggestion . I. Know Your Theme Thoroughly. This does not mean that you must know absolutely everything connected with the subj ect. It does mean, however, that the preacher must have a clear, definite, intel ligent, masterly grasp o f the subject.
Familiarity with the theme may be secured by talking the subject over with some one. I f one cannot express the theme colloqui ally, it is doubtful if he can do so from the pulpit. It may be said in this connection that it is 1 by no means always wise to preach at once upon a theme because one is deeply impressed with it at the time. One will preach better if he allows the matter to revolve more and more in his mind. Live in the theme; let it be the atmosphere which you breathe; let it master and take complete possession o f you— then preach about it. Knowledge is power in this as well as in, all other respects; From this it may be said—preach on familiar themes, at least to begin with. This is good advice
From “ How to Prepare Sermons and Gospel Addresses” by the author
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker